Doctor Doom
- For other uses of this name, see Doctor Doom (disambiguation).
Doctor Doom is a male comic supervillain who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Victor Von Doom was originally born to a gypsy family in the European nation of Latveria. Von Doom's father Werner was a gifted hearler while his mother Cynthia was a practicing sorceress. Von Doom's tribe of gypsies was frequently persecuted by the Baron of Latveria. Cynthia was visited by the demon Mephisto and sold her soul in exchange for Latveria becoming a gypsy paradise and her son Victor its king, as well as gifted with great power, which shortly destroyed her.
One day, their gypsy encampment was visited by soldiers on behalf of the Baron where they brought him to the castle. Once there, it was revealed that the Baron's wife was suffering from an illness and Werner was tasked with using his potions to heal her. However, he was unable to save her life and did not believe she would survive the morning. Werner knew that the baron would be enraged after his wife's death and upon returning to his gypsy encampment he decided to flee alongside his son. This allowed them to evade the baron's soldiers who were enacting their masters wrath that would have put the pair to death. Werner ad the young Victor then fled across the landscape where they had to bear through the harsh elements. Ultimately, Werner came to suffer fatally from the harsh conditions whilst his son only barely survived in thick warm clothing where he was found by Boris who took him to safety. The two were take to safety but the journey had been too much for Werner who died shortly afterwards with the young Victor swearing revenge on all humanity. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
As a teenager, Victor was taken in by Boris, a friend of his father's. Victor soon discovered a gift left to him by his mother, a chest containing herbs, medicines and other artifacts of great power. He began to delve into their secrets, growing obsessed with knowledge and power and while doing so, becoming distant to his girlfriend Valeria.
In time, Victors reputation began to grow until one day he was visited by a stranger who was an American and the Dean of Science at State University. He had spent months trying to find Doom and after seeing his inventions was prepared to offer him a scholarship at his university. Victor accepted as he reasoned that this would allow him access to the latest scientific apparatuses and asked Boris to remain behind where he promised to reward him upon his return. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
Von Doom was later offered a science scholarship at Empire State University in New York City, and upon arriving met another student named Reed Richards. Later he began pursuing forbidden experiments, trying to figure out how to communicate with his mother's soul in Hell. Richards discovered Von Doom's notes and an error in his calculations. Von Doom refused to listen and threw Reed out. Von Doom began his experiment with his machine which exploded, injuring Von Doom. While recovering, Doom was expelled, and forever on Von Doom blamed Richards for his failure. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
Seeking to learn more magic, he went in search for the sorcerer known as the Aged Genghis where he sought to apprentice himself to the aged spellcaster. However, the Aged Genghis took no students and Doom came to attack him when the man said that Victor's face only suffered a minor disfigurement. It was then that that old sorcerer directed Doom to hidden paths to an order of holy men that resided in high Tibet where he claimed to the traveller that he would find his destiny with them. He travelled for months across harsh terrain until he came upon them where the holy men came to care for him and he eventually became their master. (Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment v1 #1)
The accident also left a thin scar along one side of his face, the egotistical Von Doom believed this one scar had ruined his entire face, and soon left America for Tibet where he was taken in by a secret order of monks, learning their secrets and eventually becoming their master. The monks helped him forge a suit of armor and a metal mask. In his haste to cover his face, Von Doom donned the mask before it had completely cooled, thereby truly and permanently disfiguring Von Doom's entire face.
Calling himself Doctor Doom, Doom left Tibet and returned to Latveria and quickly overthrew the ruling monarchy and established a new monarchy with himself as master of Latveria. Doom succeeded in bringing peace and prosperity to Latveria while ruling it with an iron fist. He renamed the capital Doomstadt and built a castle as his new home and headquarters. He then desired to bring this same peace and prosperity to the entire world, and began to plan world conquest.
Doctor Doom
Doom then captured the new superhero group led by Richards called the Fantastic Four and failed to use and destroy them, but became their greatest and most bitter enemy. He has also encountered and become enemies with many other heroes such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Avengers, the X-Men and many others.
Whilst trapped on the speeding meteor, he was carried into deep space but was then encountered by beings from another galaxy known as the Ovoids. They were beings with a science and culture that were millions of years more advanced than Earth. At first, he was hostile to them but came to learn that they were peaceful beings where he came to learn their mental techniques. Among these abilities was the power to switch their mind and move it into another body. After learning their secrets, he came to convince the peaceful aliens to return him to Earth where Doctor Doom engaged in a new scheme to destroy the Fantastic Four. (Fantastic Four v1 #10)
In one of his early schemes to destroy the Fantastic Four, Doom encountered an alien race called the Ovoids and from them learned an alien secret to transfer his mind and soul into another body and back. He also grew in his sorcerous skills becoming second only to Doctor Strange. Recently, with help from Strange, Doom succeeded in freeing his mother's soul from Mephisto.
