I understand Dr. Doom was originally written as a super villain. However, after reading both Doom Wars and Marvel Zombies: Army of Darkness, I'm not convinced that Doom is a villain. In both of these comics Doom is written as the anti-hero, who is willing to taint his image (to the super hero community anyways), if it means bettering mankind. I have had habitual debates with my brother (who is an avid comic collector/buff) and he very much disagrees with me. I'm assuming this topic has probably been discussed before, and thus apologize for a repeat post if so. However, I was wanting to get the feedback of the comic book fan community. Any takes?

If anything he's Lawful Evil.

I don't think he's interested in bettering mankind. I'd compare Doom to the Punisher, although Doom is less moral than Castle.

Well put. However, I do feel the argument that "he's a dictator" is an unjust rational to call him evil.

I feel like that is relevant to who's writing him. In both comic stories i mentioned, that's his reason for his actions. Punisher? Interesting. I always felt Doom was more comparable to a more powerful Magneto.

Honestly, Doom is about as neutral as it gets. I'd say he's either Lawful Neutral or Chaotic Neutral. He does things for himself, but he has a code of honor and ethics. He'll do something self-servingly that isn't particularly evil, but people will think it is. But then he'll steal the Beyonder's powers and use them to rule a dimension.

Like I said, most of the things he does is to serve himself, he's not really out there to hurt anyone but Reed, but people who do indeed get injured or die are just collateral damage.

Doom is Doom. He does what is needed to further the goals of his country and to get revenge. Whether that be to aid Atlantis and thumb his nose at the Pro Registration forces then so be it. If it means Destroying lower manhattan in order to get what he wants, he will do it.

After going over the Wikipedia article, the best way I can describe Doctor Doom is the Count of Monte Christo. Only Doom never gets his Mercedes and the need for revenge continues.

Hah, very true. He does tend to take things a bit far. Perhaps that's what makes him so likable/unique though. He does suffer from a deplorable excess of vanity but he does do what goes by his "code of conduct". However, that still doesn't change my biased towards Doom .

I like your take on this. I suppose I've always seen Doom as comparable to Magneto, except the mutant race is Latveria. I think that's what makes characters like them so intriguing. The definition between hero and villain is in the eye of the beholder.

This. Though lately he's been abandoning his moral code due to writers just writing him as a stereotypical villain. Between the whole 'skinning people for a new suit of armor' thing to 'dropping symbiotes on NYC for lolz' and 'working with the Red Skull for anything other than putting him into a shallow grave'... I've pretty much given up on the Doomster.

Depends on who/where is asking.

Most of the world? He's an unstable dictator with an arsenal of mad science.

In Latveria? He's a hero who daily fights the devil for the souls of his people.

When Hickman wrote his Doom story where Doom found the universe where one of his Infinity Gauntlets worked and let him explore being master of all... it was such a bittersweet tale.

Doom was undone, as he always is, by himself.

I believe he is best when he exists outside the roles of hero or villain and their related tropes. The complexity of the character is one of the true boons of his longevity, and vice-versa.

Villain.

However, he's got the same deal as Magneto, where you can see his logic goes beyond "I wanna destroy the world." Doesn't mean he's a good guy, but he's at least a reasonable villain... most of the time.

Doom is, at his heart, a vain and evil man who deludes *himself* into thinking he's just and honourable.

Any man who's willing to hurt and/or kill completely innocent people and even at times threaten the entire fabric of reality itself, all over a petty (and imagined!) grudge from his College days cannot be considered anything but that.

Doom is clearly the hero to save us from the accursed Richards.

Seriously, I agree with the whole "when he's being written well he doesn't really fit in the whole 'hero vs villain' stereotype.

According to Fraction, the grudge isn't imagined. Ben Grimm caused the accident and then Doom attributed it to Richards.

Doom isn't really evil though, vain absolutely, but not evil. I don't think he ever intends for others to get hurt in his crusade against Richards, but at the same time he doesn't care about those who get hurt in the process. There is a difference between intention and lack of caring.