The Latverian Standard: Ranking the Best One World Under Doom Tie-Ins

With One World Under Doom coming to an end with the release of The Will of Doom #1, it’s time to take a look back at the various tie-ins. With the addition of Will of Doom #1, the entire arc of One World Under Doom rolls in at 78 total issues. Outside of the nine core issues (One World Under Doom 1-9), the event comprises dedicated limited series, tie-ins with ongoing series, and multiple one-shots and peripheral tie-ins.

As we move into the prologue phase of One World Under Doom, I wanted to look at tie-ins. It’s common for even the most dedicated comic book fan to read the main issues, plus maybe a few tie-ins. If you’re looking for a must-read or you-can-skip list, this article will not be what you’re looking for. Every dedicated tie-in to the One World Under Doom event had something enjoyable and worth reading.

Before we get too deep into the tie-in recap, let’s cover the tie-ins that you’ll find included in this article. Also, the below rankings may contain some major ***SPOILERS*** if you haven’t completed the main One World Under Doom Arc covered in OWUD 1-9.

Dedicated Tie-Ins:

• Doom Academy
• Doom’s Division
• Doctor Strange of Asgard
• Red Hulk
• Runaways
• Superior Avengers
• Thunderbolts: Doomstrike

Ongoing Arc Tie-Ins

• Avengers
• Fantastic Four
• Iron Man

While you should definitely read the one-shots or peripheral tie-ins like Storm and NYX, I’m not going to be ranking them here because, except for Amazing Spider-Man and its four non-consecutive issues, each is either one of two issues. (Side Note: You should definitely read Storm 1-12, it’s my vote for best solo series of 2025). With that out of the way, let’s get into it.

#10 – Doom Academy:

Personally, putting Doom Academy at number nine is heartbreaking. Objectively, though, this is where it fits. I loved Strange Academy and was so excited to get my hands on the omnibus earlier this year. There are so many quirky jokes and hilarious little gags in the Doom Academy arc. It was great to see familiar characters like Zelma Stanton interact with Doom and watch the kids get encouraged to cause a little more chaos than they normally would under the watchful eye of Doctor Voodoo.

The reason it falls at the end of the list, though, is two-fold. First, the story focuses on the students of Strange (now Doom) Academy, and outside of some random mentions of what is going on and the occasional reference to Sorcerer Supreme Doom, it’s a pretty self-contained. Secondly, the tone of Doom Academy is a sharp contrast to the rest of One World Under Doom. The story is so fun and unserious that it provides such a shock when compared to the serious stories being fleshed out in the main OWUD storyline and tie-ins.

#9 – Doom’s Division

Doom’s Division focuses on the group of South Korean superheroes formerly known as the Tiger Division. This is a great tie-in if you’re looking for even more action like that found in the main arc of OWUD. It does a great job of shifting the focus of Doom’s reign beyond just the United States by looking at the international geopolitics involved in Doom’s takeover. It shows us a glimpse into how sovereign nations react to a global leader. In doing so, it does a great job of mixing traditional superhero action with some espionage-style activity.

One of the reasons this series doesn’t rank higher is that while more connected to what is going on in OWUD than Doom’s Academy, it still feels very regional and not as connected to the main story as well as it could. We see how these heroes work/for or against Sorcerer Supreme Doom, but we don’t really get enough issues to get a deep dive into why they work either for or against Doctor Doom.

#8 – The Insurgent Iron Man: Iron Man (2024) #6-10

Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Things happen, and suddenly Tony Stark is a rebel billionaire. Instead of just simply going after Doom, this run from Spencer Ackerman gives us a look at Tony going after Doom through the corporate channels. Through corporate espionage and underground tech resistance, Tony tries to counter Doom’s influence with non-traditional means.

The story creates a sharp, bright look at the undercurrent “war of geniuses” occurring alongside the public, visible fight against Doom, with Doom ruling the world. However, Tony is still very much controlling the military-industrial complex that his family built over the years. While it does directly take on the events of One World Under Doom, it may not be as enjoyable for folks who like to see Iron Man front and center, suited up and fighting the bad guys.

#7 – Avengers by Jed MacKay: Avengers (2023) #25-30

Jed MacKay continues his impressive run for Marvel with the Avengers. Seriously, if you haven’t been reading his take on Avengers, you should absolutely put it on your to-be-read list. Despite the fantastic art and tight writing, this tie-in is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re the kind of person who likes breaking down characters into “A-Squad” and “B-Squad, you’re probably not going to like this one. While some of the heavy hitters of the Avengers are dealing with Doom, characters like Scarlet Witch, Captain America, Storm, and Iron Man are confronting the opportunistic Masters of Evil, seeking to fill the power vacuum left by Doom’s ascension to Emperor Sorcerer Supreme.

The Masters of Evil tie-in to OWUD gives us some standard superhero fare with great characters, but ultimately still feels like something that happens during the event rather than because of it. If you’re one of the “where is Spider-Man while all of this stuff is happening in Daredevil: Born Again” type of folks, you’ll love this arc, as it shows us what some other heroes are doing while Doom is consolidating power.

