An entirely random question about a comic book character

[xiphias]

Okay.

So, Doctor Strange, it has been established, actually is an MD. Doc Savage (not a comic book character, but pulp, so, close enough) has multiple doctorates, and possibly an MD. Captain America is a captain in the US Army, Doctor Manhattan (from Watchmen) has a doctorate in physics, Captain Atom, the character Doctor Manhattan is based on, is a Captain in, I think, the Air Force. Doc Samson is a psychiatrist. All three incarnations of Doctor Mid-Nite/Doctor Midnight were surgeons.

Generally speaking, if a superhero name includes a military rank, that hero actually does have that rank, and if a superhero is called "Doctor Something-or-Other", he or she really is an MD or PhD, or both.

So, does this hold true for villains? Specifically, is Doctor Doom an MD, or does he have a PhD, and, in what?

Comments

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

He went to college with Reed Richards, but I believe he was expelled when his experiment exploded on him (thus, the scars that led to his mask).

Maybe he got his diploma and doctorate at a Latverian diploma mill?

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

That's possible. Maybe it's an honorary doctorate from Latveria U? Maybe he gives the commencement address every year and gets another honorary doctorate?

"Behold! Before you stands DOCTOR DOOM! And your FUTURE! You will go out and GRASP the future! You will TAKE the world! And give it to ME!"

I think he'd be a great commencement speaker, actually.

[jehanna.livejournal.com]

*SNORK*

I would so pay to see that.

[cheshyre]

"AND ALWAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN"^[*]

Yeah, I can see Dr. Doom saying that...

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

yeah. the business that gave Von Doom Enterprises its start-up capital was that in a past life, Dr. Doom was running a spamhaus in Latveria. Among the spamhaus's clients was a diploma mill. They paid some of his fee with a bogus Ph.D.

[jadasc.livejournal.com]

Doctor Octopus has multiple degrees. Doctor Druid has his in divinity, I imagine, while Doctor Detroit has a Masters in Funk but never completed a thesis.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

"The Influence of Detroit Techno on Modern Electronic Music." Heh.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

Doctor Druid is a physician and a psychiatrist.

[phantom_wolfboy]

And his real name is the one that kills me. I mean, it's bad enough that Doctor Doom's real name is "Victor Von Doom"--he doesn't call himself "Doom" cause he's a villain; he calls himself "Doom" cause that's his name. It's worse that Stephen Strange is the real name of Doctor Strange; it's not that he's strange, or that he appears in Strange Tales; his name is Strange. But that's at least possible.

Doctor Druid's real name is Anthony Druid.

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

My favorite line from Spider-man 2: "A guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs. What are the odds?"

For the record, Doctor Manhattan's genesis was derived from the 1960's Charlton Comics version of Captain Atom, but not his powers. DC bought all the Charlton characters and integrated many of them into the DCU, but Cap got a completely new backstory, so now he's totally different from Doc. Both Captains Atom were Air Force Captains for sure, and Major Force (the villain who went through the same experiment as the DC Captain Atom) was a major IIRC.

[greenlily.livejournal.com]

I kind of like the idea of Dr. Doom being a PhD in philosophy. (Or an evil plastic surgeon, of course, but that's just because it's Julian McMahon.)

[mattblum.livejournal.com]

Wikipedia has this to say:

Although Von Doom has significant scientific knowledge and ability, he lacks an advanced university degree. Von Doom apparently likes the sound of "Doctor Doom"; as the absolute ruler of a country, he simply started calling himself that. It has been suggested that Doom granted himself an honorary doctorate from a Latverian university, though he has never formally obtained a doctorate and considers it a mere technicality.

[querldox.livejournal.com]

The amusing bit is that Victor von Doom, who was kicked out of State U. (yep, that's the given name of the place) and has no time in his history to have "truly" earned a doctorate goes by Dr., while Reed Richards, who probably has multiple ones, goes by Mr..

Vic undoubtedly has a Ph.D. from the Royal Polytechnic of Latveria, but it's unclear if he got it before he started calling himself Dr. Doom, since the whole Latverian ruler thing doesn't get mentioned until after he's made numerous appearances (and the FF are surprised to find it out in that first mention, so it's difficult to say how long he'd held the post). At any rate, he's certainly done enough original work to warrant a doctorate, so I'm more willing than usual to let it slide.

Reminds me of the old Usenet thread about what comics characters you'd least want on your dissertation committee; Professor X ("I sense that you've bluffing and haven't actually considered that point before"), Reed Richards ("I'm sorry, I tossed that result together a couple of years ago, and the rules do require an original and new contribution..."), or either Vic or Lex Luthor ("You puny worm, your calculations are clearly incorrect. Still, there's a small spark there I may be able to use to my advantage...ZAP! (candidate disintegrates)).

There are numerous non-doctor Doctors though. Only one of the many Dr. Fates has been a doctor, and that was a retcon after he'd taken on the name. Similarly, it's recently been established that while he goes by Captain, Steve Rogers is considered to have the command rank of a one-star General.

Victor Von Doom in bunny slippers and deeley-boppers

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

At any rate, he's certainly done enough original work to warrant a doctorate, so I'm more willing than usual to let it slide.

Suddenly, I'm having a horrible, horrible crossover idea:

"But you still need my class to graduate. So you see, my dear boy, I still have a say in whether you get the job."

"Fine. I'll take my work directly to the provost. My work on the Doombots alone should merit a degree. . . ."

Re: Victor Von Doom in bunny slippers and deeley-boppers

[querldox.livejournal.com]

Except that Vic wouldn't have had any problems with building a death ray in the first place (well, except that he'd want the credit instead of Hathaway taking it).

[copperpoint.livejournal.com]

He's got a PhD in Doom!

And, I can't think of any female characters named Dr. anything.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

The second Doctor Midnight was female.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

As was the second Dr. Light.

[querldox.livejournal.com]

Techincally, Beth Chapel was the only Dr. Midnight, since both Charles McNider and Pieter Cross spell it Dr. Mid-Nite.

And the second Dr. Octopus was also female.