Summary
Daniel Drum flees from his brother and the other nightmare possessed magic wielders. He needs to free his brother or the world is lost. He manages to get him close enough that he can enter his mind. There they relive Voodoo’s guilt over Danie’s death. It’s enough to bring him to his senses. He and his brother then go to the sealed door to the realm of the Voodoo gods. They enter right as Nightmare and his generals hold council on the whereabouts of the book of vishanti and the orb of agamotto. They contact doom, who reveals that Nightmare’s very continued existence is dependent on the only free wills left in the world who can dream. By taking latveria and the end of all dreaming he will simply cease to be as will creation itself if his un-matter corrupts all mater. Nightmare plans to take down latveria anyway, apparently wanting creation itself to end.
In the voodoo god realm Bondye, our heroes find it desolate. Only Yamalla the goddess of goodness remains she warns that they have doomed the world by opening the door and the gods have fled. She also reveals that if they bring Nightmare into Bondye they can put an end to Nightmare. In Latveria the mystical army of Nightmare gathers at the border of Latveria. The Ghost riders smash through doom’s portals only to be met by Dr. Doom, Voodoo and his brother, ready for battle!
The Good
Dr. Voodoo’s characterization comes full circle here as his self doubt and self loathing is directly tied into the cure he received as a child. It also explains his behavior in the New Avengers series which saw him die. He has all this power as both the Houngan and Sorcerer Supreme but doubts himself too much to be the force of nature that he could be.
The flashback was also a nice way of modernizing the old tale. I couldn’t help but think how great this would be on the big screen 🙂
Art- cover art and interior art both hit the right notes and make this a joy to look at as well as read.
Dr. Doom gets great characterization as one of the marvel universe’s greatest and most brilliant minds.
The alliance of Doom and Voodoo also is an intriguing mix since we know Doom is after the mantle he now wields.
The Nightmare states shown were also great: we got Captain America who’s nightmare has him as captain Natzi since the Nazi’s won WW2. The Punisher is blamed for the deaths of his family by them, Scott Summers abandoned by Emma Frost and Jean Grey. Bruce Banner gets abused by his father.
The reveal by Daniel Drumm (the ghost) of the hiding place for the magical items was also a shocker.
The Bad
Art and the relative low profile of the titular character make this one of those gems which most won’t ever see or read 🙁
The Ugly
3/5