With Avengers: Doomsday not far around the corner, fans are speculating as to what exactly the story will entail. What we know so far is that, with Doctor Doom moving to a position of greater power, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is facing a threat the likes of which it’s never known. Sure, The Avengers have survived cataclysmic events before, but Doom is a lot smarter than villains like Ultron and Thanos, and thus poses an even greater danger to the heroes he despises.
With Doomsday’s release set for Dec. 18, 2026, you’ve got some time to catch up on a little reading to prepare. All of these selections are available on the Marvel Unlimited app, so there’s no time like the present to read up on Marvel lore leading up to the next MCU blockbuster.
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Secret Wars (2015)
By: Jonathan Hickman, Esad Ribić, and many others
The original Secret Wars (1984) is a good place to start, but for Avengers: Doomsday, you’ll want to focus on the third Secret Wars crossover from 2015. Over nine issues and dozens of tie-ins, this story brought in just about every major Marvel character in existence. As the alien Beyonder (don’t ask) attempts to destroy the multiverse, the Illuminati (a group of heroes including Tony Stark and Reed Richards) scramble to stop the universes from colliding. Naturally, Doom uses this situation to his advantage, and we are given a front-row seat as he remakes the multiverse in his own image. This leads to the creation of Battleworld, the center of several splinter universes, making for perhaps Marvel’s most ambitious crossover to date.
It seems likely Avengers: Doomsday will borrow liberally from this comic book event, possibly extending into next year’s Avengers: Secret Wars follow-up film.
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World War Hulk (2007)
By Greg Pak, John Romita Jr., and many others
The Illuminati has always been one of Marvel’s most frustrating groups, with several world-class thinkers assembling to tackle problems in secret. Though these are some of Marvel’s smartest men, hubris practically radiates off of them, and that’s pretty much the kick-off for World War Hulk. When the Illuminati decide that banishing the Hulk to deep space is the best option for dealing with the threat he poses, the fallout is far more than they bargained for. First, the spacecraft accidentally explodes, and Hulk’s pregnant wife Caiera dies. Hulk then lands on the planet Sakaar where the buckwild Planet Hulk arc takes place, during which he becomes even stronger due to the high levels of radiation. Then he sets his sites back on Earth, ready to rip these guys a new one for all his pain and suffering. This is a Hulk who is able to methodically defeat members of the Illuminati, starting with Black Bolt and working his way down the line. Several Marvel characters are tied into this arc as the Hulk rages his way toward the men that wronged him.
Marvel Studios already adapted some of this in Thor: Ragnarok (specifically the Hulk on Sakaar stuff), but with the Illuminati expected to play a role in Doomsday, this comic offers a perfect introduction to that superhero group.
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Emperor Doom (1987)
By: (writers) David Michelinie, Mark Gruenwald, Jim Shooter, (artists) Bob Hall, Keith Williams, (letters) Bill Oakley, (edits) Jim Salicrup
“So, what happens when Doctor Doom wins?” is always a great opening question for a Marvel Comic, and that’s why Emperor Doom remains one of the best. Originally released as part of Marvel’s prestige Marvel Graphic Novel series, this story follows Doom as he kidnaps the villainous Purple Man. Amplifying his mind control powers through a prism, Doom gains command over most of the world’s population. As you can imagine, this is not great, but unfortunately, it turns out that Doom kind of has a point. He pretty much creates world peace at the drop of a dime by removing free will from the equation. The hero Wonder Man’s power set means he is not affected by the Purple Man, so it’s up to poor Simon to try and convince the Avengers to break free. This story gives great insight to Doom’s unsettlingly pragmatic thinking, and his uncanny ability to thwart super-geniuses like Reed and Tony.
Honorable Mentions
In the mood for some runners-up and extra reading? Fortunately, there’s a lot of messy, fun crossovers in Marvel Comics history. If you catch up and find yourself hungry for more, try Peter David and George Perez’s Hulk: Future Imperfect, in which an evil future Hulk rules over a dystopian landscape. Hickman also helmed the crossover preceding the aforementioned Secret Wars, titled Time Runs Out, which could provide a good deal of context for newer readers. Or consider reading Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment, a look into Doom’s complicated morality. And, if you just can’t get enough Jonathan Hickman, check out the X-Men soft reboot House of X/Powers of X, in which the X-Men form a mutant nation only to see it immediately threatened from within.