Lucas Blogs About Doctor Doom Vol. 1
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| At least the cover is badass! |
So, what's this book's deal?
Well, it's a comic book written by Christopher Cantwell (a writer and filmmaker who has the misfortune of sharing a name with a racist shithead) and drawn by Salvador Larroca, with coloring by Guru-eFX. It's about Victor Von Doom, the arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four. If you aren't familiar with him, he's basically an evil version of Iron Man crossed with Doctor Strange who's also the dictator of the fictional Slavic state of Latveria.
So . . . a grounded, relatable protagonist for a change.
Well, it's not for a lack of trying on Cantwell's part. In Doctor Doom, Volume 1: Pottersville, Doom is isolated (as usual) in Latveria, stewing over the positive media attention garnered by Reed Richards and Tony Stark's latest cooperative scientific endeavor: a green energy project that involves creating an artificial black hole on the moon.
Wait—what?
Don't worry, it almost certainly won't go wrong and kill everyone on Earth. Meanwhile, Doom has repeated visions of another life for himself where he's married with children in a utopian future which he rules as an enlightened despot. Oh, and he's also free of the disfiguring scars he hides under his face mask. He claims to view this version of himself as weak, but he's clearly envious. Meanwhile someone has hacked into Latveria's weapons systems and launched an attack on that energy project. In order to stave off an invasion, Doom turns himself in and hands power over to Victorious, his right hand woman. Oh and did I mention that he's also dealing with visits from Kang the Conqueror, a time-traveller who insists that Doom needs to bring about the more peaceful world from his visions so that Kang can more easily conquer it?
You did not, no.
In any case, that's most of issue one. In subsequent issues Doom mostly tries to evade capture and reclaim control of Latveria while dealing with such threats as: H.E.R.B.I.E., Reed Richards' robot assistant; a descendant of the last king of Latveria trying to reclaim the throne; and, of course, being assassinated and having to face people he's wronged in hell.
So it's pretty out there.
It is, and I wish I could appreciate that, but Doctor Doom just doesn't work for me on a fundamental level.
Wait, is this – is this a negative review?
Yeah, but since it was a comic book it was short enough that it didn't join the books-that-I-didn't-finish club. So let's just rip into what I didn't like about it. Let's start with the art. Or maybe the coloration. They just don't mesh with each other in a visually appealing way.
Maybe be more specific.
Gladly. So, I don't think it's necessarily a problem with Larroca's art style, per se. Sure, I prefer comic book characters that are a little more cartoon-y and stylized, and Larroca clearly has a more realistic aesthetic. I think the problem comes in with how Guru-eFX colors the pages. Sure, the lighting and texturing make the figures look real, but somehow the whole image is rendered inert. Instead of communicating action, the drawings look more like awkwardly posed wax figures.
That might be a little harsh.
It is, I don't want to sound like I'm putting down either of these artists because they clearly do good work, I just think they're two great tastes that taste slightly off together.
That's a little less harsh.
The other big problem I have is that Cantwell never quite succeeds in making Doctor Doom into a real character. I mean, sure, Doom has all of his usual hallmarks: braggadocio, contempt for anyone who is not Victor Von Doom, and a fierce demand for fawning loyalty from his subjects. So, the obvious question is how to do you take someone as cartoonishly evil as Doctor Doom and make him a compelling protagonist?
Presumably you place him in a situation in which he is humbled and vulnerable. That way he can either experience humility and change or he can double down on his flaws and worsen his condition.
And that's pretty much exactly what Cantwell does. Except that he never quite gives a compelling reason for the reader to get invested in Doom as a character. While Cantwell's Doom is self-aware enough to recognize that his visions represent a better version of himself, Cantwell never got me to care about this inner conflict. So at the end when Doom SPOILERS: doubles down on his self-aggrandizing and tyrannical impulses it doesn't register much emotional impact at all.
Wait, is this a complete story?
Oh no, this collects the first five issues of an ongoing story. I'm not sure if it's a limited series (though the ending of this volume would make for a logical mid-point in a limited series), but even if it is, I'm not invested enough to see how it plays out.
Well, did you like anything at all?
Oh sure, for example, H.E.R.B.I.E.'s not so quiet desperation to become a full-fledged member of the Fantastic Four was a fun running gag, and honestly, I enjoyed Kang the Conqueror's appearances as Doom's unwanted guest/ad hoc therapist. And well, there's a pretty great joke where Doom is asked if he prefers Paul or John and you think he'd reject the question out of hand as ridiculous, which he does . . . because the answer is clearly John.
Yeah, Doctor Doom does seem the type.
But yeah, I just didn't really care for this comic book, and I'm not gonna check out the next volume when it's collected in a trade.
