Top 7 Must-Read Doctor Doom Comics

• Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday.
• Doctor Doom's comic history includes magic and mystic origins.
• Hickman's Fantastic Four and Secret Wars are key Doom comics.
• Infamous Iron Man explores Doom as Iron Man after Stark's death.
• Books of Doom provides a concise biography of Doctor Doom.

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7 GREAT DOCTOR DOOM COMICS YOU SHOULD GO READ RIGHT NOW

FROM CLASSIC STORY ARCS TO HIDDEN GEMS, THERE'S SOMETHING HERE FOR EVERYONE

By Willa Rowe

Published Tuesday 4:05 PM

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Robert Downey Jr is coming back to the MCU, just not as Iron Man.

The actor revealed during San Diego Comic-Con that he would be going from hero to villain when he debuts as Victor von Doom in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday.

You may know Doctor Doom from his appearances in the Fox Fantastic Four movies and for his usual role as that team's biggest antagonist, but he's much more than that in the comics.

Doom has starred in a long list of amazing stories that have fleshed out, redefined, and rebuilt the character as one of Marvel's best players on the grandest universal scale.

If the MCU's version is anything like the Doom in the comics, moviegoers are in for a treat.

But 2026 is a long way away, so until then, get to know Doom with these seven comics.

THE "THIS COUNTS AS ONE" PICK: HICKMAN'S FANTASTIC FOUR THROUGH SECRET WARS

If you only read one Doctor Doom-related comic to get to know the villain and what he might be like in the MCU, I would recommend legendary Marvel writer Jonathan Hickman's run on the character.

This is cheating though, as Hickman built up his take on Doom starting in 2009 on Fantastic Four and ending in 2016 with the conclusion of the Secret Wars event comic.

That's roughly seven years of comics to read, which is daunting though I promise it is worth it.

Across Fantastic Four, Avengers, New Avengers, and Secret Wars, Hickman's portrayal of Doom as a man who works on the highest level possible in the universe is fascinating.

He's basically playing 5D chess at all times and watching Doom concern himself with the end of the multiverse and the killing of gods essentially on his own is badass.

2027's Avengers: Secret Wars bears the same name as Hickman's climactic finale, so you can bet it'll be a major inspiration for the MCU.

THE TONY STARK CONNECTION: INFAMOUS IRON MAN

With Robert Downey Jr taking on the role of Doom, many are wondering if the MCU's version of the character will be a variant of Tony Stark.

Whether he is or not, there is a lot of history between Stark and Doom in the comics.

My favorite book that delves into that relationship is Brian Michael Bendis' Infamous Iron Man.

The premise is essentially "What if Victor von Doom took over the mantle of Iron Man?"

Following Stark's death in Civil War II, Doom steps into the armor and starts fighting crime with his new suit while also wielding a lot of magic.

The comic puts Doom in an interesting position we haven't seen him in before and digs into some emotional connections between the two characters.

Bendis is a great character writer and that is on full display in Infamous Iron Man.

A HELL OF A GOOD TIME: DOCTOR STRANGE AND DOCTOR DOOM: TRIUMPH AND TORMENT

If you got confused just now when I mentioned Doctor Doom using magic, then boy have I got news for you.

People might only know Doom as the masked villain of the Fantastic Four and not be aware of his mystic origins or affinity for the dark arts.

Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment is a great team-up comic with the Sorcerer Supreme of Marvel that puts Doom's mystical side at the forefront.

It's a wild romp through hell with phenomenal art from Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.

If you just want to read a cool story starring Doom that has some of the best art in comics, look no further.

IT'S GRANT MORRISON: FANTASTIC FOUR 1234

If a comic hero or team has a run written by legendary writer Grant Morrison, I will be recommending it.

The author who has given us the best X-Men and Superman stories ever also did a short stint with the Fantastic Four and it's just as good and unexpected as you'd imagine.

Fantastic Four 1234 is essentially a story about Doctor Doom acting as the devil on the shoulder of the titular team.

Over four issues, Doom tempts each member of the Fantastic Four with their desires or sabotages their lives.

That isn't that hard considering Morrison writes the team with a lot of baggage under their seemingly happy relationships.

It's a great dismantling of Marvel's first family that could only be done by Morrison.

AN ABRIDGED BIOGRAPHY: BOOKS OF DOOM

Sure, you know that Doctor Doom is the de facto enemy of the Fantastic Four, but what do you really know about the man behind the metal mask?

Over the decades, a number of writers have fleshed out his backstory, much of which has become as convoluted as comics can be.

Ed Brubaker's Books of Doom is a succinct summary of that backstory.

Told mostly from the perspective of the villain himself, Books of Doom will take you through the life of the Fantastic Four's greatest enemy.

That includes his path to big bad but also offers insights into his parents, especially his mystic mother.

If you've only ever encountered Doom as a monologuing villain waiting to get defeated, then learning more about the intricacies of the character and his motivations is a must.

JUST GIVE ME WHAT'S NEW: DOOM

I'll be the first to admit that reading traditional superhero comics kind of sucks.

It never feels like a good time to jump on and with constant reboots and crossovers, a lot of storylines never get the time they need.

But if you just want to dive into what Doom is up to right now with as little bullshit as possible, there is an option for you.

This May, Jonathan Hickman gave us another Doom story worth reading in collaboration with Sanford Greene.

Simply titled Doom #1, this one-shot story sees the titular villain go on a universe-spanning mission to defeat Galactus.

It's a quick read that will still give you a good feel for who Doom is as a character.

And hey, if you like it then you can dive into something meatier.

DOOMBOT: RUNAWAYS

This choice is just for fun as it isn't strictly about Doctor Doom.

Rather, I am asking you to give Doombot a chance.

One of the many robotic stand-ins for Doom that the villain has used as an army of grunts in the past, Doombot has a fantastic supporting role in 2017's Runaways.

Doombot is a sassy and overdramatic robot that believes himself to be the true Doctor Doom and I love him.

While not Doom, he does act like a caricature of the villain, almost parodying the monologuing tendencies Doom had in earlier issues.

Runaways makes for a fun break from the usual doom and gloom (pun intended) that comes with reading Doctor Doom stories.