Warning! Spoilers for Kang the Conqueror #3 ahead!
For those who have petitioned for Kang the Conqueror has unexpectedly provided fuel for their argument. Even before Thanos was defeated, there was speculation over who would be the next big threat, with suggestions like Doom, Kang, Galactus, Norman Osborn, and Mephisto. It turns out the honor goes to Kang, who appeared in Loki and will have a large role in the next Ant-Man film. A connection between Doom and Kang, however, takes this speculation beyond a matter of personal preference or popularity, establishing a logical foundation for Doctor Doom appearing first.
A significant part of the push for Doom to arrive in the MCU sooner was related to excitement over how his previous cinematic appearances could be improved upon. There is a who stops at nothing to achieve his goals.
Since Kang the Conqueror #3 by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Carlos Magno shows that Doom has inspired this time-traveling menace, it makes sense for the MCU to first introduce a Doom who is worthy of imitation. To understand Nathaniel Richards aka Kang's motivations and character more thoroughly, one must first understand Doctor Doom, whom he believes to be his ancestor. Meeting the despotic ruler of Latveria first would set the stage for how terrifying it is that Kang seeks to sur him in of tyrannical rule and power levels. In a prior meeting between the two villains, Kang itted that Doctor Doom invented the time machine he uses. Anybody who patterns themselves after the Fantastic Four’s arch-villain and also steals his technologies is sure to be equal parts ruthless and fascinating.
The issue also flips the trope of the bed-ridden hero using noble inspirations to recover from horrific injuries – with Victor Von Doom being all a young Nathaniel Richards thinks about while recovering from being brutalized by his classmates. Marveling at Von Doom’s power and ability to transform the world, Richards mentions that he aspires to become just like him. The emotional impact of seeing him using one of the most formidable and treacherous supervillains as his inspiration to recover would have been a powerful backdrop to Kang’s rise to power and his elaborate scheming.
Though the introduction of Doctor Doom, like Thanos, is inevitable, introducing Kang before Victor Von Doom feels like a missed opportunity for both characters. Doctor Doom can, of course, be retconned into Kang’s narrative, but the immediate emotional impact of knowing Doom beforehand and how deeply twisted it is to pattern oneself after him is lost. There is now a compelling reason why Doctor Doom should have been introduced into the MCU prior to the arrival of Kang the Conqueror.
