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Fantastic Four: Books of Doom #1-6
Fantastic Four: Books of Doom
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
Collecting: Books of Doom 1-6
144 pages, Hardcover
First published August 9, 2006
About the author
Ed Brubaker
1,734 books2,756 followersEd 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
July 8, 2011
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.
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.
February 21, 2015
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...
June 2, 2014
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.
September 5, 2020
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.
Anyway, loved it overall and would love to see it in an nice oversized format some day.
April 19, 2024
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.
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.
August 1, 2017
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.
June 4, 2018
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!
August 7, 2017
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.
August 14, 2021
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...
March 9, 2014
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.
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.
February 13, 2019
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.
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.
February 26, 2021
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.
April 7, 2017
Really good Doom story.
Read this one..no, no. Read this one.
Read this one..no, no. Read this one.
November 4, 2023
Very very interesting! If you’re at all interested in the character of Doctor Doom, definitely give this a read!
Read
August 10, 2022Ni 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.
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.
July 5, 2018
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.
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.
May 19, 2012
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.
March 5, 2018
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.
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.
January 31, 2016
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.
August 26, 2020
This graphic novel relates the history of Doctor Doom from his childhood through his taking of the throne of Latveria. Told in a documentary style, we get many first-hand accounts of the story from Doom’s perspective, but there are also counterpoints as seen by some of the various characters who were present during the events.
I expected a straight-forward narration of the story in this book, so the documentary style was an interesting surprise. While it worked pretty well for the most part - allowing readers to see how Doom was coloring the story slightly - I don’t think there was enough of that type of material to make me love the format. It also allows for something of a twist to the ending of the book that was likewise intriguing, but also just seemed to be a way to have an actual ending for the story. it was all interesting, but maybe not needed.
As a character study of Doctor Doom it succeeds pretty well. We get to see a lot of his early motivations and desires that lead him to becoming the powerful ruler everyone knows him as in the Marvel Universe. The primary antagonist is a Latverian Duke who killed Doom’s mother. This becomes a seminal moment in his life and drives him for the rest of the book. It was Doom’s mother that introduced him to the use of mystical powers, but she traded her soul to Mephisto for the use of it. Doom swears to claim her soul back, and that forms the basis for his second goal. We get to see a lot of how death and abandonment color his character and his future.
There aren’t too many cameos in this book. if you’re looking for a full-on Fantastic Four appearance, you’ll be disappointed. Reed Richards has a bit of a role early on, but it doesn’t really amount to much aside from confirming they knew each other in the college years. Ben Grimm is relegated to just a few shots of his college football career with no dialogue. You might consider Mephisto a cameo too, but he actually figures in the plot, so while he doesn’t appear that much, he really is more of an antagonist. There are other characters we’ve seen in Doom’s circle over the years that make appearances, but those seem to be really deep cuts.
The artwork is pretty solid, if very standard, comic book art. There are several panels throughout that are really memorable, but overall it’s just solid, readable artwork that augments the story well.
if you’re a fan of Doctor Doom, this would be a cool read. It provides enough background to really flavor his character nicely. It doesn’t add enough or break enough new ground to be considered a “must read,” but it’s certainly enjoyable.
I expected a straight-forward narration of the story in this book, so the documentary style was an interesting surprise. While it worked pretty well for the most part - allowing readers to see how Doom was coloring the story slightly - I don’t think there was enough of that type of material to make me love the format. It also allows for something of a twist to the ending of the book that was likewise intriguing, but also just seemed to be a way to have an actual ending for the story. it was all interesting, but maybe not needed.
As a character study of Doctor Doom it succeeds pretty well. We get to see a lot of his early motivations and desires that lead him to becoming the powerful ruler everyone knows him as in the Marvel Universe. The primary antagonist is a Latverian Duke who killed Doom’s mother. This becomes a seminal moment in his life and drives him for the rest of the book. It was Doom’s mother that introduced him to the use of mystical powers, but she traded her soul to Mephisto for the use of it. Doom swears to claim her soul back, and that forms the basis for his second goal. We get to see a lot of how death and abandonment color his character and his future.
There aren’t too many cameos in this book. if you’re looking for a full-on Fantastic Four appearance, you’ll be disappointed. Reed Richards has a bit of a role early on, but it doesn’t really amount to much aside from confirming they knew each other in the college years. Ben Grimm is relegated to just a few shots of his college football career with no dialogue. You might consider Mephisto a cameo too, but he actually figures in the plot, so while he doesn’t appear that much, he really is more of an antagonist. There are other characters we’ve seen in Doom’s circle over the years that make appearances, but those seem to be really deep cuts.
