Marvel Two-in-One #2
Jan. 25th, 2018 11:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nomadicwriter posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
doomfansFollowing the clue that Reed hid the Multisect at the scene of their first adventure, Ben and Johnny revisit Monster Island, where they encounter Mole Man and a bunch of monsters hanging out. After Johnny's flame powers conk out, Doom turns up to rescue them. He says the Multisect would be better off in his hands, and Johnny says they need it to save Reed and Sue and the kids. Doom gives Ben a look and says, "Oh, Grimm. You are... this is too rich."
Doom gets appointed new ruler of Monster Island for having won the fight. Mole Man objects and says Doom doesn't know what it's like to be treated as a monster. Doom says, "I think you will discover that I know the feeling all too well." He says he was a fool to think that Ben could unravel Richards' instructions even when they were intended for him and that it's probably a wild goose chase, and that he hopes that whatever trophy Reed left them isn't as useless as they are.
This reminds Ben of his and Reed's real "first adventure" together, when they snuck into an ESU building to amend a science award that Victor won over Reed so the trophy read "Victor Von Doof". (Incidentally, for those of you keeping track at home, apparently in the current timeline Reed and Doom were at college in 1998.) They head to ESU and find the device hidden in the base of the trophy.
Okay, well, after this issue, I'm now almost certain that Doom is the one who created "Reed's" message, or at the very least is using it to deliberately lay a trail. The emphasis on "intended" when he's exasperated with Ben not understanding a clue that was specifically intended for him, goading them about Reed sending them on a wild goose chase to keep them searching and then making a point of dropping the word "trophy" at he leaves: he clearly knew exactly what that "first adventure" clue meant, and the fact it's a college-related thing further points to the idea that Doom could have come up with it himself.
That also makes me think that the "this is too rich" comment is not just about the fact Ben's lying to Johnny, but rather the whole ridiculous situation of Doom faking an "I'm dead but I want you to do this one last thing for me" message because he knows they'll never believe him if he claims Reed and Sue are alive, and then Ben turning round and unwittingly convincing Johnny of the truth anyway.
Art-wise, Cheung gets to show off his take on the Iron Doom armour a bit more this issue, which looks fantastic and manages to pull some great 'expressions' via Doom's body language. I particularly love the panels where Doom turns to give Ben a look after hearing Johnny speak about saving the others, and the one where he's head-to-head with Ben trash-talking Reed. The flashback sequences look much better than the ones last issue, too. (Though having three young brown-haired dudes in casual clothes is a bit of a challenge for Cheung's sameface issues.)
All in all, a much more even second issue, with a take on Doom that no longer feels quite so at odds with his portrayal in Iron Man and makes it much clearer that at least some of his behaviour is a performance to steer Ben and Johnny where he wants. I'm now a lot more confident about the direction this series is taking, and definitely looking forward to issue three!
Doom gets appointed new ruler of Monster Island for having won the fight. Mole Man objects and says Doom doesn't know what it's like to be treated as a monster. Doom says, "I think you will discover that I know the feeling all too well." He says he was a fool to think that Ben could unravel Richards' instructions even when they were intended for him and that it's probably a wild goose chase, and that he hopes that whatever trophy Reed left them isn't as useless as they are.
This reminds Ben of his and Reed's real "first adventure" together, when they snuck into an ESU building to amend a science award that Victor won over Reed so the trophy read "Victor Von Doof". (Incidentally, for those of you keeping track at home, apparently in the current timeline Reed and Doom were at college in 1998.) They head to ESU and find the device hidden in the base of the trophy.
Okay, well, after this issue, I'm now almost certain that Doom is the one who created "Reed's" message, or at the very least is using it to deliberately lay a trail. The emphasis on "intended" when he's exasperated with Ben not understanding a clue that was specifically intended for him, goading them about Reed sending them on a wild goose chase to keep them searching and then making a point of dropping the word "trophy" at he leaves: he clearly knew exactly what that "first adventure" clue meant, and the fact it's a college-related thing further points to the idea that Doom could have come up with it himself.
That also makes me think that the "this is too rich" comment is not just about the fact Ben's lying to Johnny, but rather the whole ridiculous situation of Doom faking an "I'm dead but I want you to do this one last thing for me" message because he knows they'll never believe him if he claims Reed and Sue are alive, and then Ben turning round and unwittingly convincing Johnny of the truth anyway.
Art-wise, Cheung gets to show off his take on the Iron Doom armour a bit more this issue, which looks fantastic and manages to pull some great 'expressions' via Doom's body language. I particularly love the panels where Doom turns to give Ben a look after hearing Johnny speak about saving the others, and the one where he's head-to-head with Ben trash-talking Reed. The flashback sequences look much better than the ones last issue, too. (Though having three young brown-haired dudes in casual clothes is a bit of a challenge for Cheung's sameface issues.)
All in all, a much more even second issue, with a take on Doom that no longer feels quite so at odds with his portrayal in Iron Man and makes it much clearer that at least some of his behaviour is a performance to steer Ben and Johnny where he wants. I'm now a lot more confident about the direction this series is taking, and definitely looking forward to issue three!
