Pak Casts a Deadly Spell in "Doctor Strange: Season One"

[CBR News]

"Doctor Strange: Season One" by Greg Pak and Emma Rios offers a tale of magic and adventure exploring the future Sorcerer Supreme. CBR News spoke with Pak about the OGN.



Full article here.

[Legion_Quest]

Not sure I like him throwing in one of his new characters like that, but it might work well.

These season ones have been hit or miss, but I like the writer and the character here, and if it means more exposure for Strange, and the chance for him to get his Sorcerer Supreme title back by highlighting how he got it first time round, I'm all for it

[The_DFC]

I haven't been a huge fan of the Season One books so far, but Pak is pretty great a lot of the time, so I'm excited to see what he goes with this one.


@the_DFC
http://www.facebook.com/VariantEdition

[aNamored]

In spite my misgivings regarding Emma's art, I am looking forward to this.

And no kidding, I was just thinking "Hey, CBR's competitors have posted an interview with Mister Pak about this? Where is the CBR piece?"

I hope Greg gets a chance to do a Season Two with Strange's title of Sorcerer Supreme restored.

[SJNeal]

In spite my misgivings regarding Emma's art, I am looking forward to this.

Ditto.

Love Pak, love Strange... but I don't see this selling well enough to warrant a "Season Two" book. I'm sure this will be critically acclaimed, but when you put C-list characters and creators together (regardless of how awesome they both are) the $$$ just doesn't appear. And modern day Marvel isn't one for taking those kinds of risks...

[Joe Acro]

I'm curious about what time they'll put him in. Based on a few tidbits, he probably got his start somewhere in the 1950s (within he main continuity). I'll be interested to see if that carries over to Season One.

[CyberHubbs]

Ditto.

Love Pak, love Strange... but I don't see this selling well enough to warrant a "Season Two" book. I'm sure this will be critically acclaimed, but when you put C-list characters and creators together (regardless of how awesome they both are) the $$$ just doesn't appear. And modern day Marvel isn't one for taking those kinds of risks...

Wouldn't this book be considered the same kind of risk?

[Zagreus]

take my money marvel!

[Legion_Quest]

Ditto.

Love Pak, love Strange... but I don't see this selling well enough to warrant a "Season Two" book. I'm sure this will be critically acclaimed, but when you put C-list characters and creators together (regardless of how awesome they both are) the $$$ just doesn't appear. And modern day Marvel isn't one for taking those kinds of risks...

Thanks to his use in Bendis' Avengers, his appearance in the Facebook Avengers game and his own book in Defenders, I'd say that Strange is at least a B level character atm

[SanctumSanctorumComix]

Wouldn't this book be considered the same kind of risk?

Not since there's a big push for DOCTOR STRANGE as of late.
This is due to the fact that a feature film is assured (although WHEN is another matter).
But there's been a deliberate attempt to get DOC into the mainstream eye as of late. They're still in the beginning stages of this effort however, broadening his base appeal (ie: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, FACEBOOK Avengers Game, Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon episode [although, the less said about THAT the better], Avengers comics, etc).

I'm curious about what time they'll put him in. Based on a few tidbits, he probably got his start somewhere in the 1950s (within he main continuity). I'll be interested to see if that carries over to Season One.

According to marvel's official bio of Strange he was born in 1930, which would place this era in the 1950s.

For more on DOC's timeliness and history check out two posts I wrote on the subject:

"Dr. Strange is (NOT) a Contemporary Man"

and

"The Immortality of Doctor Strange"


My concerns in this is that Wong shouldn't even be born yet - nor Pak's character of Sofia di Cosimo. She should not be born yet either (or at least be a child) UNLESS she is also of a long-lived slowly-aging sort.
Strange does not age (after defeating Death) and did so only slowly before then (as shown by his multiple appearances in the pre-Fantastic-Four era ["Lost Generation" and others].

It COULD stand to reason that the very lamasery where the Ancient One dwelt could have had some de-aging effects (like in the story of "Lost Horizons", from which Doc's origin is partially based).
It could be that just by living there one might not age (Wong's father; Hamir the Hermit has been caregiver to the Ancient One for unknown years).
---

All that said, Emma Rios is not one of my favorite DOC artists (she is GOOD, but NOT for Strange).
Thus far this looks like sloppy, scratchy sketches and not finished art.
Pak has a good "trak" record, but sadly, while it seems he has a deep FONDNESS for Strange, his treatment of the Doctor has been abusive and misguided to say the least (Strange's hands get crushed while in Astral form- which makes no sense [World War Hulk], Doc is all but absent from "Chaos War", but when he DOES show up he's the helpless pawn of the ZOM energies again [Incredible Hulks]).
But it IS obvious that Pak has a true love of the character (as shown in the last few issues of his HULKS storyline)... I only hope that his understanding of the character is truly shown for this special project.

I WANT to love it!
I've pre-ordered my copy and await it eagerly!

------
"Tamam Shud!"
~P~

Sanctum Sanctorum Comix

BLOG
and
TWITTER

[Legion_Quest]

If this book, or at least the idea of this book is to bring things up to date, I could see a situation happening where by the whole 1930 thing is done away with and Dr Strange is simply given an origin that makes his age normal to now, similar to how Iron Man's war origin has changed war.

