WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Avengers #40, by Jason Aaron, Javier Garrón, David Curiel and VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.
One of the most prominent Avengers is Captain America, a staple of Earth's Mightiest Heroes with a voice that can command the gods themselves. As his team scrambles to discover why the Phoenix Force has decided to remain on Earth, the Star-Spangled Avenger faces Doctor Doom in a one-on-one showdown in the Savage Land. While both characters face off with cosmic upgrades courtesy of the Phoenix, Steve Rogers reveals why he'll always have an edge over the nefarious Victor Von Doom.
After a recent battle against Khonshu and the Ancient Egyptian God of Vengeance's plot to harness the Phoenix Force and other magical powers for himself, the Avengers tracked the Phoenix Force to a remote island in the ocean. A battle against Namor and his rival team of superhero, the Defenders of the Deep, revived the cosmic entity, causing it to flee to the Savage Land where it was intercepted by Doctor Doom. While Doom absorbed a portion of the Phoenix Force to transform, Captain America was first on the scene to bond with the rest, transforming into a fiery iteration of the Sentinel of Liberty as he took on the supervillain mano-a-mano.
As the fight begins, Steve Rogers recalls that no matter how much he has been empowered, he still retains the mindset of the frail, young man that fearlessly joined the military at the start of World War II, despite his physical shortcomings. This stance on maintaining his humble beginnings was not just after being injected with the Super Soldier serum but also wielding omnipotent relics including the Cosmic Cube and Infinity Gauntlet to save the day. And now serving as the latest host for a portion of the Phoenix Force, Captain America keeps sight of the man he used to be to never take whatever powers he wields for granted.
This is a complete contrast to Doom who has always been accustomed to wielding epic power and yet never being satisfied by the power he possesses. In addition to being a scientific genius rivaling Mister Fantastic, Doom is also well-versed in magic that puts him on par with Doctor Strange and has vied for the position of Sorcerer Supreme on more than one occasion. In multiple instances, Doom has strove to attain omnipotence, as seen in both the classic and most recent iterations of Secret Wars.
It is Doom's insatiable thirst for power that constantly pits him against the heroes while Captain America's never taking power for granted makes him the perfect host for the Phoenix Force.
Upgraded by a fraction of the cosmic entity, Doom nearly beats Captain America within an inch of his life but Steve's unwillingness to stand down makes the supervillain realize this contest of champions will eventually result in his defeat; the man who maintains sight of his humble roots overcomes the man of regal privilege in single combat. And while Doom has withdrawn from the battlefield, the megalomaniacal supervillain will likely strike again for another chance at supreme power.