Marvel Clarifies Doctor Doom’s New Codename, Confirming Historic Change

Spoilers for The Ultimates #4 and 5!As part of the Ultimate Marvel Universe’s continued radical reinvention Doctor Doom and the Fantastic Four, the heroic version of Doom has officially dropped the “Doctor” from his codename. While it might seem like a minor point, compared to the other changes to the character, from his origin story, to his goals, it signifies just how completely distinct from the original iteration this Doom actually is.

The Ultimates #5 – written by Deniz Camp, art by Juan Frigeri – officially labels its Reed Richards as just “Doom,” as the character was presented in the previous issue, which offered a shocking reimagining of the Fantastic Four mythos, and elaborated on the role this incarnation of Reed has to play in the grand scheme of the Ultimate Universe.

More than just a name change, Doom’s role in The Ultimates has proven to be a historic new take on the character, taking the operating premise of the Ultimate continuity to its most extreme lengths, perhaps ever.

The Ultimates #5 – Written By Deniz Camp, Art Juan Frigeri; Color By Federico Blee; Lettering By Travis Lanham

The origin of the new Ultimate Doom might be convoluted at a glance, but it is worth unpacking, because it is one of the most fascinating character dynamics in comic books right now. The arch-villain of the Ultimate Universe is the Maker, the original Ultimate Reed Richards, who escaped the destruction of his original timeline and eventually invaded another, using time travel to reshape its history, creating a vastly different, second iteration of Ultimate Marvel. This included intervening in the origin of the Fantastic Four, turning it into a catastrophe which only this reality’s Reed survived.

The Maker subsequently captured and tortured his counterpart, disfiguring him and locking him away behind an iron mask – resulting the the birth of a new, very different Doom. As The Ultimates #4 made strikingly clear, the character has been more than just made in the image of the original Doctor Doom, but he has been forged into a desperate, tragic hero who embodies the moniker perhaps even more than the infamous villain. Ultimate Doom is the product of “extreme despair,” as he tells Tony Stark in the issue, and he only lives to take down the evil Maker.

Whether Ultimate Doom Can Escape The “Negative Zone” Could Determine The Fate Of His Universe

The Ultimates #4 – Written By Deniz Camp; Art By Phil Noto; Available Now From Marvel Comics

The Ultimates #4 also contained a startling reimagining of the Fantastic Four ‘s “Negative Zone,”turning this into a term Doom uses to describe the depths of the “periods of extreme despair” that he grapples with. As many exciting and dynamic changes as Ultimate Marvel has made– in both its original and rebooted incarnations – to familiar lore, this one is surprisingly potent. It offers a visceral emotional connection to this broken, beaten Reed Richards variant. It also sets up a major struggle for the character, as he must refuse to submit to darkness in his battle against the Maker.

To put it another way: in time, the first Ultimate Reed Richards proved himself not to be the stalwart hero of Marvel’s main continuity, but rather a diabolical and downright cruel villain. Now, The Ultimates has put the Doom version of Reed in a position where he could go in either direction, either becoming one of his Earth’s mightiest heroes, or falling from grace just as the Maker did. This is a powerful dramatic set-up, one that Ultimates can hopefully carry through to a satisfying conclusion.

The Ultimates #6 – Written By Deniz Camp, Art Juan Frigeri; Available November 6 From Marvel Comics

Another unique, exciting conceit of this Ultimate Universe is that it is progressing in real time– and there is a huge ticking clock hanging over the heroes’ heads. The end of the Ultimate Invasion miniseries, which rebooted the Ultimate Universe, featured the Maker being temporarily defeated and locked away by the newly empowered heroes of this reality. However, it was stated that he would return in eighteen months, meaning each issue brings Doom and the other Ultimate heroes one massive step forward toward their next confrontation with the villain.

No character feels this time passing more urgently than Doom, as made clear by The Ultimates #4, which places a great emphasis on his attempts to recreate the Fantastic Four’s powers. Doom knows the world is running short on time, and in many ways, he is the centerpiece of the heroic effort to be ready when the time comes, even moreso than Tony Stark. This makes the next year of Ultimates one of the most exhilarating storylines in comic books, and the rechristened Doctor Doom and his twisted Fantastic Four origin story is at the heart of it all.

The Ultimates #5 is available now from Marvel Comics.