BRONZE AGE MINUTE: Fantastic Four #246

Marvel; September 1982
Cover by John Byrne

Title: “Too Many Dooms”
Synopsis: With the help of several Doombots, Doctor Doom escapes the miniature town of Liddleville to again menace the Fantastic Four.

Writer: John Byrne
Penciler: Byrne
Inker: Byrne

Review: Doctor Doom finally escapes Liddleville (where he was trapped in Fantastic Four #236) to again threaten the Fantastic Four. Writer/artist John Byrne clearly enjoys playing with Doom, and he writes the character well; there’s little question the not-so-good doctor will be the premiere Fantastic Four villain of Byrne’s tenure. But this issue is a pretty routine exercise in splitting the Fantastic Four up so each member has a chance to face off against the deposed Latverian monarch. There’s a nice twist ending, though (tying into Fantastic Four #200), and, of course, this issue is very well drawn.

Grade: B+

Cool factor: The Thing is often smarter than his gruff persona would suggest, especially during Byrne’s stint on Fantastic Four.

Notable: There’s a LOC from future comics artist Jill Thompson on the “Fantastic Four Fan Page” letter column.

Character quotable: “As ever your brutish reactions are as predictable as they are stupid.” – Doctor Doom to the Thing, followed, one would guess, by “niener-niener-niener”

Back to previous page