Happy Friday, folks!
It's time for me to talk about the fourteenth issue of Super-Villain Team-Up. The cover, illustrated by the legendary Uncanny X-Men team of John Byrne and Terry Austin, depicted Dr. Doom standing in a circle, with the heroes the Wasp, Hercules, Yellowjacket, the Vision, the Angel, the Scarlet Witch, Iceman, Captain America, the Beast, Iron Man, and Thor kneeling before him. The tale was titled "A World for the Winning!" The issue had a cover date of October 1977.
The story started in Latveria, where Magneto tried to make his way across a crowded street in the middle of a celebration. Citizens were rejoicing before a statue of their beloved leader, Doctor Doom. Magneto grew angry with the proceedings and used his mutant abilities to send the statue crashing to the ground before flying toward Castle Doom.
Inside the stately manor, Victor Von Doom was toying with the figures sculpted like many of his old superhero rivals. He was expressing his boredom when Magneto entered the room. The founder of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants had piqued Doom's interest, and he allowed his guest to explain how he'd returned to his normal size and abilities (in tales recounted in issues of the Defenders and the Uncanny X-Men).
Magneto had arrived to offer a partnership in dominating the world. Doom was not interested, stating that the world was already his. He then pointed to a series of neuro canisters outside the window that were already pumping a toxin that would make the rest of the planet's inhabitants obey his will.
Not even Doom's guest was immune to the gas. He was eventually able to overcome its effects and engage Von Doom in a brief battle before a deal was struck. The arrangement was sealed with a drink, but Magneto's glass had been spiked with both the antidote to the drug and an intoxicant that would make him sleep until it was time for him to play his next part in the game that was about to begin.
Several hours later, Magneto burst into the New York headquarters of the Avengers. There, he fought against Captain America, Iron Man, Wonder Man, the Vision, the Wasp, Yellowjacket, Scarlet Witch, Thor, and the Beast. His alliance with Doom was revealed at the end of the conflict, one that the Latverian ruler had been observing from afar.
A simple verbal command was all it took for Doom to control the Avengers. He allowed Magneto to choose one hero who would be free from his mental domination. Magneto chose his longtime rival, the Beast. After Magneto released his nemesis from the drug's control, the duo set off in a Quinjet toward Los Angeles, where they ran up against the superhero team known as the Champions.
This was the end of this title's regular run, and the story concluded in the sixteenth issue of the Champions' mag. I'll discuss that title in my next retro comic recap series. This issue was the first matchup that I'm aware of between Doom and Magneto, and it hasn't been the last. Both characters have changed significantly since that initial meeting. I felt like this story was a bit rushed, probably because the title was cancelled a bit prematurely. I loved the idea of having Dr. Doom lead his own magazine. He's had a few titles of his own since, most recently over the last few years leading up to this December's next MCU movie.
Although this title was cancelled, this wasn't the last issue of Super-Villain Team-Up. There would be three more issues published before the series was finally put to rest. Tomorrow, I'll cover the fifteenth issue, which was a reprint of a couple of stories that chronicled Doom and the Red Skull's first conflict. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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