Steve Long 
The overall execution makes One World Under Doom a standout Doctor Doom story. If you’re a longtime fan of the character, this might be an event you won’t want to miss.
Prepare yourself for Emperor Doom!
I am, unironically, a fan of Doctor Doom. Having read comic books since the mid-1980s, I was always aware of the character but didn’t really get into him until I read the 2002 Doom storyline, written by Chuck Dixon. It is still one of my favorite Doom story arcs. Other standouts include Ed Brubaker’s 2006 Books of Doom and (while technically not JUST a Doctor Doom story) Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars. That being said, I did follow this particular story during its original release. I just recently experienced the series.
ULTIMATE DOOM!
The story One World Under Doom originally ran as a 9-part series in Marvel Comics from February to November of 2025. The collected edition (or trade paperback) will be released on February 10th. The creative team consists of writer Ryan North and artist R.B. Silva. Ryan has written Star Trek: Lower Decks, Adventure Time, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Fantastic Four, The Flash, and more. Silva has lent his talents to books such as X-Men, Superboy, Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, and a bunch more.
The story is somewhat of a follow-up to the Blood Hunt event, where, at the end of it all, Doctor Doom assumes the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme. Our story begins with Doom announcing to the world that he is now the ruler of the entire planet, which is now called United Latveria. He has done so without bloodshed and, as far as everyone can tell, has been given the authority to do so by the world’s leaders. Doom has taken over the world, seemingly, in order to create a worldwide utopia.
In his first act as emperor of the world, he outlaws war. Additionally, he enacts worldwide universal healthcare because the citizens of Latveria should be healthy. He enacts universal free education worldwide, even for doctoral candidates, because the citizens of Latveria should be educated. He declares open borders worldwide, which results in a drastically improved global economy. While the heroes of Earth are skeptical of Doom’s intentions, some of them question whether or not a world under Doom is such a bad thing.
SORCERER SUPREME
Before reading this story, I was familiar with Ryan North, but I don’t recall having read any of his work. The uncertainty of his writing quickly disappeared. North demonstrates a strong command of the character. I feel like he has an excellent grasp of Doctor Doom. He easily captures his intelligence, ego, rigid sense of purpose, and motivations. He understands what makes Doctor Doom such a compelling character and reminds us of it.
North builds the story around the intriguing premise of a “good” Doctor Doom that sets out to rid the world of its problems. Things that, as the story puts it, people have spent decades, if not centuries, failing to solve. He executes the idea in such a way that it left this reader wrestling with the uncomfortable question of whether Doom might actually be the good guy in all of this. He further enriches the story with his portrayal of the relationship between Victor von Doom and his goddaughter, Valeria Richards. A relationship that helps push the climax to an emotional level you never thought you’d see in the character.
VERDICT
Overall, Ryan delivers everything you would want in a classic Marvel event: marquee heroes, high stakes, a great “antagonist”, and plenty of twists culminating in a heck of a climax. The only negative thing I can say about the writing is that, at times, it felt rushed, especially toward the end of the event. This is an event that probably could have been stronger with a few additional issues to further explore the implications of a world under Doom. The artwork is superb. The line work is incredibly detailed, and his composition is wonderfully dynamic. The chaotic fight scenes are expertly executed, drawing the reader directly into the conflict. His artwork doesn’t just depict the action; it pulls you in and makes you part of it.
At the end of the day, I enjoyed this series. It succeeds as an event because it includes all the necessary elements. It succeeds because it doesn’t tell us the story of a group of superheroes stopping a moustache-twirling villain. It’s a story that makes you stop and think what separates the good guys from the bad guys. While again, the pacing moved a little too quickly at times, especially for a story of this scale, the overall execution made this a standout Doctor Doom story. If you are a longtime fan of the character, like I am, this might be an event you don’t want to miss.
Ryan North will return in May with another Doom-heavy event called Doomquest.
Marvel’s One World Under Doom is available to buy now.
Steve is a fan of Star Wars, punk rock, comic books, and cats. In addition to writing for Future of the Force, he also sings for punk band Get Fired and hosts the podcast Rebel Rock Radio!
