Doctor Strange

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Origins of Marvel Comics

Posted by John Klein III on November 16, 2016
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Origins of Marvel Comics

Cover Dated July 2010

This comic is filled with one page origin stories, which were actually used in some trades in 2010.  The following characters get origins –

Captain America, Steve Rogers

Fantastic Four

Doctor Doom

Amazing Spider-Man

Green Goblin

Thor

Loki

Invincible Iron Man

Incredible Hulk

Avengers

Origins of Marvel Comics X-Men Kitty Pryde Leinil Francis Yu

X-Men
Writer Fred Van Lente
Art Leinil Francis Yu
Colors Dave McCaig
Letters VC’s Clayton Cowles

So great that Kitty makes it to the cast of characters.

Daredevil

Origins of Marvel Comics Doctor Strange Butch Guice

Doctor Strange
Writer Fred Van Lente
Artist Butch Guice
Color Artist Val Staples
Letterer Blambot’s Nate Piekos

Black Panther

Nick Fury

Wolverine

Hawkeye

Mockingbird, sometimes the two facing pages relate to each other and sometimes they do.

Black Widow

Punisher

Black Cat

Ms. Marvel, Carol

Hercules

Luke Cage

Immortal Iron Fist

Moon Knight

Ares

Spider-Woman, Jessica Drew

Ghost Rider

Skaar, Son of Hulk (whatever happened to this guy?)

Iron Man 2 is clearly coming out as there are ads for it and various merchandise.

Origins of Marvel Comics Pet Avengers Lockheed Ig Guara

Pet Avengers
Writer Chris Eliopoulos
Artist Ig Guara
Color Chris Sotomayor
Letter Blambot’s Nate Piekos

Lockheed!  I miss that purple dragon,, he needs to show up in a comic again!

Deadpool

Power Pack gets a very generous two pages

The Hood

Sentry

Captain America, Bucky Barnes – I like how they start and end with Captain America.  It at least gives a reason for not starting with the Fantastic Four – though Cap (both of them) predate the first family by twenty years.

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Strange Volume Two Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on November 6, 2016
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Strange V2 4

Writer Mark Waid

Artist Emma Rios

Color Artist Val Staples

Letterer Todd Klein

Cover Tomm Coker & Daniel Freedman

Cover Dated April 2010

Part Four of Four

Strange V2 4 Recap Page

This seems like a very brief recap page.  Doctor Strange apparently broke his hands, or something.  He took on a new student, Casey.  A wish-granting demon, Laroximous Boneflayer, has Casey’s soul.  Also, and this is key for this issue, magic is having a stroke.  Which seems like what is happening in the current comics, that the world is magic is breaking apart.  I suppose that it is an easy story to come back to.

Outside of Strange’s home, magic is flaring up everywhere.  Strange and Casey are safe, as long as they stay at home.  Outside – Brother Voodoo, Ghost Rider and Damian Hellstrom – are trying to fight back magical forces.  Strange realizes what magic needs is a surgeon.

Strange V2 4 Magik 1

Strange needs to stop the hemorrhaging, so he sends out a signal to his fellow heroic magic users.  One of those users, is Magik!  Which is pretty cool!  Strange wants everyone to stop using magic for an hour.  I’m just now noticing that Doctor Doom got the message as well, I’m sure he took the suggestion well.

While talking back, like a dman fool, Damian Hellstrom gets taken out by some tree limbs.

Strange explains to Casey that Eternity, who contains the entire universe, his magic gland is leaking.  While Strange is dealing with that, he gives Casey a gem so she can find Larry, so she can get her soul back.

Strange V2 4 Magik A

While Casey is looking for Larry, she sees Magik and Brother Voodoo.  Strange’s body is vulnerable during this operation.  Without her soul, Casey is internally aging.

Some old guy, who I’m pretty sure isn’t name checked in this issue, is approaching Strange’s home, he has a dagger so he’s up to no good.

Larry finally appears in the gem and tempts her to release him from his prison by offering to return her soul to her.  While she’s across the room, the old guy (who has an eye patch) steps closer to Strange’s limp body.

oh, he does name himself, as he mutters his name to Strange.  He’s Isaiah Curwin, The Silver Dagger.  Casey finally recognizes she’s not alone in the room and actually debates taking the few seconds to grab her soul sphere but in those seconds, Strange’s throat would be slashed.  She tackles Silver Dagger.

Strange V2 4 Magik 2

Silver Dagger flings Casey across the room.  Magik and Doom look like they are trying to be proactive, but without using her magic.

Silver Dagger is choking Casey but a giant pink foot squashes him.  Strange’s astral form returns to his body.  Silver Dagger is super dead, and Strange isn’t happy that Casey used magic in such a big way.  This was her final act though, as she fades away.  Once she is gone, Larry comes out of the portal.  Larry gives Strange’s Casey’s soul sphere and this encourages Strange that Casey is still out there as she can’t be dead when her soul is in a globe.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=37073

Apparently, she only appears next (and finally) in Girl Comics 2, which I own and will review, one of these days.

Which came out two months after this issue, so that’s not too bad.

There is a preview of X-Factor Forever’s first issue, at the back.

