Redemption arcs can be a good addition to any comic book series, and both DC and Marvel have had their fair share of them. One big recent redemption arc in the Marvel Universe involves Doctor Doom becoming the Infamous Iron Man, but the character is known for bouncing between anti-hero and villain (and even anti-villain) depending on how his goals align with others.
Doctor Doom is one of the popular villains in the Marvel Universe, and his complicated motivations (he's seen the future and knows/thinks he needs to rule for the world to survive) have lent him to be involved in a bevy of great stories. He has been the archnemesis of the Fantastic Four since the beginning, and, later down the road, he became the enemy of many others in the Marvel Universe with his appearance in other great Marvel comics.
Astonishing Tales #1-8
Doctor Doom has encountered many villains and heroes in his time. One comic series that had begun as a split title with solo features named Astonishing Tales shows the interaction between Doctor Doom and a couple of unsavory individuals in issues 1-8.
Aside from his constant battles with the Fantastic 4, viewers get to see the villain take on the jungle lord Ka-Zar. Alongside Ka-Zar, Doctor Doom is able to confront one part of his past that haunts him the most. Despite being a shorter series, fans thoroughly enjoyed seeing Doctor Doom thrown through the wringer and having to confront tough opponents.
Books Of Doom
Villains are so much more than bad guys with the sole purpose of destroying everything without any character development. A villain deserves a good backstory, and as part of a six-issue mini-series, Doctor Doom got an origin comic called the Books of Doom.
The mini-series gives the readers a look into the life of Doctor Doom and what brought him to this point. Many now-defining elements of the character were established here, such as his rule over the fictional Eastern-European Latveria and his time-travel inventions. It changed the character from a cool-but-fairly-flat" villain to a complicated man that's motivated by a strange sense of duty. This new depth elevated the character and has made him one of the most-wanted characters in the MCU (and fans have been busy speculating who should play Doctor Doom for Marvel).
Incredible Hulk #143 &144
All Marvel fans know of the Incredible Hulk. From the movies to the comics, the Hulk is a famous hero, and while the Fantastic Four face off against other villains, the Hulk ends up having to face off with Doctor Doom in issues 143 and 144 of Volume 1.
Doctor Doom is not known for playing the nice guy, and Bruce Banner gets a first-hand experience of what Doctor Doom is capable of. One such event is when a duplicate robot Hulk is released by Doctor Doom. It’s safe to say that Doctor Doom is not on Bruce Banner’s good side. Not many villains get to face Hulk and wall away, but this issue established that Doom is very much both a physical and intellectual threat for Earth's heroes.
Super-Villain Team-Up
Not many individuals would want to work with Doctor Doom unless they have a common goal. Most, if not all, who want to work with him are always the villains.
In Super-Villain Team-Up, readers see Doctor Doom interacting with other Marvel villains. This short series showed readers Doctor Doom encountering Sinister Six and Masters of Evil. He is also seen fighting with the character Blastaar. It’s a great series, and for those who have not read it, it is highly recommended. Villains often interact with heroes, but it's less often they get to work with their own kind. The issue showed that doom views villains much the same as he does heroes if they're standing in the way of his plans. It's also a must-read as it's the first time Doom headlined his own story as the protagonist.
The Punisher #28 & 29
Marvel’s character, The Punisher, is on a completely different level compared to the heroes of Marvel. Not many characters want to go up against The Punisher due to his reputation and abilities, but when he infiltrates Doctor Doom’s base, all bets are off the table in the fights of comic series The Punisher #28 and #29.
When thinking of a fight between The Punisher and Doctor Doom, it sounds like it would be a great battle that readers would love to read. This comic didn’t just add Doctor Doom into it, but several, as The Punisher has to go up against an army of Doombots, adding a bit more of a challenge for The Punisher to face. It wasn't the first time viewers saw these robotic duplicates of Doom, but it did showcase how effective and dangerous they can be. Doom has gone on to use them in almost every other major appearance he's been in.
The Spectacular Spider-Man #160
Spiderman faces plenty of enemies daily, so one more shouldn’t hurt, and if the Hulk isn’t safe from Doctor Doom, neither is Spiderman. In the comic The Spectacular Spider-Man issue 160, the villain creates plenty of trouble for the friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
This particular comic really put pressure on Spiderman. The Rhino, Hydro-Man, and the Shocker fight in Times Square; later on, King Pin would make an appearance. Doctor Doom’s appearance just added that extra layer of trouble Peter Parker would have to deal with. Doom is normally thought of as a Fantastic Four villain, so this run and others like it show that he can be equally menacing to almost any Marvel hero (and most of the villains, too).
Excalibur #37-39
The rivalry between the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom is well known by the fans. One thing some fans might not know about is the appearance Doctor Doom makes in the Excalibur comics in issues 37-39.
There is a hard lesson in the particular issue where Doctor Doom makes an appearance. This lesson is that reading someone’s mind doesn’t mean they are not lying. Doctor Doom knows how to hide the lies and get what he wants out of it., one of the many reasons why he makes for a great villain. This isn't the only issue that shows Doom's mental fortitude, but it's one of the best examples. It's hard to beat Doom when his physical power, mental fortitude, and mystical abilities are all top-tier.
Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph & Torment
While most of those collaborating with Doctor Doom are villains, there is always that one exception. One exception that made readers do a double take was the unlikely duo of Doctor Strange working with Doctor Doom.
Doctor Strange isn't the only powerful magic user. In fact, Doctor Doom is considered one of the most powerful magic users in Marvel comics. And in the comic Triumph & Torment, the duo shows how powerful they can be against the dark arts. The comic is an excellent read for its parallels between the two characters and the powers they wield.
Hero For Hire #8-9
Money does things to a person, especially when someone owes them money. When money is owed, there can be a lot of frustration while one party waits to receive what they lent out. This just so happens to be the case between Luke Cage and Doctor Doom in the comic Hero For Hire in issues 8 and 9.
When Luke Cage has to track Doctor Doom down to get the money he lent him back, things don't exactly go as planned. Like with The Punisher, Luke Cage is subjected to the same bots and has to fight his way through him. It's safe to say that it's better to avoid the lair of Doctor Doom. It may not have any long-lasting effects on Doom's lore, but it is entertaining to see that even the most powerful villains aren't above money squabbles.
Secret Wars
The Marvel Universe has been threatened to be destroyed by villains in the past, but few have proven to be as catastrophic as Secret Wars. It's yet to be seen if the upcoming Avengers film of the same name will bring Doom into the fold (though, with Fantastic Four releasing first, it seems likely), but the story shows the ruler at his strongest.
The event saw every Marvel multiverse (Ultimate, 2099, etc.) collide and fight for survival on Battle World, and it's here that fans saw the most powerful version of Doom yet, God Emperor Doom. This version was empowered by Molecule man, had children with a version of Sue Storm from a reality in which Reed didn't exist, and ruled over all of Battle World (where the realities all converged) with the help of a version of Doctor Strange.