Ahead of his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. has confirmed that one contemporary comic is “essential” to his portrayal of Doctor Doom, revealing that he has a copy of Jonathan Hickman’s 2024 Doom one-shot on set with him to serve as inspiration for the role, possibly giving some insight into what fans can expect when Avengers: Doomsday hits screens a year from now.

In a post shared on Instagram, Downey Jr. showed off his “Doom workstation essentials,” and along with a canned coffee and some wellness supplements, the thing that stands out most is a copy of Doom #1, written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Stanford Greene.

Hickman’s Doom one-shot features Doom as its protagonist, with Galactus as the villain of the story, suggesting, as many fans have speculated, that the MCU will feature a more heroic Doctor Doom, at least at first.

Robert Downey Jr. Confirms Jonathan Hickman's DOOM One-Shot Is Essential Reading Ahead Of His MCU Debut

Doom #1; Written By Jonathan Hickman; Art By Sanford Green; Color By Green And Rachelle Rosenberg; Lettering By Joe Caramagna

In the author's patented ambitious style, the best Doom stories in Marvel canon. More than just making the character, generally known as an arch-villain, into a convincingly heroic figure, the story notably gives Doom as much to say as to do. That is, couched in the action of his desperate battle against Galactus is a deeply effective character study of the notoriously complex Doom.

What most likely resonates with Downey Jr. is the way Hickman manages to humanize Doctor Doom, to fill him with pathos, and to deliver an emotionally satisfying story for the character.

Without spoiling the rich dramatic arc of Doom #1, by the end of the book, it will be clear to any reader why Robert Downey Jr. would be drawn to this interpretation of the character, in particular. While some hints of the character arc in store for the MCU's Doom can be gleaned from the book, what most likely resonates with Downey Jr. is the way Hickman manages to humanize Doctor Doom, to fill him with pathos, and to deliver an emotionally satisfying story for the character, which is easier said than done.

Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom Will Attempt To Channel The Jonathan Hickman Version Of The Character

A Complex And Dynamic Doom

This summer's Fantastic Four: First Steps brings Galactus into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the current rumors are that Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom will be officially introduced in the film's post-credits scene. This raises the possibility of Doom #1's Doom vs. Galactus showdown actually happening on screen, at some point. The more immediate influence of Jonathan Hickman's story, though, will come from how Downey Jr. plays the role; it can be expected that his goal will be to create an emotionally and morally complex version of the character, embodying the best of Doom from the comics.

With Avengers: Doomsday leading into Secret Wars, there is some speculation among the fandom that Downey Jr.'s version of Doctor Doom might start out allied with the MCU's heroes, in order to face a larger threat, whether that is Galactus or some other antagonist, before becoming the final "Big Bad" of the Avengers duology himself. This would give Robert Downey Jr. the chance to play into the full spectrum of possibilities offered by the role of Doctor Doom in the MCU, and make his return as impactful as posible.

Source: Robert Downey Jr. (Instagram)

Doom #1 is available now from Marvel Comics.