Dr. Strange from the beginning (reviews by coke & comics)

[Chris N]

I have been attempting with this new year to return to comic reading and comic-posting about. I had been relatively absent from these forums for some time and let comic reading slip to the back of my attention. No more. I've been regularly keeping tabs of my reading with the Classic Comics Book club, and have started a project to read a randomly chosen comic every day and post about it in the Reading Random comics thread.

Now I want to jump on the bandwagon started (as far as I know) by shaxper, and review a series. I would actually like to try to do two different characters at once. I hope to start a second one (who will be a surprise) within a few days.

The goal is to read every comic book appearance of Dr. Strange (not counting cameos large crossover issues in which his role is minor). I've read many, but not all of these comics at one point or another, but only in sporadic order as I had bought them over the years. Ditko's run is the only thing I've sat down with to read in order before.

Please feel free to give me feedback or read along or post your own reviews.

[MRP]

Excellent idea for a thread. It's been a good few years since I read Doc straight through (from Strange Tales #110 until the end of the Sorcerer Supreme series) and I had been thinking about giving it a reread at some point, so maybe I will read along with you and comment on your comments

I no longer have the appearances outside the main titles, but I still have copies of ST, and Doc's other series in one form or another.

-M

[Chris N]

Strange Tales #110, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
"Dr. Strange, Master of Black Magic"
July, 1963

Grade: B+

Format: I have the hardcover Marvel Masterworks reprinting this issue, though I first read it in a small digest-sized paperback collecting the first few issues I got as a child.

Brief synopsis: A man plagued by nightmares seeks the help of the mysterious Dr. Strange. Dr. Strange agrees to help him by visiting him in his dreams. First, Dr. Strange seeks the guidance of his master, sending his astral form to far away Asia. That night, Dr. Strange enters the man's dreams and confronts the chained spectre which haunts them. There he learns his client's dark secret and encounters an old enemy: Nightmare.

Plot spoiler: The man is haunted by his crimes against other business men. He wakes, realizing Dr Strange has deduced this and decides to shoot Dr. Strange, helpless as his astral form is in the dream dimension. Dr. Strange's master helps, awakening Strange's amulet, stopping the criminal and providing Dr. Strange the distraction he needs for his astral form to escape Nightmare's realm.

Review: From the summary above, it's hard to believe this is only 5 pages. The story of Dr. Strange begins quietly, without the poor doctor even getting a mention on the cover. It is not even clear from the story if it was intended as an ongoing, as it blends in so well with the one-short fantasy stories Ditko and Lee had been doing in comics like Strange Tales before superheroes started creeping back in (the next issue blurb does tell us to expect to meet the Doctor again). That said, this issue is a tour deforce, introducing several concepts central to the Dr. Strange mythos, including Wong, his amulet, his master, and Nightmare. Ditko's flair for design is in fine form, crafting an iconic image of Dr. Strange from the first panel. Spotted orange gloves, an intriguing chest design, a large amulet, those cool white stripes in the hair... By the end of this dimension-spanning story, we get a simple morality tale, that a clear conscience is the best way to sleep at night.

Notes:

• First Dr. Strange, though we do not learn Dr. Strange's first name
• First Ancient One, though he is referred to only as "Master"
• We see Dr. Strange's servant only briefly, and in an undetailed drawing. He is not named, though he looks like Wong.
• First appearance of Nightmare.
• Dr. Strange travels in his astral form
• We learn the amulet contains a metal eye, which mortals should not behold. It has the power to shoot out a blinding hypnotic ray. Also, Dr. Strange's master tells him to depend on it. It is not named.

[Chris N]

...from Strange Tales #110 until the end of the Sorcerer Supreme series...

Gah. We will see if I make it that far. I think at some point in the '90s, I will encounter holes in my collection.

Company on a ride always welcome.

[MRP]

Ok, so for the first few Doc stories I will be reading them from the Marvel Milestone Edition-the color reprint in floppy format collecting the first 4 Doc stories.

One note to counter Chris-and not sure if this was in original or just in the reprint, but the opening caption mentions that this is "The First of a series based on a different kind of Super Hero--" so it seemed pretty obvious form that blurb that this was intended as an ongoing.

Using my grading system

Story 9/10
Art 10/10

overall impression 9/10.

My favorite panel of the story is on page 2 panel 6-Doc is telling the man he will enter his dreams-we see a close up of Doc just off center with a stylized mirror behind him and in the mirror can see the mans shocked reaction-just a great story telling tool and excellent composition of the panel.

Another notable introduction in this story is the glass window on Doc's front door in the signature curved design we see so often in the rose window of the Bleeker Street Mansion and it is established that Doc lives in Greenwich Village though Bleeker Street is not mentioned.

-M

[spoon_jenkins]

Sounds like fine. I've previously read the four Essential volumes. I might follow along and chime in at times if I can dig my Essentials up from wherever they're hiding.

[Brannon]

This is something I've been planning on doing for a long time since Dr. Strange has always been one of my favorites. I've read all of the Lee/Ditko stories, as well as the rest of the Strange Tales era after Ditko left, the Englehart/Brunner run and all of Roger Stern's run from the 80's, but not all of his various series.

