Fantastic Four: Books of Doom

Fantastic Four: Books of Doom #1-6

by Ed Brubaker (Writer), Pablo Raimondi (Illustrator), Mark Farmer (Illustrator)

Five-time Eisner-nominated Best Writer Ed Brubaker turns his shadowy vision to Marvel's greatest villain, Victor Von Doom. With the phenomenal art team of Pablo Raimondi and Mark Farmer, you will witness Doom's life from his earliest moments to the day he took the throne of Latveria. A dark and revealing examination of how an innocent boy grows up to be a tyrant - a new twist on an old legend - Books of Doom is a sweeping epic of tragedy, madness and destiny.

Collecting: Books of Doom 1-6

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Fiction, Comic Book, Fantasy

144 pages, Hardcover

First published August 9, 2006

About the author

Ed Brubaker (born November 17, 1966) is an Eisner Award-winning American cartoonist and writer. He was born at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

Brubaker is best known for his work as a comic book writer on such titles as Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Fist, Catwoman, Gotham Central and Uncanny X-Men. In more recent years, he has focused solely on creator-owned titles for Image Comics, such as Fatale, Criminal, Velvet and Kill or Be Killed.

In 2016, Brubaker ventured into television, joining the writing staff of the HBO series Westworld.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed Brubaker brings his considerable writing talents to colour in the past of one of Marvel's more mysterious characters - Dr Doom. We get to see Victor as a young man, innocent and in love, travelling with his roaming family in an Eastern European-esque country before things go sour. "The Baron" is an evil noble who forces Victor and his family to go on the run, ultimately ending in tragedy, while Victor's mother dabbles in the black arts leading to more tragedy. It leads to Victor's escape to America where he first encounters Reed Richards before he returns to Latveria to wreak his revenge on the Baron and secure his country's future.

All highly dramatic stuff, "The Books of Doom" is a good read with a lot going for it. Victor even comes across as a sometimes sympathetic character though oftentimes the coldness of his character that comes from suffering so much so young makes his actions more difficult to forgive. And for long-time fans of the Fantastic Four, we get to see how their greatest nemesis gets into the Darth Vader-type suit and finally goes from Victor von Doom to Dr Doom.

Brubaker's writing is top notch as always and I enjoyed the artwork of Pablo Raimondi which suited the colourful landscapes that Victor's journey took him on. It's a fascinating read as all Origin stories should be, it's just a shame that it's fallen out of print in the UK. For fans of superheroes, as well as those of Ed Brubaker, it's a must-read.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was pretty great, definitely not a Fantastic Four book though aside from some cameos and mentions of Reed and Ben pre-metamorphosis.


*Needle Scratch* "But how did I wind up becoming the human equivalent of a metal gargoyle? There's more to the story than maybe you've heard..."

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ed Brubaker puts his talent at the service of Doom and, as expected, he does it well. He’d better anyway.

From his birth to his takeover of Latveria, Brubaker paints a brilliant portrait of one of Marvel's best villains. It's done in a very serious, almost analytical way, while perfectly respecting the hubris of our dear Victor, and the author knows how to show the flaws that make up his personality.

The plot is impeccable and respects Marvel's history, and the dialogue is perfect. My only regret is the abominably banal and unrelieved drawing, which doesn't live up to expectations for a book like this.

[Gavin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 241 special...FF and Evil Villain.

Ed Brubaker does a solid job giving us an origin story of our favourite Latverian megalomaniac. The art is decent, and definitely focuses on Victor and his transformation to Doctor (funny enough, he never actually earned that degree, because he was booted after the experiment which left his face (and psyche) scarred).
Victor encounters a lot of tragedy in his early years, his mother dabbled in the dark arts, and it cost her her life and soul; his father died saving Victor while they were on the run from the evil Baron in Latveria.

Then, he ends up in the US, at the same school as Reed Richards and Ben Grimm, and also works as a weapon/tech guy for the military. Funny enough, he thinks Reed sabotaged his work, much like Reed thinks Victor sabotaged his own work in Ulitmate FF. That being said, FF doesn't feature in this at all.

There's Doom's love for his mother, and his obsession with saving her from Hell, but the only other thing approaching love is for Valeria, another girl who grew up with him. Even that ends up in heartbreak...and makes me wonder why Reed and Sue's daughter shares her name with Doom's only love....? (If anyone knows, clue me in!)

