Issue(s): Iron Man #149, Iron Man #150
Published Date: Aug-Sep 81
Title: "Doomquest" / "Knightmare"
Credits:
David Michelinie & Bob Layton - Plot
David Michelinie - Script
John Romita, Jr. - Penciler
Bob Layton - Inker

Review/plot:
Tony Stark has discovered that the VP of his Miami branch has been selling equipment to Latveria. True, Dr. Doom is not currently the ruler of Latveria, but the country is still on Stark's restricted list. The executive is fired with a 'generous' severance package.

It turns out the equipment really was going to Doom. He's been using the parts to power his time machine. This arc shows him traveling back in time to learn mystical secrets from Cagliostro, who interestingly enough is a mage that we've seen before in a story involving him traveling through time. Doom is not pleased that his shipment has been cut off.

Suspecting Doom will try to get his supplies, Iron Man stands guard at the dock where they are stored. But Doom sends a powerful undersea vessel to acquire the equipment and it is able to overwhelm Iron Man. Tony heads to Latveria in his civilian identity and is met by King Zorba's soldiers, who provide him directions to Doom's castle in the hopes that Stark will deliver Doom a set-back.

Stark shows up in Latveria as Iron Man. I'm not sure how that makes any sense for his secret identity, but Doom will amusingly refer to Iron Man as 'lackey' the entire story, so obviously there's no problem there. Iron Man and Doom get into a fight and Doom generally has the upper hand the entire time, but Doom's scientist lackey has a grudge against Doom so he activates the time machine when he has a chance, sending them both back into the past. They find themselves in Camelot.

It's only a model!

Calling an unsteady truce, Iron Man and Doom meet up with King Arthur, but Doom soon sneaks off to ally himself with Morgan Le Fey. Le Fey raises an undead army for Doom to lead in the attack against Arthur, in return for which she will teach Doom the magic he can use to free his mother. Iron Man is able to circumvent the army and chase Morgan away. Doom swears he will kill Iron Man in response to this... but not right away. Now he needs Iron Man's help to combine their electronics so they can return to their own time.

Fun story.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - first Iron Man/Dr. Doom story. First meeting of Dr. Doom & Morgan Le Fey

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Stark Enterprises is still being rebuilt after the fire caused by Backlash in Iron Man #146-147.
  
• Cagliostro previously appeared in Marvel Premiere #12-14
  
• Dr. Doom is using a scientist named Hauptmann. Hauptmann secretly hates Doom because Doom killed his brother in Fantastic Four #85
  
• Doom uses his awesome boulder gun in these issues. We've seen it before in Fantastic Four #40, Astonishing Tales #3, and Giant-Size Super-Villain Team-Up #1. I love the re-occurrence of this crazy weapon.
  
• Doom's interest in the mystical arts is driven by the fact that his mother is trapped in hell, as first shown in Astonishing Tales #8

Cross-over: N/A

Continuity Implant? N

Reprinted In: N/A