Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1

Recap
J. Michael Straczynski brings his incredible character work to beloved Marvel characters great and small in a series of exciting one-shots! First up: Doctor Doom and Rocket, drawn by the inimitable Will Robson! Doctor Doom does the one thing he never wants to do: ask for a favor! What awaits Rocket in Latveria?
Mischief, miscommunication and an emotional journey across space and time in the Mighty Marvel Way!
Review
Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1 is the first installment of the series of oneshots written by J. Michael Straczynski that pairs two unlikely characters together that might not usually interact or be paired for storytelling purposes.
In the green corner, the monarch of Latveria, the scourge of the Fantastic Four, and all-around egotistical despot Victor Von Doom and in the other the foul-mouthed, techno-savvy, cybernetically enhanced trash panda, Rocket Raccoon.
Instead of the two fighting then working together as is the classic trope goes, Doom invites Rocket because he needs some help with his “time machine” that combines technology and magic so he can go back to before the Big Bang to try and answer the question of WHY, specifically why he was set on the path he is only.
Straczynski provides a nicely compressed origin for Doom and sets up why he needs Rocket’s help, referencing their shared body swap adventures in the recent Guardians of the Galaxy series. The dialogue and connection between the two feels genuine and not forced. The science exposition between the two gets heavy at the times, but is perfectly timed with some non requestor or comedic beat that brings it all back down to a more relatable level.
Another bit that is used a running gag is the back and forth between the editor and associate editor that fills in the slower sections of the story. Luckily, its not over used to the point that it becomes a distraction from Doom and Rocket’s bantering.
The art and colorwork are good, although Doom, in some panels looks a bit blocky, not sure if Roberson was trying to channel Kirby, but it only works half of the time.
Final Thoughts
Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1 is a fun start to this series and works on both an entertaining and Metaphysical levels providing an fun and entertaining story that also will make readers question some larger questions of the Marvel Universe in this stand-alone non-One World Under Doom story.
Doctor Doom & Rocket Raccoon #1: The Marvel Universe Was In A Hot, Dense State…What Happened Before The Big Bang
- Writing - 8.5/108.5/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 8.5/108.5/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10