The Rise of Emperor Doom: How Doctor Doom Became the New Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe

Victor von Doom has long ruled the Kingdom of Latveria with an iron fist. From his throne in Castle Doom, the iron-masked monarch has attempted to conquer the Marvel Universe using his scientific acumen and mastery of sorcery against the likes of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, and Doctor Strange. Doctor Doom has possessed the Silver Surfer’s Power Cosmic, wielded the Scarlet Witch’s reality-altering powers, ruled the multiverse as God Emperor Doom with the stolen powers of the Beyonders in Secret Wars — and now has absolute power with the mantle of the new Sorcerer Supreme.

In 2025, Doom’s dark reign will begin anew in One World Under Doom. Marvel Comics is billing the overarching status quo shift as the biggest since 2008’s Dark Reign, when Doom aligned himself with Norman Osborn’s cabal in the aftermath of Secret Invasion.

The five-issue core title Rise of Emperor Doom, from writer Ryan North (Fantastic Four) and artist R.B. Silva (Captain America: Symbol of Truth), will anchor the line-wide branding across tie-ins and one-shots, including the Doom Academy limited series by MacKenzie Cadenhead (Dogpool) and Pasqual Ferry (Doctor Strange).

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“One World Under Doom is the umbrella, impacting not just The Rise of Emperor Doom, but the entire Marvel Universe,” says Marvel Comics VP & Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. “To the Avengers, Spider-Man and more… Doom is going to impact every corner of the universe for 2025.”

Adds North, “One World Under Doom sees Doctor Doom coming out of [Latveria], and overnight, taking over the world. Every country is a province of a united Latveria, and everyone answers to Doom, and he is going to make some changes… He gets to show the world that he’s the greatest at what he does, and that might not be great for people not named Victor Von Doom.”

The synopsis:

Six months ago, Doctor Victor Von Doom became Sorcerer Supreme – then disappeared behind Latveria’s closed borders. For most, there’s enough going on in the world that Doom’s absence is not a priority, and some time without him feels like a blessing. Only a few recognize it for what it truly was… the calm before the storm. It is a storm that has now arrived.

The world has woken up to a new reality: Doctor Doom, Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme, has magically taken over every broadcast medium on the planet and declared himself Emperor of the World – the ruler of a new United Latveria! And shockingly, impossibly, all of Earth’s leaders seem to be going along with this.

Luckily, whether it’s mind control or Doombots, whatever’s affecting them hasn’t affected Earth’s heroes – and so they quickly form a strike team to stop Doom’s machinations. But will they succeed? And what happens when some begin to welcome their new Emperor with open arms, clamoring for One World Under Doom?

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Doom’s Day

How did Doctor Doom become Sorcerer Supreme? The Rise of Emperor Doom spins out of last summer’s Blood Hunt event, which saw Stephen Strange transfer the title of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme temporarily.

When the vampire Varnae blotted out the sun with the Darkforce, defeated the Avengers, and struck down the Sorcerer Supreme, Strange’s astral form sought aid from Doom, who had kept vampires out of Latveria’s borders. Doom then told Strange he must be Sorcerer Supreme to cast the spell banishing the Darkforce Dimension that cast eternal night over the world.

In Blood Hunt #5, Strange agreed to Doom’s terms to abdicate the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme and temporarily transfer his powers, allowing Doom to save the world. While Earth’s mightiest heroes battled Varnae and his Bloodcoven, Strange surrendered the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme under one condition: “Once the world is saved, you will return to me what is mine.”

All Hail Doom

Doom then gave Strange his word, and so Strange bonded a fragment of his living soul to Doom’s. With Strange currently among the undead, he transferred the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme — along with the Cloak of Levitation and the all-seeing Eye of Agamotto — with the words: “All hail the Sorcerer Supreme.”

“No,” Doom said. “All hail Doom.”

Sorcerer Supreme Doom upheld his end of the bargain and undid Varnae’s spell. Weaving together the magicks of humans, fairies, the Faltines, and Weirdworlders to perform an act of wizardry never before seen, Doom performed the ritual that returned light to the world.

But when Strange reminded Doom of his word, Earth’s new superior Sorcerer Supreme told him his oath was to surrender the office of Sorcerer Supreme back to Strange once he saved the world. “I have only just begun, Stephen,” Doom said, dispersing Strange’s spirit. “Doom does nothing halfway. Now let me show you what it means to save the world.”

One World Under Doom

Doom’s second act as Sorcerer Supreme was to select Spider-Man as his Champion in the Covenant. It was Strange’s responsibility to use his power as Sorcerer Supreme and save the world from Cyttorak and his scions, but Doom delegated that responsibility to the wall-crawler. In Amazing Spider-Man #61, Doom will grant Spider-Man eight extra lives and a Doom-inspired suit of magical armor so that he can suffer and die again and again in The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man.

The 10-part story spanning Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ run on Amazing Spider-Man will lead into The Rise of Emperor Doom #1, which goes on sale Feb. 2, 2025.