Doctor Strange Volume Three Issue 2

Posted by John Klein III on November 4, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Doctor Strange Volume Three Issue 2

Writer Peter B. Gillis

Penciler Rich Case

Inker Randy Emberlin

Letterer Janice Chiang

Colorist Bob Sharen

Cover Dated January 1989

Technically, this title is “Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme” so websites such as Marvel Database refers to it as such.  I find that a little silly, as it is clearly Doctor Stange’s third self-titled ongoing.  So that is why I call this Volume Three.

I like how this issue has several editorial footnotes, I miss those.  There are so many, that Carl Potts, the editor, comments that one of them is the last one, then another shows up!

Speaking of editors, Tom DeFalco is credited as, Editor Supreme.

This is due to the series, Strange Tales, ending and the two features both get their own bi-monthly series that spin out of it.  Doctor Strange and Cloak & Dagger, one rotating with the other.  Which is why Cloak and Dagger get the Marvel 25th Anniversary cover treatment in November of 1989.  If it was October or December, it would have been Doctor Strange getting that cover treatment.

Doctor Strange, a character I don’t have much experience with.  When Marvel Knights first launched, he was given a miniseries, that I really liked.  I also like that he is an original member of the Defenders.

I would not say I am a huge fan of Marvel, or any company’s, magical characters – besides Magik, of course.

I will always be confused by Marvel’s decision to not make a Doctor Strange film at the height of the Harry Potter craze.  That would have worked out nicely.  I would have always made a Spider-Man verses Morbius during the whole Twilight phenomenon.

Issue opens with who we believe to be Doctor Strange but quickly, we and Wong (and some gal named, Sara Wolfe) discover that Dormummu has taken control over Strange’s body!  They are powerless to do anything as now he has unlimited power.

Doctor Strange, unfortunately, had no body to go to while out enjoying his Astral Self (hence, how Dormummu was able to take over his body) and had to find a nearby rat to jump into.

Dormammu updates us on what has been happening to him since last we saw him in Doctor Strange 81.  Next, he was in Strange Tales, second series, issue 14.  He took over Strange’s body at the end of last issue.  Which I do own and will review it sometime.  Most likely if a Doctor Strange film is made, some day.

When Dormammu left the room, he threw several trinkets onto the ground.  Wong picks up the Wings of Needless Sorrow, last seen in Strange Tales 4.

Rat Strange wants to find Clea, his old girlfriend and Dormammu’s niece, as she helped stop him the last time Dormammu tried this plan.  It happened in Doctor Strange 73.

Doctor Strange Volume 3 Issue 2 Magik

Strange thinks about those who can help him, which he thinks of the novice Magik – which is insulting but he does place her in the same sphere as – Doctor Druid, Talisman, Thor, Hercules, Doctor Doom and Scarlet Witch.  Thor and Hercules are mostly for the brute strength to fight Dormammu and the others are those who can attack them magically.

None of these heroes can help Strange as he cast a forgeticus spell in Strange Tales 2, so they think him dead.

Dormammu locates the Four Freedoms Plaza and uses the portal to the Negative Zone to bring forth his fellow dark lords.

Rat Strange wants to summon Gaea, Mother Earth herself, plus mother of Thor, also the lady who kept giving the Planeteers things to do.  She helped Strange fight back Dormammu in Doctor Strange 8.

He doesn’t need actual magic to call her, he just needs some water and sticks.

Strange seesca pond in Central Park. Once he approaches it, this gang of frogs see him and attack!  During Inferno, rats were attacking everything.  Poor Rat Strange takes quite a beating, until he can croak a ribbit.

Rich Case reminds me of Ig Guara, the Pet Avengers artist, in that he puts a lot of personality into Rat Strange and the frogs.  The animals look like the actual animals, but very animated.  Just because he was drawing animals, he didn’t half arse it.

One of the green frogs is constantly talking about their ‘mysterious champion’ who we know to be Thor.  Though Thor isn’t named by the frogs.  I wonder if this frog is the human who was turned into a frog, next, found a shard of Thor’s hammer and then became Throg?  Also, if I added this to Throg’s list of appearances over at comicbookdb, if anyone would be disappointed that it is an unconfirmed appearance.  His coloring and obsession of Thor, makes me feel like he is that frog.

The frogs agree to help Strange, they move some sticks around.  Strange summons Gaea but all he senses is that she is weak.  The footnote states to see recent issues of the X-Men.  I wish they named the issue as well, as now that it is 25 years later, I am not sure which issue that is referencing.  This is also the footnote that this will be the last footnote.

Dormammu summons his fellow dark lords.  One of them is a Dire Wraith, who hates this planet.  The footnote states the reason why is chronicled in ROM and the X-Men.

The dark lords will follow Dormammu.  We are on page 14, and I start getting the impression that this is the beginning of a multi-part story.

The frogs say their farewell to Strange.  Which is, Cool Water and Shade to You.  I need to incorporate this into my goodbyes.

Rat Strange heads back to his sanctum.  Along the way, a woman wants her gentleman companion to kill the rat.  He asks her with all the crazy things that has been happening in the city, her concern is about a lone rat. She states she doesn’t care about any of the nonsense in the sky.

