The Fantastic Four are ready for the wedding of Doom

Superhero marriages come and go, and this summer’s bash will be a royal affair: Doctor Doom has chosen a bride. And it’s not the Scarlet Witch or Storm or any of the other women he’s tried to force into recognizing the majesty of Doom over the years.

No, it’s Latveria’s home grown (and Doctor Doom-created) superhero, Victorious, who just banged the Human Torch, but accepts the Proposal of Doom out of loyalty and love of country. Which is good, because it gave the Torch something to think about other than how he just cheated on his alien soulmate after getting in a big fight with her because he couldn’t tell she’d been impersonated by his Skrull ex-wife.

Also his Skrull ex-wife might have been mind controlled into showing up by the Thing’s wife? Ahhh, good old superhero drama.

What else is happening in the pages of our favorite comics? We’ll tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of the books that our comics editor enjoyed this past week. It’s part society pages of superhero lives, part reading recommendations, part “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. There may not be enough context. But there will be great comics. (And if you missed the last edition, read this.)

---

Fantastic Four #32

Image: Dan Slott, Javier Rodríguez/Marvel Comics

On top of all the drama, Doom wants Reed Richards to be the best man of Doom, and I’m sure it’s not at all part of some scheme to humiliate him.

Guardians of the Galaxy #14

Image: Al Ewing, Juan Frigeri/Marvel Comics

The reason Doom has to get married in the first place is actually nothing to do with falling in love. He’s detected some kind of universe-threatening ... threat, and in classic Doom fashion, believes that only he has the power to stop it. All of this is a way for writer Al Ewing to get Doom’s big ego on the Guardians of the Galaxy team, starting with Guardians of the Galaxy #14, in which the Guardians temporarily imprison Doctor Doom in the body of Rocket Raccoon by way of forcing him to agree to their terms.

Ahhh, good old superhero drama.

The Joker #3

Image: James Tynion IV, Guillem March/DC Comics

Three issues in and The Joker might have just turned from James Gordon hunting down an on-the-lam Joker to a buddy story where James Gordon and the Joker are on the lam from many, many pissed-off supervillains?

Qualms with some of the art aside, I’m genuinely loving this book, and the scene these panels are from is a real high point.

The Sprite and the Gardener

Image: Rii Abrego, Joe Whitt/Oni Press

A quick graphic novel from Rii Abrego and Joe Whitt, The Sprite and the Gardener charmed the heck out of me. It’s got some big Steven Universe style “no romance plot and yet effortlessly queer” energy.

DC Festival of Heroes #1

Image: Gene Luen Yang, Bernard Chang/DC Comics

DC’s Asian superhero (and creator) celebration anthology has a lot of great stories in it, but the headliner was the first appearance of new superhero the Monkey Prince, son of the legendary Monkey King. He’s got a great twist on the old “Oh no! My parents are supervillains!” teen superhero origin.

His parents are henchmen. Delightful!

Time Before Time #1

Image: Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville, Joe Palmer/Image Comics

I can’t remember the last time I saw a comic lay out its basic premise so effortlessly and with such impact than the first page of Time Before Time #1. And it had to, because it’s clear that Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville, and Joe Palmer have big plans for this series beyond “witness protection program plus time travel.”

Justice League: Last Ride #1

Image: Chip Zdarsky, Miguel Mendonça/DC Comics

Chip Zdarsky’s Justice League miniseries spun up this week, but the real star was Miguel Mendonça’s splash panels. Breathtaking.