The Avengers are about to go to war with the Marvel Universe’s latest Sorcerer Supreme. Avengers #19 finds the titular super team’s latest meeting suddenly intruded upon by none other than the current Sorcerer Supreme himself — Doctor Doom.

When Doom asks the Avengers why they have never used their power to seize hold of the world and rid it of all ills, he finds that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are simply unwilling to impose their will over others as he is so used to doing. Unfortunately, Doom only takes this as a sign of weakness, leaving the Avengers wondering how long they will have to wait before he tries to do what they have refused.

Written by JED MACKAY Art by FARID KARAMI Colors by FEDERICO BLEE Letters by VC’s CORY PETIT Design by CARLOS LAO Main cover art by VALERIO SCHITI & FEDERICO BLEE Variant covers by PACO MEDINA & FEDERICO BLEE and TODD NAUCK & RACHELLE ROSENBERG

Victor von Doom, better known as Doctor Doom, has been an ever-present fixture in the Marvel Universe since his comic book debut all the way back in 1962’s Fantastic Four #5 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. After suffering a tragic youth in his homeland of Latveria, Victor travelled to the United States in search of knowledge, wealth, and power. Initially, Doom set out to use these resources to save his mother’s eternal soul from Mephisto, though is ambitions soon grew villainous as a whole. Eventually, Doom returned to Latveria and seized control of his country, becoming the despotic ruler fans know best today.

Although Doctor Doom has coveted the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme for decades, he only recently acquired it as a result of Marvel Comics’ recently concluded Blood Hunt. This sprawling storyline saw an army of vampires amassed by Blade, who was then possessed by the very first vampire known as Varnae, wash over the entire planet in what seemed like an instant. The vampiric invasion was heralded by the skies all across the globe being blacked out by Darkforce energies, ushering in a seemingly endless night. Eventually, Doctor Doom was able to break this Darkforce shroud, though not before convincing Doctor Strange to pass him the mantle of Earth’s Sorcerer Supreme.

The current lineup of Avengers, led by Carol Danvers, were called into action after the previously bloated iteration of the team disbanded following their final fight with Mephisto and the Multiversal Masters of Evil. Due to the expansive nature of the conflict they were in at at the time, the Avengers’ membership had grown to encompass dozens if not hundreds of different heroes from all across the Multiverse. With Mephisto’s defeat, the Avengers decided that they needed to get back to their roots by watching over the world they initially set out to save, necessitating a tighter, more focused team of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes than had been seen in years.

Avengers #19 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.

Source: Marvel Comics