Top 5 Costumes: Doctor Doom

Who is the biggest bad of the Marvel universe? Many people’s response these day might be Thanos considering Marvel’s big cinematic push. Make no mistake though, Doctor Doom is still one of the most devious, ruthless, and powerful villains in the Marvel universe. Don’t let the two bad film iterations convince you otherwise. In the comics, he is not just a Fantastic Four villain as he has been at odds with about every hero possible. If you have been keeping up with Secret Wars you know how far his reach can extend. Again, since the most recent film version of Doom was once again a disappointment, we decided it was time to look back at his comic roots, specifically the costumes he has worn over the years. Of course you can automatically go to his iconic green cloak and armor, which is the basis for most of his various costumes. We pulled our top five picks straight from his Latveria closet and ranked them accordingly. Check below to see if your favorite costumes made our list and as always let us know your favorites in the comments below!

5. Ultimate: His ultimate costume here ditched most of the green, beyond the tattered cloak, making the armor more of a focus. And his giant medal codpiece staring at you in this picture. Doctor Doom’s original costume has a great “man in the iron mask” feel to it, while this just makes him to robotic, taking away the human element which really makes him an interesting character. It still is an interesting take for him and his original look, but it misses the mark more than the rest.

4. 2099: In Doom’s leap to the future apparently green was passé. Instead he switched to the blue cloak which turned out to be a nice pair with his metal armor. Having his shirt and just having the metal stand out actually makes plenty of sense; while we’re not completely positive, we’re pretty sure he is wearing more metal armor underneath in his normal costume anyways. The only negative we actually have for this is the spikes around his neckline which feels like a very 90’s addition. They serve no purpose and look a little out of place and awkward. Maybe he was just a really big fan of Ghost Rider?

3. House of M: Doctor Doom rules his own country. In House of M where he has no scars, this is what Doom could have been in the main Marvel universe, a more straightforward, but sinister monarch just the same. This costume makes him look like Doom, but even more regal than his normal armor can pull off. It makes you imagine he would topple governments with politics and underhanded deals rather than actually being in the middle of the fights himself. This is a version of Doom we would have liked to see more of.

2. Classic: What? His classic costume didn’t make the top of the list? It was pretty close, but in the end settled on it taking the second spot. Beyond this costume being iconic at this point, it really is a great design. Having his face hidden behind a metal mask already makes him feel more devious and scary than someone with just a mask. The rest of his armor reminds us that he is a super villain, while the green cloak and shirt also give him that prestige air of being a monarch. As bad as the movies have done translating Doctor Doom’s costume to the screen, we don’t know if this would exactly translate perfectly. At the same time, for the comics it is perfect which is why it has changed so little over the years.

1. Unthinkable: We already expect many people won’t agree with us on this one. Victor Doom is already one of the most powerful, dangerous villains imaginable in the Marvel universe. What could possibly make him even more terrifying? How about wearing a costume made out of the flesh of the love of his life when he was younger? In Unthinkable he sacrificed her to seal his connection to the dark arts. Aesthically, we might prefer the actual looks of his classic over this. For this costume it does look great, but it definitely is the thought that counts here. This is a look that would have all the children in Latveria shivering under their covers hoping Doom wouldn’t get them. Looking at this, we wouldn’t blame them. It turns him from monarch and super villain to a figure from your nightmares that you won’t soon forget. Just looking at it is a reminder of why Doctor Doom is the greatest villain in the Marvel universe.