One of the reasons the MCU has been so successful over the years is that this shared universe leans heavily on the comic book source material. These movies aren’t usually direct adaptations of any one comic, but they always draw on iconic storylines and runs and make that classic material accessible to a wider audience. Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars will be no exceptions. These upcoming movies are inspired by both the original 1984 crossover Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars and 2015’s Secret Wars.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Now that we know the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday, we’re getting a clearer picture of which Marvel Comics storylines are inspiring this epic MCU adventure. From epic crossovers like Avengers vs. X-Men to the debut of the Illuminati to two different versions of Secret Wars, these are the 75 Marvel comics that give us a better idea of what Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are about.
Time Runs Out for the Avengers
As seen in: The Avengers Vol. 5 #35-44, New Avengers Vol. 3 #24-33 (2015)
Again, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are heavily inspired by the two Secret Wars comics. This much we know from Kevin Feige and the Russo Bros. themselves, who are coming back to Marvel direct the films. But while we’ll get to Secret Wars itself in a bit, it’s worth starting out by focusing on the long, dramatic buildup to the 2015 comics version. That storyline, Avengers: Time Runs Out, will probably end up informing the plot of Doomsday as much as anything else.
From the beginning, Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers and New Avengers titles deal with the concept of Incursions, that phenomenon where two parallel versions of Earth begin to collide and threaten to annihilate both universes unless one of the Earths is destroyed. The Incursions are revealed to be a symptom of a larger disease in the Marvel multiverse, one that seems destined to end in the complete obliteration of all existence.
Time Runs Out takes place in a particularly dire period for the Marvel Universe. Incursions are occurring more and more frequently, making the fight to stop them and save Earth-616 truly an existential crisis. Unfortunately, Time Runs Out also occurs in a period when the Avengers are more divided than they’ve been since the events of 2006’s Civil War. Once again, there are basically two opposing factions in this ideological battle. One law-abiding team of Avengers serves under S.H.I.E.L.D., while another group follows the Illuminati and their more pragmatic approach to survival.
Of course, Time Runs Out is more than just an Avengers story. Members of the X-Men and Fantastic Four also play key roles. And then there’s Doctor Doom. Doom is revealed to be a pivotal player in the conflict, as he takes on a new identity as Rabum Alal and attracts a cabal of fanatical followers. Doom’s war with the extra-dimensional entities known as The Beyonders is the source of the multiverse’s impending collapse. He sees himself as the savior of existence. Others might disagree.
We’ve already seen some plot threads inspired by Time Runs Out crop up during the Multiverse Saga. Thanks to the post-credits scene in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, we know Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange has joined forces with Charlize Theron’s Clea to investigate the Incursion problem. And an Incursion forms the crux of the climax of 2023’s The Marvels, resulting in Teyonah Parris’ Monica Rambeau becoming stranded on Earth-10005, a world where Kelsey Grammer’s Beast and the rest of the X-Men are making their own stand against Incursions.
If Avengers: Doomsday is an adaptation of any one Marvel story, it’s definitely going to be Time Runs Out. If Avengers: Doomsday is an adaptation of any one Marvel story, it’s definitely going to be Time Runs Out. We’re sure to see the Incursion problem reach critical mass, prompting a desperate race to stave off the end of all things. Like in the comic, we may see the Avengers split down the middle in how they deal with this threat. Though in this case, we suspect we’ll see one team rally around Anthony Mackie’s Captain America and another around Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom. And again, we’ll see the Fantastic Four and the X-Men drawn into the fray as everyone races to save their respective world. But if Doomsday is anything like the comic, it’s all going to be for naught in the end.
Meet the Illuminati
As seen in: New Avengers - The Illuminati #1-5 (2006)
In the buildup to Marvel’s Civil War crossover, readers first met the Illuminati, a shadowy group that included Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Mister Fantastic, Namor, Black Bolt, and Professor X. It was revealed that this group has been quietly manipulating events in the Marvel Universe for years, always in the name of protecting Earth from threats both within and without. Marvel’s New Avengers: The Illuminati miniseries explores the group’s actions in much greater depth.
Though they eventually disbanded, the Illuminati were reformed in Hickman’s Avengers run. The slightly revamped roster included new members like Black Panther, Beast, and Hulk (who was going through an unusually intelligent phase at the time). The Illuminati are also prominent players in Time Runs Out, resorting to questionable measures to protect Earth-616 from Incursions.
We already met one version of the Illuminati in the MCU in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a group based on Earth-838. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t survive their run-in with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch.
But could we meet the Earth-616 version of the Illuminati in Avengers: Doomsday? It’s hard not to come to that conclusion based solely on the cast list. What happens when you get Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards, Tenoch Huerta Mejía’s Namor, and Letitia Wright’s Black Panther in the same room? We even have to wonder if Downey’s Doom could take the place of Tony Stark here. As in the comic, we may see the Illuminati stoop to any and all measures to save their universe, even if it means damning themselves in the process.
