Thanks to the story by Christopher Cantwell and outstanding art by Salvador Larroca and Guru-eFX, Doctor Doom #1 makes you feel concern for one of the evilest supervillains in the entire Marvel Universe. How do they achieve such a feat? By backing the bad doctor into a corner, he may not escape.
Summary
Between running a country, having drinks with a time-traveling conqueror, and being framed for a major act of terrorism, Doctor Doom starts to have realistic dreams of the road not taken.
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Writing
The entire issue serves as the perfect framework for everything a first issue should feature. The reader is presented with a look into the everyday life of Doctor Doom. Being a guest on a news show, running a country, ordering a kidnapping of a reporter, and having a late-night drink with Kang the Conqueror. All of it plays out in a way where the reader will find themselves thinking, “Yeah, that’s probably what his days are like.”
Still, Christopher Cantwell isn’t merely content on such a simple story of what Doctor Doom does with his Tuesdays. Instead, Doom is framed and put into a situation that will take all of his knowledge and skill to get out of. While at the same time, he keeps having flashes showcases a life where he wasn’t the world’s greatest villain and instead used his knowledge to better humanity and obtain a family. Will Doctor Doom clear his good name and find a way to enjoy the peaceful he keeps hallucinating about? Only future issues will tell.
Artwork
The artwork by Salvador Larroca is rich and offers a great look at Doom’s world. His lavish castle and all the treasures he fills it with are drawn with impressive bits of detail. Also, the look of alternate happy reality is drawn to feel like it would feel like a slice of heaven, even for a supervillain.
Thanks to the coloring work by Guru-eFX, the effects work in the action scenes seems to burst off the page. The coloring also works to add to the beauty of the scenery and the carnage of destruction. It also helps to add to the moments when Doom is lost in deep pontification of what he needs to do next.
The lettering by Cory Petit aids in helping the story to flow in a very dramatic fashion, as the dialogue is delivered at just the right moments where the reader can feel the narrative beats at work. Some of the fonts on the effects can be a bit distracting but not enough to detract from the overall quality of the issue.
Conclusion
Doctor Doom #1 might be the best way to look at the character in a long time. Unlike the Infamous Iron Man, where Doom was trying to be Iron Man. Here he can be himself. Doctor Doom #1 is a must-read for fans of not only the good doctor but anyone who is looking for an engaging storytelling comics provides.
