Summary

  • Doctor Doom has had various incarnations in Marvel Comics, from Ducktor Doom to All-Father Doom.
  • Victor von Doom's origin as a villain to becoming a conqueror and God Emperor showcases his evolution.
  • The upcoming MCU debut of Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr., hints at a new era for the character.

Doctor Doom is one of the most iconic villains in the entire Marvel universe. Created as an antagonist to The Fantastic Four, the Latverian scientist named Victor von Doom becomes a conqueror of worlds and is an integral force in the Secret Wars comic book storyline. However, many characters have donned the name of Doctor Doom in the comic books.

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Whether they're simply multiverse variants of Victor or completely different characters altogether, these incarnations are easily some of the most formidable characters in Marvel Comics history. The one thing they all have in common is, at one point in time, putting on the famous green hooded cape and becoming true menaces to Marvel superheroes.

Updated September 12, 2024 by Blaise Santi: Fans of Doctor Doom have had an exciting, if controversial, few months after Marvel announced they would be sidelining Kang the Conqueror in favor of this notorious supervillain. The character of Victor von Doom is set to make his MCU debut in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, played by none other than Marvel veteran Robert Downey Jr., which elicited both hype and confusion.

Some have suggested that Downey will be one of many actors taking on the role of Doom in the MCU, given that the character is being set up to challenge the Avengers in Avengers: Secret Wars. With the idea of many different Dooms up to bat in the next big Marvel Cinematic Universe crossover, let's take a look at a few other Dooms that have terrorized the Marvel Comics universe, ranked by their powers, intelligence, and most importantly, their victories.

10 Ducktor Doom

This Doctor's A Quack Compared To Other Dooms

Ducktor Doom next to Spider-Ham

First Appearance

Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham #1 (1985)

Writers

Steven Skeates

Artists

Mark Armstrong

Cartoonish animal versions of famous Marvel characters frequently appear throughout the adventures of Peter Porker, a.k.a. Spider-Ham, on Earth-8311. There, Doctor Doom's counterpart is the waterfowl known as Ducktor Doom. He's a menace to many anthropomorphic heroes, including the Fantastic Fur, the Scavengers, and the X-Bugs.

As the ruler of Quackveria, Ducktor Doom has proven to be one of the more terrifying characters (relatively) on Earth-8311. However, the character does end up losing to Peter Porker and is sent to live in the void of space. Even Earth-616's Doctor Doom was able to beat his universe's Spider-Man in hand-to-hand combat, something Ducktor Doom cannot claim.

9 Otto Von Doom

Certainly A Genius, But Not A Proven Winner

Otto von Doom with his face concealed

First Appearance

Marvel 1602 #2 (2003)

Writers

Neil Gaiman

Artists

Andy Kubert, Richard Isanove

Otto von Doom is an alternate version of Victor von Doom who appears in Neil Gaiman's Marvel 1602 series. Otto, a former friend of Sir Richard Reed, betrayed the Four of the Fantastik when the superhero team first came to Latveria. He later successfully assassinates Queen Elizabeth I, drawing the ire of Sir Nicholas Fury and many other superpowered humans.

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Though it's unknown if Otto von Doom can fare as well in a fight as his Earth-616 counterpart, what is very clear throughout Marvel 1602 is that this Doctor Doom is a genius in his own right. His careful political machinations may not always succeed, but he's gotten under the nose of the smartest and most powerful characters in his own universe.

8 Doom

What If Doctor Doom Was Actually Nice?

A heroic Doctor Doom in a What If? comic

First Appearance

What If? #22 (1980)

Writers

Don Glut

Artists

Fred Kida

The What If? Series is known for exploring the many alternate timelines that take place involving Marvel's most iconic characters. One issue posed the idea of a Doom on Earth-808 that had been nicer to Reed Richards when they were students at State University. His obsessions with the afterlife remain, causing the more noble Doom to research the occult and craft himself a golden suit as he studies arcane magic and spellcasting.

Doom eventually becomes the heroic and beloved leader of Latveria after freeing them from tyranny, but he ends up selling his wife Valeria's soul to Mephisto in exchange for his mother's. This Doom ends up spending the rest of his life attempting to free Valeria, making him a powerful Doom albeit one that has a lot of wasted potential.

7 Lord Doom

A Conqueror Awaiting His Next Challenge

Doom in a Wolverine comic

First Appearance

Wolverine #71 (2009)

Writers

Mark Miller

Artists

Steve McNiven

This Doom has a very brief appearance in Wolverine's story, but by all accounts, he seems to be pretty intimidating as far as Dooms go. As part of the "Old Man Logan" era, Logan travels with Hawkeye to New Babylon, where they come across Doom's territory. On Earth-807128, Doom successfully defeated the Avengers and claimed a territory now known as Doom's Lair.

The only reason Wolverine and Hawkeye make it out of Doom's Lair alive is thanks to his wife, Emma Frost, who rescues them from a Venom T-Rex and fixes them a car to continue their journey. Fans never got to see this Doom in combat, but they can only imagine what he's capable of if he was able to dispatch most of the heroes who opposed his rule.

