Ahead of his official entry into the MCU, Marvel’s most enduring villain.

One World Under Doom #4, written by Ryan North, with art by R.B. Silva, features the Latverian dictator, reigning Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe, and current ruler of Earth going up against an otherworldly threat, in the form of Dormammu.

Dormammu notably served as the antagonist of the first Doctor Strange MCU film, and the issue even alludes to that, suggesting that Marvel clearly wants to reiterate for fans just how imposing Doctor Doom is before his grand arrival on the cinematic stage.

Doctor Doom's Fight With Dormammu Reminds Marvel Fans That He Is An All-Time Powerhouse

One World Under Doom #4; Written By Ryan North; Art By R.B. Silva; Color By David Curiel; Lettering By Travis Lanham

Doctor Doom, who has imposed his authoritarian rule over the entire planet Earth, is far from a "good guy," but in order to make him the protagonist of the One World Under Doom event series, Marvel had to bring a suitably more "evil" antagonist into the story. Enter Dormammu. The extradimensional villain is a solid fit for the role; for one, he is traditionally the adversary of Marvel's most famous Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, and if Doom is going to prove himself in comparison to his predecessor, there are few better ways than facing off against Dormammu.

The preview for One World Under Doom features the first blows in this confrontation, beginning with a classic Doctor Doom tactic, as he sends a decoy Doom to parlay with Dormammu, but only as a distraction, in service of a sneak attack. In fact, the climatic final page of the preview features a direct callback to the MCU's Doctor Strange, as Doom flips a familiar line from the film around, declaring: "The real Doom, Dormammu, did not come to bargain."

Doctor Doom's Power Levels Have Gotten Off The Charts, And Soon Everyone Will Recognize It

Starting With Dormammu

Defeating Dormammu won't be as easy for Doctor Doom as one fake-out, or a single punch, and as they tangle in One World Under Doom, Dormammu can be expected to push Doom to his limits. This would seem to be precisely the narrative point of pitting the two against one another. Barring a major plot twist, it can be expected that Doom will gain the upper hand in the end, but the real success of the story will involve making it clear just how outrageously powerful Doctor Doom currently is in Marvel canon.

When the MCU earns Doctor Doom a whole new legion of fans, [One World Under Doom] will be one of the first stories they turn to for more of him.

Doctor Doom is an interesting case, in that he holds a similar level of mainstream household name recognition as other upper-echelon Marvel heroes and villains, yet outside of hardcore Marvel readers, the full depth of his range as a character, and the full extent of his abilities, still remain to be elucidated for more casual fans. One World Under Doom is doing that right now, and when the MCU earns Doctor Doom a whole new legion of fans, the story will be one of the first they turn to for more of him.

One World Under Doom #4 available May 14, 2025 from Marvel Comics.