Victor was the child of Gypsy travelers in Latveria. Victor's mother, Cynthia, was killed soon after she called upon the demon Mephisto for power. Victor's father Werner, was a doctor who was called upon by King Vladimir of Latveria to treat his wife. Unable to do so, Werner fled with Victor and died soon afterward, trying to protect his son. Victor was left with his father's best friend. Victor later discovered his mother's mystical books and artifacts. With them, he was able to teach himself sorcery. Victor excelled in science, developed several inventions, and was eventually given a scholarship to Empire State University. While attending this school, Victor met Reed Richards. In school, they were considered scholarly rivals. One day, Victor designed an invention to rescue his mother, which would become his greatest downfall. Richards attempted to warn Victor of an error in his calculations. However, Von Doom's arrogance refused to let him listen. The machine then exploded, scarring his face, and led to his expulsion from the university.Von Doom later went to Tibet and found an old order of monks. He practiced their ways enough for him to become their leader. Von Doom then asked them to make his first suit of armor. Eager to wear the suit, Doom placed faceplate to his face, making him even more scarred than before. gained control over Latveria. Doom turned Latveria into a thriving nation.
