SDCC 2024: A Major Marvel Villain Replaces Doctor Strange as Sorcerer Supreme

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Blood Hunt #5. Continue reading at your own risk!

Doctor Doom is about to have a humongous presence in the Marvel Comics Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The big news coming out of the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday night was that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU to play Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. Victor Von Doom is the central rival of the Fantastic Four, and they also have an MCU movie coming next year as well. The comics aren’t being left in the dust, however, as the end of Blood Hunt sets up an exciting new status quo for Doctor Doom as Marvel’s new Sorcerer Supreme.

Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and a host of Marvel creators were on hand for the Next Big Thing Panel at SDCC Friday afternoon, where a bunch of big announcements were made. Along with the announcements of a West Coast Avengers series and Deadpool’s daughter Ellie replacing him after his death, we learned that Doctor Doom will be a part of Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ run on The Amazing Spider-Man. “The 8 Deaths of Spider-Man” picks up after events in this week’s Blood Hunt finale, which features Doctor Doom as the Sorcerer Supreme instead of Doctor Strange. Doom will gift Spider-Man a magically powered suit and eight extra lives to battle an evil god and his scions. This all leads to a big status quo shift for Doctor Doom in 2025.

Marvel announces One World Under Doom event for 2025

Another item Doctor Doom-related announced at San Diego Comic-Con was “One World Under Doom.” This may be more along the lines of a publishing initiative rather than a full-on event. The main idea is Doctor Doom will be a big part of Marvel’s plans for 2025 and beyond, and with Doom now being the Sorcerer Supreme, we can expect to see him pop up in more and more titles. Will Doctor Doom join the Avengers? 

“Discover why the Marvel Universe submits to DOCTOR DOOM next week in BLOOD HUNT #5 and stay tuned in the months ahead for more information on this startling development for the future of Marvel Comics,” the Marvel press release for “One World Under Doom” reads.

The promotional artwork by Ben Harvey features Doctor Doom standing before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes as they submit to him. Heroes such as Spider-Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Hulk, Thing, Black Panther, and more are all bending to knee to Doom.