Ah, the Essentials volumes. First, there’s the creepy, nimbly expanded upon by John Jakala at Fanboy Rampage. But, did you know that, long before Dr. Doom was cherry-picking local homes for comely Latverians in Super-Villain Team-Up, he was coming up with the stupidest plan in memory in the twenty-fifth issue of Avengers?
Admittedly, he was new to the vengeful despot game at that point, playing up the “mask of benevolence” and passing on the “droit de seigneur,” but you still have to wonder what on Earth he was thinking. Y’see, he decided to strike fear into the heart of a quartet of super-heroes by luring an entirely unrelated quartet of super-heroes into Latveria. Yup, to put a good scare into the Fantastic Four, Doom planned to utterly destroy the Avengers.
Wha-huh? Why didn’t he just use those energies to… y’know… destroy the Fantastic Four?
Of course, his strategem is genius, sending a forged letter to pathologically needy Eastern Europeans Wanda and Pietro, claiming they have a previously unknown Latverian aunt who’s just itching for a meeting with her famous mutant kin. And what does Cap’s Kooky Quartet decide to do? Pack up and head to Latveria without asking a single sensible question! (It markedly improves a stupid plan’s chances of success if it’s directed at stupid victims, apparently.)
Upon arrival, the Dysfunctional Four are immediately taken into custody so that Doom might destroy them utterly. Only then do the Avengers remember where they’ve heard of Latveria before. Oh, that’s right! It’s the dictatorship ruled by the Fantastic Four’s arch-nemesis! The Fantastic Four, with whom we have routine contact, who also live right across town! We can see their skyscraper from the mansion! Wave, guys!
Ye gods.
Do you need me to tell you that this plan goes badly awry? Even Doom can’t quite keep his motives straight, as mid-story he switches from wanting to frighten the FF to wanting to lure them to Latveria to rescue their peer super-team. Hilariously, the United States government prevents the FF from doing so, as Latveria is widely viewed as a friendly nation. So, sucks to be you, Victor.
Even the “mask of benevolence” gets a little tarnished. First, Victor gives his Avengers-hating populace a thrill by throwing a gold coin at a local urchin (who defeats the purpose entirely by swearing he’ll never part with it), only to be forced to coldly deny that same urchin departure from Latveria for vital medical treatment across the border. Because he’s covered the entire country with a force field to keep the Avengers in.
Some days, it just doesn’t pay to be a megalomaniac.