Before Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Comics Is Sending Doctor Doom On His Greatest Challenge Yet – SlashFilm

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As Doctor Victor von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) prepares to make his proper Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in “Avengers: Doomsday,” the comic book Doom is staying busy as usual — and not just in finding new ways to torment the Fantastic Four. Unlike many other super-villains, Doom is a figure of such gravitas and pathos that he can lead a story as the actual protagonist; just look at how many comics star Doctor Doom himself.

Doom still needs a foil in Reed Richards, though, and their latest confrontation promises to echo across all recorded time. Ryan North, the current writer of “Fantastic Four,” is now penning the miniseries “Doomquest.” These 10 issues (drawn by Francesco Mobili) promise to send Doom back across different time periods. “Doomquest” issue #1, published May 27, reveals Richards’ latest plan is to “optimize” human existence by rewriting history; Reed believes in using science to solve problems, and this is the logical culmination of that.

Aghast at Richards’ arrogance to reshape history to his own liking, Doom… decides to do it himself. However, an attack by the Marvel Universe’s greatest heroes results in Doom’s time machine backfiring on him. He ends “Doomquest” #1 stranded on the RMS Titanic before it hits that fateful iceberg and promotions for subsequent issues indicate he’ll also be visiting the 1920s’ gangsterland and the U.S. Revolution.

Victor von Doom is a man who has battled and slain gods, become a god more than once, conquered the world (in North’s previous miniseries “One World Under Doom”), faced all of the greatest heroes that the universe has to offer, and crafted inventions light years ahead of others’ comprehensions. Still, this time odyssey — and the potential to reshape not the world’s present but its past to his design — might be his greatest challenge yet.

The opening pages of “Doomquest” feature Doom’s subjects in Latveria revering him, as the narration proclaims Victor von Doom — scientist, sorcerer, sovereign, and supreme — is “the greatest man who’s ever lived.” Doom’s storied history is recalled in a segmented splash page, filling in new readers who might be only vaguely aware of Doom’s grandeur.

Marvel Comics

While easy for the unacquainted to pick up and enjoy, “Doomquest” recalls past Doctor Doom stories; Ryan North’s run on “Fantastic Four” shows he has both a deep appreciation and respect for Marvel’s greatest villain. 

The title “Doomquest” comes from “Iron Man” #149-150 (written by David Michelinie and Bob Layton, drawn by John Romita Jr.), which saw Doom and Iron Man travel back in time to Camelot. “Doomquest” recognized Tony Stark can be almost as effective a foil for Doom as Reed Richards is (which the MCU is echoing by casting the man who once played Iron Man as Doom).

Time travel has been one of Doom’s go-to schemes from the very beginning as well. In his debut appearance, “Fantastic Four” #5, Doom blackmails the Fantastic Four to go back to the 18th Century and retrieve Blackbeard’s treasure for him. Not for wealth, but because the jewels have a magical enchantment that Doom, a prolific sorcerer, covets. Of course, the treasure Doom seeks in North and Francesco Mobili’s “Doomquest” is far greater than a mere pirate’s chest, enchanted gems or not.

I’d contend Ryan North already wrote one of the best Doom time travel stories in “Fantastic Four” #700, titled “The Enemy of the Good.” In this story, Doom repeatedly travels back in time to save Reed and Sue Storm’s daughter, and his god-daughter, Valeria Richards. However, each time he fails, so he keeps repeating his attempt and failing again.

Eventually, Doom concludes that his current height of power and achievement must be his apex — if it wasn’t, wouldn’t another version of himself have already successfully rewritten history to ensure his victory? So, this Doom returns to the moment he first went back in time and destroys himself to sabotage the time machine his past self is using, essentially wiping his memory of the experience. This is a worthy sacrifice to ensure Doom’s ambition is not permanently destroyed, he proclaims. 

“Doomquest” opens with a similar premise. Doom wonders why Latveria, his own personal monarchy and utopia, is not already the ruling nation of the world. Hearing about Richards’ plan for “optimizing” history convinces Doom that time travel is the missing element. After all, men who do not remember their mistakes are doomed to repeat them.

Previews for “Doomquest” #4 reveal this issue will focus on Victor von Doom’s personal history; he returns to his childhood and is confronted with whether he wants to pursue the same path that will leave him as the scarred, armored Doctor Doom who’s hungry for vengeance on Reed Richards. Rewriting this bit of history would take Doom letting go of his grudges, though, and past stories have shown Doom’s resentment is a truly insurmountable force.

“Doomquest” #1 is now available.