Doctor Strange And The Sorcerers Supreme #1 Review

The magic of the Marvel Universe has been scattered, but that doesn’t mean Stephen Strange isn’t still in business as Sorcerer Supreme.  And he’s not the ONLY one…  Your Major Spoilers review of Doctor Strange And The Sorcerers Supreme #1 awaits!

DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE SORCERERS SUPREME #1
Writer: Robbie Thompson
Penciler: Javier Rodriguez
Inker: Alvaro Lopez
Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Nick Lowe
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously in Doctor Strange And The Sorcerers Supreme: After an accident and his own arrogance cost Stephen Strange his ability to practice medicine, he sought out the help of the legendary Ancient One, a magical being from the mountains of Tibet.  Rather than return to his life of money and derision, Doctor Strange learned the ways of magic, becoming the latest to hold the title of Sorcerer Supreme!

A GATHERING OF FORCES

This issue (as the title would imply) isn’t all about the Doc: We open with Merlin and King Arthur, clashing over the disposition of Merlin’s apprentice, Bohra.  Their misunderstanding is short-lived, as Merlin defies his King and locks Bohra away for eternity…

…or so they hoped.  Cut to the present day, where Doctor Strange is combatting an opportunistic monster who wants to conquer the universe, now that the magic has been broken/dispersed/whatever is actually is.  Strange’s axe is not quite enough to deal with the creature, but the arrival of present-day Merlin (whatever that means) turns the tide.  And the former Sorcerer Supreme hasn’t come to help, but to gather Stephen as reinforcements for his latest battle, dealing with the legacy of the sorcerer locked up those many centuries ago.

A TERRIBLE LOSS

I wasn’t sure, based on the solicits and cover art, where I was going to stand on this book, but I found myself completely engaged by it.  When Stephen and Merlin arrive, a group of other Sorcerers Supreme (including Sir Isaac Newton, a future version of Young Avenger Wiccan, a shaman named Kushala, a Mindless One known as “The Mindful One”, a 70s’s attired woman seemingly called Nina The Conjurer, as well as a very young version of Strange’s mentor, The Ancient One) is already in battle with the monster known as The Forgotten.  The dialogue throughout this meet-cute is pretty excellent, especially the brash young Ancient One, and all the characters have moments that make me want to see more of them.  Rodriguez and Lopez do a wonderful job with the art in this issue, whether a strange alien psychic landscape ala Ditko, a New York City street, or the strange plains of what is probably England, where the battle sequence takes place.

THE BOTTOM LINE: VERY PROMISING STUFF

I was pleasantly surprised by everything in this title, from the clear, exciting art to the concepts of the new characters, and this issue’s shocking loss actually affected me in ways that many comic book death scenes don’t.  In short, Doctor Strange And The Sorcerers Supreme #1 hits a lot of right notes, even for someone who hasn’t been reading Strange’s previous series, earning a very impressive 3.5 out of 5 stars overall.  I’m gonna be picking up the next issues of this series for sure…

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