So there's the inevitable building of the suit to keep himself safe from the power of the Devil's touch (which is what scarred his face apparently) and the robots, and so forth...there's more about his conquering people, working tirelessly, and learning to master all.

Eventually we get to how he takes Latveria and becomes ruler, and there's a twist at the end, as the narration has all been to a reporter who wants to profile him, but the revelation leaves us to wonder...was that the real story? Or just another decoy?

It was solid, 3.5, but I just didn't connect with it enough to rank it higher than that, and the art didn't blow me away...but the writing was good, though you can see how Brubaker has grown since nearly 10 yrs ago on this...

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

DOOM BOWS TO NO ONE!!! Doctor Doom is arguably one of thee greatest super villains ever created. I mean he has inspired so many villains in fiction. One of which George Lucas admits is a Doom rip-off, Darth Vader. Written by Ed Brubaker with art by Raimondi & Farmer this collected volume tells the mysterious and incredibly intriguing origin of Doctor Doom. Brubaker does a great job with Doom narrating his rise to king of the kingdom of Latveria & the dark magic and science he learns to wield. Victor Von Doom is portrayed sympathetic enough that you understand his motives for power but he is still so much of a dark character. I really enjoyed all the impactful moments from Doom's childhood and the history of his country of Latveria which is a key character in this tale as well. We also get a brief intro to Victor's future rival Reed Richards who from his perspective is one of the people that left such a mark on the tyrants life. Ultimately it is Victor's fears and nightmares from his past that push him down the dark path he chooses to walk. Colorist Brian Reber does a great job aiding in the mood and haunting quality to the story. Doom is a larger than life character and yet Brubaker manages to tell a small scale story with incredible weight. I thought the surprise ending was brilliant and is so in character for Dr. Doom. I am hoping some day we will get a real well done film version of the character and hopefully the film makers will take inspiration from this well told origin.

[Práxedes Rivera · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading Dr. Doom's biography is a fascinatingly sinister experience. Doom's childhood account was marred by death and suffering from the start. Horror and grief intertwine to define a character equal parts madman, genius, and zealot --and one of the most complex and memorable villains in graphic novel history. Short but sweet, this six-part series documents Doom's rise from wandering Gypsy to ruler of Latveria and arch-enemy of Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic.

[Ant Tellez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5.0

I needed just a bit more of a spark from this story all together, but I did enjoy seeing a newer approach to how the Doctor Doom story has come together over the years.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life story of Doctor Doom, from his own perspective...kind of. Across six issues, Ed Brubaker and Pablo Raimondi bring the infamous story of the Marvel Universe's greatest villain (depending on who you ask) to life.

We get all the greatest hits, from his time with the travelling clans of Latveria to his meeting with Reed Richards, his trip to hell to try and save his mother's soul, and onwards to his takeover of Latveria. I think I might have liked a few more continuity drops, a la Avengers Forever, weaving in and out of the raindrops, but I guess that's not really what this was about. It's a solid story, and I can see why people point to it as a definitive origin for Doom (although the ultimate ending calls that into question).

Raimondi's artwork is grand throughout, very Mike McKone, slick and solid, with a lot of weight behind it. There are a few subtleties that I appreciated in the backgrounds every now and then as well.

I can see why Marvel chose to reprint this now - it's a good choice. We'll see how much of it makes it onto the big screen.

[Highland G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing, can’t believe this book doesn’t get more praise. Such a great retelling of how VVD becomes Doctor Doom. My only gripe is that I now want to know how the family curse started out as well as it bugged me that we never really learn the origins of his mother’s demon.
Anyway, loved it overall and would love to see it in an nice oversized format some day.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Great origin story.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh, it's okay. I can't help but wonder how much better this might be if the Ed Brubaker of now were the writer, and had a bit more free rein to tell the story...

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Doctor Doom is pretty new to me, but I do love Brubaker's work. This didn't feel as gritty as his usual but certainly offered a more fleshed out origin. It does a solid job of going behind the scenes and expanding what was told in the original Fantastic Four Annual #2. If you want a story of misguided passion, arrogance, and obsession, well this is it. Only wish it had been longer!

