No matter the time, no matter the place…  there is always Doom.  Your Major Spoilers review of Doom 2099 #1 from Marvel Comics awaits!

DOOM 2099 #1

Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Marco Castiello
Colorist: Chris Sotomayor
Letterer: VC’s Clayton Cowles
Editor: Darren Shan
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price:  $4.99
Release Date: December 11, 2019

Previously in Doom 2099:  In 2099, everything has changed.  Technology has changed.  Governments have changed.  People have changed.

But only one thing has remained the same… DOOM.

IN THE FAR-FLUNG FUTURE

We open in the wastelands (amusingly called ‘The Ravage’) of the future of 2099, as a pair of Thorite wanderers drag the body of a heavily-scarred unconscious man across the desert.  A young boy named Franz accompanies them, all the while wondering what they’re going to do with him and why they have to kill so many people.  That’s when the strange man awakens and defeats the Thorites with their own hammers, informing Franz that he will protect the boy as long as Franz helps him.  Traveling to the shack of a mysterious Tinkerer, the scarred man declares himself to be Doom (though a doom in possession of only some of his memories) and begins assembling a makeshift armor with which he intends to find Latveria.  As he does, he is plagued by visions of Reed Richards, who chides him for seeking power rather than finally turning his life around.  Doom makes his way to the center of the Ravage, but only after dispatching an assassin who specializes in taking out would-be Dooms, but what he finds there is more than bit surprising:  Himself.

THE SCARRING QUESTION IS ANSWERED

This issue has a lot of really interesting bits to it (and the final reveal once Doom and “Doom” go head-to-head is admittedly quite clever) but most of the story feels like background noise to the adventures of the Fantastic Four rather than its own thing.  The little touches like the texture of the Thorites armor or the specific technology used to create Doom’s armor are interesting, and the dialogue between Richards and Doom is nice, but none of it feels particularly inspired.  The art is likewise okay, with elements of Leinil Yu here and there, and nothing obtrusively wrong, with it.  In fact, the sketchiness of the art really helps to convey the sense of filth and desperation of living in The Ravage, but it’s not always conducive to clear expressions for the characters.  The reveal in the final pages of the book overcomes a lot (but not all) of those storytelling issues with a nice twist ending, though.

BOTTOM LINE: INTERESTING, BUT KIND OF UNIMPRESSIVE

I have no idea why 2099 is suddenly a thing again in 2019, as the 25th anniversary would have been in 2017, but Doom 2099 #1 is an okay one-shot issue with mostly successful art, a story that’s not quite as wildly creative as I’d expect from Zdarsky but a final twist ending that gives it a full half star, earning 3 out of 5 stars overall.  It’s not a bad issue, but it doesn’t really stand-out as a must-read, unless you’re intent on following the entire new 2099 series all the way through.

---

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

DOOM 2099 #1

57%

57%

Has Its Moments

I'm not sure why 2099 is suddenly a thing again, but this issue is pretty middle-of-the-road. I like the story better than the art, but the final twist is sucessful, if a bit telegraphed.

• Writing

  6
• Art

  5
• Coloring

  6
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0