Warning: contains spoilers for Ultimate Invasion #2!As a new universe is born, fans get their first look at Reed Richards‘ costume as the new Doctor Doom. Imprisoned by his evil doppelganger the Maker, the Reed Richards of Earth-6160 never got his stretching powers, but his genius remains intact. Indeed, he’s so brilliant that the Maker has him hard at work developing the tools to stabilize his new timeline, albeit as a prisoner forced to wear a very familiar mask…
In a preview for Jonathan Hickman, Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Alex Sinclair, and Joe Caramagna’s Ultimate Invasion #4, Reed Richards/Doctor Doom and Howard Stark (this reality’s Iron Man) continue work on a secretive project for the Maker, who recently came under attack from Kang the Conqueror, deploying troops from the distant future. The Maker needs Howard and Reed to work together on an Immortus Engine, which he can use to truly fight back and end the threat to his horrific global regime, where the world is kept in a constant state of staged conflict by its rulers. So far, fans had only seen Reed in the iconic mask, but this preview shows him in an entire ensemble – the hooded cloak and full-body armor of Doom, but in the white and blue of the Fantastic Four, and lacking many of the villainous tyrant’s more regal trappings.
Doctor Doom & Iron Man Unite, But Can They Stop the Maker?
The Maker is the Reed Richards of the former Ultimate Universe, who eventually abandoned morality and became a villain. Recently, he’s been hard at work turning Earth-6160 into his own pet reality, using time travel to manipulate the timeline. He permanently exiled Thor from Earth, prevented Spider-Man’s origin, and tamed the Hulk, as well as making sure the Fantastic Four’s virgin spaceflight never gave them powers. However, last issue ended with the reveal that the Maker still has a use for this reality’s native Reed Richards, and that he’d been turned into a reflection of the evil Doctor Doom fans know.
This Time, Doctor Doom Is the Hero
While Howard Stark may be forced to work for the Maker, he finds his stranglehold on the world disgusting – something which is likely also true of the new Doctor Doom, who seems to be a hero at heart. The Ultimate Invasion miniseries is launching an entire new line of comics from Marvel set in the new Ultimate Universe, but it won’t be entirely a reality of the Maker’s design. While in this world the Maker prevented Spider-Man’s origin, Marvel recently announced a new Ultimate Spider-Man series. This suggests that between Iron Man, Kang, and Doctor Doom, someone will find a way to throw a wrench into the Maker’s plans, and hopefully give this reality a chance to escape his boot heel.
While Earth-6160’s Reed Richards may have become the Doctor Doom of this reality (with Marvel’s solicit for issue three naming him as such, as well as calling him the “anti-Maker”), that doesn’t make him a villain – especially with an evil Mister Fantastic as his rival in the Maker. Ultimate Invasion #4 ends this miniseries and launches an entire new reality at Marvel Comics – one whose inhabitants may be saved from an evil Reed Richards by a heroic Doctor Doom.
Ultimate Invasion #3 is coming from Marvel Comics September 27.
