Magneto. The Red Skull. The Green Goblin. Kang. Thanos. Marvel Comics has introduced countless villains to trouble both its heroes and their world over the decades, but there has never been an antagonist quite like Victor Von Doom. With Doom now placed into a position of power that he rarely has attained in his history, the classic villain is burning bright as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes now find themselves fighting this battle on numerous fronts. Helmed by writer Ryan North and penciled by artist R.B. Silva, does One World Under Doom live up to the heights set by the Latverian dictator looking to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut next year?
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Thanks to the events of the previous Marvel comic book crossover, Blood Hunt, Doctor Doom now finds himself as Earth 616’s Sorcerer Supreme. Isolating himself within the borders of Latveria, Victor has returned to the spotlight and immediately takes over the world. As is typically the case with stories revolving around the iron-clad villain, not everything is at it seems as Doom’s new reign is one that is offering the world’s populace with, seemingly, everything it ever wanted. With Doom looking to outlaw war, create universal healthcare, and offer free stellar education to all of his subjects, the Avengers now find themselves both trying to physically fight the new Sorcerer Supreme and come to grips with the benefits that he is offering the world at the same time.
As a comic book reader, I clearly have a love for Doctor Doom. He’s easily one of my favorite comic book villains thanks to the complexity of his character and the idea of Victor taking Doctor Strange’s job title has been an interesting idea dangled over readers’ heads for quite some time. Here, North is able to put this new status to good work as Doom immediately begins to bulldoze everything in his path to turning the world into his new Latverian empire. Much like DC’s Superman, Doctor Doom is one of those characters where writers need to walk a thin line to hammer home the character himself. Doom is certainly full of himself and can be seen as evil, but the benefits that he offers to the world raises the questions, amongst readers, as to whether or not his way is the right way.
What makes the story all the more interesting is the Avengers’ approach to fighting against Doom’s latest plan. On one hand, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes find themselves fighting the likes of Hydra but they also find themselves having to fight public opinion. North conveys this in an excellent way, routinely highlighting both Doom and the Avengers calling upon the public via television broadcasts. In this presentation, the crossover feels like a battle of wits between these two sides and of course, thanks to Victor’s intimidating intellect, Dr. Doom seems to have the upper hand.
This isn’t to say that the first issue is deathly serious, as North clearly has a love for many of the multiple characters that he is working with here. For example, Spider-Man and the Human Torch have an excellent back and forth that is one of the quieter highlights of the premiere issue. On the complete opposite of the spectrum, Doom at one point charges into battle with what appears to be a T-Rex version of himself, showing how fun the Marvel Comics can still be even in the face of a dictatorial regime.
Silva also does a solid job on artistic duties here, capturing some of the larger-than-life moments as Doom reveals his plans for the world. There are several instances however when panels can feel a tad too claustrophobic for my taste, with some facial expressions being lost entirely in the maelstrom of action. There’s a lot happening inside of these pages and sometimes, it can feel overwhelming for both reader and artist alike we imagine.
Ultimately, One World Under Doom delivers on a big, widescale epic crossover that nails the character of Victor Von Doom while giving the heroes quite the challenge to sink their teeth into. The nine-issue series has plenty of time to take readers to some wild places, but if this opening is any indication, we’re in for a fun roller coaster that does Doctor Doom proud.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Published by: Marvel Comics
On: February 12, 2025
Written by: Ryan North
Art by: R.B. Silva
Colors by: David Curiel
Letters by: VC’s Travis Lanham
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