[chariset]

If this book, or at least the idea of this book is to bring things up to date, I could see a situation happening where by the whole 1930 thing is done away with and Dr Strange is simply given an origin that makes his age normal to now, similar to how Iron Man's war origin has changed war.

But it was never an aspect of Tony's story that he was immortal, or at least ageless. Strange is like Nick Fury -- he looks like he's in his forties but he's actually twice as old and has that many bitter years of experience. He's supposed to be a man displaced from time, though fortunately he won't outlive all his friends because they're caught in comicbook time.

Edit: But in my view, comic book fandom is all about picking your battles. If Pak's addition of Sofia di'Cosimo or an adult Wong messes with my mental timeline of the character, I'm willing to overlook that provided the elements of Strange's backstory which I take to be essential are still there. Strange has to be a jackass at this stage of his life. He has to be someone with the makings of a hero but still entirely unsympathetic -- someone who's got what was coming to him; someone you don't feel sorry for. And it looks like Pak has nailed that beautifully.

[aNamored]

Not since there's a big push for DOCTOR STRANGE as of late.
This is due to the fact that a feature film is assured (although WHEN is another matter).
But there's been a deliberate attempt to get DOC into the mainstream eye as of late. They're still in the beginning stages of this effort however, broadening his base appeal (ie: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, FACEBOOK Avengers Game, Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon episode [although, the less said about THAT the better], Avengers comics, etc).



According to marvel's official bio of Strange he was born in 1930, which would place this era in the 1950s.

For more on DOC's timeliness and history check out two posts I wrote on the subject:

"Dr. Strange is (NOT) a Contemporary Man"

and

"The Immortality of Doctor Strange"


My concerns in this is that Wong shouldn't even be born yet - nor Pak's character of Sofia di Cosimo. She should not be born yet either (or at least be a child) UNLESS she is also of a long-lived slowly-aging sort.
Strange does not age (after defeating Death) and did so only slowly before then (as shown by his multiple appearances in the pre-Fantastic-Four era ["Lost Generation" and others].

It COULD stand to reason that the very lamasery where the Ancient One dwelt could have had some de-aging effects (like in the story of "Lost Horizons", from which Doc's origin is partially based).
It could be that just by living there one might not age (Wong's father; Hamir the Hermit has been caregiver to the Ancient One for unknown years).
---

All that said, Emma Rios is not one of my favorite DOC artists (she is GOOD, but NOT for Strange).
Thus far this looks like sloppy, scratchy sketches and not finished art.
Pak has a good "trak" record, but sadly, while it seems he has a deep FONDNESS for Strange, his treatment of the Doctor has been abusive and misguided to say the least (Strange's hands get crushed while in Astral form- which makes no sense [World War Hulk], Doc is all but absent from "Chaos War", but when he DOES show up he's the helpless pawn of the ZOM energies again [Incredible Hulks]).
But it IS obvious that Pak has a true love of the character (as shown in the last few issues of his HULKS storyline)... I only hope that his understanding of the character is truly shown for this special project.

I WANT to love it!
I've pre-ordered my copy and await it eagerly!

------
"Tamam Shud!"
~P~

Sanctum Sanctorum Comix

BLOG
and
TWITTER

Nice to see you here Ptor - love your SSC blog. I haven't read Pak's takes on Doc so thanks for the recap. I like what little I've read of Greg's work and he seems like he has a good grasp of Strange's history. I will still think good thoughts for this Season One (although I wish the artist who did the F4 one, could have illustrated this.) What you've mentioned in your Six fingers posts concerning Marvel's problems with Strange and magic as a whole have been openly mentioned by Axel Alonso. So I wonder if Greg's Season One is the current editorials way of trying to get their toes back into the magic pool and allow Doc to be Doc again (eventually.)

May my avatar not hurt your eyes too much (despite my issues with the USM Doc, I do enjoy him.)

Looking forward to reading your review of Doctor Strange Season One.

[Omegastorm]

I am really excited about this.

o

[Legion_Quest]

But it was never an aspect of Tony's story that he was immortal, or at least ageless. Strange is like Nick Fury -- he looks like he's in his forties but he's actually twice as old and has that many bitter years of experience. He's supposed to be a man displaced from time, though fortunately he won't outlive all his friends because they're caught in comicbook time.

Edit: But in my view, comic book fandom is all about picking your battles. If Pak's addition of Sofia di'Cosimo or an adult Wong messes with my mental timeline of the character, I'm willing to overlook that provided the elements of Strange's backstory which I take to be essential are still there. Strange has to be a jackass at this stage of his life. He has to be someone with the makings of a hero but still entirely unsympathetic -- someone who's got what was coming to him; someone you don't feel sorry for. And it looks like Pak has nailed that beautifully.

Is that a part of Strange's story that is really known to the majority though? Not that making him older than everyone would really hurt anything, but I could see Marvel trying to update his origin time wise, so that he fits in with everyone else, rather than being obviously older than everyone, but just not showing it. Especially if the plan is to do some sort of movie with him.