6 Dictator Doom

He Sacrifices Power For Politics

Dictator Doom approaching Magnus

First Appearance

Fantastic Four: House of M #1 (2005)

Writers

John Layman

Artists

Scot Eaton

Victor von Doom makes an integral appearance in the iconic House of M comic book storyline, which sees a mentally distraught Wanda Maximoff alter reality into a world where mutants are the superior species. In that universe, Victor von Doom is one of the most powerful human allies of Magneto, who rules the world after winning a war between mutants and humans.

As the leader of New Latveria, this universe's Doom discovers the radiated bodies of The Fantastic Four, absorbing their powers and making himself even stronger. Dictator Doom is also a member of the Council of Kings, alongside more of Magneto's allies, including Black Panther, Storm, and Namor, though it's unknown if Doom survived the restoration of the universe.

5 Doctor Doomsday

This DC Crossover Combined Two Big Bads

Doomsday wearing Doom's cloak

First Appearance

Marvel Versus DC #3 (1996)

Writers

Ron Marz

Artists

Dan Jurgens, Claudio Castellini

It's rare that the universes of Marvel and DC cross paths, but when they do, they produce some truly terrifying villains. One of those came when Victor von Doom came across an alien creature known to DC fans as Doomsday. Doom is subsequently poisoned by Doomsday's DNA and transforms into a grotesque monster known as Doctor Doomsday.

This Doom gets up to many of the same old antics as Victor von Doom does in Marvel Comics, though with the added bonus of all of Doomsday's powers. Doomsday boasts an advanced healing factor, as well as radiation immunity and elemental resistance that rivals even Superman's, making him not just powerful, but invulnerable, too.

4 Doom 2099

In Another Universe, Doom Is Able To Win

Doctor Doom from Earth-2099 summoning lightning in the rain

First Appearance

2099 Alpha #1 (2019)

Writers

Nick Spencer

Artists

Victor Bogdanovic

The only thing more terrifying than Victor von Doom is Doom with a time machine. That's what transpires for this Doctor Doom, who is sent out of his current time along with Reed Richards and ends up in 2099, where he quickly establishes himself as a power in this new universe. However, when Richards confronts Doom in 2099, Doom gets the upper hand and kills Mr. Fantastic.

This Doom is more determined than most to keep control, even executing Uatu the Watcher after he's informed of every threat to his rule in the multiverse. As far as it's known, this Victor von Doom is still in control of 2099 and is more ruthless than one can imagine, even keeping the body of mutant Nathan Grey as a trophy of his victory against mutants.

3 All-Father Doom

This Tech-Obsessed Doom Has One Weakness

All-Father Doom floating and using magic

First Appearance

Doom 2099 #1 (1992)

Writers

John Francis Moore

Artists

Pat Broderick

All-Father Doom originates from Earth-928, also in the year 2099, but little is known about his origins before waking up one night believing himself to be Doctor Doom. This Doom is successful in taking back Latveria in 2099, using his newfound power to steal technology from Wakanda, nearly defeating Thor by over-energizing Mjolnir, and even destroying Valhalla.

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Among All-Father Doom's more recent conquests includes teaming up with Kang the Conqueror on Planet X, an intergalactic colony of only mutants. Compared to other versions of Doctor Doom, All-Father Doom possesses a lot of additional powers, including eldritch magic, but he has one weakness: his failing memory.

2 Victor Van Damme

The Good Cop To Doom's Bad Cop

Van Damme wearing the iconic green cape

First Appearance

Ultimate Fantastic Four #2 (2004)

Writers

Brian Michael Bendis & Mark Millar

Artists

Adam Kubert

Victor Van Damme was created by Brian Michael Bendis for the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic run in 2004. This Victor is a descendent of Vlad Tepes Dracula, a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler, but it's a while before he adopts this as an identity. In his youth, he moved to America and studied science with Reed Richards prior to The Fantastic Four's accidental creation in the N-Zone.

As a byproduct of the accident, Van Damme's skin turns metallic, but where he differs from von Doom is growing goat-like legs. He quickly turned Latveria from a Third World country to incredibly prosperous, earning the title "Good Doctor" from its citizens. He plotted to take over other universes but was presumed to have died after an incursion with Earth-616.

1 Victor Von Doom

He Goes From Fantastic Four Villain To God Emperor

Victor von Doom standing in his iconic costume

First Appearance

Fantastic Four #5 (1962)

Writers

Stan Lee

Artists

Jack Kirby

Earth-616's original Victor von Doom is one of the strongest villains in the entire Marvel universe. After growing disfigured from The Fantastic Four's accident, he begins hiding his face and body with metal armor, returning to his home country of Latveria and becoming their dictator. Doom also began studying sorcery, becoming strong enough to even rival the Sorcerer Supreme.

Von Doom's various powers included telekinesis, teleportation, dimensional travel, and even time travel. His numerous villainous accomplishments in Marvel Comics history are too many to count, but considering how he's nearly destroyed multiple realities on many occasions, it's hard to think of a Doctor Doom stronger than him, especially when he becomes God Emperor Doom.

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