Fictional history of Doctor Doom

This the fictional history of Doctor Doom.

Origin

"Fantastic Four Annual" #2 established that Doom's mother Cynthia, a witch, was killed by a demon, and his father Werner, a healer, died after being pursued by the Baron of Latveria because Werner could not save the Baroness from death. The young Victor swears revenge and is raised by his father's friend Boris. He studies his mother's magical artifacts and science, using his skills to swindle the richer Latverians and avoiding soldiers who want to execute him (even using a robotic doppelgänger to escape a firing squad). The Dean of Empire State University in America offers Doom a scholarship. There Doom meets and grows to loathe Reed Richards.Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Story =Origin of Doctor Doom | Title = Fantastic Four Annual| Volume = | Issue =2 | Date = 1964 | Publisher = Marvel Comics]

Using the scientific apparatus at his disposal, Victor creates a device to communicate with his dead mother. While Richards warns him his calculations are off, Doom spitefully ignores him activates the machine: he is horribly disfigured in the resulting explosion. Refusing to acknowledge his own fault in the matter, Doom blames Richards for the accident, finding it easier to believe that Richards had sabotaged his work out of jealousy than to admit to his own imperfection. Expelled after the accident, Doom travels the world, eventually being found by a clan of monks in Tibet. Mastering the monk's disciplines, he becomes their master and forges himself a suit of armor, complete with a mask that can only be removed by him. After this, Doom returns to his homeland, overthrowing the standing government, and crowning himself king of Latveria. Ruling with an iron fist and an equally strong will, Doom begins to redirect the small nation's resources to help him realize his goals. He also brings the country a new age of prosperity.

In 1969, Doom's childhood companion Valeria was introduced. It is revealed she and Doom parted ways after he left Latveria to study in America: symbolizing his abandoning of human love and compassion for knowledge and power. [Cite comic | Writer = Thomas, Roy | Artist =Lieber, Larry | Story =This Man, This Demon | Title = Marvel Super-Heroes | Volume = 2 | Issue =20 | Date = 1969 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] In 1971, it was established Cynthia von Doom had sold her soul to Mephisto. [Cite comic | Writer = Conway, Gerry | Artist =Colan, Gene | Story = Title = Astonishing Tales | Volume = 1 | Issue = 8 | Date = 1971 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] In 1985, John Byrne gave further detail regarding Doom's scarring. The story uses the idea that the accident at Empire State University only left Doom with a small scar; when Doom puts on the armor forged for him when it had yet to cool, however, he truly damages his face. [Cite comic | cartoonist = Byrne, John | | Story =True Lies | Title = Fantastic Four | Volume = 1 | Issue =278 | Date = 1985 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] Ed Brubaker's 2007 "Books of Doom" further revealed Doom was sent to learn in America after being drafted by the military to create weapons: after his accident he destroyed all his inventions. He was also pursued by the KGB before being advised to come to Tibet. The series also confirmed Doom led his people to revolt against the Latverian government. [cite web | title = Books of Doom | publisher = Marvel Comics | url = http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=5762 | accessdate=2008-02-28]

upervillain

In his first appearance, Doom travels back in time to steal the enchanted treasure of Blackbeard and conquer the world, but he is fooled by Reed Richards, who swaps the treasure with worthless chains.Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Story =Prisoners of Doctor Doom! | Title = Fantastic Four | Volume = | Issue =5 | Date = July 1962 | Publisher = Marvel Comics| Page = ] Returning to Earth after learning the secrets of an advanced alien race, Doom exchanges consciousnesses with Mr. Fantastic; Richards, inhabiting Doom's body, switches the two back, and Doom ends up trapped in a micro-world. [Lee, Stan (w), Kirby, Jack, "The Return of Dr. Doom" "Fantastic Four", #10, January 1963] Doom takes over the micro-world and returns before being thrown into space. [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Story =The Master Plan of Dr. Doom | Title = Fantastic Four | Issue = 23 | Date = February 1964 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] Doom is saved by Rama-Tut, and he returns to Earth to destroy the Fantastic Four by turning each member against the other using a special berry juice. Richards outwits Doom by using the hallucinogenic juice against the villain. Doom, believing he has killed Richards in a test of willpower, departs certain of his victory and superior intelligence. [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Story =The Final Victory of Dr. Doom | Title = Fantastic Four Annual | Volume = | Issue =2 | Date = 1964 | Publisher = Marvel Comics]

During the 1960s, Doom tricks Spider-Man into joining forces with him, [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Ditko, Steven | Story =Marked for Destruction by Dr. Doom | Title = The Amazing Spider-Man | Volume = | Issue =5 | Date =October 1963 | Publisher = Marvel Comics| Page = ] and he also menaces the Avengers when Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch travel to Latveria to find a long-lost relative. [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Heck, Don | Story =Enter Dr. Doom! | Title = The Avengers | Volume = | Issue =25 | Date =February 1966 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] He steals the Silver Surfer's powers in 1967, but he loses them after breaching a barrier Galactus set for the Surfer on Earth. [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Title=Fantastic Four | Volume = 1 | Issue =57 | Date =December 1966 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] [Cite comic | Writer = Lee, Stan | Artist =Kirby, Jack | Title=Fantastic Four | Volume = 1 | Issue =60 | Date =March 1967 | Publisher = Marvel Comics]

