It’s hard to find a more palpable villain-hero rivalry in the Marvel Universe than Reed Richards, as these Marvel icons have been feuding for decades, and now, Doctor Doom has pushed Reed Richards' powers to their absolute limit. Mister Fantastic’s stretch powers are unique; however, his stretching abilities do have their limitations, and it’s fitting that Doctor Doom is responsible for Reed Richards' misfortune.
In a press release for One World Under Doom #6, written by Ryan North, with art by R.B. Silva, Doctor Doom is seen ripping apart Mister Fantastic’s face with his bare hands in a viscerally brutal display. Doctor Doom has used Reed Richards’ own powers against him before, but this time, it appears beyond personal as Reed Richards attempts to thwart Doom’s successful world domination.
One World Under Doom #6 |
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Writer |
Ryan North |
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R.B. Silva |
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David Curriel |
Doom’s reign has been a success for months – with even some of the heroes questioning if they’re on the right side. A final desperate gamble is conceived, and Reed reveals a terrible secret he’s acquired about Doom’s global domination – but will it be enough? And what has Doom been hiding under that Latverian Dome? All is revealed – at terrible cost! It’s the beginning of the end for some, and the beginning of a new age for others… |
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Being the genius superhero he is, Reed Richards has uncovered the crack in Doom’s totalitarian rule, but it’s already too late as their long-time feud is about to have a dark end.
Reed Richards’ Powers Are Pushed to Their Limit in a Brutal Moment Thanks to Doctor Doom
One World Under Doom #6; Written By Ryan North; Art By R.B. Silva; Color By David Curriel
While Mister Fantastic is most notably known for arguably being the smartest man on Earth, Reed Richards also possesses some mighty stretching powers, which he received in his fateful accident along with the Fantastic Four and their respective abilities. Due to being exposed to cosmic rays, Reed’s body transformed in a way that allows him to morph his body through compressing, flattening, and, of course, stretching. In The Fantastic Four #358, Reed himself explains that he has the ability to stretch himself to an incredible length of 1,500 feet. Unfortunately, when Reed goes beyond that, it gets monstrously ugly.
Reed Richards Reaches Gory Limits of His Stretching Powers, as Fantastic Four's Leader Finally TEARS
Reed Richards reaches the limits of his powers, as the Fantastic Four's leader discovers the gory consequences of pushing himself too far.
Reed’s powers often delve into body horror with him stretching into uncanny territory and beyond; however, the real horror begins when he is pushed beyond his breaking point. At his limit, Reed’s stretching powers become less of an asset and more of a weakness because eventually his muscles cannot the sheer size of him, and begin to tear. This can be seen in Fantastic Four #22 by Ryan North and Ivan Fiorella, where Reed stretches himself to protect civilians from vampires and ends up stretching himself so thin, he tears himself, and blood rains down on the people within.
Doctor Doom’s Hatred for Reed Richards Hits a Breaking Point as He Finds a Way Around Reed’s Stretch Powers
Reed Richards' Powers Tip Into Body Horror
Doctor Victor von Doom and Reed Richards' status as bitter enemies makes it fitting that Doom consistently finds ways to turn Reed Richards' power against him. In Fantastic Four #8 by Dan Slott, when the Fantastic Four attempt to stop Doom from using Galactus as a battery for Latveria, Doom defeats them, then concocts a truly terrible form of torture for Reed. Doom reveals that he has stretched Reed Richards to his limit and put him in a room colder than space, so that any sudden movements would cause his skin to crack and his organs to shatter.
Now that Doctor Doom is Sorcerer Supreme, he has an endless array of magic by his side to torment his long-time rival.
This time around, it appears Doctor Doom is enacting a more hands-on approach to tearing Reed Richards apart, emphasizing that Doom has so much more to lose now that he’s the supreme ruler of Earth. In the cover to One World Under Doom #6, Reed Richards has been torn without reaching the limits of his stretching powers, yet with Doctor Doom’s current form, Doom won't have to use science to break Reed Richards. Now that Doctor Doom is Sorcerer Supreme, he has an endless array of magic by his side to torment his long-time rival.
Mister Fantastic Finds the Key To Stopping Doctor Doom, but It’s Too Little, Too Late
Doctor Doom Commits Acts of Horror To Keep His Power
Despite his clunky attire, Doctor Doom’s intelligence and vanity make him a more tactful and calculated opponent, and this genius can be seen in his cunning worldwide coup d'état after usurping Doctor Strange’s Sorcerer Supreme power. However, Reed Richards is one of the many sources that lead Doom into destructive outbursts, and the Fantastic Four’s recent endeavors to catch Doctor Doom slipping will undoubtedly be his tipping point. With his newly imbued powers, Doctor Doom may not necessarily need to make Reed stretch to his limit in order to bring Reed suffering.
Doctor Doom Proves His A-List Status, Taking A Shot At The MCU's Sorcerer Supreme
Doctor Doom is the reigning Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Comics, and he just took a jab at his MCU counterpart, reminding readers of his power level.
To many people’s surprise, Doctor Doom has more or less been a benevolent ruler who has caused even some heroes to question if his rule is truly a positive change for the world, but with Doom’s villainous history, it’s unlikely he will be able to maintain his rule for long. Doctor Doom can’t help but go back to his classic ways once the Fantastic Four begins to close in on him. It's almost guaranteed that Reed Richards, being Doctor Doom’s potential downfall, will drive Doctor Doom to enact visceral horrors against Reed Richards by quite literally tearing him to shreds.
One World Under Doom #6 will be available on August 6, 2025, from Marvel Comics!
Fantastic Four
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- Jack Kirby
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Summary
The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics' first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel's success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.
