Born to poor gypsies in the small European nation of Latveria, Victor Von Doom lost his mother to a soldier’s anger, and not long after lost his father to a king’s revenge. Alone, the young Victor discovered his mother’s trove of mystical artifacts and set himself on a path of darkness when he realized her spirit was subject to a demon she’d bargained with. His incredible scientific acumen won him a scholarship at America’s State University in New York, and he left his native country seeking knowledge with which to salve his wounded soul.

During his time in New York, Von Doom met another scientific prodigy, Reed Richards, and the two formed an immediate rivalry. When the Latverian student secretly experimented with a device of his own creation to bridge the gap between dimensions, only for it to literally blow up in his face, he found himself expelled, with only small scars on his face in return.

Since his first suit of armor fashioned by Tibetan monks, Doctor Doom has continued to augment and accessorize his infamous accoutrements over the years. The titanium armor provides basic protection from attack and the elements, many times bolstered by a personal force field generator as well as other forms of shielding. On various occasions, the suit could also produce blasts of concussive force through its gauntlets, and allow the doctor the power of flight through a miniaturized propulsion system.

Doom’s unparalleled sophistication in robotics has allowed him to surround himself and the kingdom of Latveria with a multitude of cybernetic servants, including everything from near-mindless guards to autonomous robot duplicates of himself known as “Doombots.

The enemies of Doctor Doom could be said to include nearly everyone on the planet he dreams of ruling, but a special small number of them hold a cold spot in his icy heart as direct adversaries.

Chief among these persons stands Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic. He and Doom took an instant dislike to each other from the moment they met as university students, and from there their rivalry and enmity increased exponentially. Richards opposes everything Doom may conceive of, and the doctor refuses to accept the Fantastic Four’s leader as a fellow genius, let alone an equal. Over the years they’ve clashed repeatedly in violent struggles as well as games of one-upmanship, though of course Richards sees it as stopping the growth of evil, and Doom views it as natural superiority rising to the top.