During the 1970s, Doom branched out to more Marvel titles, with a battle between Doom and Prince Rudolfo over control of Latveria being featured in "Astonishing Tales". [Cite comic | Writer = Thomas, Roy | Artist =Wood, Wally | Story =Revolution! | Title = Astonishing Tales | Volume = | Issue =2-6 | Date =October 1970-June 1971 | Publisher = Marvel Comics| Page = ] Doom also attempts to use the Hulk as his slave during two issues of "The Incredible Hulk". [Cite comic | Writer = Thomas, Roy | Artist =Ayers, Dick | Story =Sanctuary! | Title =Incredible Hulk| Volume = | Issue =143 | Date =September 1971 | Publisher = Marvel Comics] The character also made several appearances in the story arcs of "Super-Villain Team-Up", starting in 1975, as well as appearances in "Marvel Team-Up", beginning with issue #42 (February 1976). In August of 1981, Doctor Doom also made an appearance in "Iron Man" when the two travel to Camelot. [Cite comic | Writer = Michelinie, David | Artist =Romita, John | Story =Doomquest; Nightmare | Title = Iron Man | Volume = | Issue =149-150 | Date =Aug.-Sept. 1981 | Publisher = Marvel Comics| Page = ]

During John Bryne's run in the 1980s, Doom attempts to steal cosmic powers on Terrax, but Doom's body is destroyed in the resulting fight between Terrax and the Silver Surfer.Cite comic | Cartoonist = Byrne, John| Story =Interlude | Title = Fantastic Four | Volume = | Issue =258 | Date = September 1983 | Publisher = Marvel Comics | Page = ] Doom survives by transferring his consciousness to another human, and is returned to his original body by the Beyonder. ["Fantastic Four" #287-288]

In the 2000s, Doom later is consigned to another universe. He escapes and attempts to claim Thor's mystical hammer Mjolnir for himself. The plot fails, and Doom returns to Latveria to rule once again. Doom also rediscovers his magical heritage, and uses his mystical powers in an attempt to destroy his foes.

In the pages of the Runaways, Doom appears, claiming to be the father of Victor Mancha, a new member of the team, capturing his mother to get his attention. Victor distracted Doom while the Runaways tried to free his mother, but Doom took them down quickly. Chase Stein then came in with a laser generator from their ship the Leapfrog. Victor charged it up with his powers and blasted Doom through the chest. It was then revealed that Doom was actually a Doombot stolen by Ultron, who was Victor's real father.

=Civil War=

Later, a Doombot was taken down by Reed Richards, Henry Pym, Iron Man, She-Hulk and others in New York City; whether or not it was sent by Doom himself remains to be seen, as does his role in the overall conflict. Doom was not invited to the wedding of Storm and the Black Panther. However, he did send a present: an invitation to form an alliance with Latveria, using the Civil War currently going on among the hero community as a reason to quite possibly forge an alliance between their two countries. When Black Panther, on a diplomatic mission to other countries with Storm, did show up in Latveria, he presented them with a real present, and extended another invitation to form an alliance with Black Panther. He demonstrated behavior very uncharacteristic of him, however, which may or may not become a plot point later. Panther spurned the invitation, detonating an EMP that blacked out a local portion of Latveria before Doom's robots could destroy his ship. Later on, Doctor Doom is then shown collaborating with the Red Skull on a weapon which will only "be the beginning" of Captain America's suffering. Doctor Doom gave the Red Skull the weapon because the Red Skull gave Victor pieces of technology from an old German castle. The castle was owned by a "Baron of Iron" centuries prior, who had used his technological genius to protect himself and his people. The map the Red Skull used to find the castle bore a picture of Doctor Doom. Doctor Doom states that the technology the Red Skull gave him is more advanced than what he currently has, and that he will become the Baron of Iron in his future. The Red Skull is currently in the process of reverse-engineering Doom's weapon for multiple uses, rather than the single use Doom agreed to.

Post-Civil War events

At the end of the first chapter of the X-Men event "", Doctor Doom is among the supervillain geniuses that Beast contacts to help him reverse the effects of Decimator. He spurns Beast by stating that genetics do not number among his talents.

In "", Doctor Doom was among those that Spider-Man contacts to help save Aunt May.

Doctor Doom also makes Latveria into a refugee camp for the Atlanteans following the destruction of their underwater kingdom [Sub-Mariner vol. 2, #1-6 (Aug. 2007 - Jan. 2008)] as well as becoming allies with Loki in his plot to manipulate Thor into unwittingly release his Asgardian enemies. [Thor vol. 3, #5]

Doctor Doom later defends Latveria from the Mighty Avengers, following a revelation that it was one of Doctor Doom's satellites that carried the 'Venom Virus' released in New York City. [ "Mighty Avengers" #8] In a battle with Iron Man and the Sentry, the time travel mechanism within his armor overloads, trapping Doom and his opponents at some point in the past. Doctor Doom continues a relationship with Morgan le Fay using his time machine. ["Mighty Avengers" #9] He and Iron Man managed to get back to the present, but Doctor Doom has left Iron Man in his exploding castle. Despite this, Doctor Doom ended up incarcerated at The Raft.

Secret Invasion

Doctor Doom was among the villains who escaped the Raft when a virus was uploaded into its systems by the Skrulls.

References