This review contains spoilers for Doctor Strange #8!
Throughout the series, Clea Strange has been just as important as Stephen has been. Stephen Strange is often a practical, even cynical man, with immense compassion for others. But compassion and empathy are two different things. From the very first issue, it’s made clear that Clea would have an equally important role as Stephen; the two balance each other out and are one of the few examples of long-lasting love in comics. In this issue, Jed Mackay and Pasqual Ferry show how much Clea loves Stephen Strange, and how important she is to him as well. Doctor Strange #8 answers the questions everyone is dying to know: which Stephen Strange will Clea side with?
The issue opens up with a flashback that clearly lays the groundwork for the tone of the following issue. What will Stephen “grow”? Will it be destruction or peace? It seems to depend on who has the upper hand in the impending battle. While we ponder this question, we also get a better understanding of Clea Strange’s role in this. Clea seems to be the tether to the soul of Stephen Strange (our Stephen), so it’s certainly going to be important for the story to know which Stephen sides with. We’ve seen subtle notions of differences in identity between Clea and Stephen throughout the series. Where Stephen looks to avoid violence if possible, we see Clea’s willingness to accept the burden of violence to save another. Both are selfless to a fault; just in different directions. Clea’s agency and independence become clearer as the issue unfolds, showing us some insight into who she sides with and why she does. Moreover, Mackay writes a story about love and the limits it has with one of the oldest couples at Marvel.
Pasqual Ferry and Heather Moore do a spectacular job bringing this story to life. Ferry pours a lot of heart into this issue, making it come to life through the little details. Facial expressions seem to be the highlight of the issue. The issue feels like the reader (and the characters) are racing against a ticking clock, and a huge part of that is how emotive everyone is. Even a man with his head on fire. Additionally, Moore’s brilliant colors make this issue feel like a kaleidoscope. Overall, this is a beautiful issue from start to finish.
To cap it all off, the story ends with a drastic cliffhanger, one which will surely have massive repercussions in issues to come. This makes for a perfect issue that hits on all the right beats as the tension continues to bubble to the brim. This makes for a great story that readers will enjoy as there is a lot of payoff to everything thus far. Altogether, Doctor Strange #8 is another spectacular entry in a strong series.
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