One World Under Doom: Ryan North Reveals Doctor Doom’s Plans for the Marvel Universe

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In a surprising turn of events, Doctor Doom, the infamous Marvel antagonist, has taken over as the leader of the Marvel Universe. He skillfully manipulated circumstances in the climax of Blood Hunt to seize the title of Sorcerer Supreme from Doctor Strange. However, since then, he’s been lying low, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his plans to the world. That time is approaching in “One World Under Doom,” a cross-universe publishing event. The primary narrative will unfold in a limited series titled One World Under Doom, written by Fantastic Four scribe Ryan North and illustrated by R.B. Silva.

In our interview with Ryan North before the launch of “One World Under Doom” #1, set to hit shelves on February 12th, we delved into various aspects of this upcoming comic series. We discussed the creative decisions behind the first issue, the initial move by Doom, and how Earth’s top heroes react, key characters to watch out for, the current status of the Marvel Universe following “One World Under Doom,” and many other intriguing topics. Additionally, we have exclusive preview pages from “One World Under Doom” #1 that we can share with you.

Question: Why did you choose to begin the initial issue with an extended monologue from Doctor Doom, as it effectively established the mood and atmosphere for the narrative?

Ryan North originally penned that part years ago when he began working on it. He composed the initial draft of the speech because it’s a Doctor Doom narrative, and he wanted to give readers insight into Doctor Doom’s background, his motives, and his objectives. It seemed an engaging way to kick off the issue, with Doom declaring, “I’m seizing control of the world, here’s why, here’s what we’re planning.

Initially, it seems like Doom has good intentions, as he advocates for issues such as universal healthcare. However, there’s often a hidden agenda with Doom, which we’ve witnessed in his dealings with Baron Zemo and Hydra. As the series progresses, we wonder how this game of chess between Doom and our heroes will intensify.

That’s an excellent query. “Doom” refers to an individual who isn’t just intelligent but also fully aware of it, and takes pleasure in outwitting others. From the get-go, he masterfully outsmarts the heroes in the first issue by always thinking ahead and being more clever. The narrative of “One World Under Doom,” for the most part, revolves around watching these heroes grapple with Doom’s rule and pondering strategies such as “How do we thwart him? How do we rectify this situation? How do we confront someone who is deliberately trying to win people over?

He’s Dr. Doom, often appearing in robotic attire that might seem intimidating, yet he strives to win over people’s affection. In the initial comic, remember the lady he rescues at the climax? She echoes his catchphrase back to him, indicating her support for his cause.

I’m constantly intrigued by the inner workings of how such tales and occurrences unfold. Could “One World Under Doom” have been under development during your tenure with Fantastic Four?

Shortly following our initial discussion, we began discussing the topic. The idea had been brewing in my mind for quite some time before this conversation. I wrote Issue #7 of Fantastic Four with a Doctor Doom focus, and I believe it was after that point when we started to talk about it. It’s an idea that has been with me for years now.

Aside from Doctor Doom, what characters are going to get a bigger spotlight in later issues?

Wow, it seems there’s a lot more than usual. Here’s a hint: In the upcoming storyline, Doctor Doom visits Valeria Richards, his goddaughter, and says something along the lines of, “Contrary to many Earthlings, I value your opinion. Prepare yourself as I aim to explain and defend my actions to you.

One of my favorite relationships in comics is between Doom and Valeria. On the surface, this pairing seems unlikely – after all, she’s the daughter of his sworn enemy. Yet, Doom accepts her as his goddaughter, making it work against all odds. It’s a complex, dramatic dynamic that’s both operatic and incredibly satisfying to delve into. I’m glad I get to explore this unique relationship further.

Is there an indication in the announcement for the second issue that we might see a confrontation between Doom and the Fantastic Four? Could you share your experience of merging such iconic characters, particularly in a large-scale event like this?

It seems that bringing together characters as distinct as Reed Richards and Doctor Doom always necessitates a significant event due to their striking differences yet uncanny similarities. Yet, they’d never acknowledge this resemblance. The tension between them makes for an entertaining interplay.

Certainly, events unfolding during the “One World Under Doom” period significantly impact the Marvel Universe for approximately ten months. Naturally, this influences the happenings within the Fantastic Four as well. Many standalone stories and self-contained issues are being published under this status quo, which focuses on the question of how to deal with Doom’s reign.

How has your experience been working together with various editorial teams, writers, and artists on the tie-in and standalone issues for this significant Marvel event as the lead writer, given that it’s your first major project in this role?

It’s been truly enjoyable for me. This situation is different from anything I’ve experienced before. Normally, I’m the one creating the connections, which is equally entertaining. One of my aims was to have the entire event scripted ahead of time so that when others make connections, it’s not me guessing what will happen, but rather providing them with a well-prepared script and explaining the events for this month, allowing them to improvise based on that.

I’m genuinely thrilled and amazed by the upcoming events in both the Avengers and Iron Man series. Honestly, it makes me wish I could have thought of these ideas! They are truly impressive and downright awesome [laughs]. I can’t wait to see how everything unfolds seamlessly, feeling connected and natural, and overall, just plain cool.

Considering the grand scheme of things, what’s it like to collaborate on the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom projects, knowing that they will attract significant attention later this year with “The Fantastic Four: First Footsteps” and “Doom” making their entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

It’s been enjoyable and rewarding. Some people might perceive the Fantastic Four as superheroes from your grandparents’ era, viewing them as outdated or uninteresting due to their perceived age. However, I find them fantastic – truly great characters who have managed to endure for a long time, demonstrating a timeless appeal.

It’s likely that the movie featuring an engaging, contemporary cast will make viewers appreciate these characters as interesting individuals in an intriguing universe filled with captivating villains. This could potentially draw more attention to the comics, which is always beneficial.

To wrap up, what will be the state of the Marvel Universe once “One World Under Doom” concludes?

I suppose I can avoid giving away the ending by saying that the final destination in this tale isn’t where it all starts. There are certain issues that arise from this story that will need to be addressed by others moving forward.

In simpler terms, people often remark, “This tale will bring about repercussions.” What comes after this story makes me think, “What a relief I’m not responsible for writing the next part, as this seems like a significant chain of events to follow through.

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2025-01-10 23:11