The Ultimates has been one of the year’s best new series, blending familiar superheroes with unfamiliar aspects thanks to an augmented timeline. Writer Deniz Camp has also infused the series with political elements, grounding the stories and adding commentary that feels valuable and real. Enter The Ultimates #4, which reveals how Dr. Doom became who he was and how he was changed from Reed Richards into something twisted.
It’s no surprise Reed Richards is Doctor Doom in this universe, but how did he become the foil of what Reed in the 616 fights against? There is a singular focus on Doom as Camp and artist Phil Noto reveal his past while Iron Lad questions why he missed a crucial mission.
The Ultimates #4 opens with a young Reed Richards taking a college course on the fourth dimension. His hand is raised, and he’s hopeful while much older students sit around looking confused or bored. The very next panel shows Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben all strapped in for their mission that’ll historically change them into superheroes. These scenes of the past give us a sense of how Reed’s potential to become Mr. Fantastic was there, but it all went wrong at some point.
This version of Dr. Doom is incredibly tragic.
Credit: Marvel
Looking at the old footage of the team, we see Dr. Doom aka Reed Richards of this universe, and one can see he wishes The Maker didn’t augment his future. He’s in his lab working on things, which eventually brings Iron Lad in. As these two stories carry forward, changes take place, revealing what happened to the Fantastic Four and to Reed. It’s a tragic tale that helps back up Doom’s rage and desire to make things right.
By the end of the issue, Camp and Noto make a strong case as far as how Reed could turn into Doom. Not only does this show The Maker’s incredibly vile and evil nature in torturing Reed, it shows how much is at stake for Doom to defeat The Maker and make things right.
There’s also an intriguing element concerning Doom’s desire to create the Fantastic Four. As we know by now, The Maker has wiped out most of the heroes, and thus, returning them is one of the main goals of the Ultimates so they can beat The Maker when he returns in fourteen months. This adds to the ongoing tension and development to prepare for The Maker’s return.
Focusing almost exclusively on Doom makes this issue feel thin in terms of the team and overall development. Camp does throw in a quick detail from Iron Lad, but it’s a bottle episode and thus is quite singular.
Noto’s art is great, with a cinematic quality thanks to the use of wide panels, four to a page. The layout never changes, creating a steady pace from beginning to end. There’s also repetition here and there, further creating mirroring connections to each story. Overall, it’s clear the form very much satisfies the overall function.
The Ultimates #4 fully defines Reed Richards’ Dr. Doom, revealing the tragedy of the Fantastic Four in this universe and the motivation to defeat The Maker at all costs. This issue strengthens the anticipation of The Maker’s return while we gain further insights into the nuance of one of the Ultimates, Dr. Doom.
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