Rampage (UK) #11 (Story 1)

Background

Rampage was a UK-only magazine for the teen market. Each issue featured a couple of short out-of-continuity stories with Marvel comic characters. The rest of the issue was filled-out with puzzles, posters and fact files, along with a solid helping of comp-ad-titions and promo-mercials for Marvel products, along with Star Wars and other non-Marvel movies and games.

The creative team from Rampage seems to cycle through the same basic list of UK creative talent that produces the Spidey stories for Spectacular Spider-Man (UK Magazine), so it's perhaps not surprising that the look and feel of the Spider-Man stories is very similar between them.

The magazine opens with the usual eclectic mix of news and random stuff... a quick roundup of the top four UK football teams, some random facts (World Record for blowing a marshmallow out of your nostril is 4.96 meters). There's a Marvel Mini Toon, some celeb jokes, and some promo competitions. Heh, there's a promo for the Ghost Rider movie.

There's a Spidey story tucked away at the back too. But first, the Fantastic Four continue their fragmented battle against Maestro and Doctor Doom.

Story 'The Monarch and the Monster!'

Previously, Doctor Doom had captured the Hulk thanks to a "control collar". The Jade Giant is forced to submit to Doom's will. And what plan did the Doctor have for the Hulk? He was to be gifted to an other-universe "smart Hulk" named Maestro. In return, Maestro was to defeat the Fantastic Four, whom Doom couldn't manage to overcome.

Last issue concluded with the Maestro's defeat at the hands of the Fantastic Four. So now... Doom is using the Hulk to fight the Fantastic Four. After all, if your new plan fails, the obvious alternative is to go back to your old, failed plans.

Let me tell you how this old plan fails. The control collar that Doom has placed on the Hulk is infused with Adamantium. Or Vibranium. Or some fancy metal. In any case, it can't be destroyed. So instead, the FF simply destroy the non-Adamantium remote control which Doom has conveniently attached to the outside of his glove in plain sight.

With his control over the Hulk now broken, Doom flees. Hulk then runs away too - still wearing his indestructible control collar. I guess when he next becomes Bruce Banner, the over-sized piece of neck-wear will simply drop off. Hopefully.

General Comments

For a genius, Doom really is a maroon. There's one page of back-story, then four pages of pointless battle, before Reed points out the fatal flaw in Doom's device.

On the plus side, Paul Marshall's cartoonish artwork is clean and bright. But that can't save this silly tale.

Overall Rating

According to this story, the "genius" Doctor Doom doesn't have two brain cells to rub together. But here ya go, Doomy. Here's two webs to rub together. It's probably more than you deserve.