DOCTOR DOOM'S BEST STORIES
Despite the odds, Victor Von Doom rose above his humble origins to become a scientist, a sorcerer, and the leader of Latveria, the country he calls home—but he made plenty of enemies along the way, and he's not afraid to make more. Explore these stories about what makes Doom an exceptional villain, not just for the Fantastic Four but for the Marvel Universe, as well.
EMBRACE YOUR DOOM!
In the Beginning
In Fantastic Four (1961) #5
Doom wasn’t the first Fantastic Four villain, but Stan Lee and Jack Kirby didn’t wait too long to introduce him into the mix. In his first appearance, Doom kidnapped the Invisible Girl and forced the remaining FF to travel back in time to steal Blackbeard’s treasure!
The Origin of Doom
In Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #2
The FF’s original creative team threw back the curtain and revealed how the young Victor became the dreaded Doctor Doom. This is the issue that depicted the death of Doom’s father, and Doom’s ill-fated attempt to contact the afterlife and find his mother’s spirit. It was also the birth of Doom’s hatred for Reed Richards, the one man who foresaw the mistakes in Doom’s equations that ultimately scarred his face.
Pure of Heart
In Doomwar (2010) #3
In this crossover event, Doom declares war on Wakanda and the Black Panther! In a cunning masterstroke, Victor attempts what no other in history has accomplished—to claim all of Wakanda’s treasured Vibranium! But to succeed, he will first have to pass a test showing his purity of intent to none other than Bast, the Panther God!
The Birth of Valeria Richards
In Fantastic Four (1998) #54
When Sue Storm Richards reaches the end of her unusual pregnancy, her husband Reed is nowhere to be found. In an effort to save his sister and niece, Johnny Storm turns to the last person you'd expect for help: Doctor Doom!
Though Some Call it Magic
In Astonishing Tales (1970) #8
Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan showed readers a side of Doom that they hadn’t seen before. Each year, Doom faces the demons of Hell to reclaim the soul of his mother, Cynthia Von Doom, a Romani sorceress. It was a rare selfless mission for Doom, which made his inevitable failure even more striking.
In His Own Words
In Books of Doom (2005) #1
Writer Ed Brubaker and artist Pablo Raimondi redefined Doom’s origin for the modern era in BOOKS OF DOOM. For the first time, readers got to witness how and why Cynthia Von Doom was damned, while her son, Victor, set out upon a path that would make him the world’s deadliest villain. Doom even shared part of the tale himself. Naturally, there’s a twist at the end.
Interlude
In Fantastic Four (1961) #258
John Byrne wrote and drew this memorable tale in which the Fantastic Four were temporarily booted out of the spotlight. Instead, this solo tale showed Doom’s compassionate side towards his ward, Kristoff, and the people of Latveria.
Duel With the Devil
In Fantastic Four Annual (1963) #20
Shortly before Reed and Susan Richards took a sabbatical from the FF, Doom approached them with a request to use their son, Franklin Richards, in his annual attempt to free his mother from Mephisto’s realm!
Beat the Devil
In Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (1989)
Writer Roger Stern and penciller Mike Mignola lent their tremendous talents to this graphic novel that finally finished Doom’s quest to break his mother out of Hell. Doom called upon Stephen Strange for his assistance, and they took the battle to Mephisto’s realm!
Are You the Real Doctor Doom?
In Fantastic Four (1961) #350
Walter Simonson unleashed a surprising end to the Doom and Kristoff conflict by revealing that the real Doctor Doom had been away for years! And now that Doom was back in action, he had a plan to take care of the FF once and for all. Readers had to wait until #352 to see the conclusion.
Dino Doom
In Fantastic Four (2022) #13
Victor Von Doom teams up with a dinosaur version of himself from another reality. 'Nuff said.
