Doom Nation

The Thing is furious to learn that Mister Fantastic has agreed to allow Doctor Doom to join the Future Foundation. Doom doesn't help the situation by mocking Ben for watching helplessly while the Human Torch sacrificed his life to stop an invasion from the Negative Zone. The two are about to come to blows, but the Invisible Woman interrupts, telling them not to fight in the house. Valeria and Nathaniel explain that Doom is integral to their plans and they need to keep their friends close and their enemies closer. Ben has had enough and drags Dragon Man out with him to find the nearest bar. Reed tells Sue to go with them to try to make Ben understand why the need Doom's help. Sue doesn't like the situation any more than Ben does, but concedes, hoping that her husband knows what he is doing.

Mister Fantastic takes Spider-Man and Doctor Doom into the "Room" where the children of the Future Foundation use their minds to come up with solutions to their problems. Putting her mind to it, Valeria comes up with a solution: repair Doctor Doom's mind with a back-up copy. After some pressing, Doom agrees to take them to Kristoff Vernard. Meanwhile, at Muk's Bar, Sue tries to talk some sense into Ben about having Doom on the team. After hearing how Dragon Man is now a pacifist, Sue tells the Thing that they need to find their place in this new world that they are creating for themselves.

The following day, Mister Fantastic, his father, Valeria, Doctor Doom and Spider-Man arrive in Latveria, where Doom presents himself to Kristoff who has assumed the throne since Doom's brain has been damaged. Doom recounts how when Kristoff's mother was murdered, Doom took the boy as his ward and groomed him to become his successor. During a period in which Doom was believed to be dead, Kristoff had his mind programmed with Doom's memories. They soon begin building a machine that will allow them to transfer the missing portions of Doom's from Kristoff's brain. After they prepare to begin the experiment, Reed briefly considers purging Doom's mind instead of healing it, but decides against it. Although the device explodes, the experiment is a success and Doom's mind is restored to normal. Doom then explains that now that his mind has been restored, he will now live up to his end of the bargain he made with Valeria. When Reed asks what he means, Doom tells them that they were going to work together to defeat Reed Richards.

Recurring Characters

Future Foundation (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Thing, Spider-Man, Nathaniel Richards, Doctor Doom, Franklin Richards, Valeria Richards, Dragon Man, Wu, Vil, Korr, Mik, Turg, Tong, Leech, Artie Maddicks, Bently-23, Alex Power), Kristoff Vernard

Continuity Notes

• Doom's brain was damaged in Incredible Hulk #606.

• A substantial portion of Kristoff's past is covered here. The death of his mother occurred in Fantastic Four #247. Doom seemingly perished in Fantastic Four #260 and Kristoff was reprogrammed with Doom's mind in Fantastic Four #278, but Doom turned up alive and well in Fantastic Four #288.