One of Doom's most infamous moments was stealing the Silver Surfer's Power Cosmic and almost conquering the world. But he lost the Power Cosmic when he flew into the barrier left by Galactus to keep the Surfer trapped on Earth.
He came to hear the mystical summoning of the Vishanti where he journeyed to the Temple of the Three deep in the jungles of Indonesia with him participating in the mystical duels that determined who would be the next Sorcerer Supreme. (Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment v1 #1)
Doom has been thought dead numerous times but has always come back, and if alternate futures we've seen have shown anything, Doom will remain a threat to the world for a very long time.
He was then attacked by Skaar and seemingly by the Hulk himself though this turned out to be the Cosmic Hulk robot. However, the robot was rigged with a radiant neural anesthetizer designed by the Leader to remove Doom's intelligence. Thus, he lost his status as among the top minds on the planet and unable to work his own technology thus crippling him in the process. (Incredible Hulk v1 #606)
Afterwards, Valeria Richards contacted him about admission into the Future Foundation and to help in defeating the Interdimensional Council of Reeds. Doom agreed but on the condition that she help restore his intellect with the two having a deal. Upon entry into the Foundation, its members set forward on the task where they determined that his brain structure had remained intact. Thus, Valeria concluded that they could restore Doctor Doom if they had a backup brain scan. He determined that such a scan was present in the mind of Kristoff Vernard his heir who was ruling Latveria's throne in Doom's stead at this time. With his assistance, they copied over only some of the brain patterns to restore Doctor Doom where he agreed to accomplish his part in the bargain. (FF v1 #2)
Secret Wars
With Owen Reece, he travelled through a doorway into the Multiverse where the Molecule Man accounted his true origins as a living bomb created by the Beyonders. The extradimensional beings had now sought to end their experiment and intended to ignite the Molecule Men to destroy the Multiverse. To stop them, Reece showed Doom the Library of Worlds that would be a place from which he could build his forces and participate in the Game of Worlds. The time-altering effects of the Multiverse meant that Doom was able to operate across a 25 year period whilst only a short time passed in the real world. Thus, he began to murder the various incarnations of the Molecule Man thus disrupting the Beyonders great experiment and participated in the events that led to the Incursions affecting the worlds in the Multiverse. (New Avengers v3 #33)
Infamous Iron Man
Doom then went through a period of self-reflection over his time as a god which led to him undergoing a personal realisation. This was that if power was not his calling hen the opposite could be true where he determined to be a force for good in the world. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #3) This new perspective caused him to abdicate the throne of Latveria and left his kingdom to chart his new path. Prior to leaving his nation, Victor came to appoint his top military mind namely General Garadick as the new temporary head of state under the belief that he would head the transition of Latveria into a free state. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #4)
With Tony Stark disappearing, Doom began to debate on someone taking over the mantle and making the world a better place. He first struck at Diablo's lair in order to save the captive Maria Hill after which he went to Stark Tower before deciding to take the mantle of Iron Man. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #1) He then struck at the Mad Thinker who was operating in Bolivia where he eliminated him along with his robotic creations. Victor then approached Amara Perera in Cambridge once again who tended to his wounds when he was confronted by the Thing who was operating as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. sent to hunt Doom down. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #2)
He responded to a Chronosite infestation by the Baxter Building and helped the Avengers by eliminating it. Doom then asked for their aid to help shut down demonic rituals that were being conducted at the Susan Storm for Girls Leadership. (Avengers v7 #7)
The thought of Reed perishing at someone else beside his hands was something that Doom could not tolerate. Thus, he decided to look for clues at to Richard's possible survival and went through the Baxter Building. Whilst there, he uncovered the Multisect and gave it to Ben Grimm as his 'inheritance'. (Marvel 2-In-One v1 #1)
Return of Doom
In the aftermath, Doom decided to seclude himself in his abandoned castle as the country fell to a tyrant regime. During this time, a resistance formed against the cruel tyrant with one of their number being a young woman named Zora Vukovic. She infiltrated the castle to confirm the rumour of Doctor Doom's return and begged for his return to the throne. Initially, he was reluctant but the words of Zora came to inspire Victor to return to being the ruler of Latveria. Without any aid or his armour, he went to confront the tyrant that was causing pain to his homeland where he deposed them and returned to being the monarch of the nation. (Fantastic Four v6 #1)
