There are runs in the world of comics that are fundamentals of the medium. Perhaps it was a defining arc for a character, or a moment where artistic styles made an critical pivot. But it is the historic, foundational takes on a character that continue to be some of the best material Marvel reprints via their Epic Collection line of trades.
Rather than sticking to a chronological republishing of any title or series, Marvel has jumped around a specific characters’ timeline to give readers a sense of what were the defining components of their ubiquitous periods. The newest Doctor Strange Epic Collection (sub-titled I, Dormammu) is the kind of collection that should sit on every comic fan’s shelf as a case study in excellence.
Assembled here are Strange Tales #147-168 and Doctor Strange #169-179 as well as a few random supplemental stories. As the title promises, most of these stories have to do with Strange’s nemesis Dormammu, the lord of the Dark Dimension and a fiend familiar to MCU fans as the central figure in the Doctor’s first solo film outing. The fact that said villain would be the first antagonist to the Doctor in the film series says a lot about the historic importance of this figure in the comic’s mythos.
Courtesy of Marvel Universe.
Yes, we get many incredible adventures related to Dormammu in this collection; new fans to the Marvel Universe will surely enjoy the background and conflicts established in these issues. But the real value in this trade is the groundbreaking design and layouts that countless iconic artists (namely Stan Lee, Bill Everett, Marie Severin, Dan Adkins, Gene Colan, Tom Palmer, and Roy Thomas_ created in these few short years. These are beautifully designed and narrated comics.
Every panel has a purpose, and while focused as they were in the mid-60s, the elegance of their sprawling cosmic statements are true achievements in the medium. Many of these issues look as good today as anything found on comic shelves. Perhaps enhanced by the brighter color printing applied to Epic collections, these pages are filled with psychedelic exuberance.
It can be easy to write off classic comics as silly, but these Doctor Strange sagas express how pushing the boundaries of the artform have made a positive impact on American narrative writing. I’ve been shy on mentioning the actual plot of these issues, as there is so much cosmic insanity that it’s hard to capture in a simple synopsis. Doctor Strange battles Kaluu, Umar, and the likes of the Living Tribunal, all while trying to save Clea and Victoria Bentley from the vile hands of Dormammu. One of my favorite villains, Nightmare, is even given great space to maneuver in issue #170.
Courtesy of Marvel Universe.
A basic description of each issue does these comics a disservice; they are meant to be absorbed as a proper visual experience. Even when jumping between the various artists, the artistic enthusiasm generated to animate the fantastical worlds that Lee and Thomas crafted is just utterly astonishing. It’s the 1960s is perfectly captured in every panel, in every celestial battle.
The trade includes some sketch pages from issues #171-172 as well as some inked covers. In addition, there’s material from Not Brand Echh #13 included, which is a comedic version of the character thrown in with DC staples Deadman and the Specter (or at least, no version of them). While not necessary reading, it’s a fine palate cleanser to a series of Doctor Strange comics that honestly needed no additions.
There are comics that establish the tone and purpose of a character, and there are others that look fantastic, providing pages of pinups and splash pages. The newest I, Dormammu collection does both, celebrating the incredible artistic talent that forged Doctor Strange comics in the 1960s as well as showcasing some of the most beautiful comic artwork from the era. This is a highly recommended collection.
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