Parallel to the collapse of Doctor Doom‘s global takeover, one Marvel hero threatens to storm his kingdom and leave him powerless. Although Victor von Doom hasn’t officially released his hold over the Earth, the end of his reign was guaranteed as soon as all major heroes assembled to oppose him. World governments have already started taking action, and Doom is only delaying the inevitable.

Now, all heroes and villains may compete to earn the honor of landing the final strike on Doctor Doom. Steve Rogers recreated his famous Hitler punch with Doom in Captain America #4 and the Fantastic Four broke Doctor Doom’s time-travel checkpoint strategy in Fantastic Four #3. Now, it’s Red Hulk’s turn to intervene.

After Thaddeus Ross threatens to kill Doctor Doom himself, Red Hulk walks all the way to Doom’s Latverian lair, murders War-Wolf with his bare hands, and promises to deliver a devastating blow that may leave Doom defenseless.

The United States’ Invasion Of Latveria Threatens To Strip Doctor Doom Of His Kingdom

Red Hulk #10; Written by Benjamin Percy; Art by Gabriel Guzman & Bryan Valenza

Thaddeus Ross plants the US flag on Latverian land in Red Hulk #10

Thaddeus Ross uses his human form to sneak into Doom’s lair, and he relies on his Red Hulk power to defeat War-Wolf and fend off the scientist’s malformed Red Hulk clones. Not satisfied with his victory and defying Tamika Bowden’s warnings, Ross goes one step beyond and plants a US flag on top of Doctor Doom’s monument, officially declaring war between the United States and Latveria.

Tamika Bowden predicts that Red Hulk’s actions will reduce Doctor Doom’s country to a war zone, as the flag symbolizes the United States’ invasion of Latveria. More ominously, Red Hulk’s allies Deathlok and Machine Man agree with Tamika, with Machine Man’s calculations resulting in a 93% chance of Tamika’s prediction coming to pass. As Tamika warns Ross, “Americans, Latverian loyalists, Latverian freedom fighters…” will all want a piece of Latveria.

Marvel Comics’ Doctor Doom Might End Up In The Opposite Position To His MCU Counterpart

Doctor Doom May Be Marvel’s Underdog In 2026

The Latveria representative is missing from their seat at a United Nations summit in The Fantastic Four First Steps

By 2026, Doom could find himself stripped of everything that makes him Marvel’s greatest supervillain. After having the world at his fingertips, Doom will likely lose his Sorcerer Supreme mantle and the support of all his villainous allies. Now that Red Hulk has planted a US flag on Latverian soil, Doom may also lose his nation. Before next year, Doom may fall from absolute power to complete isolation.

This may be part of a clever strategy by Marvel. Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom will attempt (and possibly achieve) a multiversal takeover in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday. Meanwhile, comic-book Doctor Doom’s slow and arduous rise from the ashes could make him an underdog, which might entice comic readers and MCU fans to support both versions of the villain from two completely opposite perspectives.

Red Hulk #10 is available from Marvel Comics.