The Avengers vs. the X-Men
As seen in: Avengers vs. X-Men #1-12 (2012)
Normally, the Avengers and X-Men are allies in the never-ending fight to defend the Marvel Universe. But the two teams became bitter enemies in 2012’s Avengers vs. X-Men storyline.
AvX comes at the tail end of a long period where the X-Men are fighting a losing battle to protect the mutant race from extinction. When it becomes apparent that the Phoenix Force is back and making a beeline for Earth, the X-Men see it as their last, best hope to restore the mutant population. The Avengers, however, see the Phoenix Force as a clear and present threat to everyone on Earth. That’s when the two teams come to blows.
We’ve already done a deep dive into Avengers vs. X-Men and the ways in which it could inspire Avengers: Doomsday, but the gist is that we could see a very different take in the MCU on the concept of the two teams going to war. We’re not expecting a close adaptation of the comic book crossover, as the X-Men haven’t even been properly established in the MCU yet.
Instead, we think Doomsday’s AvX conflict would involve the multiverse. It stands to reason that Grammer is reprising the same version of Beast we saw in The Marvels’ post-credits scene, and that all the other X-Men confirmed for the film are residents of that same world, which we’re assuming is Earth-10005, a.k.a. the Fox X-Men movie universe. Eventually, Earth-616 and Earth-10005 will be linked together by an Incursion, forcing the MCU’s Avengers to battle the Fox universe’s X-Men for the fate of their respective worlds.
In that sense, the Avengers vs. X-Men conflict in Doomsday will probably be less inspired by the AvX crossover than it will the first chapter of 2015’s Secret Wars comic. In Secret Wars #1, the Marvel multiverse is reduced to just two remaining universes, the classic Marvel Universe and the Ultimate Universe. The Avengers and Ultimates go to war as the final Incursion breaks out, only for both worlds to be annihilated in the end. Doomsday may very well end in a similar battle between the Avengers and X-Men. Instead of working together to save the multiverse, they’ll be too busy fighting each other. And that’s where Secret Wars comes in.
The Secret Wars Begin
As seen in: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12 (1984), Secret Wars #1-9 (2015)
At this point, we might as well talk about Secret Wars proper and how it’s likely to influence both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. As we mentioned earlier, Marvel has published two separate but not entirely unconnected Secret Wars comics, the first in 1984 and the second in 2015. The Russos have confirmed that both comics are an influence on their upcoming Avengers movies, though we’re definitely sensing more of the latter Secret Wars so far.
In the original Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, a who’s who lineup of Marvel heroes and villains are abducted by a godlike being known as The Beyonder. He whisks them away to an artificial planet called Battleworld to fight for his amusement. In the end, Doom steals The Beyonder’s power for himself, temporarily achieving the strength to match his boundless ego. Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars is also notable for introducing Spider-Man’s black costume and paving the way for Venom.
2015’s Secret Wars, meanwhile, serves as the climax of Hickman’s sprawling Avengers run. We’ve already covered how the first issue features a desperate, doomed battle between two teams of heroes as the multiverse collapses around them. But the real meat of Secret Wars is in what happens next.
Even as the multiverse itself dies, Doom and his ally Molecule Man (a key player in the original Secret Wars crossover) make their final stand against The Beyonders. Doom steals their power and becomes omnipotent. He uses his newfound power to form a new Battleworld out of the broken fragments of dozens of dead universes. Doom then crowns himself God Emperor of Battleworld, with each realm controlled by a different Baron. It’s sort of the Marvel version of Dune or Game of Thrones.
We’re expecting to see Downey’s Doom achieve ultimate power and form Battleworld out of the ashes of the multiverse. As Secret Wars unfolds, Doom fights to hold his new kingdom together while a group of refugees from Earth-616 seeks a way to restore the multiverse. Fittingly, it all comes down to a final confrontation between God Emperor Doom and his greatest rival, Reed Richards. Even as a god, Doom can’t move past his hatred for Reed and his own self-loathing.
We don’t know how much, if at all, we’re going to see the two Secret Wars storylines adapted in Doomsday, but Avengers: Secret Wars is shaping up to be a fairly close adaptation of those comics. Once again, we’re expecting to see Downey’s Doom achieve ultimate power and form Battleworld out of the ashes of the multiverse. We’ll probably see a great many realms inspired by both the comics and various Marvel movies of years past. We’ll almost certainly see a motley team of heroes band together to restore the multiverse, including both MCU mainstays and iconic movie favorites like Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. If you’re wondering how Marvel could ever top the fanboy glee of the portals sequence from Endgame, that’s how.
All Hail Emperor Doom
As seen in: Marvel Graphic Novel #27 - Emperor Doom (1987)
While the MCU is definitely drawing a lot of inspiration from Hickman’s Avengers run and Secret Wars for its portrayal of Doctor Doom, it’s worth taking a look at a much older story that also revolves around Doom crowning himself emperor. That story is 1987’s Emperor Doom graphic novel.
