It isn’t controversial to say that Doctor Doom is Marvel’s best villain. And if it is, Doom will end that nonsense talk real quick. He was Marvel’s first big villain! He was Marvel’s Darth Vader years before Star Wars was a gleam in George Lucas’ eyes! He’s three-dimensional!—figuratively speaking, at any rate. He is Victor von Doom: king of Latveria, son of the Roma, sorcerer and scientific genius, and much more. So it’s no wonder that, when Marvel decided to put together omnibuses centered on supervillains, despite them not usually having a title of their own, Doom was amongst the first to get the treatment (second only to that slippery snake from Asgard, Loki; but, if you value your life, don’t remind Doom of that.) Marvel titled this omnibus Doctor Doom: The Book of Doom
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Doctor Doom by Christopher Cantwell & Salvador Larroca Review!
In a word, Doctor Doom by Christopher Cantwell and Salvador Larroca is propulsive. It kicks off quick and does not stop. The hook is simple: an international tragedy has occurred, and it looks like Doom is the culprit. This makes ol’ Victor the world’s most wanted fugitive, and puts him at a severe disadvantage. Good pitch! Doom is indisputably the best villain in the Marvel universe, possibly of comics in general, and conceivably the entirety of fiction. And the comic is good… but not perfect! To better understand the quality of this series, we are going to turn to three men. The first is series writer Christopher Cantwell. The second: main series artist Salvador Larroca. And finally, we will consider Victor Von Doom himself, in all his armored glory. [Read more…] about Doctor Doom by Christopher Cantwell & Salvador Larroca Review!
There is Only Doom | A Primer on The Greatest Villain of All Time
Doctor Doom is a wonderfully complex character
To my mind, he’s the first Marvel supervillain as he set the relatable, tortured archetype that everyone from Magneto to Gorr would follow after. And, rumor has it, he was a big inspiration on Darth Vader (it’s embarrassing to just realize, this year, that Vader’s weird mouth second on his mask looks a fair bit like Jack Kirby’s illustrations of DOOM shouting.) Not to mention Raul Julia’s M. Bison. Two equally great, enduring symbols of villainy.
It’s easy to see why so many have enjoyed Doom for so long. That iconic metal mask of his is utterly grotesque and ostensibly hides a face much worse. But then, the horror of the first only adds to the mystery of the second. Then there’s the whole “hooded cape over armor” look. Who the hell thought that would be evergreen?! Plus he’s got magic, crazy inventions, his own castle, the very best in names… the list goes on. At the top of the list of things we love about Doom has to be his dialogue, which is simply the best in the business.
No one speaks with the ridiculous pomp and camp of Doom. Yet, no one, not even Thanos, has his finality.
But these things are just ornamentation. Nothing more than armor polish and melted loved ones. Let’s see what matters. [Read more…] about There is Only Doom | A Primer on The Greatest Villain of All Time
Secret Wars – Believing Everything Lives
When everything ends, there is only Secret Wars.
Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic’s cataclysmic 2015 Marvel Comics event is the culmination of years of stories about The Fantastic Four and Future Foundation and the inevitable conclusion to his multiversal heat death saga of Avengers and New Avengers. It’s a 9-issue epic that sees every universe destroyed until only a single composite Battleword remains, with constant turmoil lorded over by one man who has declared himself god emperor – DOOM. [Read more…] about Secret Wars – Believing Everything Lives
The Best Solo Marvel Villain Stories!
Evil-doing adversaries are an integral part to superhero storytelling, but it’s actually kind of a rarity that they ever get to helm their own series. Sure, you have fence-straddling “anti-heroes” such as Venom or Deadpool and even grey-area vigilantes like the Punisher, but the straight-up baddies? Maybe it’s this lack of respect that keeps them on the wrong side of the tracks. Who knows?
However, there are occasions when Marvel’s antagonists get to not only “break bad” but also get their get their due and break out in popular acclaim. Let’s take a look at some of those examples now, or, as Stan Lee would say… “Bring On The Bad Guys!” [Read more…] about The Best Solo Marvel Villain Stories!