Doctor Doom is about to become a superstar in a way he never has before, all because of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The villain has long been one of the most popular villains in the Marvel Universe, starting his career against the Fantastic Four and eventually becoming one of the most important antagonists in the history of the House of Ideas. He’s been a multimedia bad guy for decades now, appearing in games, cartoons, and movies, but his home has always been the comics. He’s been defined by his stories in the comics, and has starred in numerous tales where he was basically the main character.
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Over the decades, comic readers have gotten the kind of amazing stories that prove just how important Doom is to the Marvel Universe. He has grown so much over the years, and starred in some of the most beloved comics ever. These seven Doctor Doom stories are the best of all time, and are must-reads for anyone who wants to understand the character before Avengers: Doomsday.
7) Infamous Iron Man
Doom is about to be played by former Iron Man actor Robert Downey Jr. When the casting was announced, Infamous Iron Man, by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, became a hot item for fans who hoped to learn something about the MCU plot (I say this with a hundred perfect certainty: Avengers: Doomsday will have almost nothing to actually do with his story). The 12-issue series takes place after Secret Wars, where the villain was given a second chance at life by Reed Richards, and Civil War II, where Iron Man “died”. This book followed the former monarch as he tried to pay homage to his old foe, all while acting as a hero and having to deal with his legacy. It’s a deep character-focused story, with Bendis and Maleev bringing their characteristic excellence to the series.
6) “Doomquest”
Doctor Doom and Iron Man’s rivalry often gets understated, but the two of have had some titanic tussles over the years. Their best story came from Iron Man (Vol. 1) #150-151, by David Michelenie, Bob Layton, and John Romita Jr., titled “Doomquest”. The two of them are pulled back in time by Morgana Le Fay, and end up forced to work together to get back home. It’s a story that highlights the similarities and contrasts between them, and is a classic that doesn’t get nearly as much credit as it used to (like much of the Michelenie, Layton, and Romita Jr. run in the modern day, besides “Demon in the Bottle).
5) Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #57-58
Doctor Doom’s battles against the Fantastic Four helped define who he was as a character, and there are some great stories with them battling, especially from the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby years. However, the best of them is easily Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #57-58, a story that sees the villain attack the Silver Surfer, trapped on Earth since the defeat of Galactus, and steal the Power Cosmic from him. This leads to one of the most powerful versions of Doctor Doom battling the Fantastic Four, as they try to figure out a way to beat him and restore their friend. This is peak Lee/Kirby Doom, and a favorite of many fans.
4) Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #256
John Byrne’s run on Fantastic Four is one of the greatest of all time, and for years was thought of as just below the Lee/Kirby run. The writer/artist did amazing work with the team and their mythos, eventually giving readers one of the great Doom stories in Fantastic Four (Vol. 1) #258. This story focused on a day in the life of the villain, as he ruled Latveria and helped raise his ward Kristoff. This is one of those stories that was pushed to the moon by the writers of Wizard magazine in the ’90s, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a near-flawless portrait of Doom at the time, and is a gem from a run full of them.
3) Books of Doom
Books of Doom is underrated classic of ’00s Marvel. The story by Ed Brubaker and Pablo Raimondi is a retelling of the character’s origin, following him from his days with his Romani family to him taking the throne of Latveria. The six-issue series does a fantastic job of showing the road the villain took, capturing the tragedies of his life that made him into the monster he would become. It’s an amazing look at one of the most complex villains in comic history, and is perfect for anyone who wants to really understand every side of the character.
2) Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment, by Roger Stern and Mike Mignola, is one of the best Marvel graphic novels of all time. The story revolved around Doom and Strange going to Mephisto’s realm to save Doom’s mother from her damnation, giving readers a new look of the Latverian monarch and his past. Doom and Strange make for a great pair, their differences making them a very entertaining duo, and pitting them against Mephisto was a stroke of genius. This is one of those stories that has been praised for decades, and is the perfect primer on how Doom rolls and what makes him tick.
1) Secret Wars
Secret Wars, by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic, is one of the best Marvel events ever, and Doom is the most important part of the story. This is the story that gave readers God Emperor Doom, who saved the multiverse from the Incursions. It deals with his desire to hold power over the remainder of existence, all while dealing with the fact that he wasn’t the best person for the job. This is an action-packed event story but it is also a story about Doom coming to terms with his own shortcomings. Event comics can be terrible at times, but this one is a character-driven masterpiece that uses its focus to give readers an amazing look at who the villain is underneath it all.
What’s your favorite Doom story? Leave a comment in the comment section below and join the conversation on the ComicBook Forums!
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