Rat Strange continues on his way.  He does wonder about how the citizens of New York City can cope with all of the dislocations that they have to deal with on a regular basis.  I too have wondered about the day to day living of New Yorkers.

Poor Strange gets hungry and has to eat garbage, as that is what his body is craving.

He is across the street from his home when he gets picked up by Topaz.  Before he recognizes her, he bites her hand.  She is not effected by the bite.  I do feel bad that Topaz got bit, she isn’t hurt by it but her hand is bleeding from the bite.  Which one would think it would be one or the other.  That it would hurt and bleed, or she would have just shaken it off and there be no blood.

The two of them come up with a plan.  Rat Strange is small enough to squeeze his way into his house. The roof was damaged back in Strange Tales 2.

Once there, the two old enemies duke it out.

Due to some trickery on Strange’s part, Dormammu’s magic only makes Strange stronger.  Clea shows up, and distracts so that Topaz can do her thing.

Since Dormammu is technically a virus in Strange’s body, Topaz can heal him away.

Strange is given back his body and even his eye has been healed.

Topaz will keep the female rat.  I wonder if we ever see her again.

I wouldn’t say that the story wrapped up quickly, everything is earned but the way it felt at the midway mark, I thought this was going to be the start of a new status quo.

Next issue, the New New Defenders show up!  Which I like Gillis’ idea here, start a new Doctor Strange ongoing, start it with a tie in to the big X-Event at the time, have the New Mutants show up for a bit, second issue, have Strange’s greatest enemy show up, and now, have his friends the New Defenders show up in the third issue.  That would make for a great and exciting way to launch the title.

I can’t even imagine current Marvel even trying a bi-monthly book but back in the late 80s, they didn’t have any qualms about doing so.

There is an house ad (actually several) celebrating some anniversary issues of some Avengers titles – Avengers 300 (which I own and will review as it also has a New Mutants cameo), Thor 400 and Captain America 350. Back cover has an ad for a Punisher graphic novel, Assassin’s Guild.  Alpha Flight, Wrath of the Dream Queen, is a four part story starting in issue 67.

The letters page has some good letters.  It is how I learn how Strange and Cloak & Dagger got their new ongoings.

Thanks to a letter written by The Unnamed Few, we get to see how Marvel officially pronounces certain characters and items in Doctor Strange’s world.  It ends with the letter responder, either Carl Potts or Assistant Editor Marc McLaurin, stating that the names are essentially pronounced how one would imagine.  But it is nice to have it be official.  Comics are interesting like that, it wasn’t until my time at Hastings when I had conversations with fellow comic book fans that I actually experience how other people pronounced certain words.  They just look like a grouping of letters that my mind associates with that one thing and I move on.  Sort of like people’s screen names on message boards, I don’t really think of how to pronounce their names, I recognize that is their screen name and continue on with my posting.

Stephen – yew-jeen

Dormammu – Dor-mali-moo

Agamotto – Aga-mot-to

Vishanti – Vih-shahn-tee

Watoomb – Wah-toomb

Faltine – rhymes with saltine

Clea – Klee-uh

Oshtur – Osh-tur

Dyzakk – Dye-zack

Balthaak – Ball-thahk

Hoggoth – Hah-gath

G’uranthic – Car-uhl Pahtz

Other letters are from Michael Hanley McNamara from Millerton, NY, Kevin Hall from Carson, VA, John Traver from Philadelphia, PA, Tina Reno from Anaheim, CA and A. Quigley of Palo Alto, CA.

. . .

Post 1,225!

Doctor Strange Volume Three Issue 1

Posted by John Klein III on November 1, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Doctor Strange V3 1

Writer Peter B. Gillis

Penciler Richard Case

Inker Randy Emberlin

Letterer Janice Chiang

Colorist Bob Sharen

Cover Dated November 1988

We kick off Doctor Strange Month!

Doctor Strange V3 1 Strange 1

I like Doctor Strange, but mostly as a concept, I haven’t read many of his adventures.  I own this issue and the second issue of this series (and you can expect that review in two days) so hopefully we get some answers that this issue raises.  Such as, why does he sporting a Nick Fury eye patch?

This issue opens with Doctor Strange casting what appears to be a big and ancient spell.

Doctor Strange V3 1 Shadowcat 1

Meanwhile, in New York City – we get to the pages of why I own this issue.

The Avengers, Fantastic Four and the X-Men have arrived for Doctor Strange’s funeral.  He’s about to get cremated.  The X-Men include Shadowcat, proving that this is a big moment.

Doctor Strange V3 1 Shadowcat 2

Apparently this is fallout from Secret Wars II 9, which I own and will review one of these days – but not this month.

Strange was believed to be dead, during his battle with the Beyonder.

Who is the lady standing behind Wolverine?  It is like early 80s Kitty behind him and late 80s (current) Shadowcat to his right.

Wong being sad makes the funeral seem legit to me.

On the very next page, Wong’s girlfriend – she’s nameless on this page – turns off the telecast.  Apparently it isn’t real, it is all part of a spell by Strange to cover his tracks.  He needs the world to believe him dead.  All due to events in Strange Tales V2 3.

