Ultimate Doom

“ Initially offered the choice of rebooting the Marvel line with Ultimate X-Men or Ultimate Spider-Man as a lure away from DC, Morrison turned both titles down, recommending Mark Millar for the Ultimate X-Men gig, and jumping ship from DC to pen the X-franchise flagship title, retitled New X-Men during his tenure.

During his 4-year stint at Marvel, Morrison consulted on the launch of further titles in the Ultimate line, specifically Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate Avengers, eventually known simply as The Ultimates.

Ultimate Fantastic Four was envisioned as a superhero sitcom-soap opera, seen by Morrison to be in line with prevailing pop-culture trends (think Buffy, Friends etc.).  

This tactic had been used before in comics, notably in Giffen & DeMatties' Justice League International, a comic that had, at the time of Morrison's proposal, dramatically fallen out of fashion since its heyday in the late 80's-early 90's.

Supposedly Mark Waid, then writer of the main Fantastic Four book, asked for any Ultimate Fantastic Four book to be delayed so as not to detract from the then critical and commercial success of his title. 

 

Ultimate Fantastic Four eventually surfaced in 2004, after Morrison had left Marvel for another stint at DC, written by Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Millar and, according to Morrison in various interviews, incorporating uncredited much of his original pitch.

"Ultimate Fantastic Four will probably still appear", said Morrison in an interview with Newsarama, "but I won't have anything to do with it. I was involved in some of the discussions that went on prior to the release of The Ultimates so I feel as though I've contributed my ten cents worth already."

 

Ultimate Doom is a scientific genius, though unlike Richards he approaches science as an art rather than as a system. 

While the Fantastic Four’s powers are compared to the four classical GREEK elements, Doom has attained the power of one of the ADDITIONAL CHINESE ELEMENTS, Metal – his body is almost completely solid metal, possessing no discrete internal organs, somewhat similar to Colossus (though Doom cannot switch back to a flesh-and-blood form). 

In his first post-transformation encounter with the Fantastic Four, he expelled the remains of his internal organs as a poisonous gas. He can grow and fling porcupine-like volleys of metal spikes from his forearms, and also possesses a regenerative power, but he cannot heal any wound caused by his own body. 

Thus, the scar Reed made on Doom’s face remains, because it was done with one of his own spikes. 

Doom exhibits super strength as well, as he is able to break the arms off the zombie version of Ben Grimm.

Hal explains he’s having a personal crisis, stating he used to be part of the Green Lantern Corps with a purpose and a plan. But with Oa drained and the Guardians having fled, all he is now is a man with a ring.

After some reassurances from Clark, they accompany each other to a museum convention Clark is supposed to cover for the Daily Planet, and briefly run into Selina Kyle. They then find the green lantern discovered by Janos in an exhibition. Hal recognizes it as a power battery, and tries loading his power ring with it despite Clark’s wariness. The effect is disastrous and a wave of magic energy kills both heroes. They wind up in the Region of the Just Dead and encounter Deadman, who explains that their deaths are not irrevocable until they have gone “into the light”. Hal then tries using his ring to take them back to their bodies, the worst thing he could have done.

Meanwhile, the Phantom Stranger sits in the apartment given to him by the Lords of Order, his current masters. Sensing that something else needs his attention, he finally leaves the apartment forever and dismisses the Lords, who insist that he cannot leave his confinement. The Phantom admits to no membership or affiliation with any group and also denies belonging to this place or even having a home, because if he belonged then he would cease to be a stranger. He bids the voices farewell, even as their threats of wrath echo in a now empty room.

Superman and Hal have wound up in Hell, where Superman’s super-senses cannot experience anything but suffering, fear and pain. Horrified by realizing that he can’t save these innumerable souls, he is slowly going mad. The catatonic Man of Steel can’t do anything but float around and cry, while a terrified Green Lantern desperately tries waking him up. When the two of them are attacked by blood-thirsty demons, Hal once again uses his ring, and they disappear.

Superman and Green Lantern encounter the power that killed them – the sentient Green Flame, the remains of the magic energies of Maltus. 

The Green Flame explains that their deaths were a result of Jordan trying to load his scientific ring with supernatural energies. 

Then it tempts Hal to give in for the supernatural power of The Green Flame instead.

At that point, The Stranger appears, and teaches Hal how to tame the corrupt Flame. 

Hal reads The Oath of Alan Scott, loads his ring, and the threat of The Green Flame is neutralized. The Stranger then returns Hal’s and Superman’s souls to their bodies, disposing of The Lantern.