Emperor Doom shows us what happens when Doom finally grows tired of ruling one measly country and sets his sights on the entire planet. After harnessing the mind-controlling powers of Purple Man, Doom brainwashes the nations of the world into accepting him as their monarch. With no one to oppose him, Doom ushers in a new era of peace and prosperity. Life under Emperor Doom is actually pretty swell, so long as you don’t mind the total lack of free will. It falls on Wonder Man to free the Avengers and mount a resistance against Emperor Doom.
Marvel is also currently exploring a similar concept in the One World Under Doom crossover, which again sees Doom crown himself Emperor of a surprisingly docile and grateful planet.
Could we see elements of Emperor Doom when it comes to Downey’s version of the iconic villain? It’s definitely possible. The Russos have made it clear that Doom is someone who sees himself as the hero of his own story. He thinks he’s doing what has to be done to save the Marvel multiverse. Maybe we’ll see him crown himself emperor in Avengers: Doomsday, rallying the entire world to his cause. We suspect a great many people in the MCU would be only too happy to pledge their life to a guy with Tony Stark’s face.
Doctor Doom as Iron Man
As seen in: Infamous Iron Man #1-12 (2016)
To be honest, we’re still trying to wrap our heads around the surprise reveal that Downey has been cast as Doctor Doom. Why bring back the most recognizable MCU actor to play a completely different character? What’s the significance of the fact that Doom looks like Tony Stark? Is he a version of Tony from another universe where things worked out differently, or is he merely using Tony’s face to further his own agenda?
Those are all questions we probably won’t see answered until Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters. But it certainly can’t hurt to look at one of the comics that explores the Iron Man/Doctor Doom relationship in greater depth.
For that, we recommend looking at 2016’s Infamous Iron Man, part of Brian Michael Bendis' larger Invincible Iron Man run. This series is set after the events of 2015’s Secret Wars. No longer a God Emperor, Victor von Doom has been healed in body and soul. He’s determined to prove himself a hero worthy of the mantle of Iron Man. And because Tony Stark himself is comatose at this point, there’s no one to actually stop Doom from giving it an honest go.
Will Infamous Iron Man have a direct influence on Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars? It’s hard to say. Though, if nothing else, we wouldn’t be surprised if the MCU draws on Doom’s character design in this series as it introduces a Tony Stark-ified version of Doctor Doom. Downey’s character may look less like the traditional Doom than he does this version that wears a silver and green Iron Man armor.
Doom firmly believes he’s the hero. But again, we know that Downey’s character is someone who sees himself as being in the right. Doom firmly believes he’s the hero. There may be elements of Infamous Iron Man that work their way into that portrayal of Doom. He’s a character who needs to win hearts and minds if he’s going to carry out his plan of saving the multiverse.
Invisible Woman and Namor’s Sexual Tension
As seen in: Fantastic Four - 1 2 3 4 (2002)
With all the spectacle and cosmic stakes going on in these next two Avengers movies, it’s all the more important they find time to focus on the smaller character moments. They need to be perfectly balanced enough to satisfy even Thanos himself. Avengers: Infinity War accomplished that task by giving us moments of levity between Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange and zeroing in on the doomed romance between Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany’s Vision. Endgame was basically one long fat joke at the expense of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.
How will Avengers: Doomsday lighten the mood? We suspect that’s going to fall on Namor’s brawny shoulders. Anyone who’s read a Fantastic Four comic featuring Namor will know that the King of Atlantis has the hots for Susan Storm. Heck, he makes Wolverine’s deep infatuation with Jean Grey seem normal by comparison. Sue, for her part, has never really reciprocated Namor’s love over the years, but that’s never stopped his incessant flirtation. Hey, he’s a fish king. He’s not used to being told no.
Given that Doomsday is the first MCU movie to include both Vanessa Kirby’s Sue and Tenoch Huerta Mejía’s Namor, we can only assume we’re going to see this sexual tension play out on the big screen. Expect some of the movie’s more comedic moments to come as Namor woos Sue and she rebuffs his advances. As for Pedro Pascal’s Reed? If he’s anything like the comic book version, he may be too oblivious to notice. Sue may wind up leading Namor on just to get a rise out of her single-minded science dork of a husband.
Again, there are any number of comics the movie could draw from in this area. Namor’s unrequited love for Sue goes back a long time. But if Doomsday pulls from any one FF comic, we’d guess it would be 2002’s Fantastic Four: 1 2 3 4. That book, which is unusually dark for an FF story, may be the closest Sue has ever come to actually responding to Namor’s advances. 1 2 3 4 is also a very Doom-centric story, so that makes it all the more likely the screenwriters might have consulted this hidden gem of a Marvel comic.
And there you have it. If you want to do your homework before Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters in May 2026, you know what to read. But what Marvel storylines do you most want to see adapted in these next two Avengers movies? Let us know in the comments.
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