[The Cheat]

Never been a huge Dr Strange fan, but recently bought the first Masterworks volume and couldn't put it down. I suspect it's more to do with the Lee/Ditko combo than the character, but I loved it all the same.

[shaxper]

You're a brave soul, Chris. This is an extremely up and down continuity to follow. The mega Dormamu/Morder saga is still one of my favorite runs in all of comicdom, but what comes before and after is pretty weak, the Thomas era was downright painful, and even the Englehart era loses steam pretty quickly, in my opinion.

There are certain characters in comicdom that just haven't been used well enough over the years. Silver Surfer, the Spectre, and Dr. Strange are probably my top 3 in this category.

[Polar Bear]

You're a brave soul, Chris. This is an extremely up and down continuity to follow. The mega Dormamu/Morder saga is still one of my favorite runs in all of comicdom, but what comes before and after is pretty weak, the Thomas era was downright painful, and even the Englehart era loses steam pretty quickly, in my opinion.

There are certain characters in comicdom that just haven't been used well enough over the years. Silver Surfer, the Spectre, and Dr. Strange are probably my top 3 in this category.

Agreed on the mega-Dormammu saga, but I'd respectfully disagree on how far it goes downhill. Thomas never had a good grasp of the character, but once Englehart comes on stage, it's fantastic stuff. And the art! In no particular order, Brunner, B-W Smith, P. Smith, Starlin, Rogers, Colan, Golden! I'll follow along.

[edhopper]

Fun thread, Dr. S has always been one of my favorites. I think it has been underestimated how important the first issues of his solo book were. The end of Strange Tales and into the renamed "Dr Strange", Gene Colan reinvented the comic book page. His panel layout, at times without panels, was ground breaking.

[spoon_jenkins]

Agreed on the mega-Dormammu saga, but I'd respectfully disagree on how far it goes downhill. Thomas never had a good grasp of the character, but once Englehart comes on stage, it's fantastic stuff.

I agree in both counts. The Dormammu saga in Strange Tales never seems to end, and yet it remains compelling throughout. It may actually be better than the string of to be continueds for the Hulk (Tales to Astonish) and Captain America (Tales of Suspense). And even though sometimes an Englehart run may sound like it'll be too pretentious, when I actually read his stuff, I almost always seem to like it. His Dr. Strange run is really good as I remember it.

[Chris N]

]
One note to counter Chris-and not sure if this was in original or just in the reprint, but the opening caption mentions that this is "The First of a series based on a different kind of Super Hero--" so it seemed pretty obvious form that blurb that this was intended as an ongoing.

So it does. My attention to detail is sometimes lacking. Hoping this thread will teach me some reading discipline.

Another notable introduction in this story is the glass window on Doc's front door in the signature curved design we see so often in the rose window of the Bleeker Street Mansion and it is established that Doc lives in Greenwich Village

Also good notes. Appreciate the supplement.

[Chris N]

Strange Tales #111, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
"Face-to-face with the magic of Baron Mordo"
August, 1963

Grade: B

Format:hardcover Marvel Masterworks

Brief synopsis: The Master's other former student, Baron Mordo, decides to kill him. Using his astral form, Mordo hypnotizes the Master's servant into poisoning his drink. When Dr. Strange loses contact, with the Master sends his astral form to investigate, there to do astral battle with Baron Mordo.

Plot spoiler: Dr. Strange uses the all-seeing eye of his amulet to restore the Master's health, then tricks Mordo's spirit to returning to his body, freeing the Master's servant of Mordo's spell, and making Mordo vulnerable to Strange's amulet.

Review: I consider Steve Ditko one of the greatest artists in comics, and his sense of design and wonder is beautifully on display here. Some of his early work has a stiffness to it, but it will soon evolve. Nonetheless, reading early Ditko feels like watching a genius learning the potential of the medium.

This story is again short, and again without much fanfare (no mention on the cover and the third story in the issue again), but a lot is accomplished in a short page count. Baron Mordo is well-established as a villain, and we begin to get a better sense of the mechanics of the astral form. The difference between the astral form and the body was a key plot point to the climax of both stories so far. In particular, both exploited the idea the the body was helpless while the spirit was away. Dr. Strange was nearly shot in the previous issue, and this issue Dr. Strange exploited Baron Mordo's fear of his helpless body to win the day.

There's probably even a theme I could draw from this, about the importance of taking care of both the body and the spirit. My high school's philosophy was to educate the whole person, "body, mind, and spirit."



Notes:

• Clearer view of distinctive window design. We also see the design on the Master's residence.
• Master's home established as in Tibet. Previously, we just knew it was "somewhere in Asia".
• "The Master" seems to be what he is called, as that is how Strange, Mordo, and the narrator all refer to him.
• The eye of the amulet is referred to as the all-seeing eye.

[Polar Bear]

Another note: Dr. Strange's first appearance calls him a "master of black magic," an appellation they quickly dropped--in fact, it may never have been repeated.