It all comes down to this. After nine months of Ryan North and R.B. Silva’s One World Under Doom, we’ve reached the finish line. To recap the stakes: Doctor Doom beat all of Earth’s heroes. He won. He even used the powers of the Sorcerer Supreme to lock that victory in time, making it impossible to undo via magic or time travel.
But, unbeknownst to Doom, the seeds of his downfall were planted in that exact moment of triumph. Faced with an intolerable loss that he can’t just magic away, Doom has to make a choice he can never undo, and the rest of the world is going to pay the price.
The absolute highlight of this issue is the touching (and slightly twisted) look at the relationship between Doom and Valeria Richards. For those new to the soap opera of the Marvel Universe, yes, Valeria is the daughter of Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman, yet she is also Doctor Doom’s goddaughter. It’s confusing, but welcome to comics.
We see just how deeply Doom cares for her, and vice versa. But things get dark quickly. Valeria “died” in the last issue, and since it was Doom’s fault, he is absolutely broken by it. We watch him trying to put her back together, and honestly, it’s grueling. Seeing him attempt to magically reattach her dismembered leg was almost too much to watch, but it drives home the desperation. You actually start to feel for the villain, which is a testament to Ryan North’s incredible scripting.
When his own magic fails, Doom goes to the Vishanti. He pleads, begs, and eventually threatens them, but they still say “no.” So, he goes to the edge of the known void to face Marvel’s most powerful god, The Living Tribunal.
In a fascinating twist, the cosmic entity looks into Doom’s soul and sees that he actually loves something that isn’t himself. Because of this rare spark of humanity, the Tribunal grants his wish to restore Valeria, but, of course, at a great cost.
Once things reset to “normal-ish,” the political fallout begins. We see a massive spin campaign take over the media with headlines like “Doom Did Nothing Wrong,” “We’re Free,” and “The Heroes Robbed the World of Doom.” That last one is a doozy to read, fictional or not; it feels eerily reflective of how easily narratives can be twisted.
However, the biggest reveal is that Doom isn’t dead… at least, not yet. He and Mr. Fantastic trade verbal jabs about fascism and conquering the world, leading to a massive revelation regarding The Will of Doom. It states that when Doom actually dies, all his technology, secrets, and his country will go to whoever claims them first. Now, everyone is going to want a piece of that Doom pie, paving the way for the Armageddon event coming next year.
Honestly, this event ended on a high note. I’ve mentioned before that this series has essentially been a “Doom Power Fantasy,” and it stayed true to that right to the bitter end.
That said, it is a little disappointing that the heroes didn’t technically defeat Doom. He sacrificed himself, effectively beating himself. It feels like the heroes were just along for the ride rather than driving the conclusion. Regardless, props to Marvel for finally making Scarlet Witch the new Sorcerer Supreme! It’s about damn time, and I’m excited to see if they do something new with it or if it’ll be more of the same.
On the art side, R.B. Silva has absolutely killed this assignment. While I’ve had minor gripes about his facial expressions in previous issues, his work here is magnificent. He is an extremely talented artist, and his skill set elevated this series to something special.
We also have to talk about colorist David Curiel. I continue to love his work here; the toxic green of Doom’s magic permeates every inch of the page, dripping with raw emotion and power. It is truly a sight to behold. Together, Silva, Curiel, and Travis Lanham have stepped up their game immensely, resulting in a beautiful series from start to finish. They deserve a long rest after this one. They’ve earned it!
Overall, One World Under Doom #9 is a wild, fun, and exciting conclusion to a special nine-month run. While the resolution was a bit of a “villain beats himself” scenario, the emotional beats landed, and the setup for the future is incredibly strong.
‘One World Under Doom’ #9 Review: The Finale, Valeria, & A New Sorcerer Supreme
Overall, One World Under Doom #9 is a wild, fun, and exciting conclusion to a special nine-month run. While the resolution was a bit of a “villain beats himself” scenario, the emotional beats landed, and the setup for the future is incredibly strong.
