Doom's plans are laid bare in X-Men/Fantastic Four #3, by writer Chip Zdarsky, artist Terry Dodson, inkers Rachel Dodson and Ransom Getty, colorists Laura Martin, Andrew Crossley, and Peter Pantazis, and letterer Joe Caramagna. Can the X-Men and Fantastic Four put aside their differences long enough to stop whatever Doom has planned?

The X-Men chase the FF to Doom Island, taking down their jet and battling them on the shore. The X-Men get the upper hand and prepare to take the FF back to Krakoa for crimes against the country when Doom shows up. Kate and the Marauders show up to tell everyone about the deal they made with Doom. Doom says they can all stay while he helps Franklin and even checks his machines to make sure that everything is on the up and up but that no one can go into the island's village. Reed and Beast talk to Franklin about the procedure, but Franklin wants to go through with it. The X-Men plan to free the Latverian mutants on the island, but know that Doom will expect them to do that after he restores Franklin, so they ask the FF for help. Doom, Beast, and Richards discuss the science of the procedure, and Doom tells Xavier off for his perceived superiority. The X-Men, with Invisible Woman's help, sneak into the village and try to help the mutants there, but Doombits attack them. Wolverine stabs one as Emma Frost tries to stop him. Reed tells Franklin he shouldn't go along with Doom's treatment, but Beast tells him it should work. Doom then informs everyone that he knew the X-Men would break their work and that one of them has killed a citizen of Latveria. He presses a button, activating his own Doombot-esque Sentinels.

Again, Zdarsky knocks this one out of the park. Doom has played everyone once again. He knew that the X-Men couldn't resist "saving" the Latverian mutants and planned on using their zeal against them. It's all plans within plans, and it's textbook Doom. Zdarsky's love for Doom shines throughout the book. He gives Doom the best line of not only this book but of any Dawn Of X book at all. Xavier asks Doom what he is doing, why he is helping a mutant when he hasn't accepted Krakoa's deal. Doom tells him that while he doesn't like diplomats, he understands why they exist and that he feels like Krakoa is negotiating in bad faith because they know everyone needs their drugs. Doom doesn't recognize that mutants are superior to humans because they are born with their powers and finds Xavier's pretense of superiority insulting. Doom doesn't have a problem with mutants. He has a problem with unearned superiority.

These few panels worth of dialogue from Doom describes one of the biggest problems Xavier and the Krakoan government's attitude. Mutants are lording their superiority over the rest of the world. Sure, Doom is tricking all of them and acting in bad faith himself, but he isn't wrong about Xavier or the way he and Krakoa have treated the world. There's so much good writing in this book.

The art by Terry Dodson is very hit or miss throughout. Some panels don't really even look like he drew them. The backgrounds aren't sharp either when there are even backgrounds to speak of. Some of it looks good, but a lot of it doesn't.

X-Men/Fantastic Four #3 is a great comic. Chip Zdarsky was the perfect choice for this mini-series. He writes the best Doom anyone's seen… well since the last time he wrote the character in Marvel Two-In-One. More of Doom's plan unfolds in this issue, but the ultimate goal of his plan remains to be seen. The art by Terry Dodson isn't great, but Zdarsky does such a good job with everything else that it doesn't really matter.


Grade: A-