Beware! One World Under Doom #1 spoilers ahead!

American has been abolished – in the pages of Doctor Doom officially conquers the world and remakes it in his image, in the publisher's latest major crossover, which promises to dramatically reshape the world its heroes and villains operate in, with as-of-now-unknown consequences for the future of the wider Marvel Universe.

One World Under Doom #1 – written by Ryan North, with art by R.B. Silva – reveals that the United States is now one territory in the globe-spanning "United Latveria," with Doom expanding his dictatorship from the small, isolated country to the entire world.

As explained in the issue, this is ostensibly part of Doctor Doom's vision for world peace, in which war is eliminated by unifying the nations of Earth into a single government under his rule, and refusing to allow conflict between previously sovereign states.

Doctor Doom Conquers America, And Every Other Country, To Kick Off Marvel's "One World" Story Event

One World Under Doom #1 – Written By Ryan North; Art By R.B. Silva; Color By David Curiel; Lettering By Travis Lanham

Marvel readers have known for a while that Doctor Doom was going to take control of the planet, establishing his dominion over all the people of Earth – it is, after all, the conceit of the One World Under Doom event, as made clear by its title alone. What is particularly exciting about the series' first issue is the scope and ambition it instills in Doom's coup, qualities befitting the archetypal Marvel villain at his most diabolical. Doom's annexation of America is, perhaps, the most striking example.

Of course, like Doom's takeover of the world at large, most Marvel fans will expect the triumph of the heroes at the end of the story to include a restoration of the status quo – and changes like the renaming of conquered countries, including America, add dramatic weight to that. It also reinforces the true scope of Doom's power, and his singular, authoritarian vision for the world. One of the core driving tensions of One World Under Doom moving forward will be how heroes, and ordinary people, push back against his rule.

"United Latveria" Is Just The Beginning Of Doom's Plans For The World In Marvel's Epic New Series

Find Out What Becomes Of America As One World Under Doom Plays Out

Doom's creation of a one-world state, under his total control, is in a way a culmination of the villain's decades-long trajectory in Marvel Comics lore – yet for this new series, it is only the foundation on which the story is being built, and it represents just the first step in Doctor Doom's scheme. Doom is especially fascinating because he truly walks the line between protagonist and antagonist; his goal is to create a global utopia, but the cost of achieving that goal is likely to be far too great.

One World Under Doom has the potential to be Marvel's most dramatically rewarding crossover in years, but in order to do that, it needs to make things like the renaming of America more than a footnote.

Hopefully, as One World Under Doom progresses, the story will lean into this, and emphasize the struggle between Doom's idealism and his reality, as much as the fight to overthrow him and end his reign by those who oppose his rule. One World Under Doom has the potential to be Marvel's most dramatically rewarding crossover in years, but in order to do that, it needs to make things like the renaming of America more than a footnote, but instead expand upon what it means for the country's populace, for the Marvel Universe as a whole, and for Doctor Doom himself.

One World Under Doom #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.