Doomquest #3 – An Empire Goes Boom!

Reed Richards had an idea for time travel. Unwilling to be bested by his rival, Victor Von Doom went to work. The result? The Doom Machine. Before Doom can use his device, he’s attacked by the Fantastic Four and forced back in time. The trip back in time begins his DoomQuest. Having survived the Titanic, Doom now finds himself at a key moment in American history, and his mind in the body of General George Washington. Doom is committed to viewing this time travel not as a punishment but as a means to remake the world in his image.

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Shawn!

Creative Team

Writer: Ryan North
Artist: Francesco Mobili
Color Artist: Frank D’Armata
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Cover Artist: Alex Ross

Writing

Megan: Something about Doctor Doom inserting himself into American history and making it his own story is just so on brand for him. In Doomquest #3, Doctor Doom finds himself in one of the most important times in America’s history, at the start of the Revolutionary War. Now in the body of George Washington, Doom sees an opportunity to shape this war into something helpful for Latveria’s future.

Ryan North delivers another excellent issue of Doomquest that shows the most powerful tool that Doom has is his mind. Seeing Doom escape the Titanic was one thing, but to see him coerce a whole war into working for his benefit was something special. This series continues to spotlight Doom’s determination and how he will stop at absolutely nothing for the betterment of Latveria.

Shawn: What a fun issue. These DoomQuest stories have been so fun to read, but seeing Doom at a pivotal moment in American history was hilarious. Not only did we get Doom as George Washington, but in typical Doom fashion, North has Doom go off the rails and turn an already wild idea off the rails. Even when doing historical time travel, it’s clear that Ryan North truly understands the character of Doom. While these are fun and at times silly stories, they’re still written so well by North that it feels as if he is building to something bigger on the horizon at the end of the series.

I thought the Titanic was a great story, but dropping Doom into Boston as George Washington was a different level. I enjoy that North continually shows us Doom’s love for Latveria, and that even if his methods are unusual (or downright diabolical), he’s usually doing them for his beloved Latveria. This issue provided a creative alternative history as Doom continues to rewrite history in his image, but North also intertwines legitimate historical knowledge within the story. It provides a break from the fun narrative that North is building to highlight the story of Henry Knox and his role in the early history of the United States in a fun way. Admittedly, Knox’s role in Doom’s version of history is more thrilling than the original Knox Expedition, but it still shines a light on a lesser-known hero of the American Revolution.

Art

Megan: The artists really knocked Doomquest #3 out of the park by bringing fun factors into a historic time period and making it so very Doom. Francesco Mobili, Frank D’Armata, and Travis Lanham work together to make this a memorable story that really was a lot of fun to read. Mobili expertly draws the scenes to look like a piece of history and somehow perfectly combines Doom to look like he belongs. D’Armata does a fantastic job of capturing the historic tones. Lanham provides an excellent flow of dialogue that captures the power of Doom’s words. Together, the artists came together and made this an absolutely splendid issue.

Shawn: Francesco Mobili and Frank D’Armata really got a chance to get crazy in this issue, and they took it. The entire premise of DoomQuest borders on absurdity, and that allows the artists the freedom to really get crazy. From Alex Ross’s rendition on the cover of Doom crossing the Delaware, the art only gets more fun in the story. Mobili crafts a Doom that feels truly terrifying and oozes confidence. The settings are drawn perfectly, with each panel feeling like you’ve found yourself in Colonial New England and other areas I can’t mention without spoiling it.

D’Armata colors the book perfectly using period-relevant colors and tones for the American Revolution era. Doom still stands as impactful, and there are points in the story where D’Armata’s colors force your brain to intentionally draw comparisons to other Marvel Characters. Travis Lanham perfectly letters the issue, moving the story effectively and leaving room for the art to breathe.

Final Thoughts

Megan: 10/10. Doomquest continues to be a fun read that highlights exactly how powerful and cunning Doom truly is.

Shawn: 10/10. Another fun issue. I knew going in that DoomQuest was going to be a bit absurd, and it’s all that and more. Despite the absurdity of it all, readers are still treated to a really good story and beautiful art. DoomQuest is worth a spot on your pull list for the ways that it is both entertaining and just a little bit educational.

Overall Grade: 10/10

What did you think of this issue of Doomquest? Did it hit the spot? Let us know in the comments