He then sensed a coming danger in space and sought to oppose it but to do that he looked to rally power by his side. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #14) Part of this involved secretly helping Dormammu manifest in the universe by having his ally the Skrull named Sister Talionis help in this plot that involved stealing the Faltine's great power for himself. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #18)
This involved coming to Hala where he usurp control of Emperor Hulkling's body in order to take over the Kree/Skrull Alliance to prepare to fight the coming threat. His actions though led to him in conflict with the Guardians of the Galaxy where they exploited Doctor Doom's pride over swapping his body with Hulkling. Using the Ovoid technique, he attempted to return to his body when Moondragon directed his mind into Rocket's body. Trapped in the raccoon's form, Doom had to accept defeat where he revealed that he was looking to stop a coming danger. It was then that Star-Lord decided to invite him into the ranks of the Guardians of the Galaxy. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #14)
As the war progressed, Doom was able to determine that Dormammu was striking five worlds of spiritual importance in order to create a cosmic scaled pentagram in order to merge the universe with the Dark Dimension. The Guardians split into different groups to oppose the Dread Dormammu where Doom had made a deal with Rigellians so that he could gain one of their terraforming assistance platforms. This was used to help build his Doombots as the Guardians went to Chitauri Prime whose inhabitants had been possessed by Dormammu. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #17) With the Guardians aid, they were able to fire an anti-magic Mysterium projectile to banish Dormammu back to his realm. In the process, part of the Faltine's power was taken by Doctor Doom where it was kept contained in his armour and ready for the coming reckoning that would engulf the cosmos. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #18)
Overview
Personality and attributes
In time, his reputation led to him being known as the Beast of the Balkans. (Runaways v2 #5) A time travelling Doom once operated in Eisendorf around 500 years ago where he was known as the Baron of Iron. (Captain America v5 #23) To stop the Beyonders, he came embroiled in the Game of Worlds and took the name Rabum Alal. (New Avengers v3 #31) For a time, he took the identity of Iron Man following the disappearance of Tony Stark. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #1)
He was said to have had the feats of a demi-god and the cunning of a demon. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
After the death of his parents, he came to swear revenge against all mankind and to make them pay. From a young age, he vowed to become powerful and strong in order to avenge his parents deaths. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
Considered the equal of Reed Richards, von Doom noted that he had one weakness in that he could never fully understand other human beings. (Fantastic Four v1 #17)
Doom did not believe that there was anyone that was his rival or equal. (Fantastic Four v1 #258)
He believed that the most beautiful moment of the day was when the dawn was being born with him replaying it constantly for himself. (Fantastic Four: 1234 v1 #1)
It was said that his father was a gently kindly man who had dedicated his life towards healing and made use of a range of potions for the task. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
His father was Werner von Doom who was noted for being a doctor. Meanwhile, his mother was said to had been a sorceress who had shown no fear no matter the odds. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2) On his mother, he stated that she was a good woman who only ever sought to protect her family and people. Victor was noted to had long attempted to free his mother's soul from the grasps of an unholy demon. (Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment v1 #1)
Among the closest people to him was Boris who had cared for Victor since the death of his parents. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
He later came to serve as the guardian of Kristoff Vernard who became his ward and heir. (Fantastic Four v1 #258)
Unknown to him, Morgan le Fay came to be pregnant with his daughter during their brief affair when he travelled back in time to the time of Camelot. She gave birth to a daughter named Caroline le Fay who was not raised by either parent but instead sent into the modern age where she was cared for by Morgan's loyal wealthy servants. The young Caroline knew not why she was sent away but believed that it was part of her mother's grand strategy in conquering the world and thought that she was instrumental in achieving this goal. (Fearless Defenders v1 #4)
Powers and abilities
Doom's bionic armor is equal to Iron Man's, as he can fly, breathe in space or under water and fire energy blasts, and features numerous hidden weapons and gadgets as well as control over his minions. Doom also has robotic doubles called Doombots which can serve as perfect doubles and decoys.
