'One World Under Doom' Writer Ryan North Unveils a New Status Quo for the Marvel Universe

This March, Ryan North and R.B. Silva gear up to shake the Marvel Universe to its core. In ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM, a nine-issue series, Doctor Doom sets his sights on the world, promising to to put the entire planet under his banner.

After seizing the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from Doctor Strange in BLOOD HUNT, Victor Von Doom retreated to Latveria to put his plans into motion. Now, at the onset of a new status quo for the Marvel Universe, series writer Ryan North teases what’s to come in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM.

Marvel.com: ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM marks a total status quo shift for the Marvel Universe, one centered around Victor Von Doom. In your opinion, what is it about Doctor Doom that makes him such a compelling character?

Ryan North: Doctor Doom is great. I wrote a book a couple of years ago coincidentally called How to Take Over the World and it opens with me saying "Doctor Doom is the best villain" and the reason he is the best villain is because he does science, he does magic, and he genuinely believes himself to be the good guy.

If it weren’t for Reed Richards, I think Doom believes he would be celebrated for the hero that he is. But he is not a good man, and that is endlessly fascinating to me.

Marvel.com: Doctor Doom is one of the greatest villains for the wider Marvel Universe, but he is first and foremost the arch nemesis and rival of the Fantastic Four. How do you balance those two roles when telling a large-scale story like ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM?

Ryan North: I think that'd be more of a challenge if it was the 60s and Doom was someone new, but he has been such a big figure in the Marvel Universe that I don't think people question if Iron Man knows who Doctor Doom is. Of course he does. He's Doctor Doom. He's the worst guy on the planet.

For me, it's less taking it to everyone else and more focusing it on Doom. I think more than any other super villain, Doom is concerned about appearances. He's this wonderful mix of ridiculous confidence and pinching insecurity, especially around Reed, who is the one man who is smarter than him— and that is something he can't accept.

Marvel.com: Doom has developed complex relationships with many characters in the Marvel Universe throughout the years. Is there a particular dynamic you’re looking forward to exploring in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM?

Ryan North: This is a minor spoiler for issue two. It’s the relationship between Doom and Valeria. He basically goes to Valeria and says, "Look, you are my goddaughter and, unlike most people on Earth, I really care about what you think, so let me justify what I'm doing to you." It doesn't matter that she's the daughter of his worst enemy. This is someone he cares about.

Marvel.com: In ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #1, Doctor Doom offers a different vision for the world, promising a new era of peace and prosperity for the planet. Why is Doom able to offer Earth these things rather than its heroes?

Ryan North: The Avengers, for example, they're not police, they're firefighters. They go and help people when they're in trouble. These people have more power than everyone else, they can't go around and start imposing laws. That's so far beyond what their role is.

Doom shows up and he's like, "I have more power and I'm going to use it wisely." He's willing to say, "the best form of government is putting the best guy in charge and, good news, I'm the best guy!" He’s trying to prove that the ends justify the means.

Marvel.com: As Emperor and Sorcerer Supreme, what sort of challenge will Doom pose to Earth’s heroes that he hasn’t before?

Ryan North: Doom is in a place where he's at the peak of magic and at the peak of the science. That outclasses him, not just physically, but he's always been very smart. You’re not going to punch Iron Man or Squirrel Girl enough that they'll agree that you are the best boss. That’s just not who these people are. You have to convince them. Part of the conflict is that at the end of this, he wants this to be recognized. He wants them to support him. He wants to show the world that he can do it better than anyone.

Marvel.com: Speaking of Squirrel Girl, you brought her into the fold for ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM. Tell us a bit about that reunion and what might be in store for Doreen Green.

Ryan North: From the very beginning, I was like, I’ve got to include Squirrel Girl. There's no way I'm ever going to write a Marvel event where she’s not included because, A, I love her and she's great, and B, if I didn't include her, people would be like, if Squirrel Girl was here, maybe this would all be over in ten minutes! So she has a role to play. She has a history with Doom too; her first appearance was beating him! He also showed up sometimes in the SQUIRREL GIRL run, so they have a history together.

Marvel.com: How does your FANTASTIC FOUR series factor into the ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM status quo?

Ryan North: ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM also impacts [the Fantastic Four] because they are also waking up in a world where Doctor Doom is now the one in charge. And it motivates the stories that we will be telling there for quite a while.

We're still keeping that FANTASTIC FOUR feeling of self-contained stories and cool science mysteries. All that stuff is there, but now with this backdrop of what are we going to do about Doctor Doom? How is this possible and how can we stop it? And those become consuming questions for Reed.

Marvel.com: Without giving too much away, is there a particular moment you’re excited for readers to experience in ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM?

Ryan North: There is a fight scene between Doom and another character. That fight scene was some of the most fun I’ve had writing comics. You have Doom at peak power and this other character sensing weakness and coming in. It's nice when Doom is angry, but it's really fun when he's like righteously indignant, the gall to attack Doom! He’s just personally offended that this would happen.

Marvel.com: What do you hope fans walk away with after reading ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM from start to finish?

Ryan North: I hope they walk away saying, "Wow, what a great story I read!" But I would hope they walk away with a better understanding of who Doom is as a person, but also who they are and what they want. A lot of the story is about power. Doom is this super villain who takes over the world and he is trying to get people to support him in that. And there is an appeal he makes. He makes it almost seductive. Because he is. You look at this guy, he's a guy who dresses up like a scary robot, and it's very easy to just be like, I'm with the cool guy with all the power. I want to be with Doctor Doom.

ONE WORLD UNDER DOOM #1 comes out on February 12, but you can check out a sneak peek of the first issue below!

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