If your only exposure to Doctor Doom was Marvel's cinematic films, then you've been done a disservice. More so with the seemingly heightened disappointment over the recent casting of the live-action version of the genius with a heart of cold steel. This disservice must be rectified immediately!
So, what's the best way to do it? To get you drawn in and fascinated by varying levels of complexity when it comes to his ever-flailing morals and the extreme ways he tries to solve problems, regardless of whose side he's on. The entries below show his strength both on the feet and in the story, as he proves to be an excellent choice for both.
10 Marvel Zombies
Released: 2005
No one can say in times of crisis, Doctor Doom won't be looking out for those beneath him. As long as it benefits his long term goals at least. What better long-term goal than surviving an alien virus? In addition to his massive, first-class fortress holding out, he has cast a magical force field around the area for protection.
It fails, and he is eventually captured and swallowed. Even then, by sheer force, he holds off the virus long enough to ensure the survivors are safe. The virus took hold of him, but even then he could not be stopped and took Galactus head-on against the rest of the zombie heroes. He just doesn't stop.
9 Secret Wars
Released: 1984
Pit heroes and villains against each other in no-holds-barred battles? Report us! Several of your favorites from different Marvel franchises meet unexpectedly and form alliances that wouldn't normally happen. However, the Doctor has another, more ambitious goal in mind. Instead of fighting the others for a chance at power, he takes it for himself.
After some setbacks, he succeeds in his quest and has the ultimate power flowing through his body. But harnessing the Beyonder's power proves to be too much for him as he loses control. After taking a beating from the heroes, Doom has his temporary powers regained by the Beyonder. Phenomenal cosmic powers, little exercise time.
8 Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Released: 2010
Do you know how good you have to be to make a significant impact while only appearing in three episodes? He shows up, gives everyone a beatdown, including the Hulk, and then lets everyone go, letting you know in so many words that they're just not worth his time.
The entire Avengers team couldn't touch him! Hell, Doom threw the Hulk into a brick wall without losing his breath. Doom tried to tell them that they weren't ready for any kind of battle, but of course they didn't listen and had to lick their wounds. What were his goals? It's none of our business, he makes that clear in these three episodes.
7 Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Released: 2006
If you could take the power of the Norse gods and claim it as your own, would you? Doom, being the logical opportunist that he is, allies himself with familiar names such as Loki and Ultron to steal several items of power, such as some super serum, a mutant enhancer, and a magical tomb to grant powers.
This increase in power is not enough, and now he has Odin in his sights. As we know from previous fights, Doom is nothing to be trifled with, so using the Twilight Sword he stole from another dimension by the way, taking Odin out of the picture and claiming the divine power for himself.
6 Fortnite
Released in: 2020 Officially, pre-released in 2017
Not quite what you expected when talking about Doctor Doom's many exploits, was it? Fortnite having collaborative events is nothing new (Eminem, anyone?), but the teams at Epic Games and Marvel have done a great job with this iteration of the opportunistic genius. One step into the omniverse, and he's immediately looking for what power he can take.
Here his powers are on full display. With dimensional travel, energy manipulation and, of course, all his technical prowess to boot. All of this is before he gets his hands on Pandora's Box, the object that holds all of humanity's horrors and hopes, which he quickly uses to defeat scores of enemies, villains and heroes alike. No matter what dimension you find him in, Doom is almost godlike in most of them.
5 Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
Released: 1989
Just as Secret Wars showcases Doctor Doom's wit, the story Triumph and Torment emerges and fully displays his complexity and weakness. The Doctor's usual scheming is on full display, as usual, with promises to sacrifice the soul of the newly minted Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange. Together, they brave Hell itself to free Doom's mother from the clutches of the devil Mephisto.
Doom proves that he will do anything to get what he wants. Usually a superpower in his own right, but this time it cost him the person he loved most in the world, disgusting her in the process. All that power at hand, and he still failed, is devastating to witness.
4 Fantastic Four, Number 5
Released: 1961
What began as a small resistance to Doctor Doom's lifelong, ambitious project turns into a beef that spans several decades of varying degrees of difficulty. Although, as many as they are, one of the most memorable displays of power for Doc was the first encounter with The Fantastic Four, post-space.
In this iconic clash, Doom gives hope to the foursome by enveloping the entire Baxter Building, capturing them and driving them to his castle to demand that they use his newly built time machine to steal from the pirate Blackbeard. Sure, the story is a little…off, but the way he commands his power over the four without skipping a beat shows his true strength. If only he would bring back that tiger!
3 Doctor Doom
Released in: 2019
It's one thing when you own up to your own mistakes for the things you've done or for all the plans for world domination that fell through. But when you're accused of doing something you didn't, like, say, generate a black hole on the moon, it's sure to ruffle your feathers. So, what do you do when you're framed and on the run from people like the infamous assassin Taskmaster?
Well, you beat them. For the doctor, it's that simple. He went toe to toe with someone who could easily mimic and take down anyone, and Doom never broke a sweat. If that's not enough, or if things seem useless to him, he'll just jump off and teleport somewhere else. Overwhelming aside, this story's greatest strength is exploring Doctor Doom as more than just the megalomaniacal genius ruler that he is.
2 Infamous Iron Man
Released: 2016
After the second grueling civil war between factions of superheroes who disagree on the morality of precognitive justice, the weight of each lost in the war is felt. Doctor Doom, after Iron Man's death, feels particularly remorseful and decides to take up the mantle previously held by Tony Stark.
The mere thought of Doom turning over a new leaf has the villain community terrified and immediately seeking his death. Do you know how strong you have to be to strike fear into the hearts of your former, temporary partners in crime?
1 Secret Wars
Released: 2015
While everyone else in the multiverse is understandably worried about universes colliding, Doom sees this as an opportunity to wrest power from the Beyonders in 2015's modernized retelling of the 1984 Secret Wars story. The stakes are much higher, and so is Doom's divine ambitions.
The threat to the Doctor isn't necessarily the malcontents who want to overthrow him from his rule over Battleworld, although that exists, it's more about whether he is worthy of all creation and omnipotence. To balance the powers that “place” him above others, and which can still be kept intact, his humanity becomes his greatest struggle. It's not a fight he can win by force alone.