His initial forays into the arts of magic and even science came from studying the contents of a chest that once belonged to his mother. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2) At some point, he came to gain a great deal of magical power through a deal he made with a trio of demons named the Hazareth Three. (Fantastic Four v3 #69) For further knowledge of the dark arts, he was known to had gone back in time to the era of Camelot where he learnt from Morgan fe Fay. (Dark Avenger v1 #1)
From the Ovoids, he came to learn their secret mental techniques with the greatest being the power to switch their mind into another body. (Fantastic Four v1 #10)
The micro-computers within his armor were able to analyse the infrared waves through the optics allowing him to study and learn mystical combat techniques of others without having to engage in years of study. (Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment v1 #1) It was also capable of storing great magical energy stolen from other sources that could be used at a later point. (Guardians of the Galaxy v6 #18) He created a new version of his armour that was similar in appearance to that of the Iron Man Armour. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #1)
Among his creations included:
- Bio-Enhancer :
- Victorium :
- Solartron :
- Robotron :
- Pacifier :
- Followers : humanoid shaped constructs that operated in a phased-state that meant that they could not be harmed and they were sent by their master to follow specific targets of interest. (Fantastic Four v1 #17)
- Invincible Robots :
- Latviathans : giant robots that were akin to Sentinels with these titanic machines tasked with the protection of Latveria. (X-Men / Fantastic Four v2 #4)
- Prime Mover : a machine recovered from a downed alien vessel that allowed him to alter reality itself and shape it according to his desires where he used it to make subtle changes to events akin to chess pieces. (Fantastic Four: 1234 v1 #4)
- Time Platform :
Since his early forays into science, he was able to create a mechanical man robotic duplicate of himself. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2) His creations were all managed by his Doombot Protocol that governed their programming. (Infamous Iron Man v1 #4)
He built a backdoor access in all his machines allowing to speak through any of them. (Fantastic Four: 1234 v1 #1)
From childhood, he came to find a chest that belonged to his sorceress mother and through it learnt her secrets. These included magic potions and strange scientific secrets. (Fantastic Four Annual v1 #2)
After then, he sought to recreate the Power Cosmic and had dedicated scientists working on the project but it was determined at the time that the artificially re-created power might be too unstable for the human body to contain. Despite that, he was able to stir a spark of the Power Cosmic in a former wielder of the power though it was only for a short time. (Fantastic Four v1 #258) Victor later had built a variation of the Power Cosmic that he could imbue in others and gift them superhuman abilities. (Fantastic Four v6 #7)
He maintained an huge flying ship that was known as the Flying Fortress which was one thousand feet long and two hundred fifty feet at its widest. (Avengers v1 #1.5) The vessel served as an incredible floating laboratory. (Fantastic Four v1 #17)
In the Game of Worlds, he came to build a religion where he had an army of disciples to serve him. (New Avengers v3 #31) These followers consisted of an all female order of warriors that began with a single survivor that Rabum Alal had saved. (New Avengers v3 #33) These came to be known as the Black Swans whose Great Ladies served their master and offered sacrifices in his name. (New Avengers v3 #5)
Notes
- Doctor Doom was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where he made his first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #5 (July, 1962).
- In Incredible Hulk v3 (2011), a character named Amanda von Doom appeared who had some unknown tie to Doctor Doom and the von Doom family though this was never elaborated on with her operating as part of the Mad Squad who hunted mad scientists on behalf of the U.S. government.
Alternate Versions
- In Exiles v3 #10 (2018), an alternate version known as Caliph Doom appeared in a world in the Multiverse that was modelled after an Arabian setting. This version sought the Ring of Solomon where he commanded the Djinn Mephisto to serve his will. Caliph Victor Doom took on many wives some of whom he forcibly married with one being Nocturne.
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the 1980 animated television series where he was voiced by actor Ralph James.
- In Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, Doctor Doom appeared in the 1980 animated television series in the episode "The Fantastic Mr. Frump" where he was voiced by actor Shepard Menken.
- In Iron Man: Armored Adventures, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Christopher Britton.
- In The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in a number of episodes in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Lex Lang.
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Maurice LaMarche.
- In Avengers Assemble, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series where he was voiced once again by actor Maurice LaMarche.
- In Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the animated television series in the episode "Red Rover" where he was voiced again by actor Maurice LaMarche.
Films
- In Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the 2005 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Julian McMahon.
- In Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the 2007 live-action film where he was once more portrayed by actor Julian McMahon.
- In Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom appeared as an antagonist in the 2015 live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Toby Kebbell.
Video games
- In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Doctor Doom appeared as a major antagonist and final boss in the 2006 roleplaying video game where he was voiced by actor Clive Revill.
- In Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, Doctor Doom appeared as a playable character in the 2012 fighting video game where he was voiced by actor Fred Tatasciore.
- In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, Doctor Doom appeared as a character in the Facebook video game with his own Dossier.
- In Marvel Heroes, Doctor Doom appeared in the story mode, as a non-playable character and as a playable character in the MMORPG where he was voiced by actor Lex Lang.
- In Marvel: Future Fight, Doctor Doom appeared as a playable character in the setting of the mobile video game.
- In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, Doctor Doom appeared as a boss antagonist and DLC playable character in the setting of the video game where he was voiced by actor Maurice LaMarche. After the defeat of Thanos, cosmic forces began to notice that Earth was a potential threat to their existence. Knowing this, Doctor Doom decided to act where he took the Soul Stone and used it to gather the life force of the citizens of Latveria in order to awaken a long buried Celestial under his control that was to be used to battle the Earth's enemies.
Appearances
- Fantastic Four v1: (1962)
- Thor v1:
- Incredible Hulk v1:
- Mighty Avengers v1:
- Dark Avengers v1:
- New Avengers v3:
- Infamous Iron Man v1:
- Avengers v7:
- Marvel 2-In-One v1: (2018)
- Fantastic Four v6: (2019)
- Doctor Doom v1: (2019)
- Savage Avengers v1: (2019)
- X-Men / Fantastic Four v2:
- Guardians of the Galaxy v6: (2021)
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