The news is out: Robert Downey Jr. will play Doctor Doom, the man who kicked off the MCU with Iron Man in 2008. Some might even argue that the entire line of movies wouldn’t work without him. From his appearances in the MCU Spider-Man films to his incredible death in Avengers: Endgame, so much of what we love about the MCU is on his shoulders.
It now appears the next phase is entirely on his shoulders again. A lot of folks are worried about this casting, in part because Tony Stark is not Victor Von Doom or the fact that Robert Downey Jr. isn’t Romani. One thing is for certain: the Doctor Doom he plays will have a lot of eyes on it, especially since Doctor Doom is one of the greatest villains ever to grace a comic book.
So the question then is:
What Doctor Doom comics should Robert Downey Jr. read to prepare for the role?
#1: Fantastic Four: Books of Doom by Ed Brubaker and Pablo Raimondi
This is one of the most definitive looks at Doctor Doom as a person, complete with a new backstory and a humanizing you don’t often see with supervillains.
Note to RDJ: This story delves deeply into the culture he grew up in, but also his college years. To understand the man, understand his past.
#2: Fantastic Four #7 by Ryan North and Iban Coello
This is one of the most recent appearances of the character, and it shows the lengths the character will go to prove a point. The man’s ego is one of his strengths and one of his weaknesses, and in this issue, he literally takes away the Fantastic Four’s ability to say specific letters so as to force them to only be able to say “Doom.” How diabolical and petty.
Note to RDJ: It’s important to remember sometimes Doctor Doom goes to great lengths to pull off something petty and only for him. It’s not always about winning but pleasing Doctor Doom.
#3: Secret Wars by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribic
This story takes the idea of Doctor Doom winning further than any other. What would the world look like if Doctor Doom won? What if he had god-like powers? From the Thing being turned into a literal wall to Doctor Doom pulling Thanos’ skeleton out of his body, this is the definitive look at the villain through a winning lens.
Note to RDJ: By showing who Doctor Doom is at his most powerful and most in control, the story shows his true frailties and what is left when he’s got it all.
#4: Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph And Torment by Roger Stern, Bill Mantlo, Gerry Conway, Mike Mignola, Kevin Nowlan, Gene Colan
You can’t not list Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph And Torment when talking about Doctor Doom. That’s largely because this is one of the first stories to show Doctor Doom, who is like all of us; he has a mom he cares about. It just so happens that her mom is in Hell, and he needs Doctor Strange to help him get her back. His drive and ambition is on point in this tale. This story also delves into magic, which sets Doctor Doom apart from most other Marvel villains.
Note to RDJ: Read this to see how important magic plays into Doctor Doom’s strengths and his relationship with his mother.
#5: Doctor Doom by Christopher Cantwell and Salvador Larroca (Read our interview on this one!)
The Eisner-nominated series was a great example of exploring a character through a different lens. Inspired by It’s a Wonderful Life, this story explores a Doctor Doom who realizes he could have had a different and better life. The story examines another reality that could be and thus probes the character in new and interesting ways.
Note to RDJ: An examination of an egomaniac who has to admit his life is not the best or destroy the good life to prove a point. This is Doctor Doom at his most tragic.
These are just five of the best looks at the man, Doctor Doom, that could help Robert Downey Jr. understand the character and use it to form his version in the MCU.
Other tales of note are Fantastic Four: Unthinkable (Doom is willing to do anything to win) and Avengers: Emperor Doom (Doom takes over and has great successes, but he’s also a dictator).
There is also Marvel Team-Up #3 (2004), where it was revealed Tony Stark is Dr. Doom, written by Robert Kirkman and art by Scott Kolins. In a similar Tony/Victor amalgam fashion, Infamous Iron Man by Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev showed Dr. Doom emulate Iron Man. And how could you not recommend reading his first appearance in Fantastic Four #5?
There are also a lot of great moments to pluck from the Marvel Comics that aren’t listed here. One of my favorites growing up was in Fantastic Four #381 when Doctor Doom seemingly turns Mr. Fantastic into dust, only to later learn he sent him to the past.
Needless to say, Robert Downey Jr. has a lot of material to mine from. Consider for a moment that Doctor Doom is likely the greatest villain in Marvel Comics. RDJ has big shoes to fill. Good luck, and godspeed.
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