Warning: Spoilers for The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #60 ahead!
Of the entire roster of Marvel characters, none are more arrogant or selfish than Dr. Destiny – which means readers notice the rare moments when he expresses his esteem or approval of others. Case in point, it’s a shock to hear Dr. Doom praise a particular Marvel hero from the entire roster of gifted geniuses, sorcerers, and warriors – especially when that hero is famous for never staying on top of things.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #60 ends with the story ‘Ride’s Over’, by Joe Kelly, Mark Buckingham and Edgar Delgado, in which a mysterious narrator sings of Spider-Man cheers as Spider-Man foils a high-stakes attempt to destabilize the world’s finances. Just as Spider-Man succeeds, the narrator reveals himself to be none other than Doctor Doom himself.
“Your intelligence cannot be denied,“Doom meditates.”He faces far superior enemies… often with unexpected success.” Not only does this make Doom one of the few people to recognize Spider-Man’s intellect, but also makes Spider-Man one of the few people Doom considers a genius.
Doctor Doom respects Spider-Man as a genius
Spider-Man Succeeds Where Other Marvel Luminaries Fail
Dr. Doom is widely considered one of the greatest intellects in the Marvel universe. A master of science and sorcery, Doom frequently matches wits with figures of cosmic importance such as Galactus, has an ongoing rivalry with the temporal tyrant Kang the Conqueror, and has even successfully stolen the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme from Dr. Next to Doom, the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards is often considered one of the greatest intellectual minds in the Marvel Universe – which makes it all the more surprising that a street-level hero like Spider-Man has risen so high in Doom’s esteem. .
With that said, Spider-Man is no slouch when it comes to brains. Always a gifted student, web shooters and Spider-Man’s iconic web formula were some of his earliest inventions. His time at the helm of Parker Industries placed Spider-Man as one of Marvel’s rising technology moguls; Even after the company’s dissolution, he joined the retired Norman Osborn at Oscorp to continue working in technology. Although Spider-Man is often overlooked as one of Marvel’s great thinkers, he is an incredibly innovative and intelligent computer scientist and engineer.
The MCU hints at a new beginning for Dr. Doom and Spider-Man
The film versions of the characters have a unique story
The MCU promises to make the relationship between Spider-Man and Dr. Doom even more complicated when Doom debuts in 2025 The Fantastic Four: Getting Started. Doom will be played by Robert Downey Jr., who led the MCU in its early years with his portrayal of Iron Man. The films notably boosted Tom Holland’s Spider-Man as Iron Man’s protégé; While it remains to be seen whether there will be any connection between the MCU’s Iron Man and Downey Jr.’s Doom, it will be fascinating to see how this switch in roles changes the dynamic between the two actors.
Ultimately, this admission from Dr. Doom heralds a new era for him and Spider-Man. Spider-Man and Doom will join forces in ‘8 Deaths of Spider-Man‘ arc, starting at The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #61, and the two will share the MCU soon after. It’s hard to say where Spider-Man and Dr. Destiny the journeys will take them – but if it starts with the premise of mutual respect as teased, it will be amazing to watch.
The Amazing Spider-Man (2022) #60 is now available from Marvel.