Synopsis / Summary / Plot
We begin with a flashback to the well-known days of Victor von Doom, Reed Richards and Ben Grimm at State University. Reed and his roommate Ben watch Victor at work on a device to contact the dead - specifically his mother. Reed wants to be friends because he sees Victor as the only person at the college with an intellect at the same level as his own. Doom of course thinks he's much superior. Richards offers to help, but Doom is suspicious and rejects him. (We all know that his invention will blow up in his face, literally.)
In the present ex-villain and Iron Man Doom is continuing his crusade against other villains (Diablo in #1 and Mad Thinker in #2). In Pittsburgh the Wizard is worried and contacts MODOK suggesting they gather fellow-members of the Intelligencia, rescue Thinker from SHIELD and plan their defence. But Iron Doom is already on him.
Wizard flies on large anti-gravity discs and Doom too is in the air. Bentley Wittman uses his Wonder Gloves to counter Doom's attacks. They both know that the gloves, even though improved, aren't enough. But Wizard is just using them as a distraction while he gets anti-grav discs attached to Victor's armoured feet.
The discs take Doom high in the air, and he discovers that they are immune to sorcery. So he commands his armour to disengage its boots, and lets himself fall towards the ground. At the last minute he uses his (sorcerous?) version of repulsor rays to stop from crashing.
Von Doom heads back to the fight. He has Wittman on the ropes when he suddenly has a vision of a giant circular artificial something. Wizard uses the opportunity to zap Doom and run away.
Elsewhere Cynthia von Doom and the Maker (the villainous Reed Richards from the Ultimate Universe) are watching via a mystical cauldron. Cynthia is worried about her son but Maker convinces her to stick to their plan.
SHIELD Agents led by Commander Sharon Carter show up to arrest Victor. He demands to talk to Director Maria Hill, but Sharon says she's been fired. Von Doom suggests Carter stand down or he won't be responsible for the consequences. But all this was stalling while his armour rebooted. Then he flies away and then disappears using magic.
In Chicago Riri Williams hears news on her laptop of the fight between SHIELD and someone like Iron Man. She suits up as Ironheart and flies off to investigate.