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-crafted biographic tale is about as much Doom as you can expect to enjoy, outside of Lee and Kirby: a well-crafted origin for a keystone villain of the Marvel universe. Artist Paolo Raimondi has great appeal. And, Brubaker brings to life the familiar tale, with a twist.

[Sumit Singla · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book deals with the origin of the character who I think is surely one of the most badass villains in Marvel history. (Some people might debate that, but please blame it on my limited exposure, if you disagree with me.)

I liked the layers in the story, and the artwork as well. The atrocities of the Baron, the death of Von Doom's mother, his relationship with Valeria - all explored very well.

However, why exactly does he hate Dr. Reed? Just because the guy is a doctor? Just because he was looking through von Doom's papers? For me, that was a massive weak link. The story could have done with some more fleshing out of this part.

I did like the little twist at the end, which I am of course not writing about here, since it would be a massive spoiler. Overall, I think this is a good one to read if you are a Fantastic Four fan, but if you skip it, you are not really missing much either.

[Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

So probably my favorite run on a comic ever was John Byrne's run on The Fantastic Four in the 1980s. I was a tween during Byrne's run on the book, but repeated readings into my adulthood have indicated that this was one of the truly great runs in comic history and it lasted a very long time (Byrne was on the book for something like six years before moving to DC's Superman reboot.) Since Byrne was on the book so long, he effectively also became the steward of the FF's main adversary, Doctor Doom. One of the stories I remember from Byrne's time on the book was that the reason that Doom wore his iron mask was because he was hideously scarred under it. However, Byrne set it up that Von Doom is minorly scarred in a lab accident (that he blames Reed Richards for) and then totally mangles his face by putting a red-hot version of his mask on his face before it has time to cool.

Why am I bringing this up? Because Ed Brubaker brings it up in an interview that appears at the end of the Captain America: The Red Menace trade paperback. When Brubaker made the jump from DC to Marvel in addition to Captain America, Brubaker was given a chance to do a "definitive" Doctor Doom origin story. However, when giants like Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and John Byrne have already had their say on the matter, one has to wonder if one can write a "definitive" version of Doom's origin. With his work on Captain America it is obvious that Brubaker tries to be deferential to those who have come before him, which is why he brings up Byrne in the interview--to explain from a writer's perspective why his take may not be the same as those who came before him.

In Tim O' Brien's short story collection The Things They Carried there is a short story called "Good Form" that visits on the nature of truth in storytelling. Effectively, in "Good Form" even if a story is untrue, it becomes true in its telling. If someone can imagine that something is one way, it is, even if it isn't. Brubaker's take on Doom's origin is true in its telling. There are two twists at the end that make it so Brubaker can give himself an out if need be, and if a reader would prefer Byrne or an earlier writer's take on Doom, they can have it. But while in its telling Brubaker's story becomes a "true" origin for Doom, I don't know if it is really necessary. I don't really feel like the elements here are Brubaker's...it seems like he borrows a lot from the Byrne run and the Roger Stern graphic novel where Doom and Doctor Strange try to rescue Doom's mother's soul from a demon. That's fine and good, but considering what Brubaker was doing on Captain America while this mini-series was being released, the end result is a little disappointing.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew very little about Doctor Doom, but with Avengers Doomsday being announced I wanted to learn about him. This was a nice collection that goes from childhood to him taking over Latveria. Having this full picture makes his ultimate goal of toppling a government that oppressed him his entire life kinda relatable. You see a tiny moment with Reed Richards, but it’s really there so Doom can complain and boost his ego😂The artwork was also well done, especially at the ending when he takes off his mask. Definitely didn’t expect that reveal!

[Kenny Jarnagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Goodreads score should be way higher, I would consider this a near masterpiece with the complex and intricate character work combined with detailed and gorgeous illustrations, all while telling a fascinating story that wouldn’t allow me to put it down.

[Alasondro Alegré · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★½

[vanille · Rating 4 out of 5]

lowkey a diva

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

The compelling and haunting origin of the most exaggeratedly over the top supervillain who somehow still "works", this book goes exactly how you expect and also not at all how you expect.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good Doom story.
Read this one..no, no. Read this one.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very interesting! If you’re at all interested in the character of Doctor Doom, definitely give this a read!

