Marvel Comics has given us some of the most iconic villains in pop culture history, but few have loomed as long as Victor Von Doom. In the upcoming eight-issue series One World Under Doom (scheduled for release February 12th), writer Ryan North (along with artist RB Silva and colorist David Kriel) explores the complexities of Doctor Doom. Ready to explore psychology and towering ambition the way we know how. I’ve never seen it before. Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of chatting with North to talk about Doom, his grand plans, and how stories of world domination intersect with power, politics, and culture.
We started with a central question. North has described Doom in the past as the ultimate villain who always seems to find a way to win. So how did the team intend to balance his intelligent, manipulative side with a more overt and brazen display of power in this series? North’s reaction was similar to Doom’s It was a simple summary of duality.
“They’re kind of two sides of the same coin, right?” North said. “He uses his brain and his manipulative powers in conjunction with his own powers to achieve the goals he desires. And what he wants is to transcend the world and make it possible for him to do so.” To show and prove that you are the best man, and that only Doom can do it.”
North doesn’t shy away from Doom’s selfish nature either.
“He may be saying, ‘I’m doing this for a great reason,’ but he’s doing it for himself,” North said. “He’s doing it to prove that he is the best among us and will continue to be the best among us. He will use any means at his disposal.”
In One World Under Doom, these tools are more formidable than ever, and Doom’s status as Sorcerer Supreme gives him even greater abilities.
Courtesy of Marvel Comics.
A story of power and politics
One World Under Doom has been in development for years, but its themes especially resonate today. As mentioned in our chat, people’s minds quickly turn to politics because this series is about world leaders in a way. North agreed, but clarified that this is not a direct commentary on a modern-day figure.
“This is a story about someone conquering the world,” North said. “This is obviously political, but it’s not based on American politics or Canadian politics. There’s always politics. Politics is about people interacting with each other and trying to get ahead of other people.” It’s just the art and science of doing that. And that’s something that Doom does very well.”
North’s approach also includes historical parallels.
“This is a story about geopolitical maneuvering,” North said. “When you’re in a country at this level with people representing you, what are those people doing? If you go back 100, 200, 300 years, a lot of situations were determined by individuals, and individuals interacted with each other. It’s not a good way to run a world, but it’s a great way to tell a story.”
ruined humanity
One of the most fascinating aspects of Doctor Doom is the shred of humanity that sets him apart from pure villainy.
“The tragic thing about him is that he could have been a great guy,” North said. “If he went in a little different direction, he could be a good guy. That’s why he and Reed (Richards) have such a Capital R relationship. They see themselves as very similar. I think they are very different people.”
This duality also forms the tension of the story.
“The fun and the challenge of writing Doom’s story is that what he does is very good, but what he does is not great,” North said. “Even if you lose, he brings something out of you. In that sense of loss, he took from you what you didn’t want to give him.”
Familiar faces, new dynamics
Fans of North’s work The Invincible Squirrel Girl will be excited to learn that the beloved hero and his friends Nancy and Brain Drain will be appearing in One World Under Doom.
“The bottom line is, we couldn’t imagine doing a Marvel event and not including Squirrel Girl in it,” North said. “If she wasn’t there, people would say, ‘The only reason we didn’t have her there was because she could solve this problem in 10 minutes.'”
North’s enthusiasm extended to the wider Marvel Universe.
“When I was writing the story, I wasn’t thinking, ‘How many toys can I fit in here?’ It was more about how many different personalities could be involved and how Doom would fit into it.” It was important to be able to see how they would react,” North said. “This is the story of Doom and his attempt to accomplish something that has never been accomplished before without cheating.”
doom’s ultimate pitch
At the heart of the story of One World Under Doom is Doom’s attempt to convince the world that his leadership is not only inevitable but beneficial.
“Doom has come and conquered the world. If Doom wants to keep it that way, he has to convince people that their lives will be better because Dr. Doom is the ultimate authority,” North said. said. “The first problem is that he basically makes that pitch. And it ends with the woman repeating the slogan to him. At least at first it works.”
What’s next?
After the first arc was completed, North reflected on the collaboration involved in the Marvel event.
“The benefit of writing the story this early was that we could hand over the completed issue to our partners,” North said. “It’s really exciting to see what other writers are working on based on this. It’s a fun situation to play in. One man conquering the world allows us to tell stories that couldn’t be told any other way.” can.”
And of course, North teased some standout moments.
“There’s a big fight in issue five, but it’s just…chef’s kiss,” North said.
What about the bright side of Doom? North joked about the possibility of a reality show in Doom’s New World Order.
“I think it’s called ‘Everyone Loves Doom,'” he said with a laugh. “There’s nothing more dystopian than a show called ‘Everyone Loves Doom’ projected in the clouds. You can’t avoid it. It’s not descriptive, it’s directional. Everyone must love Doom by now. .”
With One World Under Doom, the creators promise to tell a story that is as much about power as it is about the people ruled by it. Packed with political intrigue, cultural change, and Marvel’s trademark blend of action and heart, this event is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event.
