The Fantastic Four’s nemesis Doctor Doom is about to undergo a staggering upgrade, as he takes on Galactus in the story of his final adventure. However, this time Doom isn’t embarking on some evil plot – instead, the despotic genius is on a mission to save the Marvel Universe, with only a surprising member of Reed Richards’ family as his ally.
Just announced by Marvel, March will see the arrival of the one-shot Doom, in which the ruler of Latveria will attempt to claim “more power than any human has ever wielded before,” all in the name of stopping Galactus from bringing about universal destruction. The issue is coming from Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four, X-Men) and Sandford Greene (Bitter Root, Power Man and Iron Fist), with Marvel claiming the creators will “send Victor Von Doom on his final journey.”
Doom #1 (2024) | |
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Release Date: | March 13, 2024 |
Writer: | Jonathan Hickman and Sandford Greene |
Artists: | Sandford Greene |
Cover Artist: | Sandford Greene |
In the near future… Doom alone must save the marvel universe! Witness Doctor Doom on a journey unlike any he has undertaken before! With Valeria Richards at his side, Doom goes on a quest to harness more power than any human has ever wielded before in order to try to stop Galactus from bringing about the death of the universe! | |
Little is known about why Galactus would want to end the universe, however Doom will have a major ally in his quest – Valeria Richards, the daughter of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman. Hickman’s own Fantastic Four and FF runs explored the respect Doom and Valeria share, given the young hero’s unparalleled genius and still-forming sense of morality. Doom is considered Valeria’s uncle in Marvel lore, having used his mystic skills to deliver her safely and taking an interest in the young adventurer ever since.
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However, despite Hickman’s experience with these characters, the core concept of Doom comes courtesy of co-creator Sandford Greene. Hickman describes becoming involved with the project:
Sanford and I have been waiting to work together for quite a while, so when he told me that he’d come up with an amazing Doom story and he wanted me to help out, I jumped at the chance. It’s a giant-sized story about a giant-sized character and I can’t tell you how excited I am to get to write Doom again.
Speaking to Marvel, Greene adds:
Growing up reading Marvel Comics, I became fascinated by Doctor Doom and how he potentially is the center of the entire Marvel Universe! He is one of my bucket list characters and this story is somewhat a love letter to Doom and Marvel. … Jonathan is a longtime friend and he always amazes me with his vast knowledge of all types of things, especially the Marvel universe. I couldn’t think of anyone better to collaborate with.
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The idea of Doctor Doom harnessing “more power than any human has ever wielded before” is intriguing because of how it builds on Doom’s past accomplishments. A master of science and magic, Doctor Doom has long been perhaps Marvel’s most capable evil-doer. Doom has stolen the powers of Galactus on multiple occasions, as well as those of the all-powerful Beyonder (as seen in both 1984 and 2017’s Secret Wars.) In various stories, Doom has become the Sorcerer Supreme, claimed the Infinity Gauntlet, and wielded the combined powers of the Avengers, including Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, and the Starbrand. For Doom to achieve a power in excess of what he’s already claimed in other stories, Marvel’s entire cosmic hierarchy may have to expand just to make that possible.
There’s also the question of why Galactus would desire the end of the universe. Though he may be the infamous Devourer of Worlds, Galactus is part of the natural order of the cosmos, and is destined to create the next cycle of reality from his stored energy. Indeed, in many of Marvel’s cosmic stories, Galactus has charged to the rescue of the universe, raising the question of why he’s undergone such a drastic change of heart. That question and more will be answered when Doom tells the final story of the Fantastic Four’s greatest villain, with Marvel promising that Doctor Doom vs Galactus will act as “a timeless testament to Doom’s unmatched hubris, determination, and self-preservation.”
Doom #1 is coming May 15 from Marvel Comics.
