Doctor Doom will be making his MCU debut later this year in Avengers: Doomsday. To make sure that MCU fans and comics readers alike are reminded of why this is a big deal, Marvel Comics will be publishing Challenges of Doom.
The series of one-shots digs into Doctor Doom’s psychology through some of his greatest rivalries. By exploring Doom’s rivalries with the likes of Mr. Fantastic, Doctor Strange, and others, readers will get a deeper insight into what drives Victor von Doom and how he was shaped into one of Marvel’s best villains.
This simple guide details how to read Challenges of Doom. As an added bonus, it provides additional reading for those who want to dive deeper into Doctor Doom based on these one-shots.
Challenges of Doom’s structure
Challenges of Doom consists of five self-contained one-shots, each focusing on a different rivalry Doctor Doom has had in the Marvel Universe. Many of these include heroes such as Mr Fantastic of the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. But there are rivalries with villains as well, such as Magneto.
The one-shots will be published bimonthly (every two months) starting in July 2026 and will continue into 2027. All of them are written by Al Ewing, with a different artist on each one-shot.
Background reading
The Challenges of Doom one-shots are not the type of comics that you’ll need to do extensive background reading for. They should explain what readers need to know throughout. However, below are a few suggested comics for those who want to read deeper into Doom’s relationships with the chosen characters.
Fantastic Four Annual #2
Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Art by Jack Kirby.
Fantastic Four Annual #2 tells Doctor Doom’s origins story, which includes how her met Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and how that rivalry began.
Books of Doom
Written by Ed Brubaker. Art by Pablo Raimondi.
Books of Doom is a 21st century retelling of Fantastic Four Annual #2, expanding it to add new layers and details.
Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #5
Written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Art by Steve Ditko.
While Doctor Doom isn’t usually the kind of villain that Spider-Man faces, he’s had a few encounters with him over the years. Amazing Spider-Man (1963 series) #5 is the first of them.
Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
Written by Roger Stern. Art by Mike Mignola.
This is the story you’ll want to read if you’re looking to understand Doctor Doom’s relationship with Doctor Strange. I have written about Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment in the past if you want to know more about it.
Super-Villain Team-Up #14 and Champions (1975 series) #16
Written by Bill Mantlo. Art by Bob Hall.
This 1977 story sees Magneto and Doctor Doom team-up to take over the world, gaining each other’s respect.
Fantastic Four (1961 series) #6
Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Art by Jack Kirby.
Doctor Doom and Namor team-up for the first time.
Challenges of Doom comics
Below are all the Challenges of Doom comics, along with known creative teams and release dates.
Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic #1
Written by Al Ewing. Art by Mike Henderson.
Available 1st July.
Challenges of Doom: Spider-Man #1
Written by Al Ewing. Art by TBC.
Available September.
Challenges of Doom: Doctor Strange #1
Written by Al Ewing. Art by TBC.
Available November.
Challenges of Doom: Magneto #1
Written by Al Ewing. Art by TBC.
Available January 2027.
Challenges of Doom: Namor #1
Written by Al Ewing. Art by TBC.
Available March 2027.
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Dive deeper into Doctor Doom
There are plenty of great Doctor Doom comics from the last 65 years. If you’re someone who wants to dive deep into the character, especially with the two-month gap between Challenges of Doom one-shots, then this list might be what you need. It highlights Doctor Doom’s best stories, covering many eras and facets of Marvel’s best villain.
Have your say!
Which of these one-shots are you looking forward to reading? Share your thoughts in the comments below or via Bluesky, Facebook, or Mastodon.
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