Photo Source: http://www.marvelmasterworks.com/features/images/stern_comic12.jpg
by Kenny Cooper
In the annals of the Marvel Universe, there are few characters more complex or fascinating than that of Victor von Doom. Debuting as the rival of Reed Richards in Fantastic Four #5, Doom went on to become, in many ways, the primary antagonist of the Marvel Universe, regularly fighting just about every hero (and villain) in the catalog. The dictator of Latveria was in fact partial inspiration for the creation of Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies. On the surface, the character seems like a one-dimensional villain, prone to big monologues and mad scientist behavior. Yet, the character is much more than what meets the eye. Driven by pain and suffering, Doom is an intensely nuanced figure that often straddles the line between protagonist and antagonist. The book Triumph and Torment, released in 1989 under the “Marvel Graphic Novel” line, is one of those times.
Triumph and Torment is an original graphic novel co-starring Doom and Marvel’s top mystical superhero, Doctor Strange. The plot opens with a tournament of sorts amongst Earth’s masters of the magical as the retiring Sorcerer Supreme is looking for a replacement. Among the attending are Strange and Doom who both seek the title, meaning they shall be Earth’s defender against supernatural evil. The contest commences with Strange the victor and Doom in second. The rules of the game state that a boon must be granted by the winner to the runner-up. Strange worries that the famous dictator will request help in conquering the world. Doom asks for something unexpectedly noble; he wishes the doctor to aid him in a raid against Hell and free his mother’s soul. What follows is a Dante-like journey through the netherworld as the two fight against the demon lord Mephisto (Marvel’s closest representation of Satan) that reveals much of the inner conflict that lives within Doctor Doom.
The novel is written by Marvel legend Roger Stern who is most famous for writing Amazing Spider-Man in the late 80′s, most notably writing the infamous storyline, “Nothing Stops the Juggernaut.” Stern comes from a period of comics still in a state of transition, moving from the Silver Age to the more subdued and mature Modern Age, the script of Triumph and Torment showcasing this odd dichotomy. As a result, the dialogue might appear to a modern reader as a bit stiff and flowery, often using a lot of internal declarations and statements only a European despot in medieval-looking tech-armor would say. Still, the story’s elements tend to allow the style of dialogue. More so, Stern’s manages to depict as Doom as a man built by his pain and his struggle to save those closest to him, allowing the character to show a depth few feel to add to the character.
The artist is a young Mike Mignola, not yet finding his niche in his art yet still managing to be like no other artist. The line work is much sketchier than you would find in the later Hellboy stories and the colors are more muted than sharp. Nevertheless, his facial work is starting to take form and his design work of Strange, Doom, and Mephisto is interesting and unique.
Triumph and Torment stands in my mind as one of the seminal moments for one of Marvel’s richest characters. Here, we see a Doom not maniacal or silly but a man that desperately needs to reclaim the parental love he lost as a child. The book is most effective at showing the pained humanity and tormented soul of a character starved for the kind of closeness many of us take for granted. A lonely, tortured soul, Doom stands a pillar of warped ethics and wonderful characterization that when utilized right tends to be amongst the best stories Marvel can over.
