Ever since Dr. Doom attacked the FF back in #5 to backmail them into going back in time to retrieve Blackbeard's treasure (don't ask!) there's been a plot device waiting in the wings for any writer to use.
It's most commonly called Dr. Doom's Time Machine, but it might also be called Kang's Time Platform.
Without getting in to the hotly debated issue of if Doom and Kang could be the same man, or ancestors, let's move directly to the issue at hand...
How many times has Dr. Doom's Time Machine been used that we know of?
I can think of a few, but my knowledge gets fuzzy at some points.
FF #5, the FF are sent back to Blackbeard's time
FF #19, the FF go back to ancient Egypt to try to learn how the Pharoah could recover from blindness. (and discover the machine won't transport radioactive materials!
FF #23, a dinosaur pops up through the time platform when Reed leaves it on, but the real adventure lies elsewhere.
Avengers #56, Cap and the Avengers travel to Doom's castle to use the machine to witness the end of Buckey (told in Avengers #4)
Avengers Annual #2, Cap and the Avengers don't make it home without a side trip to 1963 and the Scarlett Centurian's era.
Strange Tales #134, the Torch and Thing go back to feudal times to stop Kang.
West Coast Avengers (#??) "The Lost In Time Caper"... the WaCos travel back through time to investigate the white Ghost Rider, or something, and discover the machine is busted...traveling backwards, never back to the future or present. (Don't know how this one was ever resolved.)
Doctor Strange #54-- Dr. Strange goes back to ancient egypt to witness the FF's adventure and the West Coast Avengers miss their opportunity to get home AGAIN.
Now, I don't recall any other uses, but I'd love someone to clarify what happened in the WCA adventure and any other times it's been risked/used... Does it now exist?
[Additional possible sightings... Avengers #143 Kang adventure when Hawkeye and crew go back to the old west.
Also, Thor #140 when Kang steps out of a mountian...
Also, Iron Man and Doctor Doom fight in old Camelot about Iron Man #150 but not sure how they got there or why.
Also, Bucky and Cap witness some digging at Castle Doom in WWII by the Nazis on behalf of the Red Skull in Cap America Special 45th anniversary Special by Ed Brubaker.]
Replies
Doom's Time Platform was a major part of Marvel Team-Up #41-46 where Spider-Man used it to go back to Salem just in time for the Witch Trials. He went to rescue the Scarlet Witch (naturally) from the Dark Rider and his servant/pawn Cotton Mather (a real historical figure btw). The Vision got involved (naturally) and so did Moondragon but the amazing thing was that Doctor Doom himself got involved even though he didn't need or want the Platform anymore!
After "winning", Spidey tried to get to the Disco Era MU only to overshoot his mark and encounter both Deathlok the Demolisher and Killraven! After that, the Wall Crawler finally got home!
This was a favorite story arc of mine that deserves its own tpb!
Good one! I had forgotten the John Bryne MTIO #50 anniversary Thing vs Thing story! Good one!
I think we may have hit upon the solution to the question, "How did Jack Kirby turn out so many pages of great artwork so fast, so consistently? It's not humanly possible!"
Well, consider this... he would disappear from his family for "hours at a time" working "far into the night", sometimes allnight and then return with an incredible stack of completed pencils!
I don't think the time machine was in Latveria... I wonder if we looked in "the dungeon" of Jack's studio what we might find in the wiring of the room???!!!
HHHmmmmmmm?
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