Marvel Makes Major Change to Doctor Doom

Today’s release of the milestone issue of Invincible Iron Man #600 is not only a celebration of Marvel’s Tony Stark but also a major turning point for Doctor Doom.

Victor Von Doom has been on an unusual path over the past few years of Marvel stories. In 2015, Doom finally succeeded in what was his greatest goal, unmaking the world and remaking it in his image in the events series Secret Wars. However, Doom ultimately found ruling over his new Battleworld to be an unfulfilling experience.

When he was finally overthrown and the universe remade as it was (mostly), Doom discovered that he was one of the few who still remembered their experiences on Battleworld. He also discovered that his scarred and disfigured face had been mended. Doom’s experience on Battleworld and new face inspired him to turn over a new leaf and pursue a different course.

For a time, Doom tried to present himself as an ally to Tony Stark. Then Tony Stark died, or so everyone though, and Doom found a greater role for himself. He built his own suit of Iron Man armor and has been acting as a hero in Tony Stark’s absence, hoping to carry on the Iron Man legacy.

Many of the other heroes of the Marvel Universe doubted Doom’s intentions, but Doom has proven himself over time to be a sincere, if sometimes ruthless, hero. He did so again in the pages of Invincible Iron Man #600.

The Hood has once again assembled a small army of villains and is making a play for control of Tony Stark’s company. Doom shows up with a legion of Doombots to stop the Hood and his cronies from finalizing the deal that would have given the Hood control of Stark Enterprises. Iron Man and the freshly resurrected War Machine also arrive on the scene, revealing to Doom for the first time that they are alive.

The battle grows and the demon that lives within the Hood comes to the forefront. It attacks and disables War Machine’s armor and then does the same to Iron Man. Doom comes to the rescue, pulling the Hood aside so that Iron Man and War Machine can get their bearings and finish things off.

Doom and the Hood go one on one in magical combat. The Hood tears the off the faceplate of Doom’s armor then places his hand on Doom’s face and surges with arcane power, leaving Doom’s face disfigured once more.

The last we see of Doom, he’s crawling back into his castle, seemingly broken for the time being.

It is hard not to notice that this turn for Doom is happening just before the Fantastic Four return in a new series this August. Doom is slated to play a role in that series, so this may just be the first step to Victor returning to his role as the villainous Doctor Doom, nemesis of Mr. Fantastic, that so many fans know and love.

Invincible Iron Man #600 is on sale now.