REMEMBRANCER
Classification: Terrestrial technology
Creator: Dr. Doom (Victor von Doom)
User/Possessors: Dr. Doom, various Doombots (including A-73 and B-57), Kristoff Vernard
First Appearance: Fantastic Four I#278 (May, 1985)
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Remembrancer was a device used to play back the recorded memory-tapes of Dr. Doom's life experiences into Kristoff Vernard's mind, essentially brainwashing him and making him into a mental "copy" of Doom. It consisted of a helmet and all the supporting equipment.
History:
(Fantastic Four I#260 - BTS) - With the presumed death of Dr. Doom during a battle
between the Silver Surfer and Terrax (see comments), the Doombots
initiated a contingency program previously set up by Dr. Doom in the
event of his death, so that he might leave a human heir.
(Fantastic Four I#278) - In Latveria, Doombot B-57 escorted Doom's ward, Kristoff Vernard, from his daily school lessons and took him into a secret chamber containing the Remembrancer. Placing the Remembrancer helmet on Kristoff's head, the Doombots activated the device.
The Remembrancer replayed all the major points of Doom's life: his youth in Latveria, the death of his father, his discovery of his mother's trunk of arcana, his loss of the love of Valeria, his journey to the United States and his schooling at Empire State University, his creation of the "Necrophone" and his disfigurement in its subsequent explosion, his discovery of an order of monks in Tibet, his first encounter with the Fantastic Four, his first use of the Grabber to send the FF's Baxter Building headquarters into space...
At that point, Kristoff ordered the Remembrancer sequence terminated -- the memory implants were successful...Kristoff's personality was gone, and he was now "Dr. Doom".
The Doombots placed the child in an exo-suit that gave him the proportionate size of a full-grown adult.
Comments: Created by John Byrne.
For the record, the Remembrancer only replayed the events of Doom's life up to Fantastic Four I#6 before it was cut off -- kinda makes you wonder how much trouble the little brat would have caused if he'd gotten the full treatment...
Although Dr. Doom was presumed to be dead at the time, he had actually transferred his mind into the body of Norman McArthur.
The real Doom eventually returned and used magic to correct Kristoff's mind, restoring his true identity to him, although Kristoff retained the knowledge and personality traits he had absorbed. A full profile on Kristoff Vernard can be found in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#12 (a plug!).
New images by Ron Fredricks.
Profile by John Kaminski
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Remebrancer has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four I#278, p3, pan3 (Doombots place Remembrancer helmet of Kristoff Vernard)
Fantastic Four I#278, p3, pan4 (Kristoff wearing helmet)
Fantastic Four I#278, p3, pan5 (Doombot explains function of Remembrancer to Kristoff)
Appearances:
Fantastic Four I#278 (May, 1985) - John Byrne (writer/pencils), Jerry Ordway (inks), Glynis Oliver (colors), John Workman (letters), Michael Carlin (editor)
First Posted: 04/25/2007
Last updated: 07/14/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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