Comic Review - One World Under Doom #6 – A World Under an Iron Mask

 

After five issues of tension, ideological debates, and a surprisingly coherent vision of an alternate world under Doctor Doom’s rule, issue six was supposed to be the climax of the event. Ryan North, known for his clever and often humorous storytelling, this time attempted something much more serious a moral and political showdown between two of Marvel’s greatest minds: Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom. And while the beginning promised a truly ambitious story about power, ethics, and the limits of freedom, the ending unfortunately confirms that North was not fully ready to handle an event of this scale.

A great concept derailed in the final pages

The opening pages of the issue are a real showcase of storytelling. The idea of a live televised debate between Reed and Doom, broadcast to the entire world, is narrative gold. Finally, we get something other than another mindless superhuman battle. North allows both sides to voice their arguments and he does so with awareness of how fatigued contemporary readers are by Marvel’s moral black-and-whiteness. Doom is here not just an antagonist he is an alternative model of leadership that actually works. The world under his rule is safer, cleaner, and better managed. People are not starving, conflicts have ended. And the heroes? In this world, they look like reactionary rebels fighting not for humanity’s good, but to maintain their own moral narrative.

This creates a fascinating dynamic until North (or Marvel editorial) remembers that Doom must be the villain. And that’s where the problem starts.

Character betrayal and editorial compromise

The decision to suddenly reveal that Doom sacrifices his own Latverian citizens in the name of power and maintaining the system is not just an unnecessary plot twist it’s a full-blown betrayal of character for one of Marvel’s most complex figures. Victor Von Doom can be a despot, egomaniac, and demiurge, but his relationship with the people of Latveria has always been a core part of his motivation. This is a man who sees himself as his people’s savior, not their tyrant. North destroys this foundation to force a classic, morally “clean” ending where the Avengers can stand once again on the “right side of history.”

As a result, a story that for five issues provoked questions about the morality of power, free will, and superheroes’ social responsibility ends up falling into exactly the same formula it had been bravely critiquing. We are left with a cliché: Doom was evil all along, and the heroes were right because… they are heroes. It’s safe, editorially convenient storytelling that undermines the story’s full potential.

Reed vs. Doom – a battle of ideas and a poorly written finale

The best part of the issue remains the live debate. This sequence is written with incredible energy Doom easily dismantles Reed, asking questions that Marvel readers have been pondering for years: why don’t heroes use their genius and resources to truly improve the world? Why does Reed, Tony Stark, or T’Challa allow suffering when they could end it with a single invention?

In these moments, North shines it’s pure, philosophical entertainment wrapped in a superhero context. Unfortunately, when the emotional finale arrives, the narrative loses its balance. Reed is reduced to an awkward intellectual, devoid of empathy, which is a significant misrepresentation of his character. This makes the ideological duel feel staged, as if the outcome had been predetermined.

Doom was too good, so he had to be made evil

The biggest flaw of One World Under Doom #6 is that Doom was written too well. For most of the series, readers side with him not because he’s a villainous genius, but because his arguments make sense. His world works. Marvel, however, cannot allow a tyrant to be right, so at some point they have to “flip the switch” and turn Doom into a monster. But this twist is artificial, unjustified, and forced.

The series had the potential to be something extraordinary a moral experiment that would make fans question whether the heroes truly deserve their savior status. Unfortunately, issue #6 restores the safe status quo instead of exploring that idea.

Art and tone

Visually, the comic still looks excellent. The illustrations are dynamic, the color palette perfectly matches the tone of each scene cool, steel tones during debates, warm and ominous colors in the finale. Narratively, the issue is disciplined well-structured, with a good rhythm and enjoyable pacing. Unfortunately, the emotional weight of the final scenes lacks impact because the plot choices arise from editorial mandates, not character motivation.

Conclusion

One World Under Doom #6 is a brilliantly written first half and a completely disappointing ending. Ryan North showed he can write ambitious, politically nuanced stories, but Marvel won’t let him see them through consistently. Instead of a truly challenging question about heroism, we get the familiar moral of absolute evil and the triumph of the status quo.

It’s not a bad comic it reads well, has excellent pacing, and some brilliant dialogue but it leaves a strong sense of wasted potential.

Pros:

+Brilliant concept of Doom vs Reed debate

+Excellent dialogue and philosophical tension in the first half

+Strong critique of Marvel heroes’ moral hypocrisy

+Well-constructed issue and attractive visual presentation

Cons:

-Illogical and forced plot twist

-Doom’s character undermined to maintain status quo

-Reed written out-of-character

-Drop in dialogue and emotional impact in the finale

-Wasted potential for a truly exceptional story

Final Rating: 6.5 / 10