Strange is still casting that spell, and he sinks an island.   A cruise ship gets caught up in the wave of the ocean but Strange corrects it.

Strange is doing all of this due to an alien wizard, Urthona – who stoled Strange’s home – the Sanctum Sanctorum.  HE took the fight to Urthona, destroyed all of his shit and after that, he had weakended the barriers that allowed older threats to start arriving.  In dealing with them, he lead the world to believe he was dead.  He had to team up with an old foe (and teacher, does he have other foes that don’t fall into that category?) Kaluu.

Strange thinks to his great love of his live, Clea.  I didn’t know she was the daughter of Umar, who is the sister to Dormammu – Strange’s greatest villain!  Clea, at this time, is the ruler of the Dark Dimension, which is typically under Dormammu’s rule.

Strange is back home, he is greeted by Wong’s lady friend – Sara.  Rarely done in a comic, Sara explains to Strange that the “Stephen Strange Memorial Metaphysical Institute” is being well established.  It is even being looked over by the tax-exempt authorization.  I wonder if this institute is still around today?  I imagine these businesses are not as hard to dissolve as they would be in our world.    Murdock and Walters have probably made these memorials super easy to be created and made it even easier for heroes to get all of their stuff back, once they have returned.

At meal time, new house guest – Imei – continues to recant how complicated Strange’s life has been up to this point.  When he leaves the table, the other three (Sarah and Wong are the other two) they comment on how Strange seems to be warmer these days.  Imei also feels a sadness from Strange.

At night, Strange is not being able to go to sleep.  He senses someone is hurting an innocent.  As his body is still too tired, he’ll investigate in his astral form.  So he’ll be completely useless in whatever he is about to discover.  While floating to the location, he thinks to himself how nice it is to have the Eye of Agamotto again.  I can’t imagine Strange not having the Eye of Agamotto, it is up there in like the five essentials of Doctor Strange.

1.  He was a doctor, not he is the Sorcerer Supreme.
2.  He has a buddy name Wong.
3.  He often fights Dormammu and Baron Mondo.
4.  He lives at the Sanctum Sortorum Sanctorum.
5.  He uses the Eye of Agamotto.

Maybe I just don’t know enough about Strange, he has a sweet red cape would be a sixth item.

Strange sees it is a demon and knows he has to go back to his body.  Which would have been the case anyways, so this whole thing seems silly.  Strange gets home but he sees his body has been taken by another.

But who stole Strange’s body?

Doctor Strange V3 1 Dormammu as Strange

Strange’s greatest enemy and his girlfriend’s uncle – The Dread Dormammu!!

I imagine Strange casts protective spells to prevent this type of thing from happening but Dormammu is so powerful, that wouldn’t have stopped him.  Why he hasn’t tried this before, is beyond me.

Being in Strange’s body gives Dormammu access to all of Strange’s powers.

In the classic Dr. Strange 52, Strange blew up Dormammu.  In the someday-to-be classic, Strange Tales 14, Strange’s body was shattered in a fight against Shuma-Gorath.  In his quest to regain his health, Dormammu sneaked behind Strange’s eye patch and has been waiting there ever since.

Dormammu sends the the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak (yep, that one) after Strange’s astral form.  Strange flees but once of them catches up to him.  In his desperate struggle to get free, his uses so much of his remaining power to escape that he’s the size of an ant.  Another band follows up on him and he jumps into a body of a rat and goes unnoticed.  Now he’s stuck in this rat body, as the issue ends.

To make this even better, all of this happens in the recently abandoned Morlock tunnels.

There are several house ads in the back, proving how great this era of Marvel truly was.

Punisher War Journal is a new series with writing & layouts by Carol Potts with finished art by Jim Lee, coming out every six weeks.
Wolverine’s original ongoing series begins by Chris Claremont and John Buscema, it is a monthly title.
Silver Surfer gets an original hardcover graphic novel by Stan Lee and John Buscema.

Bullpen Bulletins.  Pro File is of Gregory Wright.
Hype Box –
Punisher War Journal 1
Sub-Mariner Limited Series 1
Avengers Annual 17
Spectacular Spider-Man Annual 8
Wolverine 1 – Yes, its the series you’ve been demanding!  There’s blood searing and death in store when Wolverine leaps into savage solo action doing what he does best!  Will Southeast Asia ever be the same after Wolverine comes to won?  Written by Chris Claremont, penciled by John Buscema and inked by Al Williamson.  32 pages, Baxter page. $1.50.
Doctor Strange 1 – Fresih from hsi recent stint in STRANGE TALES, Doc returns to the pages of his very own series!  But there’s no time for celebration when Doc faces the return of his greatest foe – the Dread Dormammu!  And you won’t believe your eyes when you see how Dormammu returns!  Love is the Spell and the Spell is Death is written by Peter B. Gillis, penciled by Richard Case and inked by Randy Emberin.  Direct Sales only.  $1.25

Inside back cover ad is for The ‘Nam 24.  With the back cover ad being for Semper Fi’.

