Martinex1: Is Dr. Doom the greatest villain in the Marvel Universe? Or any comic universe?
I will let those questions hang out there as we explore Dr. Doom's complex history and look at numerous comic covers. I would really like to know your opinion so keep the queries in mind. If Doom is the standard for four-color megalomania, then what makes him so complete? How do you rate him as a character and as a nemesis? What are his weaknesses and strengths? Who might be up-and-comers to challenge his crown?
As you form your viewpoint, take a look at the wide selection of covers we have for you today. Throughout the Silver and Bronze Age of comics, Doctor Victor Von Doom made his presence known and I dare say graced more covers than any other Marvel villain (prove me wrong).
He obviously had numerous cover appearances in the monthly Fantastic Four mag, and I make no claim to showing all of those issues today. I merely picked and shared the FF examples to which I gravitate. Similarly, the bad doctor starred in titles like Astonishing Tales, Super-Villain Team-Up, and Doom 2099; I offer only a few issues of each of those titles as indicators of his time as a headliner.Doom also made frequent appearances in the various hero comics that graced the stands. From Daredevil to Dazzler, from The Avengers to Alpha Flight, from Marvel Team-Up to Spidey Super Stories, Doom was there. And all of those appearances did not seem to water down his mystique.
The iron masked despot that Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created way back in Fantastic Four #5 (cover dated July of 1962) has lived on for the past 55 years seemingly harassing every masked do-gooder that Marvel created. Not only has the character ruled an imaginary European country (that seems stuck in the era of a Universal monster movie), but he has also commanded both science and sorcery in quests that have led him off world and to the underworld.
During the middle of the Bronze Age the villain may have been pushing his limits and outliving his welcome by seemingly appearing everywhere, but John Byrne honored the character of the Latverian monarch when he worked on the Fantastic Four and focused on Doom's nobility and political motivations. One of my favorite Byrne stories is from the FF anniversary issue #236 in which Doom created a small puppet world into which the heroes were transported. And if you think his mystique was not far reaching, there was even a follow-up to that tale in an issue of The Micronauts #41.
Byrne and Chris Claremont, at the peak of their careers, got into an in story feud regarding the character of Doom. Claremont, in Uncanny X-Men #145 and#146, partnered the Latverian monarch with Arcade, and the game-running clown did not treat Doom with proper respect. He even struck a match on Doom's armor.
Byrne felt this was out of line and diminished the villain he was using while he was the auteur of Fantastic Four. So he had the real Doom destroy the Doombot that would not stand up to such indignity. Needless to say, Doom's notoriety and infamy increased in that era.
So it is time to play the $1 Doctor Doom Challenge. Take a look at the dozens of covers shown below. Each features our star antagonist, Doctor Doom. You can choose four (4) regular mags from this internet spinner rack or two (2) collections or treasuries for your imaginary dollar. Which picks do you make and why? And remember, as you give your reasoning, to share your insights about Doctor Doom and his long history at Marvel Comics. Was he the greatest Marvel villain ever created? Why or why not? And how does he compare to the entire pantheon of comic villains?
So for the length of this task and conversation, you're Doomed! Enjoy the experience BitBA fans!
As an added bonus, here are two colored John Byrne art commissions that I stumbled across while researching Doom. Wouldn't you have liked to have seen these in a full story? Feast your eyes! Cheers all!
