Infamous Iron Man #11: Review

Aug 2017

Brian Michael Bendis, Alex Maleev

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::

Story Name:

(no title given)

Review & Comments

Rating:

Infamous Iron Man #11 Review by Rob Johnson (September 2, 2017)

My earlier musing about how this title's appearances by Reed Richards/Maker fitted in with those in other titles are now irrelevant - it *wasn't* Maker.

The intro page says Reed Richards did "something so horrifying that it sent Victor Von Doom himself running in fear". It isn't at all clear what that was. Doom claims not to have learned that 'Maker' is Mephisto. And the *slight* intimacy between his mother and Reed disturbed him, but not *that* much.

Doom has a long history with Mephisto. He repeatedly tried to win his mother back from Mephisto's Hell. Supposedly he freed her in the Dr Doom & Dr Strange Graphic Novel (#49). (So is this really Cynthia Von Doom who has been working with Mephisto in this series?) Then Doom himself landed up in Hell in Fantastic Four #500, but he got out (with help from Thor's Mjolnir) in FF#536.

From Our Blog:

Gwen Stacy, beauty queen of Standard High School, was Peter Parker's (alias Spider-Man) first great love.

Gwen Stacy: Classic Beauty

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Infamous Iron Man #11 Synopsis by Rob Johnson

SHIELD Commander Sharon Carter has summoned Doctor Strange to Project Pegasus where they are holding Iron Man (Victor Von Doom). Doom says he hasn't tried to escape because he's trying to be a good guy these days. Strange has heard about that but expresses scepticism. But he's more concerned about what made Doom flee here in panic. Whatever scares Doom terrifies Strange.

The pair meditate and enter another level of reality to continue their conversation. DrS is concerned that the Cynthia Von Doom and Reed Richards that Victor has met may not be who they claim.

Carter has also called in Thing for security. But then Reed Richards arrives (in a Fantasticar module?) and requests entrance. Sharon doesn't trust him either and orders SHIELD agents to shoot him. But the pliable Mr Fantastic evades all their bullets and just claims to be here to help them with Dr Doom.

Stephen Strange gets Victor to tell him what happened with Cynthia and Reed (we see more than last issue). His mother had taken Victor to her extra-dimensional base but then Richards turned up and told her off for deviating from their plan. Doom could tell it wasn't the Reed Richards of Marvel Earth. But then his mother appeared on intimate terms with his erstwhile enemy, which Victor found very disturbing. Stephen suggest maybe it wasn't his real mother, but Victor thinks it wasn't *any* version of Reed.

Meanwhile the 'Reed' outside has got fed up with playing nice and starts flying and lashing out with flames (like the Human Torch). Thing leaps into the fray and they battle head-on.

Doom claims not to know which of his many enemies this 'Richards' might be. It may all just be a part of his mother's madness. But as he turns Dr Doom-ey and swears vengeance for this affront to his person both Doctors realise who the enemy is. As Carter bursts in to tell them he's here.

They rush to the fight and tell 'Reed' to reveal himself ... as Mephisto. The devil was unhappy with Victor turning 'good'. He was determined that Doom should not avoid his fate in Hell.

::: click cover to ENLARGE it :::