#6 – Superior Avengers

What if Doom created his own Avengers? That’s the question this series answers. Led by his son/clone Kristoff, a carefully curated team of Avengers curated by Doom fights to serve him. The series features some high-concept sci-fi themes and deeply explores the themes of legacy and authoritarianism within the OWUD story. It gives readers a unique look at the propaganda side of the story and how Doom uses a group of heroes to spin his fascist takeover as a global win. It features deep political intrigue and committed world building. Superior Avengers feels like a “What If” story that actually matters to the main Marvel Universe.

#5 – Runaways

I’m a sucker for Doombots popping up in unexpected places. Lunella Lafayette’s back and forth with her own Doombot is one of the continuous highlights of Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, and the same is true for this revival of Runaways. The recall of all Doombots to Latveria and the Runaways’ personal Doombot creates a high-stakes buy-in for readers. Rainbow Rowell creatively weaves the Runaways into the world of One World Under Doom in a way that doesn’t feel forced. The scrappy hero vibes are definitely present throughout the story.

If you’re a fan of the Runaways, this is a must-read for you. It captures everything that makes the team special in a way that is both familiar and relevant to the overall OWUD arc. That familiarity is what may be a barrier for some folks, as the story is heavy on Runaways lore, so there is a high entry point, but seeing Nico navigate her magic in a Doom-controlled world is worth it.

#4 – Doctor Strange of Asgard

Well, to get to the point that Doom is the Sorcerer Supreme, we’ve got to know what happened to the previous Sorcerer Supreme of Earth, Dr. Stephen Strange. If you need to catch up on that, make sure to check out Blood Hunt. This, however, looks at what happens to the good Doctor once he loses his title. While not as direct a connection to the events of OWUD as some of the other titles on the list, this series ranks high for various reasons. Among the reasons is that it gives readers a glimpse (much like the Avengers during OWUD does) of what’s happening to other characters while all this is going on.

In addition to getting a glimpse of what Strange is up to we get the beautiful setting of Asgard. Every time a Doctor Strange story spend some time in Asgard, it turns out to be a great part of the story. This story is no exception. Perhaps the reason this tie-in really shines is it not only gives us the “fish out of water” experience of Strange without his powers, but frames it in a unique way. Doctor Strange of Asgard feels like reading a magical murder mystery in the best ways. uniquel

#3 – Red Hulk

If i’m being frank with you dear reader, #2 and #3 could go either way. These two are so close for me, but I’ll explain in just a bit why I gave Thunderbolts the nod and put Red Hulk here at #3. Geoff Shaw’s art is easily the star of this story. He’s able to make Latveria look like such a cold and terrifying place that you feel it in your bones. Not to be overlooked, Benjamin Percy adds a mental element to his prison-break-meets-horror story by giving us a look at the military mind at work in General Ross when he’s depowered.

We know he’s a general, so obviously, he didn’t get there by accident, but Percy gives us such a unique look at how that unique skill set and training play out once Ross is unable to use his fist to solve problems. The only roadblock for some people may be that it takes place almost entirely in one setting, a proverbial hole in the ground, but that doesn’t hinder the action and adventure of the story.

#2 – Thunderbolts: Doomstrike

If you’re looking for the high espionage thriller of the bunch, this is the story for you. This tie-in does a great job capturing what it can feel like being an outlaw in the world where the villain has already won. We see the Thunderbolts working to take down Doom’s global surveillance network. One great thing about the arc is it gives us get a glimpse of what a “street-level” rebellion against a God-Tier Dictator in Doom. I promised you I would explain why this one takes the #2 spot over Red Hulk and it is simple.

Thunderbolts: Doomstrike on top of being one of the best overall tie-ins to the OWUD series, contains what is easily the most shocking and controversial moment of the entire One World Under Doom event. Doom simultaneous manages to frame the Thunderbolts as terrorists, show the lengths he will go to maintain power, and teaches Bucky the cost of revolution. If you’re only going to read one of two OWUD tie-ins this needs to be one of them.

#1 – Fantastic Four by Ryan North: Fantastic Four (2022) #29-33, Giant-Sized Fantastic Four (2024)

It is any surprise that the Fantastic Four comes in at number 1? Perhaps not. Issue 28 of North’s Fantastic Four serves as the prologue for the OWUD event. The issues collected here (refered to by Marvel as Our World Under Doom) gives us a deep look into the relationships and dynamics of the Fantastic Four in their quest to stop their most consistent adversary. Unsurprisingly with North writing both Fantastic Four and the main OWUD arc, the synergy here is perfect.

North gives us an amazing look at the highest stakes battle of two of the most intelligent men in the Marvel Universe while showing us the why of what is driving Victor Von Doom rather than just the how. North does a great job continuing to show Reed Richards with a continued lack of hubris that would make Stephen Strange blush and how that hubris impacts the events of the story as well as his friends and family. While Doom continues to battle Marvel’s first family, we learn more about his relationship with his God Daughter Valeria and her role within the family. The pacing may feel a little wonky at times as North works to not reveal his hand for the end of One World Under Doom, but if you’re going back to this after reading the main event it works perfectly.

That’s all for this article. Until next time, may your pulls be mystical, and your multiverse stable.

Want to read more from Shawn?

Ready to start with One World Under Doom? Check out Megan’s review of One World Under Doom #1, and let us know your thoughts.