Meanwhile, on Latveria...

SUPERVILLAIN EXPOSITION DUMP! If you're looking for a chapter about sexy women, you won't find it here. If you want to know why the big bad guys in the story are doing what they're doing, though, you've come to the right place.

Doomstadt, Capital of the planet of Latveria
"Emperor Doom. It's good to be doing business again," Lex Luthor said, bowing to the Latverian leader. Lex wasn't normally the type for such formalities, but he was also smart enough to put business first.

"Lex Luthor. I hope this meeting ends up being as mutually beneficial as our last. Please, follow me."

"You know, I kind of like it here on Latveria. Very quaint. It's a nice change of pace from the constant hustle and bustle of Metropolis," Luthor mused. "I may just buy a summer home out in Latverian wine country."

"Hmm. Yes," Doom replied, more or less ignoring Lex's small talk.

Victor Von Doom led Lex through the halls of Castle Doom, to the fortress's lab -- a place all but the most brilliant minds in the Doom Empire had never seen.

"I take it you're familiar with my plans," Doom asked.

"Of course I am, you were very clear. It's extremely ambitious to think you can seize control of planets like Gotham and Amazonia," Lex noted. "Some would consider that suicide."

"Indeed. And for others, they'd be right. But none of them are Doom."

"I take it you have a plan?" Lex asked, already knowing the answer.

"I do. You see, Luthor, it is my birthright -- my destiny -- to rule this galaxy. Unfortunately, there are two major obstacles to my complete rule. One is Thanos, ruler of Titan. The other is Darkseid, ruler of Apokolips."

Lex couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Doom really planning on taking on Thanos and Darkseid? Taking on the Queens of X, Avenger ****, and Justice Squad combined was a smarter move, Luthor thought to himself.

"The common fool may think that taking on both Titan and Apokolips is futile. But men like myself know better. There are two beings in our known universe more powerful than Darkseid & Thanos. The Anti-Monitor, who once came within a hairs' breadth of erasing reality itself, and Galactus, devourer of worlds."

Lex was speechless. Where was Doom going with this?

"My efforts in finding the Anti-Monitor have been fruitless. Even I do not know where he might be, or if he even still exists," Doom admitted. "But Galactus... he has a weakness. One Doom knows how to exploit."

Doom and Lex entered the lab, and Lex's jaw dropped at the assortment of powerful artifacts his scientists were studying. Several mother boxes. An infinity stone. A shard of the M'Kraan crystal. A cosmic cube. A sample of element X.

"Where did you get all this?!" Lex asked, still unable to believe what he was seeing.

"That is irrelevant. What matters is what I need from you. LexCorp claims to have the most advanced science facilities in the galaxy."

"That's not some claim, it's a fact," Lex boasted.

"If that is indeed the case, then I would ask that you give Latveria full access to them," Doom requested in a tone that sounded far more like a demand.

"Why? What's your plan?" Lex wondered.

"My reasoning for pitting the Justice Knights, Avenger ****, and Queens of X against one another is not to merely conquer their dominions, but to gather the relics and weapons they possess. For example, the Anti-Monitor may not exist anymore, but his anti-matter cannon is being held on your home planet of Metropolis. The Ultimate Nullifier, a weapon that is said to be capable of slaying Galactus himself, is kept on the planet of Fantastick. Those weapons would be extremely valuable to Doom. Using them, however, would tear the galaxy asunder; that is not my intention. But if those weapons work in the way I believe them to, I can modify them to make Galactus my thrall. With him under my power, even Titan and Apokolips would not be able to stand against me."

He's truly mad, Lex thought. But he's also brilliant.

"You stand to profit greatly from this, Lex Luthor. In addition to the significant monetary reward, You would be granted access to the artifacts and weapons in my possession. You would finally be able to rid Metropolis of those Kryptonians you loathe. We would become the most powerful people in the galaxy."

Lex mulled over the deal. As he did so, a malevolent grin crept across his face.

"Where do I sign?"