Doctor Strange Volume Four Issue 6

Posted by John Klein III on September 19, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Doctor Strange V4 6

Writer Jason Aaron

Pencils Chris Bachalo

Colors Chris Bachalo with Java Tartaglia

Inks Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Mark Irwin, John Livesay, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba and Jaime Mendoza

Letters VC’s Cory Petit

Last Days of Magic, Chapter One

Hastings finally got this issue as a back issue for me.  If I had known about Kris Anka’s Story Thus Far variant, I would have held out for that one.

Doctor Strange V4 6 Recap Page

We skipped issue five so this is what happened.  So this issue claims to be Chapter One but then what was the Last Days of Magic oneshot, a prologue?  Now that I typed that word, I’m pretty sure that is how it was billed.  The Empirikul has arrived in front of Doctor Strange, as they have killed several Sorcerer Surpremes on their way to him.  Killed several sorcerers and magic landmarks and items.

South of New Zealand, the island of Aringoo.  Doctor Strange gets his first real taste of the Empirkuls.  Doctor Strange is so in touch with magic that he feels the effects of magic dying, all around the world.

177A Bleecker Street.  Greenwich Village, New York.  The Sanctum Sanctorum of Doctor Strange.  I guess the fight from the beginning of the issue (the previous page) was actually in New York City, the whole time.  Strange is getting a beat down that he isn’t accustom to.

Strange talks a big game but he has already taken some serious blows.

Lord Imperator, who is ruled by science like how Strange is with magic – comes into the scene.  He’s the Big Bad of this arc.  I do like how Imperator talks as if he has already won this battle and is ready for the clean up to the rest of the war.  Like most alien invasions, he’ll soon learn that Earth doesn’t just buckle before a tyrant.

Doctor Strange V4 6 Magik 1

We catch up with several of the mystical heroes of the Marvel Universe.  Including Count Kaoz and Magik in Valley of the Kings.  Though in the Last Days of Magic oneshot, Kaoz was in Egypt but with Magik, they could have teleported to Japan.  Or rather, the one shot takes place after this one panel.  This issue sort of is the mirror to the one shot, instead of following all of these heroes, we follow Strange and get a sample of these other adventures.  I rechecked the one shot, Magik isn’t in any of the pages Kaoz is, except for that last one (her only).

In New York City.  We see Monako taking out one of the Empirikul and runs off to help Doctor Strange.  Good thing he does as without him, in issue seven, there wouldn’t be much hope for the rest of the arc.

Imperator starts a villain monologue while Strange tries to summon all of the magic of the world.  The monologue lasts three pages.  Doctor Strange’s “Abracadabra,you son of a bitch!” may be the quote of the year.

Doctor Strange V4 6 Magik 2

Strange punches and punches, in the end, the only result is that Strange didn’t just use all of the magic but he exhausted himself, as well.

Poor Magik is tied to a pyre!

Like on the last page of the one shot, Imperator rips Strange’s Cloak of Levitation.

Like the one shot, we are treated to eight bonus pages of seeing what the world is like now that there is no more magic in it.

Mistress Miraculous was an escape artist who used magic in her performances.  Unfortunately, and of course, she was in the middle of an act and dies mid-performance.

Mr. and Mrs. Feedle made three wishes and became the ruling royalty of the island their cruise took them to.  Now that genie is no longer both their slave and a concept, the villager end their time as vassals.

George, of a more mystical version of the Microverse, as it seemed.  With no more magic, he grows back to proper man size and is arrested for being crazy.

We get a page of four panels, each telling a tragic tale.  I wouldn’t feel safe on a flying carpet.

Issue ends with a little girl and her talking animal friends.  Now that there is no more magic, they are transformed back to their original plush forms.

 

Doctor Strange Volume Four Issue 7

Posted by John Klein III on September 5, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Doctor Strange V4 7

Writer Jason Aaron

Pencils & Colors Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Mark Irwin, John Livesay, Victor Olazaba & Jaime Mendoza

Letters Cory Petit

Last Days of Magic, Part Two

Years Ago.  And Very Far Away.  We are given the leader of the Empirikul’s origins.  His parents were scientists in a land of magic.  They put their son and the eyebots into a ship and sent him away – Superman style.  I do like how his parents’ home is all in white (and they wear white too) and then the mages start coming in and all of this red is in the scene.

They worship Shuma-Gorath, who I recognize as an established character – he has a giant eye.  He was the threat in Wolverine First Class 12.  Such a great comic, he has mostly dealt with Doctor Strange and the Fantastic Four.

http://comicbookdb.com/character_chron.php?ID=8665

I must have read him in Marvel Knights 4, Marvel’s hardest series to do a search for.

Now, New York City. The leader, does he get name checked, I don’t believe so.  The eyebots refer to him as, The Imperator, in the Last Days of Magic oneshot.  I’ll start calling him that then.

Imperator is haunting the tied up magicians.  Strange is familiar with Shuma-Gorath, he has fought it several times.  Imperator doesn’t care about Shuma-Gorath, he cares about the type of people who would worship that sort of thing.  Imperator reinforces how much he wants to rid the universe of magic.  Strange saves some brave words but Imperator is going to burn him last.

Doctor Strange V4 7 Magik 1

Who will Imperator burn first?  Magik!  Makes sense to start with the biggest threat.  Bachalo draws the heck out of Illyana.  Imperator finds her attractive but that doesn’t impress Magik much.