The artwork is pretty solid, if very standard, comic book art. There are several panels throughout that are really memorable, but overall it’s just solid, readable artwork that augments the story well.
if you’re a fan of Doctor Doom, this would be a cool read. It provides enough background to really flavor his character nicely. It doesn’t add enough or break enough new ground to be considered a “must read,” but it’s certainly enjoyable.
August 24, 2020
I've always liked Dr Doom, for no other reason beyond the green cloak and the armour looking cool, really, and had a vague idea of his backstory so picked this up when I saw it on sale. Superficially, it seemed to have similarities to Greg Pak's celebrated 'Magneto: Testament' and his much-underrated but excellent 'Red Skull: Incarnate, exploring the Holocaust-era backgrounds of two more of Marvel's greatest villains.
But, while those two books were firmly grounded in real world history, Brubaker's go at it is far more cartoonish and, despite being an enjoyable enough read, ends up as something of a mess. For one thing, it feels thoroughly unfocused. There's a bit with a demon, there's magic and technology and war-torn Eastern Europe and for a while it all goes a bit Dr Strange and/or Ra's Al Ghul in Tibet. There's also some rank stupidity - the stereotypical view of Roma people is bad enough but to make them SO stupid that they keep wandering around the SAME small country for decades while the local, vengeful nobleman keeps trying to kill them over and over again - that borders on offensively stupid, and incredibly lazy writing.
The artwork is bold and colourful enough but at times it all seems a bit unclear, especially during some of the action sequences, although some panels (especially some of the larger ones) stand out and enhance the story greatly. Something it sorely needs.
It has its moments (Doom putting on the iconic cloak, was one that stands out) but ultimately, this was a big, big disappointment.
But, while those two books were firmly grounded in real world history, Brubaker's go at it is far more cartoonish and, despite being an enjoyable enough read, ends up as something of a mess. For one thing, it feels thoroughly unfocused. There's a bit with a demon, there's magic and technology and war-torn Eastern Europe and for a while it all goes a bit Dr Strange and/or Ra's Al Ghul in Tibet. There's also some rank stupidity - the stereotypical view of Roma people is bad enough but to make them SO stupid that they keep wandering around the SAME small country for decades while the local, vengeful nobleman keeps trying to kill them over and over again - that borders on offensively stupid, and incredibly lazy writing.
The artwork is bold and colourful enough but at times it all seems a bit unclear, especially during some of the action sequences, although some panels (especially some of the larger ones) stand out and enhance the story greatly. Something it sorely needs.
It has its moments (Doom putting on the iconic cloak, was one that stands out) but ultimately, this was a big, big disappointment.
December 13, 2022
The best origin of the best villain in the Marvel Universe.
Name: Fantastic Four: Books Of Doom
Writer: Ed Brubaker, art by Pablo Raimondi
This comic is one of my favorite Marvel comics ever. The journey is incomparable. Truly wonderful. The book is not like other origins. It's more than that, it's a mystery.
The book is about Doctor Doom's past and how he became who he is. It takes you on a journey of the unknown. The definitive of Doom. The storytelling is heavenly. It's full of emotions, thoughts, and Doom. Something that will affect your thinking of a character.
This book adds more to the legends of Doctor Doom, the journey of mystery. A journey that has never been seen before. The moment you think the story ends, the endless question begins, Who is Doom? The endless mystery. Which will hunt you down, but you will not find the answer to it.
Enough of philosophy, the book is one of the best origins ever. The artwork is marvelous. You can feel the emotion of Victor Von Doom. The tragic story of Doom and the rise of Doctor Doom. Truly remarkable. I will recommend this to everyone. This book is a must-read for anyone. I have read it more than I can count and still, It always gives me the feeling, I had when I read it for the first time.
My ratings:
Storytelling: 10/10
Artwork: 9/10
Overall: 9.5/10
An experience you must have.
Name: Fantastic Four: Books Of Doom
Writer: Ed Brubaker, art by Pablo Raimondi
This comic is one of my favorite Marvel comics ever. The journey is incomparable. Truly wonderful. The book is not like other origins. It's more than that, it's a mystery.
The book is about Doctor Doom's past and how he became who he is. It takes you on a journey of the unknown. The definitive of Doom. The storytelling is heavenly. It's full of emotions, thoughts, and Doom. Something that will affect your thinking of a character.
This book adds more to the legends of Doctor Doom, the journey of mystery. A journey that has never been seen before. The moment you think the story ends, the endless question begins, Who is Doom? The endless mystery. Which will hunt you down, but you will not find the answer to it.
