Doom vs. Reed Richards: 'Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic' #1 Reveals the Origin of Marvel's Greatest Feud

Writer Al Ewing launches Challenges of Doom, a series of five bimonthly one-shots chronicling the defining battles that shaped Doctor Doom into Marvel's greatest villain. The opening chapter, 'Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic' #1, arrives July 1, 2026 with art by Mike Henderson and digs into the early clash between young Victor Von Doom and Reed Richards that ignited their legendary rivalry.

The feud that defined Doctor Doom finally gets its origin story. Marvel Comics has announced Challenges of Doom, a set of five bimonthly one-shots from writer Al Ewing that trace the key confrontations forging Victor Von Doom into the publisher's greatest super villain. The series opens July 1, 2026 with Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic #1, pitting a young Doom against rival genius Reed Richards.

A Lifetime of Doom, One Rival at a Time

Each Challenges of Doom one-shot delivers a self-contained, single-issue epic built around a mythos-making clash between Doom and one of his archenemies. Packed with drama, suspense, and Doom's relentless pursuit of power, the bimonthly run spotlights the moments that tested his genius and resolve — tales of triumph and torment designed to shed new light on the iconic villain. After the July debut, the series continues with Challenges of Doom: Spider-Man, Challenges of Doom: Doctor Strange, Challenges of Doom: Magneto, and Challenges of Doom: Namor.

The Battle of the Minds That Started It All

Featuring art by Mike Henderson (Cable: Love and Chrome), the debut issue dives into the intense rivalry between Doom and Mister Fantastic, with a young Victor Von Doom facing Reed Richards in a battle of intellects. The one-shot promises to reveal the secrets that ignited their legendary feud and the fateful events that set Doom on the path to becoming the infamous ruler of Latveria.

For longtime readers, that thread runs deep: the Doom–Richards rivalry has been a foundation of Fantastic Four lore since the duo's earliest days, and Ewing's series treats it as the cornerstone of Doom's entire legend.

First Look: Inside 'Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic' #1

Marvel released an interior preview of the issue, offering an early look at Mike Henderson's artwork as the rivalry between young Victor Von Doom and Reed Richards begins to take shape. Check out the preview pages below.

What the Creators Are Saying

"Doom's one of the great characters of Marvel. He's both incredibly complex and wonderfully simple, so there are always new wrinkles to be found in his past — right from his origin story — and maybe in his future, as well. After Darren Shan pitched me the Challenges of Doom concept, I got the crazy idea to use it to tell a complete story that spans Doom's whole life, with each of the specials being a snapshot of a particular time in that life and how a particular hero challenged and maybe even inspired him. Hopefully the result will be a fun ride for all Doom-heads out there!" — writer Al Ewing

Executive Editor Tom Brevoort framed the project as a way to illuminate every side of the character. "Challenges of Doom will pit the Lord of Latveria against some of the prime movers of the Marvel Universe as a way of illuminating different facets of Doom's power, personality, intellect and skill," he explained. "Through them, you'll get a full picture of just why Doom is the greatest of all Marvel's villains."

Variant Covers

The debut issue also arrives with a trio of variant covers from Alessandro Cappuccio, Kael Ngu, and Lucio Parrillo.

Where to Read It

Challenges of Doom: Mr. Fantastic #1 will be available at local comic shops on July 1, 2026, with variant covers from Alessandro Cappuccio, Kael Ngu, and Lucio Parrillo. Print buyers can redeem a digital copy through the Marvel Unlimited app using the code found inside their issue, and shops can be located via ComicShopLocator.com.

Why This Matters for Marvel Fans

Doctor Doom is enjoying a major cultural moment, and a series dedicated to excavating his origins arrives at the perfect time. By structuring Challenges of Doom around the heroes who shaped him — from Reed Richards to Namor — Ewing is essentially writing a biography of Marvel's most enduring villain, one rivalry at a time. For Doom devotees and Fantastic Four fans alike, July's opening chapter is the place to start.