Marvel’s One World Under Doom, Explained

The Marvel Universe is doomed. Six months ago, Victor von Doom stole the mantle and mystical powers of Doctor Strange to become Earth’s new superior Sorcerer Supreme in order to save the world from a vampire invasion (in Marvel’s Blood Hunt), and then sealed off his nation of Latveria from the rest of the world. Doom agreed to abdicate the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme only after doing what Earth’s mightiest heroes could not. “Let me show you what it means to save the world,” Doom declared, disappearing behind his magically protected borders. But then he broadcast a message across the globe, announcing that Emperor Doom would unify the world as a new, grand United Latveria: One World Under Doom.

Marvel Comics announced the status quo-shattering event during San Diego Comic-Con 2024, and has been leading up to Doom’s reign in issues of titles like Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man. (Not coincidentally, Marvel Studios announced that same weekend that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.) With One World Under Doom #1 going on sale on Feb. 12, Marvel released a teaser poster signaling that Doom’s new world order is about to begin.

RELATED: The Rise of Emperor Doom, Explained: How Doctor Doom Became the New Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe

The nine-issue series from writer Ryan North (Fantastic Four) and artist R.B. Silva (Captain America: Symbol of Truth) anchors the line-wide event, which spans upcoming issues of Marvel’s ongoing titles including Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Storm, X-Factor, and Weapon X-Men.

Marvel is also launching a number of tie-in series pegged to One World Under Doom. Red Hulk rampages into a new solo series by Benjamin Percy (Deadpool/Wolverine) and Geoff Shaw (Wolverine), Stephen Strange becomes Doctor Strange of Asgard in a new ongoing from Derek Landy (Captain America/Iron Man) and Carlos Magno (Captain America), and Tiger Division becomes Doom’s Division in a new five-issue series by writer Yoon Ha Lee (Machineries of Empire) and artist Minkyu Jung (Star Wars: Doctor Aphra). Also launching in February: the five-issue Doom Academy, by MacKenzie Cadenhead (Marvel Mutts) and Pasqual Ferry (Doctor Strange), and the five-issue Doom tie-in Thunderbolts: Doomstrike from writers Collin Kelly (NYX) and Jackson Lanzing (Power Man: Timeless) and drawn by Tommaso Bianchi (Giant-Size Silver Surfer).

In April, Emperor of the World Doom assembles the Superior Avengers, a team of Earth’s mightiest villains conceived by writer Steve Foxe (X-Men ’97, New Champions) and artist Luca Maresca (She-Hulk, X-Men: Forever).

“One World Under Doom is a story I’ve been working on since 2023,” North said. “This huge head start is such a gift when telling a story like this: I can make sure it all hangs together properly, and for other artists working on tie-ins with their books, I can share completed scripts instead of just an idea of what happens. Because of that, I’m very excited for where this story has gone, and can go.  It’s been really exciting to hear what other teams have planned with their books to take advantage of this new status quo—we’re all pulling in the same direction.”

North continued, “Doom, to me, is the ultimate villain, because even when he loses he wins. He’s not some guy you can punch a bunch until he stops doing crimes: he’s a man who has thought deeply about how to achieve precisely what he wants, and how to ensure others are manipulated into supporting him. One World Under Doom opens after Doom has taken over the world overnight, and there is a mystery in how he did it, how he got everyone to acquiesce to his rule — but there’s also a bigger and more terrifying question: now that he’s taken over the world, what is he going to do with it?  And what will the Fantastic Four and the Avengers do to stop him?”

Find out the answer to that question in One World Under Doom #1, on sale Feb. 12 from Marvel Comics.