One of Marvel’s longest-running events returns this week after a month-long gap, and One World Under Doom #6 pits Doctor Doom against Mr. Fantastic! For a superhero comic, you might be surprised to discover there is minimal fighting, as this is a battle of words and ideas. It’s also an issue that drops a major reveal, potentially turning the tide for the heroes who have been losing because this isn’t a battle of fists, but with ideas.
It’s fairly safe to say One World Under Doom #6 is very much a narrative based on the world outside our window. This time, the focus is on politics and winning hearts and minds by the leaders of the world. The latest issue is very much like a debate we’d watch on TV, only it’s a more casual setting. Mr. Fantastic and Doctor Doom are on the set of 616 TV, and the two go at it to prove the other is wrong. Ryan North sets up this battle of the brains with a compelling wrinkle: Doom is better at winning over people’s emotions. If you’ve been paying attention to American politics over the last year, that’s a key point that drives many to believe what Donald Trump says.
While those two debate, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Invisible Woman embark on a covert mission that takes them inside Latvaria, the heroes suspect something fishy is going on. Still, they’re not sure what, and while that thread has been ongoing since the first issue, this issue delivers a big answer.
I wonder what other programming they have on 616 TV.
Credit: Marvel
To say the reveal is a big one is an understatement, although it remains to be seen if the public will even care. Given how far logic seems to go these days, I actually pondered if seeing the truth behind Doctor Doom’s powers would matter to anyone. If they do care in the next issue, this truly might be science fiction. At the very least, it’s a sign for a gigantic shift in the narrative.
Back to the debate between Doom and Mr. Fantastic, North makes a lot of strong points, and Doctor Doom is right. If you’ve ever wondered why Iron Man doesn’t just give his arc reactor to the world for limitless energy, or why Storm doesn’t reverse famine in water-starved areas, these points are made by Doctor Doom and are very logical. There’s even a neat conspiracy theory involving World War II thrown into the mix. Truth be told, Doctor Doom makes strong points, and very likely could win the argument he’s making, or at the very least win over the public’s opinion.
As far as art, R.B. Silva continues to do exceptional work. The debate is heightened with well-placed audience reactions and clever layout structure, so it’s not just two guys sitting and talking. The infiltration of Latveria is compelling thanks to energy effects and well-placed angles on the heroes. A double-page splash reveal is truly haunting, like seeing the pods in The Matrix for the first time. David Curiel continues to bring A-plus colors to the project.
One World Under Doom #6 delivers one of the event’s smartest and most resonant chapters yet, trading punches for pointed political commentary as Doctor Doom and Mr. Fantastic face off in a televised war of ideals. Bolstered by a jaw-dropping reveal and stellar visual storytelling, this issue proves that sometimes words are the most dangerous weapon of all.
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