Enough of philosophy, the book is one of the best origins ever. The artwork is marvelous. You can feel the emotion of Victor Von Doom. The tragic story of Doom and the rise of Doctor Doom. Truly remarkable. I will recommend this to everyone. This book is a must-read for anyone. I have read it more than I can count and still, It always gives me the feeling, I had when I read it for the first time.
My ratings:
Storytelling: 10/10
Artwork: 9/10
Overall: 9.5/10
An experience you must have.
August 10, 2019
Who is Victor Von Doom? What inspired him to want to take over the country of Latveria, and for that matter, the world? (Even if only the former was successful, at least as of this writing). Why does he hate Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four?
“Fantastic Four: Books of Doom” is the best kind of reboot – one that clarifies the past (in some cases, revising the past BUT with explanation as to why previously “known” history was wrong), one that fleshes out events only hinted at in earlier tales. Told in the form of a documentary, interviewing Von Doom himself and some of those who knew him in his earlier days, this graphic novel is one that did NOT waste my time in the reading. Further, unlike some comic reprints that simply grab a few issues and bundle under one cover without regard as to whether they relate a completed story or not, this graphic novel has a clear beginning, middle, and ending.
Superheroes? They play an extremely small role in this book – this is about Victor Von Doom, and the man does not like to share his spot in the limelight with anyone!
My recommendation – if you have ANY interest in superheroes or supervillians, whether Marvel or otherwise, read this graphic novel.
RATING: 5 stars.
“Fantastic Four: Books of Doom” is the best kind of reboot – one that clarifies the past (in some cases, revising the past BUT with explanation as to why previously “known” history was wrong), one that fleshes out events only hinted at in earlier tales. Told in the form of a documentary, interviewing Von Doom himself and some of those who knew him in his earlier days, this graphic novel is one that did NOT waste my time in the reading. Further, unlike some comic reprints that simply grab a few issues and bundle under one cover without regard as to whether they relate a completed story or not, this graphic novel has a clear beginning, middle, and ending.
Superheroes? They play an extremely small role in this book – this is about Victor Von Doom, and the man does not like to share his spot in the limelight with anyone!
My recommendation – if you have ANY interest in superheroes or supervillians, whether Marvel or otherwise, read this graphic novel.
RATING: 5 stars.
August 15, 2023
A pretty by the numbers origin story for Doctor Doom, but an entertaining one nonetheless. Victor Von Doom, born to a nomadic Latverian family, is plagued by childhood trauma from his mother's tragic death. Convinced that his mother is trapped in hell, Von Doom seeks salvation for not just his mother, but himself as well. He travels to America where he meets Reed Richards and has his unfortunate lab accident, providing him with physical scars to match the emotional ones. He leaves the US and instead travels to the far East to dabble in sorcery, only to one day return to Latveria as the notorious Doctor Doom and leads a revolution against the tyrannical King Vladimir.
This read mostly like the template for a film script with some serviceable artwork from Pablo Raimondi. It was pretty entertaining, but only serves as a modern expansion on some ideas that had previously already been explored in Kirby's and Byrne's Fantastic Four runs. This is probably the second most definitive Doom story after the Stern & Mignola graphic novel "Triumph and Torment", but that's probably because there aren't many Doom centric comics anyways. This is mostly just a good jumping on point for anyone who wants to read about Doom for the first time.
This read mostly like the template for a film script with some serviceable artwork from Pablo Raimondi. It was pretty entertaining, but only serves as a modern expansion on some ideas that had previously already been explored in Kirby's and Byrne's Fantastic Four runs. This is probably the second most definitive Doom story after the Stern & Mignola graphic novel "Triumph and Torment", but that's probably because there aren't many Doom centric comics anyways. This is mostly just a good jumping on point for anyone who wants to read about Doom for the first time.
June 7, 2017
Truly a disquieting experience as you read on through Ed Brubaker's words as he puts color into one of the most mysterious characters in comics. Books of Doom is a very magnificent tale that shows the history of Victor Von Doom and how he came to be Doctor Doom. Everything was every bit enthralling.
What I like about most in this title is that, not once did Brubaker ever felt the need to make it a redemption story. We all learned about Doom's ominous presence, and this book justified just that all the while making it a very engaging story. Now don't get me wrong, heart was there. It was all over the place actually. It's just that, what I'm trying to say is, well it didn't ruin Doom's character for me. After reading this, it didn't make me think that Doom could be an anti-hero or something, he's still a villain, it is what it is, but a villain he may be - he does have heart.
