Fantastic Four #246
Too Many Dooms
Reed Richards is conducting another test to try and find a way to cure the Thing. However, this is merely a facade, as Reed has recently discovered that Ben's inability to return to human form is due to a force of will as Ben believes that his long-time girlfriend Alicia Masters only loves him because he is the Thing, and it is this idea that hinders any attempts to cure him. Still, Reed maintains the appearance that he is doing what he can until such a day that Ben can come to terms with the fact that Alicia loves him for who he is no matter what he looks like. The most recent test is interrupted when Sue enters the room to inform Ben that the Latverian ambassador is on the line. Answering the phone, Reed makes arrangements to have the inert body of Doctor Doom turned over to the embassy, unaware that someone or something posing as Doctor Doom is plotting against the Fantastic Four.
Meanwhile, at Doctor Doom's castle in the Adirondack Mountains, the Micronauts are leaving the area following their battle against the Puppet Master and Doctor Doom, who are still trapped in miniature robot bodies in Liddleville, a miniature community the two villains constructed to try and defeat the Fantastic Four. Within the Puppet Master gloats over his victory of Doom, whose robot body -- its face horribly melted in the battle -- is now inert. The Puppet Master then brags about his new scheme: using some of his radioactive clay he has constructed a puppet of Doom's real body so that he can use it to destroy the Fantastic Four. Before he can do so the castle in Liddleville is torn open by yet another Doctor Doom, who crushes the Puppet Master's robotic body and then takes the tiny robot form of the real Doctor Doom and flies away.
At that moment, the Fantastic Four have arrived at the Latverian embassy in New York with the inert body of Doctor Doom in order to turn it over to the ambassador. Inside this other Doom prepares to spring his trap. When the ambassador suggests that the plan might fail, this Doom angrily snaps his neck. When the Fantastic Four enter the embassy they are suddenly caught in a trap that dumps them into separate rooms. Johnny's flames are doused in fire retardant foam, Sue is bombarded with a vertigo ray, Reed is horribly stretched beyond his limits, and Ben is electrified before being dumped in the room. All four members are confronted by who they believe to be Doctor Doom. Each member tries to fight back, but their version of Doctor Doom appears to be equipped to deal with their unique powers. It soon becomes obvious to each member of the FF that they are not fighting the real Doctor Doom, but a robot duplicate of their long-time foe. No longer having to hold back, each member of the FF unleashes their full strength to destroy the Doom bots they face.
While this is going on, a trio of Doom's meet -- each, in reality, a robot duplicate of Doctor Doom -- and they use a device to transfer the mind of the real Doctor Doom into his inert body. By the time the Fantastic Four free themselves and regroup, the real Doom is revived. When they try to attack him, they are surprised to find they cannot. Doom explains that he has used a will sapping ray on them to make it impossible for them to attack. He then reminds them how they ousted him from the Latverian throne and how he now seeks their aid to regain his rightful place. He reminds them how in the past they once sought out his aid and that they are indebted to him. When the Fantastic Four still refuse, Doom shows them that they have no choice, calling up an image of Latveria, showing that his former kingdom is now in ruins and runs rampant with crime and corruption.
Recurring Characters
Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Girl, Human Torch, Thing), Alicia Masters, Puppet Master, Doctor Doom, Micronauts (behind the scenes)
Continuity Notes
Reed mentions his last attempt at trying to restore Ben to human form. This happened in Fantastic Four #238. It did not go as planned as Ben was regressed to a previous form he first had during the early days of the Fantastic Four from Fantastic Four #1-10. Ben was recently returned to his trademark rock-like form last issue.
The Fantastic Four have had Dr. Doom's inert body held in stasis in their headquarters since they trapped his body in the tiny robotic one in Fantastic Four #236.
Doctor Doom and the Puppet Master appear here following their clash with the Micronauts in Micronauts #41. The Micronauts' ship is the only thing seen in this issue.
Abandoned here, Liddleville is next used by Aron the Rogue Watcher against the Thing and Sharon Venture in Fantastic Four #372-373.
The Puppet Master is seemingly slain in this issue, as he stated that he did not know what happened to his body when he transferred his mind into Liddleville back in Fantastic Four #236. However, he manages to reform a new body out of a supply of his radioactive clay later, as revealed in Thing #4.
The Fantastic Four make mention that their headquarters was recently rebuilt. It was decimated in their battle against Terrax in Fantastic Four #242.
This issue reveals for the first time that Doctor Doom utilizes robot duplicates of himself that act in his place when he is not in Latveria. These robots believe they are the real Doctor Doom unless they are in the presence of Doom himself, or other Doombots.
Doctor Doom mentions the time the Fantastic Four sought his help. This happened in Fantastic Four #116 when the team needed help stopping the Overmind, who had enthralled Mister Fantastic at the time.
Doom mentions that he was ousted from the Latverian throne. This happened when the Fantastic Four assisted Prince Zorba to overthrow Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four #200. When last seen, the nation of Latveria was in revolt over Zorba's rule in Fantastic Four Annual #15.
