Doctor Doom Is Marvel’s Ultimate Diva And These 10 Moments Prove It

No Marvel character, hero or villain, is as much of a diva as Doctor Doom. A diva can be best described as a self-important, often vain human being who is not only absorbed in themselves, but can be self-absorbed in the most theatrical of fashions. Anyone remotely familiar with Doctor Doom’s stories will agree that “diva” describes Doom to a tee.

Dr. Victor Von Doom notoriously has a flair for the dramatic. He takes slights personally, and any small inconvenience to him feels like an attack on his well-being. Since debuting in 1962 in a Fantastic Four story by the legendary Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Doctor Doom’s entire comic book history has featured countless examples of him being the biggest diva known to grace a panel. Such examples illustrate exactly why he is a supervillain, but also what makes him one of Marvel’s most entertaining – and unintentionally hilarious – characters.

10

Doctor Doom Chooses to Wear a Mask to Hide a Minor Scar

“The Fantastic Origin of Doctor Doom!” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Chic Stone, and S. Rosen from Fantastic Four Annual #2

The origin story of his mask and what Doom looks like behind it varies depending on the writer. Originally, an experiment gone wrong that Doom blames Reed for is the culprit behind a horrible disfigurement. However, John Byrne’s iconic Fantastic Four run introduced this idea with a new twist. This time, while the experiment still scars Doom, the explosion only leaves a minor cut on his chin that Doom blows out of proportion. His constant desire for perfection compels Doom to hide his small imperfection by forging a metal mask for himself.

However, he fails to let the mask cool down before putting it on, severely burning him and further disfiguring his entire face. Forging a mask is already a dramatic means of hiding an imperfection, but especially when the imperfection is barely noticeable. Being a drama king only causes Doom further pain – far more than necessary.

9

Doctor Doom Obsesses Over Caviar While Sue Storm Accuses Him of Forging Reed’s Diary

Fantastic Four vs. X-Men #4 by Chris Claremont, Jon Bogdanove, Terry Kevin Austin, Glynis Oliver, and Tom Orzechowski

In this series, Reed Richards’ long-lost diary written prior to the Fantastic Four gaining their powers is found, but inner turmoil within the group takes place when his entries imply that their fatal space accident was no accident. Reed doesn’t remember writing these entries, but in fearing his subconscious wrote out his deepest desires, he starts to doubt himself in every aspect of life. Sue Storm determines that this is Doom’s meddling afoot. When confronted, Victor plays coy and, instead, turns his attention to enjoying his caviar.

Expert diva behavior includes absolutely relishing when people that said diva dislikes have a bad day. That’s on display here, as Doom takes great pleasure in not only watching his supposed true rival doubt himself, but in gaslighting his wife, attempting to create further doubt by sidestepping her interrogations. He’s rubbing it in and enjoying every second of it.

8

Doctor Doom’s Self-Obsessed One-Liners Make Him a True Diva

Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet #4 by Brian Clevinger, Lee Black, Brian Churilla, Terry Pallott, Sandu Florea, Michelle Madsen, and Clayton Cowles

In a battle for the Infinity Gauntlet, it seems like unlimited power is at Doctor Doom’s disposal when he seizes the Gauntlet for himself. However, he struggles to figure out how to get it to work, and Thanos takes advantage by ripping Doom’s head off. The Hulk, Carol Danvers, Wolverine, and Spider-Man are initially shocked and then confused to see this “person” is actually a Doombot.

The execution of the ruse and the level of awareness to prepare a robot to take his place if necessary is admittedly brilliant. However, it isn’t the decision to make a robotic clone that’s diva behavior. It’s the fact that Doom hadn’t built the Doombot for strategy, but more to gift another version of himself to the galaxy. He builds this double not only because, in his mind, two Dooms are better than one, but because he’s convinced that the only worthy savior for the world other than himself is yet another version of himself.

7

Doctor Doom Refuses to Admit That Reed Richards Is Smarter Than Him, Even on Judgment Day

A.X.E.: Judgment Day #4 by Kieron Gillen, Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia, and Clayton Cowles

The Judgment Day event is the Marvel equivalent of Doomsday in the Bible, in which a select few souls are granted access to the promised land while others are doomed to suffer the end of the world. Iconic Marvel characters are judged by the Progenitor, a fallen Celestial who declares to Earthlings that everyone on the planet will be judged and tested to determine if Earth is made up of more wicked people or just people. Doom’s challenge in order to pass is to simply admit that Reed Richards is smarter than him. He laughs off the notion.

The animosity between the stars of Marvel’s best feud has been well-documented, but it takes a special level of pettiness for Doom to deny himself being spared deadly judgment. He’d rather perish than give his enemy one brief compliment. Only a true diva could ever be so petty.

6

Doctor Doom Berates Namor’s Request for Help Because He Didn’t Come to Doom to Begin With

New Avengers #24 by Jonathan Hickman, Valerio Schiti, Frank Martin, David Curiel, and Joe Caramagna

Moments like this one starring Doom and Namor is why people shudder to ask for help, no matter how badly they need it. Namor rarely goes to anyone for help, but during the “Cabal” story arc, Marvel’s deadliest villain team puts the universe in peril, even for former member Namor. When the situation becomes unmanageable, Namor asks Doctor Doom for help, but Doom takes it personally that the Sub-Mariner didn’t come to Doom for help first before anyone else.

