The Superhero Show #627Fantastic Four: The Enemy of the GoodThe Superhero Show — The Enemy of the Good
This week, The Superhero Show changes up its usual format for a special deep-dive episode dedicated entirely to Ryan North’s Fantastic Four #7, the landmark 700th issue of Fantastic Four. Rather than splitting time between the 1994 animated series and the modern comic, the hosts devote the entire episode to discussing “The Enemy of the Good,” a double-sized anniversary issue that delivers mystery, time travel, tragedy, and one of the best Doctor Doom stories in recent memory.
As the Fantastic Four retreat to Aunt Petunia’s house to escape the constant attention of Maria Hill and S.H.I.E.L.D., they find themselves facing a strange phenomenon that causes them to gradually lose language itself. What begins as a haunting ghost story evolves into an epic examination of Doctor Doom, fate, and the impossible burden of trying to save the future.
The hosts break down the issue’s ambitious plot, Ryan North’s storytelling strengths, and why this milestone issue feels worthy of celebrating 700 issues of Marvel’s first family.
The Enemy of the Good: A House Full of Missing Words
The episode begins with a discussion of the issue’s central mystery.
While staying at Aunt Petunia’s house, the Fantastic Four begin experiencing a bizarre condition where letters of the alphabet start disappearing from their minds. As more letters vanish, communication becomes increasingly difficult and reality itself begins to feel unstable.
The hosts discuss how effectively Ryan North builds tension through what initially feels like a classic haunted-house story. The mystery unfolds slowly, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts unsettling and fascinating as the team struggles to understand what is happening before they lose the ability to explain it altogether.
They praise the issue for taking an absurd comic-book concept and making it feel genuinely threatening.
The Enemy of the Good: The Return of Doctor Doom
As the mystery deepens, the story reveals its true architect: Doctor Doom.
The hosts spend a significant portion of the episode discussing how Ryan North writes Doom and why this version of the character has resonated so strongly with readers. Doom's motivation stems from his anger toward Reed Richards after the events that displaced Valeria, the Baxter Building, and its occupants into the future.
Convinced that Reed's actions created a disaster that should have been avoidable, Doom becomes obsessed with proving that he is smarter, more capable, and better suited to solve the crisis than Reed ever was.
The hosts highlight how perfectly this motivation captures Doom's defining flaw: his inability to accept that there might be problems even he cannot solve.
The Enemy of the Good: A Battle Against Fate
One of the most compelling parts of the issue centers on Doom repeatedly traveling through time in an attempt to prevent the catastrophic future event connected to Annihilus.
The hosts discuss how Doom continuously alters his approach, going further and further back in time, trying countless solutions in an effort to prove that his intellect can overcome any obstacle. Every attempt fails.
What Doom eventually discovers is that the event has become a Nexus point—a moment so essential that it will occur regardless of intervention.
The conversation explores how powerful this realization is for a character whose entire identity revolves around being the smartest person in the room. For perhaps one of the few times in his life, Doom is forced to confront a problem that cannot be solved through intelligence, preparation, or sheer force of will.
The Enemy of the Good: Understanding Doom
The hosts repeatedly return to the issue's portrayal of Doctor Doom, arguing that it may be one of the strongest character studies of the villain in years.
They discuss how Ryan North balances Doom's arrogance, brilliance, ego, insecurity, and genuine care for Valeria. Rather than presenting Doom as simply evil, the issue shows him as a deeply flawed man whose greatest weakness is his inability to accept limitations.
What makes the story especially effective is that Doom is often correct. He is brilliant. He is capable. He does care. Yet those truths make his failures hurt even more.
The hosts praise North for creating a story where the emotional stakes feel just as important as the science-fiction concepts.
The Enemy of the Good: Doom Stops Doom
The issue reaches its climax when Doom arrives at an unexpected conclusion.
If no version of himself can successfully alter the future event, then the only solution is to prevent himself from attempting the mission in the first place.
The hosts discuss the brilliant irony of Doom realizing that the greatest threat to the timeline is not Reed Richards—but Doom himself. By traveling back and subtly weakening his own forces, he creates the circumstances that allow Sue Storm and the Fantastic Four to stop him before his obsession spirals any further.
It is a conclusion that feels both tragic and perfectly fitting for the character.
Celebrating 700 Issues of Fantastic Four
The final segment focuses on the significance of this issue as the 700th installment of Fantastic Four.
The hosts reflect on what it means for Marvel's first family to reach such a milestone and discuss why The Enemy of the Good feels like an appropriate celebration of everything the franchise represents. The issue combines family, science fiction, emotional storytelling, cosmic stakes, and character-driven drama in a way that encapsulates the very best of Fantastic Four comics.
They also spend some time marveling at the fact that there have been 700 issues of Fantastic Four and what that says about the lasting impact of these characters.
Final Thoughts — The Enemy of the Good
By the end of The Enemy of the Good, The Superhero Show finds itself discussing not only one of the strongest issues of Ryan North's run, but potentially one of the strongest Doctor Doom stories in years. Through its blend of mystery, time travel, emotional stakes, and philosophical questions about fate, the issue delivers a memorable anniversary celebration worthy of the Fantastic Four legacy.
Whether it's the haunting disappearance of language, the heartbreaking journey of Doctor Doom, or the reminder of why Marvel's first family has endured for 700 issues, The Enemy of the Good gives the hosts plenty to celebrate—and plenty to talk about.
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