Winter Soldier #3 Review
Ah, this is more like it; the Doom storyline's finally getting going after all two setup-heavy intro issues, and this time we get a more substantial appearance.
Nick Fury tells our heroes that Lucia Von Bardas is the only person with a motive to start a war between the US and Latveria. Elsewhere, the woman herself has been reprogramming the Doombot she bought. It's currently rather confused because it believes itself to be Doctor Doom - according to her, one of 'over a dozen' programmed to be capable of standing in for him - and so it doesn't understand why it's obeying her orders. Poor little confused 'bot. :P
Bucky and Natasha borrow some teleporters from Reed Richards so they can make a visit to the Latverian Embassy. Since they're only short-range teleporters, they have to drop out of their plane to do this in midair. (...Why they can't teleport from somewhere nearby on the ground, I am not sure. I guess they don't have time to land somewhere discreet. Or maybe Reed Richards just makes crappy teleporters.)
They have stealth gear suitable for fooling most security systems, but they know it won't do so well against Doom's. As it turns out, it works even less well than they think, and the man himself swiftly makes an appearance. Bucky, in the midst of being strangled, tries to get across that they're here to warn him and ask for his help rather than assassinate him.
Meanwhile, the reprogrammed Doombot has just been delivered to the United Nations building, to await the coming dawn before "the entire world will feel the wrath of Victor Von Doom..."
Good stuff! It's all rather plotty and action-driven, but Brubaker manages to get some neat character moments in there all the same. I rather love the confused Doombot, and there's a scene I really liked just before Doom goes to confront Bucky and Natasha where we see him sitting in his control chamber without the mask on (in heavy shadow, obviously). It's a nice little humanising touch - I seem to recall Doom monologuing to himself way back when that he finds it claustrophobic sometimes - which is the kind of thing I was hoping for from Brubaker after Books of Doom.
Looking forward to next issue, which seems to promise we'll see Doom working together with the good guys. Still digging the art style, as well - I really do love Bettie Breitweiser's colouring. Recommended if you like a bit of Doom and some nicely atmospheric art.
Nick Fury tells our heroes that Lucia Von Bardas is the only person with a motive to start a war between the US and Latveria. Elsewhere, the woman herself has been reprogramming the Doombot she bought. It's currently rather confused because it believes itself to be Doctor Doom - according to her, one of 'over a dozen' programmed to be capable of standing in for him - and so it doesn't understand why it's obeying her orders. Poor little confused 'bot. :P
Bucky and Natasha borrow some teleporters from Reed Richards so they can make a visit to the Latverian Embassy. Since they're only short-range teleporters, they have to drop out of their plane to do this in midair. (...Why they can't teleport from somewhere nearby on the ground, I am not sure. I guess they don't have time to land somewhere discreet. Or maybe Reed Richards just makes crappy teleporters.)
They have stealth gear suitable for fooling most security systems, but they know it won't do so well against Doom's. As it turns out, it works even less well than they think, and the man himself swiftly makes an appearance. Bucky, in the midst of being strangled, tries to get across that they're here to warn him and ask for his help rather than assassinate him.
Meanwhile, the reprogrammed Doombot has just been delivered to the United Nations building, to await the coming dawn before "the entire world will feel the wrath of Victor Von Doom..."
Good stuff! It's all rather plotty and action-driven, but Brubaker manages to get some neat character moments in there all the same. I rather love the confused Doombot, and there's a scene I really liked just before Doom goes to confront Bucky and Natasha where we see him sitting in his control chamber without the mask on (in heavy shadow, obviously). It's a nice little humanising touch - I seem to recall Doom monologuing to himself way back when that he finds it claustrophobic sometimes - which is the kind of thing I was hoping for from Brubaker after Books of Doom.
Looking forward to next issue, which seems to promise we'll see Doom working together with the good guys. Still digging the art style, as well - I really do love Bettie Breitweiser's colouring. Recommended if you like a bit of Doom and some nicely atmospheric art.