Forever non-canon for me. Doom is known not just for his intellect, or his power, or his indomitable will, but also his honor. Doom is not immoral, he has his own moral code that he will no more budge from than he will budge on anything else he's set his unmatched will and intellect to. Doom could do this anytime he wants to, he could do a lot of things anytime he wants, but he does not and will not. Doom does not compromise.
This is bad writing, plain and simple. it belongs in the same category as Morrisoneto setting up death camps. It's just wrong.