Before fire can be set to her boots, Monako arrives – who strikes me as the magic world’s Puck but with a top hat.  He wasn’t taken captive and Imperator underestimates him.  Strange wants him to run but Monako has a plan.  Monako reveals that magic isn’t dead, it is merely hiding.

Doctor Strange V4 7 Magik 2

Monako uses the last of his magic to teleport the captured heroes away.  Imperator, a word I just can’t keep in my head.  It usually means a great general or emperor – an empire’s commander.  Imperator is going to give Monako a world of hurt!

Doctor Strange V4 7 Magik 3

Strange is adamant about getting back to Monako, Magik seems to be in shock.

Imperator tells the eyebots to search the entire planet for the mages.  Smart to go to Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum.  Zelma hears the droids and goes into the cellar to hide.  Even though the door to the cellar is clearly marked “NEVER ENTER” she does it.  I imagine she didn’t read the door.

Doctor Strange V4 7 Magik 4

Damion Hellstrom wants to honor Monako’s memory by moving forward.  Magik wants to go back to save Monako.  Strange is all for going back, but no one hasn’t a teleportation spell they can cast.  Which is insane!  Magik’s teleporting has nothing to do with magic, that relates to her mutant powers – she has never had to say a mystic word to port around the place.  Why doesn’t she left her soulsword and teleport out of there?  Bachalo should have told Aaron that, or maybe an editor?  Maybe that’s why Illyana is never involved in these situations or crossover, she’s to powerful.  Everything turns to Strange for guidance.

Meanwhile, Monako is putting on a brave face to Imperator, who has tied Monako to one of those trees of his.

Doctor Strange V4 7 Magik 5

Strange jumps off a ledge and lands on a hidden platform, which confirms that magic is still around.  He wants everyone to split up and find as many mystical items as possible.

Magik, who can be a downer from time to time – she had a rough childhood, doesn’t believe they stand a chance.  Maybe she could call in the X-Men and the Guardians to save the day?  What are they doing where they can’t help out?

Issue ends with Monako burning on the stake.

Hopefully Magik keeps appearing in this storyline, as it is getting good.  I may have to read issue eight, even if she isn’t in it.

Doctor Strange : Last Days of Magic 1

Posted by John Klein III on September 4, 2016
Posted in: Review. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Doctor Strange Last Days of Magic 1

Zelma Stanton Framing Sequence

Writer Jason Aaron

Artist Leonardo Romero

Colors Jordie Bellaire

Letters Cory Petit

Spanish Translation by Veronica Worrells

This 45 page comic is broken down to two other parts.  I spent so much time reading this comic at Hastings.  Marvel Database said Magik was in it so I kept looking for her, I was looking for her soulsword and maybe her black glove holding it, I could not find her.  They should have called this comic, Last Page of Magik, then I would have been able to zero in on her.  Basically, I’m only attached to the framing sequence now.  Actually, from what I can tell, the above art team handled everything but the Doctor Voodoo pages and The Wu pages.

Doctor Voodoo

Writer Gerry Duggan

Artist Danilo Beyruth

Colors Dan Brown

The Wu

Writer James Robinson

Artist Mike Perkins

Colors Andy Troy

Jason Aaron has come a long way since his Wolverine and the X-Men days.

Doctor Strange Last Days of Magic 1 Recap Page

I own issue four and I’ve added issue six to my Wishlist, which works as a prologue to this storyline that kicks off with this issue.  So here is what happened since issue four, I believe.  We get only the one recap sentence.  The Empirikul are killing masters of magic and magical landmarks.

Eight Days Ago.  The Sanctum Sanctorum.  Doctor Strange’s librarian, Zelma Stanton, isn’t enjoying her task of organizing the library.  One of the books melts her gloves and another one gives her a rash.  She finds a book about Doctor Mystical, which transitions us to –

Now.  Deep in the Lacandon Jungle of Mexico.  We see an army of Empirikul, who look like short cute Stromtroopers, but with big round balls instead of proper helmets.  Their name is suppose to evoke “Empire Kill” right?  That’s what they do?  I’m sure that is on purpose.  Doctor Mystical causes a rain of sharks, which seems to kill some of the Empirikul.  I like how Doctor Mystical’s Spanish isn’t translated.

Then.  Zelma does the weakest transition I’ve ever seen with her just smelling gumbo and thinking of Doctor Voodoo.

Now.  Nice that Jericho didn’t have to give up his “Doctor” title when he was no longer the Sorcerer Supreme.  He lives New York to go protect his armory in New Orleans.  I guess his brother no longer haunts him as Mr. Marguandi does now.  Voodoo corrects the ghost that he isn’t Mister but Doctor now.  Voodoo narrates how Strange’s magic is otherworldly, so that’s why he isn’t as strong these days.  Voodoo’s magic comes from the Earth so he’s still in the fight.  Voodoo is restocking as someone taunts him outside.

