Secret Wars (2015) #2 (1:20 Bianchi Connecting Variant)

1st full appearance of Victor Von Doom as God Emperor Doom

Simone Bianchi 1:20 Retailer Incentive Connecting Variant

"Doom Messiah"

The issue opens with a ceremony in which a Thor is attempting to lift a Mjolnir. The Thor fails, and another steps forward and succeeds in lifting the hammer. The eldest Thor explains to him that he is now to become the executor of God's justice, as he is cheered by a hall of Thors. The young Thor, who hails from Higher Avalon, is asked by the elder to tell the story of the creation of the world. The young Thor narrates the story of how Doom created the Earth and the universe, and how he raised up the Kingdoms of the Earth. The elder Thor explains their duty and takes the younger Thor on his first mission.

In the Kingdom of Utopolis, Minister Powers is brought to a site of discovery uncovered by an "earthquake". The item discovered is the Life Raft of the Cabal. Minister Powers orders it dug out.
The two Thors travel to Bar Sinister, the kingdom of Baron Mister Sinister, whom they are to bring before court at Castle Doom, where All-Father Doom himself holds court from his throne on the World Tree. Sinister is brought before a court of Doom and his Sheriff of Agamatto; Doctor Strange, attended by various other Barons. Sinister has been charged by the House of Braddock, rulers of Higher Avalon, with secretly and illegally aligning himself with Baron Hyperion of Utopolis in opposition to Higher Avalon. Sinister dismisses the accusations as laughable and absurd, claiming to have no desire to engage in games of intrigue, and raising the obvious problem that there is an ocean between his and Hyperion's kingdoms. Baron James Braddock counters with the accusation that they hired the Iron Pirates as couriers, which Sinister dismisses as lies, as well as claiming that even if they weren't, Braddock couldn't prove it. He is also accused of slander, which Sinister explains away as an innocent comment, but does not deny. He is found guilty, and sentenced to pay restitution in gold or territory. Sinister refuses however, choosing instead to exercise his right as a Baron to face his accuser in the arena. Sinister goads the Baron's younger brother Brian Braddock into accepting the duel.

Brian initially appears to make quick work of Sinister, decapitating him almost instantly. As Brian is boasting to the crowd however, Sinister, who is still alive, attacks him from behind and defeats him. Before Sinister can deal the killing blow, Doom himself intervenes. Doom spares Brian's life to interrogate him, telling him that Higher Avalon is long rumored to be the most favorable conduit for reaching the Silent Chambers, a place where "heretics and thieves" work to depose Doom. Doom claims that when faced with confessions, and those captured have cried out the name "Braddock." He demands to know the location of this hidden citadel, but when Brian denies any knowledge of it, Doom declares him useless and orders that his eyes, tongue, hands and feet are to be removed. Baron James intervenes, claiming that it was not his brother those captured had spoken of, but he himself. Enraged at betrayal by one of his barons, he orders the entire House of Braddock to be publicly executed. His romantic partner Susan Storm implores him to be merciful however, and Doom instead banishes James beyond the Shield and allows his brother Brian to take up his place as Baron.

As the trial concludes, Valeria asks to speak to Doctor Strange in private, away from her father and his people. She brings Minister Powers findings to his attention, telling him that carbon dating on the discovered object puts its age somewhere well before the believed time of the creation of the Earth. Strange invokes a quarantine of the area where it was discovered.

The two Thors escort Baron James to the Shield, where he is equipped with basic armor and a sword, and tossed to the Deadlands, a land populated by the undead. As they return to Castle Doom, they are tasked by Strange to travel to Utopolis and enforce the quarantine he ordered on the strange object Minister Powers discovered. The elder Thor orders the item isolated, but one of the Moloid diggers is unable to resist the temptation to push a button, which opens the craft. The elder Thor orders everyone to flee, as he is pierced by a spear. He tells the young Thor to go tell Sheriff Strange that they found death there. Before he can muster up the power to fight back, he is hit with an axe in the chest, and is killed when his head is impaled by another spear. Out from the raft emerge the Cabal. Proxima captures a fleeing Moloid, who is interrogated by Thanos on where they are. The Moloid tells them they are on Battleworld.


NOTE: The titles "Doom Messiah" and "God Emperor Doom" are both allusions to titles from Frank Herbert's Dune novels. The internal politics within the science fiction setting are also alluding to this.

NOTE: The Shield is virtually identical in structure and purpose to the Wall from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), a massive wall guarding the realms of men from otherworldly threats and protected by lawbreakers as punishment for their crimes. Prior to being identified as "the Shield", it was even called "the Wall" on the map of Battleworld.