A World They Never Made

 

Continuing the PPC's look at the House Of M crossover event from 2005, we turn our focus away from the title series to others whose lives were affected by the rise of mutants in the world, where a brief synopsis tells us the circumstances of not only the clinging existence of homo sapiens, but of those heroes who now unknowingly find themselves in different lives than those they led.

The earliest two books out of this gate comprise those who, in our reality, saw their characters meet very early in their respective careers. But the reality we're exploring in this series was created by the disturbed mind of the Scarlet Witch--and in the world that she brought into existence, Spider-Man never met those we know as the Fantastic Four, and their histories are radically different here where mutants reign supreme, and where their lord, Magnus, has fulfilled the goals he long fought for but could never achieve in adversity.

Peter Parker, as well, has seen his dreams of happiness and fulfillment come true--but if that is so, why does he feel uneasy in a life where he's achieved everything he ever strove for? And if Reed Richards and those who accompanied him into space were killed during their flight, as we learned previously, then what four people have taken their place?

To answer the second question first, we have to look back to this world's space flight which returned a crew of four who had been exposed to the effects of cosmic rays. But here, the results of that exposure were more pronounced--and Victor Von Doom was present to take charge of the one and only survivor.

Here, Von Doom, as any other "sapien" on a planet where mutants are favored above all, serves at the pleasure of the House of M--and though the relationship between he and that house's head, Lord Magnus, is amiable enough, Doom secretly chafes at the subservient role he holds. And so he forms a team of individuals made up of those closest to him (his wife, Valeria, and his young ward, Kristoff), and gifts them with enhanced abilities--and, together with the weak-willed Ben Grimm, they represent, in his words, "[a] team with the combined power to rule the world... to take back the world... from the abominations which have claimed it."

Officially, of course, Doom and his team serve as an elite squad assigned to missions by Magnus in instances where pockets of sapiens continue to offer resistance in one form or another to the world order--but the "Fearsome Four" unfortunately prove to be true to their name against their opposition, even as they secretly await preparations for springing their trap against the unsuspecting Magnus.

A memorable exit for the Mole Man, whose stinging words have obviously struck at the heart of Doom's own feelings about his status as a valued if ancillary operative of the House of M.

And just look at who turns out to be an unexpected viper in his midst.

Eventually, the simmering feelings of inferiority which Doom suffers in the service of Magnus boil over when he is summoned to a meeting to apprise Magnus of what was to be a trade agreement with the Mole Man but instead ended far differently than intended. To Magnus, the meeting serves as the means of reminding his vassal of the importance of carrying out future operations as directed, as well as, perhaps, conveying a veiled warning of the hierarchy that must be observed in their relationship; but to Doom, it's the final straw.

Though it may not seem likely given what we've seen of the character thus far, Grimm, aka "the It," will end up playing a crucial part in the Fearsome Four's final battle with Lord Magnus and his House. But to hint at the outcome, bear in mind that House Of M will continue to play out on its own and as a crossover event until the end of 2005.

Peter Parker, on the other hand, has a much rosier outlook on life thanks to the cards he was dealt, or so it would seem. A rich, young, world-famous, accomplished scientist/actor/philanthropist who is also the celebrated Spider-Man (now revealed to be a mutant), he has the life of his dreams--and while he realizes there is nothing amiss about the scene that greets him one morning, the feeling of relief that nevertheless washes over him is evident.

Unlike Doom's story, where the only familiar face to be seen in relation to the FF was Grimm's, the Spider-Man series isn't so encumbered, presenting us with a number of characters whose lives have come to intersect with Peter's without the shadow of Spider-Man coming between them--as well as those who, like Gwen Stacy and her father, avoided death's hand this time around. Yet as much as the sun has come up for Peter, there is always the reminder of the plight of other humans in this at times uneasy world where the shoe is now on the other foot.

Things become tense, however, at Peter's surprise birthday party--and his Lex Luthor look isn't helping matters, which even gives his son, Richie, pause when it comes to hugging him. But we see the armor truly begin to crack when he flies off the handle at his P.R. manager, J. Jonah Jameson, for no good reason--and then again, when he overhears a conversation between his bodyguard, the Rhino, and his actress co-star, Mary Jane Watson, that broaches a subject which might have the ring of truth.

The issue concludes with Jameson being confronted by, of all people, the Green Goblin--at first mistakenly pegged as Crusher Hogan, a close friend of the Parker family who is like a second father to Richie. At the end of that meeting, Jameson, fed up with Peter acting toward him with loathing and mistreatment, agrees to help the Goblin destroy Spider-Man--a teaser that carries this five-issue series successfully through to the very end, in a conclusion that hits the ball out of park (or snagged out of the lake, as it happens) and makes it the more rewarding of the two books presented here. Highly recommended.