The Empirikul have found Doctor Voodoo.  He actually does pretty well until his powers begin to fade.  The Empirikul has finally weaken the Earth based magic.  Voodoo is on his knees, read for death.  Before they can kill him, they optic magic blast Doctor Voodoo’s armory – which he was kneeling right next to.  Voodoo feels pretty badly that all of those items are gone.  They turn their attention to him and do the trick again.  They believe they kill him but he used Pym Particles and was out of sight.  This section ends with him not knowing how they are going to defeat the Empirikul.

Then.  Zelma sees tow books – Xu is burning and Doomveor is humming.

Now.  A secret monastery of mystic monks trained a young man in their arts and ways.  He would later return to murder them all.  All but one of them, Mahatma Doom – the nega-Doom.  Doctor Doom, naturally, was the one who killed all of the monks.  Professor Xu arrives to provide support against the invading Empirikul.

Then.  Zelma is becoming exhausted in her task.  Wong recognizes the book, the Medico Mistico.  This reminds him of an earlier adventure of Doctor Strange’s.

Past.  Strange is chasing any leads he can to find Dormammu.  Strange meets August Wu of the Coral Shore, Hong Kong’s magical guardian.  Strange seems taken with her.  She takes him to her home and introduces him to her husband (who is a police officer) and her daughter, Alice Gulliver.  Alice is full of attitude and teenage angst.  Strange later found Dormammu and found that fight.  Unfortunately Wu found the demon she was chasing and didn’t fare as well.  When she died, her daughter’s hair changed from brunette to pink.

Now.  Alice Gulliver is a police detective who uses magic to fuel her bullets.  Her captain is aware of her magic abilities, which is smart.  She’s chasing some non-Empirikul villains and takes them out pretty easily.  I imagine she’ll be pretty important later in this event.

Then.  Zelma finds a book that stinks of Vodka, with “Kaoz” on the cover.

Now.  Egypt.  The Empirikul have taken Kaoz captive.  I sort of like this guy.  When he was nine, he ate a bear.  Turns out, it was a magic bear.  Oh, he’s a brand new character, appearing in issues 4, 6 and 7 of Doctor Strange’s current series.  So I own all but the sixth issue, I’ve requested Hastings to find me a copy of it but it isn’t working out.

Once, Kaoz killed 20 Croatian Devil boards with only his spit.  He has a magic plate in his head.  His section ends with him going face first into a crowd of the Empirikuls.

Then.  Zelma can’t believe there is this much magic in the world.

Now  Zelma feels magic being eliminated in the universe.

Doctor Strange Last Days of Magic 1 Last Page of Magik

Some guy, I imagine he leads the Empirikuls, is ripping Doctor Strange’s red cloak, the Cloak of Levitation.

Zelma believes that magic just died, with that act.

We see that the Empirikuls have the following mages tied to stakes – Mahatma Doom, Kaoz, Professor Xu and El Medico Mistico.  Somehow, between Kaoz and Xu is Magik!  How did she get taken!?!  They went to Limbo and got her, I imagine?

Pretty good issue and the stakes are at an all time high!  I’m sure issue seven explains how Magik was take.

Doctor Strange Volume Four Issue 4

Posted by John Klein III on July 12, 2016
Posted in: Review, Websites. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Doctor Strange V4 4

Writer Jason Aaron

Pencils & Colors Chris Bachalo

Inks Tim Townsend, Al Vey, Mark Irwin, John Livesay, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba & Jaime Mendoza

Letters VC’s Cory Petit

My first comic of 2016!

John Livesay and Wayne Faucher are new inkers to Team Bachalo.  I wonder how that studio actually works.

I’ve been, unofficially, following this series – as I do enjoy the creative team.  Glad to finally have a reason to buy this title.  I figured I would, eventually, as Doctor Strange has been keeping a posse of magicians with him.  That isn’t all he’s been doing for three issues.

Doctor Strange V4 4 Recap

More and more, each day, supernatural forces are coming to New York City.  Magic beings are running from their original locations to our world.  Someone is killing Sorcerer Supremes.  I didn’t even know there were other Sorcerer Supremes.  I suppose, Brother Voodoo would still be considered a Sorcerer Supreme – even if he isn’t the current fellow.

Years Ago.  We’re getting a training session with Strange and the Ancient One.  We didn’t get scenes like that, in the early issues – so it is nice to see these scenes.  Strange doesn’t want to punch the Ancient One, for one – his hands are still crippled.  Plus, he’s trying to learn sorcery from him.

I do like how the flashbacks are in black and white – that’s a nice touch.

Strange throws the punch and hurts his hand.  The most important lesson of being a sorcerer is – the harder you punch, the more it hurts you.  Which sort of makes sense, that’s how head butting works.

I also like seeing a young Strange, not knowing the names of spells and not really taking it seriously.  Even though he is successfully levitating a yak, so he knows there is magic in the world – but he doesn’t quite have a handle on it.  Apparently, every spell comes at a price – sort of like on Once Upon A Time – all magic has a price.  Strange has been casting spells for a week, and now is throwing up.

Doctor Strange V4 4 Magik 1A Doctor Strange V4 4 Magik 1B

Now.  Strange is throwing up.  Which is embarrassing, as he is throwing a party.  Chondu, the other Wong, isn’t thrilled about the throwing up.  It took a lot of stronger magic, to clean up the mess.  So we’re to believe that Strange has been throwing up for fifty years?  That isn’t a great idea.  Throwing up is the worst.

