The current Marvel Comics crossover is One World Under Doom. In one issue, it changed everything about Earth by putting Victor von Doom in charge of the world. Yes, Doctor Doom, one of the biggest villains in the universe, is now ruler of the world. Even Wakanda has let him have his way. They’re staying independent, but that’s more than enough for Doom. Meanwhile, the rest of the heroes and some of the villains are fighting back.
During One World Under Doom No. 3, readers learn that Victor didn’t do anything sinister to achieve his goal. He won by giving the world leaders everything they desired: They wanted things like power, money, sex, and more, and they got it. It was a brilliant way for von Doom to continue being the villain without the trope of using mind control. Now there was nothing the heroes could say. As far as they know, Doom did nothing wrong.
Victor von Doom's rule being (technically) legal is only part of what makes this Marvel Comics crossover so good. The biggest thing writer Ryan North and the rest of the creators at Marvel Comics have done is keep this story arc relevant by not overdoing it.
Like Secret Invasion, House of M, and Secret Wars (2015), One World Under Doom is a major crossover event that has affected the entire world. You see things like Doombots patrolling the streets and people (civilians and others) making references to the fact that Victor von Doom is in charge. There are even people with Doom posters and signs on their lawns. Despite all of that, Victor's sovereignty has been subtle.
In Marvel Comics' Civil War, the Superhero Registration Act was a big deal. You couldn’t read any comic book without it being referenced in some way. Even though it affected everyone, it seemed like a lot at times. During One World Under Doom, everything that’s not a spin-off or a person or team directly connected to Doom seems to be functioning as normal. It's made it easier for casual readers to enjoy their comics without needing to know everything going on in the background.
Keeping things separate is good for people who don’t want to buy a dozen issues to keep up with what’s going on. Sometimes you just want to read Daredevil or Wolverine and call it a day; if either hero needs to be involved, a mini-series can be created. Now, there are still some references to what's happening. The difference is that it's not so much that you'll have to read other titles to know what's occurring.
By keeping things simple, One World Under Doom could be a game-changer. Now, when another crossover is happening, there’s an option of keeping some heroes and villains out of the mix. It will make fans happy that they aren’t too out of the loop while still enjoying their weekly or monthly purchases.
Of course, there still have to be events like Siege or Infinity Gauntlet that alter the course of comics; sometimes things are too big to confine to just a half dozen titles. Nevertheless, it’s great to know that sometimes crossover stories don’t need to hurt your pockets while telling a universe-changing story.
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