Doctor Doom has won over world leaders and most of humanity as their one true leader in One World Under Doom, but now he faces a threat alone: Dormammu. One World Under Doom #4 is nearly the halfway point of the events planned for nine issues, but it’s not until this week that we see what Doom is made of. It’s an epic fight showing Doctor Doom has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, but he can also take quite a licking and keep ticking.
The issue may open with a data page revealing stocks are up and people are happy, but things go from calm to very bad quickly. Dormammu has come to make his yearly attempt to take over Earth, but this time, there are no heroes to stop him—only Doom.
If you’re looking for action and direct conflict, One World Under Doom #4 will immediately have you at full attention. It quickly establishes that every hero group, including the Avengers and X-Men, has been sent away. That leaves the battle with Dormammu entirely on Doctor Doom’s shoulders, and writer Ryan North is good at making you doubt him multiple times over. It’s as if he is playing with Doctor Doom’s ego to ramp up the danger, make things seem dire, and then for Doom to pull another figurative rabbit out of a hat to get another edge.
The energy effects are stunning.
Credit: Marvel
The sparring is drawn well by R.B. Silva, who implores plenty of magical, fire, and blur effects throughout. The Marvel cosmic side of things feels like it’s in full force, be it the look of Dormammu or the explosive visual effects from color artist David Curiel. In one page, where it seems Doom has no way to win, captions dig into who Doom is and how he can’t ever give up. Silva makes you feel this moment, frozen in time, drawing you in.
North also does a great job pushing Doom here and further cementing his inability to relent. It’s a heroic moment only edged with villainy due to his hyper ego and attitude permeating the captions. One might think he’s ignorant since he put himself into this position, but the cliffhanger disproves that.
Outside of Doom pushing himself, fans will be talking about how Doctor Doom utilizes key catchphrases and superhero moves on Dormammu. He uses three specifically, and while it’s a touch gimmicky and a little over the top, it’s also super fun and visually cool. The purpose of using these specific moves isn’t apparent; maybe Doom admires these heroes, but it’s fun nonetheless.
One World Under Doom #4 is a thrilling, action-packed showcase of Doctor Doom’s brilliance and resilience, pitting him against Dormammu with no backup — and making you doubt his survival more than once. Ryan North’s writing nails Doom’s ego and heroism, while R.B. Silva’s art brings the cosmic conflict to life with jaw-dropping visuals. Though a bit gimmicky at times, this is a must-read for Doom fans.
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