Doctor Doom is exactly the kind of person to say “I told you so,” and instead of forgetting and forgiving, he rubs it in his opposition’s face every chance he gets. This moment with Namor is such a case. Namor didn’t come to Doom’s door first for any personal reason. Doom just didn’t cross his mind, and Doom took that personally.

5

Doctor Doom Challenges Reed to a Sword Fight Because He Wants Reed as His Best Man

“Duel Intentions” by Dan Slott, Javier Rodriguez, and Joe Caramagna from Fantastic Four #32

Doctor Doom isn’t quick to ask anyone for help, either – or for anything else, for that matter. Even when it comes to maintaining the sanctity of his marriage, he’s too proud to simply ask someone to be his best man, not without putting up a fight (literally). That’s why, as he prepares to marry Zora Vukovic (otherwise known as Victorious), Doom challenges Reed Richards to a King’s Challenge; the loser must oblige the winner to any request the winner makes, including to be the best man at their wedding.

This challenge is another instance that speaks to the level of pettiness in Doom’s heart. He doesn’t just want Reed at his wedding – he wants to humiliate Reed by defeating him in combat and, thus, to feel like he’s forcing Reed to do his bidding as the victor. He’s not going to merely ask when he could assert his dominance over Reed and also get what he wants all at once.

4

Doctor Doom Destroys a Universe Because He’s Told His Armor Is Ugly

Doctor Doom #10 by Christopher Cantwell, Salvador Larroca, Guru Efx, and Cory Petit

After plunging through a black hole, Doctor Doom meets his perfect counterpart: an alternate reality version of Victor Von Doom. He hasn’t been scarred, has maintained his sanity through his cockiness, and has cultivated Doomstadt into an advanced civilization. Deep down, Earth-616’s Doom admires this version of Doom, but the good Doom gets under his skin when he suggests that to become good, he must forgive Reed Richards.

This new universe’s Doom has befriended his Richards, and the last straw for 616 Doom is when alt-Doom insults his wardrobe. Doom does the only rational thing he can think of doing: he kills his counterpart and his entire universe. Petty would be an understatement in this case, but more than anything, the destruction is an indicator that Doom is incapable of significant positive change, no matter how badly he wants it. It’s bittersweet. He’s a petty diva to the core who just can’t help himself.

3

Doctor Doom Turns Johnny Storm into a Literal Human Torch

Fantastic Four #34 by Dan Slott, R.B. Silva, Jesus Aburtov, and Joe Caramagna

During Doctor Doom’s wedding to Victorious, his special day is ruined upon learning that Sue’s little brother had been intimate with Victorious. Doom is, understandably and royally, pissed. In the melee, Doom activates a Latverian device that essentially overheats Johnny into a form that he cannot flame off. Doom turns him into a literal Human Torch, giving Johnny the same affliction from which the Thing is suffering.

Some may argue that Doom is justified in his anger, but one has to wonder if the punishment fits the crime. Something from Johnny’s past probably shouldn’t be devastating enough to ruin his future, especially when there are worse crimes out there. Then again, that’s Doctor Doom’s M.O. at the end of the day: any minor or major inconvenience against him needs to damage his opponent’s life in the grandest of ways.

2

Doctor Doom Refuses to Pay Luke Cage After Hiring Him

Hero for Hire #8 by Steve Englehart, George Tuska, Billy Graham, John Costanza, and Andrea Hunt

Doctor Doom hires Luke Cage to go after his former Doombots, who have gone turncoat and disguised themselves as Black men. Because all Latverians are European and he himself is not welcome in America, Doom needed, in his words, “a black” to apprehend his bots. Cage isn’t a fan, but he feels like Doom has the same right to hire him as anyone else. The problem is that Doom acts like he’s going to pay Cage, only to set a trap for Cage before skipping town. Talk about petty.

Upon surviving his attack, though, Cage is ready to have a petty-off, as the very next issue, he crashes into Latveria demanding his $200. Doom will do anything it takes to avoid having to pay money – like a diva ready to skip out on a bill by passing it to their friend, knowing that they don’t have money to give. Still, Cage might be a Diva of the Year contender for the great lengths he goes for his money.

1

Doctor Doom Helps to Deliver Reed and Sue’s Child… For a Price

Fantastic Four #54 by Carlos Pacheco, Rafael Marin, Karl Kesel, Mark Bagley, Scott Koblish, Al Vey, Liquid!, and Richard Starkings

When it comes time to give birth to their second child, Sue is having complications, largely due to her and Reed conceiving in the Negative Zone. The only person capable of helping them is Doctor Doom, thanks to his skills in the medical field, as well as his prowess with magic, which can help ease Sue’s pain. However, he only helps on one condition: he becomes the child’s godfather and can name the child. The couple begrudgingly agrees to Doom’s terms, naming their daughter Valeria after his former love.

Doom names Reed’s child largely to give his rival the daily reminder that Doom was the one who could help his wife when Reed could not. He even openly admits this verbatim to add insult to injury. Doctor Doom has always been a petty diva, but this moment is, hands down, the pettiest “crime” he’s committed in Marvel continuity.