There are a lot of comics out there but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we look at the super-villain character piece, “Doctor Doom.”
Who’s This By?
“Doctor Doom” is written by Christopher Cantwell. Cantwell is a writer, producer, and director who has worked in both film and television. He co-created AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, which ran from 2014-2017 and directed this year’s crime thriller The Parts You Lose starring Aaron Paul. He recently broke out in the world of comics with last year’s indie hit “She Could Fly,” from Dark Horse Comics, which AMC has also optioned for a new series.
Having helped create a show, Cantwell has brought a true filmmaker’s touch to the scripts and layout for “Doctor Doom.” Each issue has felt like a big budget episode for an epic t.v. series following the ruler of Latveria. He has no desire to rush the details of this series and it has only made the work stronger.
Artist Salvador Larroca is the full time illustrator and co-creator of this new chapter in Doctor Doom’s life. Larroca is best known as a penciler, inker, and colorist across many books from Marvel Comics, with “Doctor Doom” being the latest series becoming fully realized by his talents.
Guru-eFX lends his talents to coloring this series, giving each panel an otherworldly look by not shying away from the mystical superhero side of Marvel Comics. Having worked in the industry since 1995, you have no doubt seen his work countless times, also mostly at Marvel.
Rounding out the creative team is VC’s Cory Petit, who is currently lettering the series. Cory is another Marvel mainstay and while he’s dabbled in drawing and coloring a few times, his lettering skills are a huge part of some of the greatest series in the history of Marvel Comics. His beautiful lettering suits text heavy books and allows for him to perfectly jump around characters’s conversations without a lapse in clarity.
Even if Doctor Doom is not a character you love, this team is filled with industry legends and newcomers that are rightfully making a name for themselves. The quality is there and this classic character is absolutely in the right hands.
What’s This All About?
Thus far, “Doctor Doom” follows the titular character as he attempts to play both savior to humanity and come out on top for personal gains. It is all pretty standard fare for the character, but it leans more into the ‘egotistical hero for all mankind’ aspect of his motivations.
It is present day and Doom is living his best life in his Latverian castle. On the other side of the planet, top scientists are on the verge of constructing an artificial black hole to help aid in the fight against climate change. While the procedure has been checked and re-checked countless times, Victor is convinced it will only lead to destruction. As an outspoken naysayer, Doom is of course the main suspect when an act of terrorism leads to the outcome he predicted. Allowing himself to be taken into custody for these charges, Doom looks to help humanity and clear his name. This is only the beginning of the wild ride that lies ahead.
So, Why Should I Read This?
Cantwell’s goal is to show readers a multi-faceted view of the man behind the mask. Even casual fans knows Doctor Doom as the disfigured mad scientist with diplomatic immunity, but not everyone knows the conflicted personality that is hidden within the metal suit and green cloaks.
With this new story, we get the narcissistic ego maniac monster that takes up most of Doom’s persona. There is also a great focus on both the character and the reader knowing he’s the smartest person in the room, while still being made fallible by other villains.
As I mentioned earlier, Cantwell brings a truly cinematic scope to this series. The scope of this series, just two issues in, is pretty incredible. It spans various countries, utilizes a varied list other Marvel heroes and villains, and isn’t afraid to bask in certain plot threads or settings. While Cantwell is ready to move at a steady pace, he still jumps at the chance to bring some fun and inspired action scenes. He also knows exactly when to allow the story to leap forward. The narrative is on a rollercoaster ride and fans should be strapped in and ready to go, it is well worth it.
Continued belowThe script is text heavy with conversation and exposition, but Cantwell keeps it all moving at a pace that allows the book to be dramatic and exciting. He gives the issues a storytelling pace found in novels and long form cinema.
Larroca’s clean, crisp illustrations speak for themselves. While there may be nothing outwardly noticeable to differentiate it from the pack, it is all beautiful and exists with the sole purpose of feeling like classic Marvel. The character designs are a blend of the old school styles in which they originated with a slick, modern sensibility throughout. The world and the people that inhabit it are gorgeous and specifically detailed. These drawings exist on the other side of the barrier separating the real world of the imaginary. It’s a style that make the imagery feel alive, and at the same time, 2 dimensional and out of reach. It’s a world we were never meant to truly be a part of and his work really elevates it to the present day mythology that it is.
The masterful Guru-eFX uses his colors the way Larroca uses his pencils. Every inch of the panel is deliberately colored, each minute detail is given the attention an immersive world deserves. Like the drawings, the color work walks an interesting line of being and in depth exercise to give every page a heartbeat, yet even with the level of detail he goes into , there is still a flatness. It all feels like we are both a part of this bibrant world, and looking at it through a pane of glass.
Typically calling a drawing and the color work paired with it “flat” would be an insult, but when you see the dynamic work on display, you will see that isn’t the case. It is all incredible, but we aren’t allowed to penetrate the surface.
How Can You Read It?
Well luckily, as of today, there are only two issues out. So it’s incredibly easy to catch up on the series. Normally we don’t do this column for books that are so new, but after some discussion and the fact that this series has such a strong start, we decided it would be a great book to focus on this week, to reach Marvel fans that maybe skipped over the series. “Doctor Doom” issues #1 and 2 are available anywhere comics are sold. Issue #3 will be available on December 4, 2019.