Anyway, pick it up. It's a very good piece of writing.
What I like about most in this title is that, not once did Brubaker ever felt the need to make it a redemption story. We all learned about Doom's ominous presence, and this book justified just that all the while making it a very engaging story. Now don't get me wrong, heart was there. It was all over the place actually. It's just that, what I'm trying to say is, well it didn't ruin Doom's character for me. After reading this, it didn't make me think that Doom could be an anti-hero or something, he's still a villain, it is what it is, but a villain he may be - he does have heart.
Anyway, pick it up. It's a very good piece of writing.
November 2, 2022
I'm a lifelong fan of Doctor Doom, one of the best comic book villains ever created and one of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's greatest creations. The origin story told by Lee and Kirby way back in Fantastic Four Annual #2 (1964!) was very satisfying and seemed to cover all the important bases when it comes to getting to know Victor von Doom. It wasn't until I read the first issue of Books of Doom that I realized Lee and Kirby only scratched the surface of their legendary character! Ed Brubaker took the original story and used it to expand on the origins of Doctor Doom in a way I don't believe most fans were expecting, but he did it so well that I know look at Books of Doom as the de facto origin for Doom. If you enjoy the Fantastic Four or Doctor Doom, Books of Doom is one story you simply cannot miss.
March 23, 2018
This is the first ever comic I bought 'used but new' off of Amazon because its out of print. I had to buy it twice and I'm still waiting for my refund on the first purchase. The cover was a little torn too so most definitely not buying 'used but new' again.
The comic was alright. I feel like a story that would flesh out Doom in six issues should have done a better job than it did. Granted, this is *the* origin story and everything since this book has been sourced from these six issues but I can't help but feel that other comics did this story better or that other writers can capture Doom better.
The art was ok. Nothing special but not particularly ugly.
Recommend you wait until this comes back into print if you're a Doom fan.
The comic was alright. I feel like a story that would flesh out Doom in six issues should have done a better job than it did. Granted, this is *the* origin story and everything since this book has been sourced from these six issues but I can't help but feel that other comics did this story better or that other writers can capture Doom better.
The art was ok. Nothing special but not particularly ugly.
Recommend you wait until this comes back into print if you're a Doom fan.
March 30, 2019
This is tied with The Killing Joke for “Best Villain Origin Ever.”
It’s so... it’s so... so... Doom!!
I really loved this. I breezed through it. Ed Brubaker (whose Captain America work is unmatched) builds our villain from the ground up. It’s a meticulous serious of events, large and small, that created the monster who eventually would became God Emperor of Battleworld.
The narration is great. I love the layouts. It was a joy to see the Doom of now hovering in the backdrop and narrating the story of the Doom of yesteryear.
The art did mot disappoint. It was detailed, engaging, at times scary, and brilliantly colored.
I’ll be honest, when I finished this... I wanted more. That’s a sign that something is truly delicious.
I really hope this becomes a movie someday.
It’s so... it’s so... so... Doom!!
I really loved this. I breezed through it. Ed Brubaker (whose Captain America work is unmatched) builds our villain from the ground up. It’s a meticulous serious of events, large and small, that created the monster who eventually would became God Emperor of Battleworld.
The narration is great. I love the layouts. It was a joy to see the Doom of now hovering in the backdrop and narrating the story of the Doom of yesteryear.
The art did mot disappoint. It was detailed, engaging, at times scary, and brilliantly colored.
I’ll be honest, when I finished this... I wanted more. That’s a sign that something is truly delicious.
I really hope this becomes a movie someday.
January 2, 2023
The origins of Victor Von Doom...
While this provided me with much needed background on a villain I knew little about, I would hesitate to call this Brubaker's strongest work. From growing up in a Romani tribe to his rise to the Latverian throne, Books of Doom encompasses the triumphs and tragedies of Doctor Doom's life.
This origins story felt surface-level especially when one considers the substantial source material when it comes to Doom's backstory. What really made this a 3-star read for me was the untapped potential when it came to Doom's motivations, I just wished that Brubaker went a bit deeper.
While this provided me with much needed background on a villain I knew little about, I would hesitate to call this Brubaker's strongest work. From growing up in a Romani tribe to his rise to the Latverian throne, Books of Doom encompasses the triumphs and tragedies of Doctor Doom's life.
This origins story felt surface-level especially when one considers the substantial source material when it comes to Doom's backstory. What really made this a 3-star read for me was the untapped potential when it came to Doom's motivations, I just wished that Brubaker went a bit deeper.
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