The Bar With No Door.  So glad that Magik has made it to this series!  I knew she had to, as the solicts have stated that Strange was going to be keeping in touch with his magical friends.  Plus, Bachalo drawing Magik again, is always a good thing.  I would have liked, her in her current outfit but I understand Bachalo wanting to keep her in his own design outfit.

The magical inclined heroes are here to hear the bad news that they know Strange has.  I wish I recognized more of these characters.  Damian Hellstom, I know from Facebook : Avengers Alliance.  Alpha Flight’s Shaman has been in this series thus far – plus, as a X-Fan, I know who Alpha Flight is.  Looks like a guy with Cloak’s . . . cloak but with a messed up jaw, is in attendance.  Who is that next to Magik?  I imagine that is Wanda (who has also been in this series, thus far) is sitting next to Shaman.

Doctor Strange V4 4 Magik 2

Strange has buried seventeen Sorcerer Supremes.  They were the top sorcerer of their respected dimensions.  Each was killed, horribly – hours of torture that ended with being burned alive.  Not only are they dead, but their dimensions have been cut off.  Their bodies were hidden away so that someone like Strange, would have to look for them.  This threat is now coming to Earth.

Brother Voodoo asks how many Sorcerer Supremes are there.  Strange doesn’t know and the Ancient One never revealed it.  Strange sent out a call to the rest of them.  He stood around, for hours and no one answered the summons.

Doctor Strange V4 4 Magik 3

I like how Count Kaoz name checks himself.  Plus, he seems very interesting with that bear attack story.

Magik, being as great as she is, volunteers to invest in Limbo and see if anyone is taking credit for the murders.

Damian Hellstom is going to investigate Hell, which seems like a place to get some answers.

The Cloak cloak borrower is either Professor Xu or Mahatma Doom, suggests that they all mindlink so that they can be better informed.

El Merico Mistico, in Spanish, is willing to fight to the death.

Monako (none of these people are familiar to me) is under the impression that Strange brought this on himself (and them) for not being more active.  Which seems silly, to me.

Strange doesn’t believe any of his rogue gallery is responsible for this.

Wong calls the bar, there has been another murder.

Zelma Stanton, the character that brought this threat to Strange’s attention, is found the book that hit her.  When it hit her head, she had a little creature forming in her hair – it looks like Strange dealt with that.  Now she is hanging around.

marvel.wikia.com/wiki/Zelma_Stanton_(Earth-616)

 I looked it up and she is now Strange’s librarian.

Zelma is telling Strange that the book that hit her on the head – The Grimoire of Watoomb – is now blank.  She says the book died, which surprises Strange as well.  Which isn’t good, if Strange is in uncertain waters, don’t follow that guy, too closely.

Since the pages are empty, that must mean that something horrible has happened at the Temple of Watoomb.  Strange plans on investigating.  Before he can do that, he collapses.  Wong brings him to the table, so he can eat lunch.  Wong lets Zelma know, that after these years of being who he is, Strange has a very special diet.  Strange tells her not to watch him eat, once she does, she can never unsee it.  She describes the dish as, culinary afterbirth.  Which, really, is all I need to know.  Jason Aaron seems to be really getting into the day-to-day of what it is like to be Doctor Strange.  Hopefully Brother Voodoo was warn of all of this, when Strange was making him the next Sorcerer Supreme.  The food would kill a normal man and it should kill Strange, eventually.

Later, Zelma is worried about books being murdered, or if magic is being murdered.  Strange wouldn’t have thought it was possible to murder magic but someone is doing a fine job of doing just that.

Strange opens a portal, that appears to be to the ocean floor.  He instructs her to go home, as he enters the ocean.  The Temple of Watoomb is deep beneath the Indian Ocean.  Watoomb, seems like such a familiar word, I’m sure it is one of his go-to spells.  Strange is able to simply swim pass defenses, so clearly something is wrong.  A machine that disrupts sorcery stops him.  Apparently, that shouldn’t be a thing.

This reminds me of Waid / Wiering’s run on Fantastic Four.  When Reed had to fight Doctor Doom.  Reed doesn’t know magic so Strange gave him some simple spells, I believe that all Reed had to do, was repeat one phrase and had some simple spells at his disposal.  I wonder if he threw up after that?

Zelma calls Strange, via the spell he cast on her phone.  She tells him that all of the books are dying.  Her phone gets disconnected, I’m not sure how he was talking to her.  Maybe the call just appears near his head?

Issue ends with Strange, triumphant over the machine.  He makes a conference call to all mystical beings.  He was wrong, the enemy isn’t coming – they are already here! dun dun DUN!!!

Such a great issue!  I should be reading this series properly.

. . .

I’m writing this on January 9, 2016 – let’s see how long it is before it is published!

This is being published on July 12, 2016.  So seven months to see the first comic of 2016.

Like I do every year, I keep track of what the best comics were of 2016 – typically, it is always my first ten comics.

  1. Doctor Strange Volume Four Issue 4

One down, nine more to go!