Exclusive Marvel preview: Dr. Doom assembles his own team in Avengers World #15

Dr. Doom has always been one of Marvel’s most complex villains, and following the events of the Axis miniseries, the Fantastic Four foe has experienced a surge in nobility. A spell cast by the Scarlet Witch has caused an inversion in the personalities of heroes and villains, and Dr. Doom—having seen the error of his ways—is now eager to fix those mistakes by any means necessary. One part of that plan is building a machine that will allow him to harness the Scarlet Witch’s near-infinite power in order to wipe his bad deeds from history. The other part is assembling a new team of Avengers to take the place of the fallen superteam, bringing together an eclectic group that includes Marvel stalwarts and less recognizable heroes.

Avengers World #15 sees Frank Barbiere joining the book’s creative team as co-writer with Nick Spencer—a wise decision, considering Barbiere’s outstanding work on this year’s New Avengers Annual. Barbiere’s script for that one-shot explored the multiple dimensions of Dr. Stephen Strange, and this Avengers World storyline gives him the opportunity to flesh out another one of Marvel’s complex doctor characters, while also bringing some of Marvel’s B- and C-listers into the spotlight. This preview of next week’s issue spotlights that attention to character, while also showing that the art team of Marco Checchetto and colorist Andres Mossa is a perfect fit for Dr. Doom. The Latverian dictator appears regal yet ominous, and his threatening visual contrasts with the change of heart detailed in the script.