Daily Dazzler 3: Dazzler Vs Doctor Doom!

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Pencillers: John Romita Jr and Alan Kupperberg

The first two issues saw Daz team-up with every high profile hero in the Marvel Universe and here, in an effort to further raise her profile, she’s fighting Marvel’s biggest villain.

The action kicks off with Daz testing her powers with the Fantastic Four. More guest stars! Johnny Storm is also set up as a potential love interest.

Then it’s back to her manager’s office where we meet new supporting cast member – Lancelot Steele! I like the look of Lance (right) he seems like a no-nonsense kinda guy. According to Daz’s manager, Harry S. Osgood, Steele is a “sterling and stalwart example of masculine splendor…my field rep! He’ll handle the backstage details for all of your personal appearances!”

Her latest PA being at the United Nations where BY AMAZING COINCIDENCE the new President of Latveria (‘President Zorba’ – perhaps a typical ‘European’ name in the Marvel Universe) is displaying the country’s crown jewels!!

Daz nips off to her dad’s house to try to patch up their problems. To no avail! Judge Carter Blaire is no fan of her pop star plans and announces “there can never be peace between us as long as you continue to defy my wishes!” Sob!

Back at the UN Latveria’s ambassador Dr Frazen has hired henchmen dressed as ‘punk rockers” (they look more like the Village People) to steal the crown jewels so he can sell them on the black market “to bolster our flagging treasury.” I’m no expert on international finance but this seems an unusual means to rescue an economy. Although I’m all in favour of selling off Lizzie’s fancy diamonds and lavish palaces if it means the country can afford to pay for more nurses etc. (A side issue!)

The main reason for Dr Frazen to exist at all in this tale is so Daz can fight his ruffians. She does, rescuing Lance (she’s a liberated lady) and runs into Dr Doom! For he is trying to steal the gems too! He’s after The Merlin Stone which, when teamed up with another one ‘from a nearby dimension,’ will give him unlimited mystical power! (Sounds the same as last issue’s Enchantress plot). He even takes the time to politely tell Daz all about it:

Daz zaps him with her powers – upgraded this issue to become ‘laser beams’ which is certainly a handy level-up. Doom knocks her out, loads her onto his flying ski-jet thingy and announces he’ll use her to “brave the extreme dangers of inter-dimensional travel” to get him the other Merlin Stone.

Ta-da!

This issue has some of the kitsch charm I was hoping for but I’d underestimated the amount of Amazing Coincidences that feature in the story telling. I’m sure there’ll be more next time.

Musical metaphors: “My bankroll is lower than a bass solo!”