[JCRD]

Ni idea de hasta qué punto se mantiene como canon, pero es un origen que me gusta para Victor. Es mi villano favorito de Marvel y creo que esta historia explica bastante bien por qué es como es. Es el hombre más arrogante del mundo y extremadamente inteligente, y nada le impedirá lograr sus objetivos por mucho tiempo que tarde.

El dibujo de Raimondi no está mal, pero es el típico dibujo dosmilero que tampoco me dice gran cosa, igual que las tintas y el color. Esto al final se recuerda más por Brubaker que por otra cosa, siendo sinceros, y creo que hizo un buen trabajo con Doom.

[Andre · Rating 2 out of 5]

For every good idea the book has a bad one. This could have worked fine as a retconned origin story for Doctor Doom, even with the rampant gypsy and eastern European stereotypes (like this weird mismatch of names for the gypsies and the idiotic KGB). From the story of a boy clawing his way to the top to save his mother, living through his parents' death, leaving his home (whatever that is supposed to be) and trying to make a living, this could really work. Even the whole deal with the demon, but it feels as if this story suffers from lack of freedom in storytelling. Victor being a sort of sociopath with most people works fine enough but his antagonism with Reed Richards comes pretty much out of nowhere and for something that is supposed to be so integral to his character this is not set up well at all. In fact a lot is not explained here, like all the resources Doom had in his gypsy caravan, to the “Baron”, to Tibet, to pretty much everything.
In the end, this turned into a pretty forgettable and not engaging story for me. It has its good points, especially the art, but damn does it do a lot wrong.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. Doom is one of the strongest personalities in comicdom, and I love how feared he is in the Marvel universe. Having never read his origin stories, this was all new for me. Brubaker does a great job of making Doom sympathetic but also proving why he's a villain. Doom is arrogant, even before the Mask. Many of his downfalls are at his own hand, due to his overconfidence and pride. But it's all told perfectly, even when some moments run the risk of being cliche. Really, though, I enjoyed this all the way through, even if the twist ending was underwhelming. Consider me sick to death of Doombots.

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished two other Doom mini-series before getting to this one (the second apparently was never collected and was as bad as the first, both written by Chuck Dixon). I saved Brubaker's for last as I usually enjoy his work. At its worst it is solid, and he can be very, very good (see Scene of the Crime, Velvet and part of his Captain America run).

This sits more as what I would classify as his solid work. If one wanted an overview of Doom's life from birth to what appears to be just before his first encounter with the Fantastic Four then you'll enjoy this.

Unfortunately, and I don't know if this is Brubaker or editorial, this was a missed opportunity to add depth to the character.

[Rylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very good deep dive into the origin of one of Marvel’s greatest villains. Doom is hands down one of my favorite villains he has always had a certain charm to his character, in here we see he had a pretty tragic upbringing which helped shape him into the man he is today. Like most Marvel villains Doom is complex and isn’t inherently evil he’s doing what he thinks is best, he’s not nearly as sympathetic as a character like Magneto but he’s not pure evil like the Red Skull. My only complaint is I think this book could have done more to show Reed and Doom’s relationship since they have such an interesting dynamic.

[Gustavo Nascimento · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma versão bastante interessante da origem de Dr Destino, mostrando que seus "poderes" vem tanto do seu intelecto para a ciência e do estudo das artes místicas. Conta a história de Victor Von Doom narrada pelo próprio desde o nascimento, intercalando com alguns depoimentos de testemunhas intercalados. Os desenhos são muito bons, só achei um pouco estranho o capacete do do Dr Destino.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ed Brubaker crafts an epic, intriguing, and non-redundant origin for one of comics best villains. Along with artist, Pablo Raimondi, he gets to the heart of the man who would become Doom while changing enough to be relevant without gutting the past. Add to that a couple twists and you have a marvelous origin story that other writers should be jealous of. Amazing work.

[Fugo Feedback · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me gustó, pero es de lo menos atrapante que le leí al capo de Brubaker, aunque los dibujos de Raimondi acompañaban muy bien. Seguro lo termine releyendo en el coleccionable de Villanos Marvel que creo que tenía una historia extra, pero no sé cuándo.