Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Stefano Raffaele
Color Artist: Neeraj Menon
Release Date: 18th June 2025

As the opening instalment to an “overarching saga” goes, Marc Guggenheim’s narrative for issue one of Bring On The Bad Guys: Doom does a first-rate job in enticing his audience into wanting to know more about the “ancient artifact known as the Soul Forge”. In fact, the twenty-five page periodical raises so many intriguing questions within the reader’s mind, not least of which is just how a Berlin-based Emil Blonsky happened to locate a long-lost dagger in the first place, that many of them doubtless immediately pre-ordered the rest of this series’ much-touted “seven villainous one-shots” from their friendly local comic book store.

Of particular note is undoubtedly the Emmy Award-winning writer’s handling of the titular character, who absolutely reeks of contemptuous arrogance just as soon as he’s shown sitting upon his throne in Latveria. This publication delightfully portrays Victor Von Doom at his most haughtiest, whether the Fantastic Four’s arch-nemesis is scornfully belittling one of his lesser spies, or childishly deceiving himself that the gamma-irradiated strength of the Abomination “would offer no contest” if the tyrant decided to pit himself against the monster in a fight; “Blonsky goes. Unaware of the mercy Doom has granted him.”

Furthermore, the actual premise behind “Mephisto’s ultimate scheme” is surprisingly well explained, with Guggenheim quite patiently spelling out just how the Soul Forge was apparently created by the sorcerous arts of the world’s six Lords of Darkness. Packed with some (obligatory) blood sacrifices and a somewhat astonishing act of treachery, this backstory shows just how long a game the Machiavellian Lord of Evil is clearly playing, and rather shockingly may even make the odd bibliophile believe that perhaps it would actually be in humanity’s best interest if Latveria’s heavily-armoured monarch won the day as opposed to Stan Lee’s demonic co-creation.

Lastly, acclaimed artist Stefano Raffaele also deserves some applause for proficiency pencilling plenty of attention-holding panels throughout this comic. In addition to the Abomination’s incongruous disguise outside Platz Der Republik, the Italian illustrator also serves up a wonderful, atmospheric dish for the Forge’s aforementioned flashback sequences, as well as leaves no doubt as to the sheer hellish grandeur of Mephisto’s fiery domain – courtesy of a deeply disconcerting double splash page.

The writer of this piece was: Simon Moore
Simon Tweets from @Blaxkleric ‏
You can read more of his reviews at The Brown Bag