Ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Just Turned Doctor Doom into Iron Man

Doctor Doom is well recognized as Marvel Comics’ greatest villain. Ever since his debut, the ruler of Latveria has proven himself to be a threat of unparalleled might and intelligence who relies on strategy, science, and magic to defeat his enemies. Doom’s intellect and armor oftentimes lead to him being compared to Iron Man. This connection has only increased since it was announced that the former Iron Man actor, Robert Downey Jr., would be returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. And ahead of this potentially historic movie, the comic series Doomquest has the ruler of Latveria once again become Iron Man.

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Doomquest is a miniseries that follows Doctor Doom after he attempts to make a time machine that will allow him to rewrite history to his vision and benefit. While at first the machine seemed to have worked, Doom soon realizes that it has instead sent his consciousness back in time and into the bodies of different people in different times in world history. In Doomquest #3, the Lord of Latveria turns one of America’s greatest heroes into a version of the Armored Avenger.

Doctor Doom Becomes an Iron George Washington

In one of the most unexpected narrative directions in recent Marvel Comics, Doctor Doom in Doomquest #3 is transported to 1775 and finds himself in the body of none other than the future first president of the United States of America: George Washington. As one can imagine, Marvel’s most notorious dictator in possession of the body of George Washington during a war for the creation of the first modern democratic society has very bad consequences. Instead of following the events of the American Revolutionary War, Doom decides to use his new position to become the ultimate leader and weapon against the British Empire.

Since Doctor Doom is stuck in George Washington’s body without his iconic armor and weaponry, he decides to use his engineering skills to craft a weapon of unparalleled might and far beyond the technology of the 1770s. Doom’s efforts result in the creation of a massive steam-powered suit of armor that’s visually reminiscent of both Iron Man’s Model 1 Armor and the War Machine Armor. With this indestructible armor armed to the teeth, Doom leads the rebels into battle and secures a swift victory against the British. Of course, being praised as the hero of the United Colonies and forming a new nation as America’s future first president isn’t enough for Doom, as he sets his sights on altering history even further.

Taking the fight to the heart of the British Empire, Doctor Doom leads the colonies in a brutal invasion of Britain that leaves countless people dead, including King George III. Naturally, Doom then declares himself as Supreme Lord Washington, and annexes Britain and the United States to the empire of Greater Latveria. Although Doom then immediately travels through time yet again, the damage to history was severe as he prevented the first modern democratic nation from coming to fruition. By becoming the Iron Man of the American Revolution, Doctor Doom has ensured that the future is his to rule.

Doctor Doom Is a Dark Mirror of Iron Man

Despite Doctor Doom’s place as the archenemy of the Fantastic Four, Doomquest #3 shows how in many ways he’s a dark version of Iron Man. The connections between Doctor Doom and Iron Man go far beyond the ruler of Latveria simply making a suit reminiscent of the Armored Avenger. The title Doomquest itself is directly lifted from an Iron Man storyline where the hero finds himself and Doctor Doom transported back in time to Arthurian Camelot. What this latest rendition of Doomquest does is to demonstrate how eerily similar Doctor Doom is to Iron Man.

Doctor Doom and Iron Man are both genius scientists who believe that they have the intellect to make a world a better place. However, as Doomquest #3 once again revealed, the betterment of humanity takes a backseat to Doom’s ego and need to be in control of everything and everyone. In this sense, Doom personifies Iron Man’s worst flaws magnified to the extreme. Iron Man himself is a very prideful man whose belief in his own capability to do what’s necessary has led to him making extremely unethical and bad decisions such as those during the events of Civil War and Planet Hulk. Yet while Iron Man still has some moral restraints that ensure that he’s not a full-blown tyrant, Doom almost always allows his pride to consume him.

Doomquest shows yet again how Doom has what it takes to help humanity like Iron Man, but his insatiable lust for power leads him to commit horrific crimes. For although he brought prosperity to the United States and Britain, he did so by turning them into a dictatorship under his rule. As been shown in the Infamous Iron Man storyline, when Doom let go of his ego and hatred for Mr. Fantastic, he became the new Iron Man and saved people out of altruism and not as a plot to gain more power. Yet, Doom is Doom. In Doom’s second escapade as Iron Man, he clings to his old mindset of constantly seeking more power for himself, with consequences to others being damned.

Even if Doctor Doom and Iron Man share similar armors and wish to make the world a better place, what truly separates them is Doom’s selfishness, as he must always put his position over the well-being and freedom of the people he’s desperate to rule. No matter where he is, Doom’s first thought always goes to conquest and self-aggrandizement, and that will undoubtedly be his priority in Avengers: Doomsday as well.

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