Doctor Doom is now the new Sorcerer Supreme, and former Strange Academy students now attend Doom Academy! Find out how the students fare in Doom Academy #1 by Marvel Comics!
DOOM ACADEMY #1 (OF 5)
Writer: Mackenzie Cadenhead
Artist: Pasqual Ferry
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Nick Lowe
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: Feb 19, 2025
Previously in Doom Academy: Strange Academy is no more, and the magical students have relocated from New Orleans to Latveria. As these students start their second year, they must adjust to One World Under Doom!
Doom Academy #1 centers on Zoe as she navigates her new school. Part of her struggle is fitting in as an undead person while adjusting to a new social landscape. While Shaylee seems to be settling in and Doyle has befriended the school newspaper editor, Scoop, Zoe struggles to find her place. On top of that, her roommate has her own quirks, and a strange voice lingers in the air. Scoop reveals a legend: a girl named Greta went missing, and her brother, Frederick, accused the school of feeding her to dark forces. Soon after, both of them disappeared.
In the middle of the night, Zoe wakes up to hear the voice again. She follows it to a book, and when she opens it, she’s sucked inside!
I want to start by saying that Strange Academy was a great series. The characters were relatable, and as a college professor, I found the story engaging from both a student and teacher perspective. Doom Academy #1 tries to capture that same magic.
When I picked up the book, I expected a heavy focus on the One World Under Doom crossover event, but I was relieved to see that the story retained the original Strange Academy charm. The most significant change so far is the minimal role of teachers and instructors. We get some guidance from Zelma, but the story mainly follows Zoe’s journey. While that makes for a compelling character arc, I’m not convinced it makes for a strong magic school story. There are certain tropes I expect to be either addressed or deliberately subverted early on, and so far, they haven’t been. Maybe that’s a minor quibble, but I hope to see it developed.
The art is solid and consistent with the standard for current Marvel titles. In particular, the artist excels at background details. Small statues, random creatures, and the textures of various objects stand out beautifully. However, these details are sometimes overshadowed by the unsettling portraits of Doom that loom around campus. Then again, that’s probably to be expected at Doom Academy.
I enjoyed Doom Academy #1. While I’m not sure it captures the same magic as Strange Academy, I’m happy to return to these characters and explore their growth. I hope to see more focus on other students, but I’m not sure how much ground will be covered, as there are only five issues in this miniseries. That said, Doom Academy #1 is a solid 4 out of 5 stars.
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Doom Academy #1
Doom Academy #1 successfully introduces beloved characters into a new situation while maintaining some of the charm that made Strange Academy special.
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Writing8
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Art9
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Coloring7
Christopher Rondeau is a storyteller based in Tulsa, OK. Finding himself with little work, he ended up creating a job as a Game Master full time on the internet. Chris spends most of his days reading everything he can, writing bad fiction, and watching old Digimon cartoons with his daughter. Sometimes you can find him Dungeon Mastering a podcast or streaming on twitch. Recently, he has completed his Master's degree with a focus on collaborative storytelling. Find out more at https://rondeaucreator.com