Doctor Strange #1 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In the December 1969 issue of Doctor Strange (#183), Stephen Strange swore off the dark arts and went back to practicing medicine as a consultant. It seemed that after years of battling Dormammu, Nightmare and Baron Mordo, the one thing Doctor Strange didn't have a defense spell for was low sales cancellation. 

Then in 1971, Strange once again donned his magic cloak and the Eye of Agamotto to save the world as the Defenders in the pages of Marvel Feature #1-3. Soon, the Defenders got their own title and popularity in the team plus more relaxed rules about the supernatural in comics approved by the Comics Code Authority led Marvel to test out Doctor Strange as a solo character once again.

After a 2-issue run starring Adam Warlock, Doctor Strange took over as the feature character of the tryout series Marvel Premiere. Spanning issues #3-14, Doctor Strange took on the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme with the death of the Ancient One. He then battled a vampire-like serpent cult and took on an apprentice in the form of his lover, Clea. Apparently, the changes were good enough for the fans and the House of Ideas as Marvel issued a new Doctor Strange series with a cover release date of June 1974.

The first story in the second volume of Doctor Strange sees Clea improving in her magical prowess. To lighten Strange's pensive mood, Clea produces a bunny from a hat. This prompts Strange to declare it time for bed and has faithful manservant Wong assist him with preparing for sleep. 

As this happens, a sinister figure lurks outside and using magic, causes Clea's rabbit to become gigantic. In a panic, the rabbit escapes by crashing out of one of the windows in the Sanctum Sanctorum. Since these are non-defensive actions, the defrocked Catholic cardinal turned self-proclaimed God's personal weapon against evil, Silver Dagger is able to penetrate Strange's home. Silver Dagger mortally wounds Strange, steals the Eye of Agamotto and kidnaps Clea before magically disappearing. 

Near death, Stephen calls upon the Orb of Agamotto. But due to its necromantic powers, the Sorceror Supreme is thrust into a bizarre pocket universe that is governed by anything but the laws of reason! Oh, and there's a talking caterpillar a'la Alice in Wonderland too.

Compared to the stories in Marvel Premiere, this opening salvo into the second Doctor Strange series was top notch. The stories in Marvel Premiere felt a lot like a kid who gets new responsibilities for the very first time and goes nuts. With the rules lessened on elements of the supernatural in comics, those stories seemed ready to push the envelope into elements of evil not seen in sequential art since just before the Comics Scare of the 1950s. Now in Doctor Strange #1, it feels like the CCA saw what Marvel was trying to do and started to impose some new parameters.

With the new guidelines set, the quality of the work actually improves in my opinion. Steve Englehart (The Avengers) continuing from Marvel Premiere, had the head writing duties and he crafts a tale that is very Doctor Strange but also very Steve Englehart. There's a very tongue-in-cheek manner to this story, what with a former priest learning the dark arts to defeat agents of Satan and Clea's pulling the literal rabbit out of a hat trick at the story's beginning. 

Assisting with the story and on pencils was Frank Brunner. Already a master of horror comics from mags like Vampirella and Creepy, Brunner's style was Gothic meets animation; which is ironic as Brunner later went to work in Hollywood for companies like Disney and Hanna-Barbera. Brunner also has the distinction of being one of the few artists of my youth who used thin lines instead of thick in his artwork and that I liked!

I read Doctor Strange #1 as part of my continued reading through the Marvel Essential collections of Doctor Strange tales. So far, I am liking what I am reading and I look for the remaining 2 dozen or so issues remaining. If Englehart and Brunner continue on as they have in just the first issue, this Essentials volume is going to be explosive!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #26 (With A Magical Element) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.