Doctor Doom: Volume 1 —Pottersville written by Christopher Cantwell, drawn by Salvador Larroca, coloring by Guru-eFX, Marvel Comics trade paperback edition, 2020, 136 pages, pairs well with kvass and refusal to acknowledge your flaws and/or mistakes
Links:
So this Christopher Cantwell was apparently the co-creator of the tv series Halt and Catch Fire (which I have not seen) and directed the upcoming film The Parts You Lose. He's also on twitter, if you're into that kinda thing. As is the artist, Salvador Larroca, again if that's what you're into.
Since I'm willing to admit that I might be wrong (unlike Doom), I should mention that Doctor Doom was nominated for Best New Series in this year's Eisner Awards.
Wait—what?
Don't worry, it almost certainly won't go wrong and kill everyone on Earth. Meanwhile, Doom has repeated visions of another life for himself where he's married with children in a utopian future which he rules as an enlightened despot. Oh, and he's also free of the disfiguring scars he hides under his face mask. He claims to view this version of himself as weak, but he's clearly envious. Meanwhile someone has hacked into Latveria's weapons systems and launched an attack on that energy project. In order to stave off an invasion, Doom turns himself in and hands power over to Victorious, his right hand woman. Oh and did I mention that he's also dealing with visits from Kang the Conqueror, a time-traveller who insists that Doom needs to bring about the more peaceful world from his visions so that Kang can more easily conquer it?
You did not, no.
In any case, that's most of issue one. In subsequent issues Doom mostly tries to evade capture and reclaim control of Latveria while dealing with such threats as: H.E.R.B.I.E., Reed Richards' robot assistant; a descendant of the last king of Latveria trying to reclaim the throne; and, of course, being assassinated and having to face people he's wronged in hell.
So it's pretty out there.
It is, and I wish I could appreciate that, but Doctor Doom just doesn't work for me on a fundamental level.
Wait, is this – is this a negative review?
Yeah, but since it was a comic book it was short enough that it didn't join the books-that-I-didn't-finish club. So let's just rip into what I didn't like about it. Let's start with the art. Or maybe the coloration. They just don't mesh with each other in a visually appealing way.
Maybe be more specific.
Gladly. So, I don't think it's necessarily a problem with Larroca's art style, per se. Sure, I prefer comic book characters that are a little more cartoon-y and stylized, and Larroca clearly has a more realistic aesthetic. I think the problem comes in with how Guru-eFX colors the pages. Sure, the lighting and texturing make the figures look real, but somehow the whole image is rendered inert. Instead of communicating action, the drawings look more like awkwardly posed wax figures.
That might be a little harsh.
It is, I don't want to sound like I'm putting down either of these artists because they clearly do good work, I just think they're two great tastes that taste slightly off together.
That's a little less harsh.
The other big problem I have is that Cantwell never quite succeeds in making Doctor Doom into a real character. I mean, sure, Doom has all of his usual hallmarks: braggadocio, contempt for anyone who is not Victor Von Doom, and a fierce demand for fawning loyalty from his subjects. So, the obvious question is how to do you take someone as cartoonishly evil as Doctor Doom and make him a compelling protagonist?
Presumably you place him in a situation in which he is humbled and vulnerable. That way he can either experience humility and change or he can double down on his flaws and worsen his condition.
And that's pretty much exactly what Cantwell does. Except that he never quite gives a compelling reason for the reader to get invested in Doom as a character. While Cantwell's Doom is self-aware enough to recognize that his visions represent a better version of himself, Cantwell never got me to care about this inner conflict. So at the end when Doom SPOILERS: doubles down on his self-aggrandizing and tyrannical impulses it doesn't register much emotional impact at all.
Wait, is this a complete story?
Oh no, this collects the first five issues of an ongoing story. I'm not sure if it's a limited series (though the ending of this volume would make for a logical mid-point in a limited series), but even if it is, I'm not invested enough to see how it plays out.
Well, did you like anything at all?
Oh sure, for example, H.E.R.B.I.E.'s not so quiet desperation to become a full-fledged member of the Fantastic Four was a fun running gag, and honestly, I enjoyed Kang the Conqueror's appearances as Doom's unwanted guest/ad hoc therapist. And well, there's a pretty great joke where Doom is asked if he prefers Paul or John and you think he'd reject the question out of hand as ridiculous, which he does . . . because the answer is clearly John.
Yeah, Doctor Doom does seem the type.
But yeah, I just didn't really care for this comic book, and I'm not gonna check out the next volume when it's collected in a trade.
Doctor Doom: Volume 1 —Pottersville written by Christopher Cantwell, drawn by Salvador Larroca, coloring by Guru-eFX, Marvel Comics trade paperback edition, 2020, 136 pages, pairs well with kvass and refusal to acknowledge your flaws and/or mistakes
Links:
So this Christopher Cantwell was apparently the co-creator of the tv series Halt and Catch Fire (which I have not seen) and directed the upcoming film The Parts You Lose. He's also on twitter, if you're into that kinda thing. As is the artist, Salvador Larroca, again if that's what you're into.
Since I'm willing to admit that I might be wrong (unlike Doom), I should mention that Doctor Doom was nominated for Best New Series in this year's Eisner Awards.
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