Appearing in 1st story
Featured Characters:
- Iron Man (Victor von Doom) (Main story and flashback)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- S.H.I.E.L.D.
- The Thing (Ben Grimm) (Main story and flashback)
- Director Maria Hill
- Commander Dum Dum Dugan
- Unnamed members
- Cynthia von Doom (Main story and flashback)
- The Maker (Reed Richards)
Other Characters:
- Latverian Armed Forces
- General Karadick
- Igor (Unnamed)
- Unnamed members
- University of Cambridge Chancellor (Mentioned)
- Tony Stark (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Multiverse (Behind the scenes in main story and flashback)
- Prime Marvel Universe (Main story and flashback)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Latveria (Main story and flashback)
- Doomstadt (Main story and flashback)
- Castle Doom (Ruins in main story and appears in flashback)
- Doomstadt (Main story and flashback)
- United Kingdom
- England
- Cambridgeshire
- Cambridge
- Cambridge University
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
- Cambridge University
- Cambridge
- Cambridgeshire
- England
- Latveria (Main story and flashback)
- Hell (Mentioned)
- Earth (Main story and flashback)
- Prime Marvel Universe (Main story and flashback)
- The Tear (Unnamed)
Items:
- Iron Man Armor Model 51 (Model-Prime Armor) (Main story and flashback)
Vehicles:
Synopsis for 1st story
The Thing wakes up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier med bay. He coughs up his life support tubes and is approached by Director Hill as he wonders if the situation he just experienced had been nothing but a dream. Ben begins to recall what happened, and Hill is baffled when he mentions Doom's mother, Cynthia. Grimm subsequently becomes shocked when he comes to the realization that Doom had saved his life.
Hours earlier, at Doom's abandoned lab in Castle Doom, Iron Man is confronting Cynthia, initially greeting her but then quickly demanding to know who she truly is. Cynthia asks him to take off his masks to see his face, but Doom becomes aggressive and tries to attack her with magic. She shields herself from the attack until he stops, and asks her again who she is. Cynthia tries to convince him she really is his mother, encouraging him to use all sorts of methods to corroborate her identity, both technological and magical. However, Victor insists his mother has passed and attempts to attack her again to no avail. Cynthia approaches Victor and peacefully asks him to stop his attacks, and requests again to see his face. Doom demands to know why would she wait all these years until now to come to him and reveal she was alive, and Cynthia reveals that it's because now she feels proud of him.
Cynthia admits that Victor's role as Doctor Doom had filled her with shame, and she believed her son could be better. His recent exploits as what she describes a man of honor are almost more than she had hoped for. Victor questions her motives for being in Castle Doom, and Cynthia explains she's trying to protect him from the people that would ruin his chance at greatness, such as The Thing. She insists he needs to be removed, but Victor convinces her to let him go, arguing she is to do that if she truly wants to help. Cynthia reluctantly blasts The Thing with a ray of magic, returning him to his normal state. Doom inquires if he shamed Cynthia why didn't she tell him or try to stop him. Before she can give an answer, Ben faints.
Back in the present, Maria Hill reveals Ben that the Helicarrier is currently positioned above Latveria, having used Cynthia's attack on him as an excuse to take action on the political state of the country. They both observe as a squad of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents raid the forces in power and arrest General Karadick.
At Cambridge University, Dr. Amara Perera is approached by Dum-Dum Dugan and a handful of agents, who try to get answers on Doom's whereabouts and his connection to her. She appears to be spacing out while Dugan tries to have her answer questions, but she reacts, complaining about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s interference in her life due to Doom's involvement. A fellow colleague walks up to her and hands her a letter from the university's chancellor, which requests Amara to leave immediately. Dugan again tries to interrogate Amara, but she angrily expresses she doesn't know anything. She's about to lash out, but she regains her composure. Seeing her situation, Dugan and the agents leave.
A few moments later, Victor appears in front of Amara, and decides to open up to her and tell her about his encounter with Cynthia, even though Amara tries to get him to leave as she begins to pack her things. He apologies for what he has brought to Amara's life and promises to fix it, but she orders him not to. He insists, causing her to sarcastically wonder if he can even hear her speak. Noticing Victor's gloom, she asks what happened with his mother.
Back at the scene in Doom's lab, Cynthia reveals her reason for not interfering with Victor's plans was that she loves him. Following a moment of silence, Iron Man attacks Cynthia once again, but she shields herself, prompting her to teleport away, ensuring Victor they will finish another day, when he's more inclined. He tries to stop her, but Cynthia vanishes regardless, leaving Victor standing next to the unconscious Ben Grimm.
In the present, Victor explains that he had believed his mother was dead, having even rescued her soul from Hell itself. He points out he didn't expect walking a righteous path would be harder than expected, but Amara replies it shouldn't really be a surprise. Victor promises once again to fix Amara's life, but she rejects him, telling him he can't have whatever he wants from her, admitting that she can't help him, seeing she can't even fix herself. He proceeds to suit up and fly away.
At an undisclosed location, Cynthia is observing Victor's actions through a cauldron. A voice behind her asks her if she mentioned his name to Victor, and she replies she didn't, as they didn't talk much. The Maker approaches Cynthia from behind and holds her face close to him, telling her he's proud of her. She expresses gratitude towards him.
Solicit Synopsis
• What is Doom’s secret? Why, after all he has done to destroy and punish us, is he now determined to become the hero?
• Find the answer here. But can you trust anything he says or does?
• Plus: The identity of his new cosmic-level adversary is revealed! And it’s a doozy.Notes
- The cover is a homage to Gian Lorenzo Bernini's sculpture Pietà.