Marvel Comics is releasing a standard size Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise this week, and it packs a punch. It may not be as large as the Treasury Edition, but it certainly fits on your shelf alongside other Marvel trades. It’s a story drawn and written by Tradd Moore, who is one of the most uniquely talented artists today. It’s also quite trippy, which suits the main character.
The story opens with Doctor Strange, who is practically liquid, curving as he meditates and attempts to figure out what is going on. Moore’s splashy style is highly condensed in this issue, which is different from some of his previous projects. The panel structure is as erratic as what we’re witnessing takes place, which helps create a sense of weirdness only a Doctor Strange book could pull off. I can’t say I know exactly what I’m looking at in every panel–be it an eye or some character with their arms up–but that’s the point. From the start, it’s unclear where Doctor Strange is or what is going on, but when he’s doing magic, we know it’s him, and we know we’re rooting for him.
The first issue is broken into three chapters, with the first having Doctor Strange face off against some tiger creature while also recounting Doctor Strange’s origin. The second chapter sets Doctor Strange on a quest to find something, and the third has him inside a maze-filled palace. I don’t yet know what exactly Doctor Strange is facing, but given the rich artistry of the environments and world around Doctor Strange, I’m not sure how much that matters. I’m also not sure if the confusion I feel around Doctor Strange’s motivations and goals is purposeful, either. Regardless of knowing or not knowing things, it’s without a doubt worth reading, and you’ll want more of what you get here by the end.
This book is one of the wildest visual comics you’ll read this year.
Credit: Marvel
By the end of the four-issue story arc, you’ll be met with thoughtful symbology and themes. The Christian symbology and thematic elements make the story infinitely readable. Pair that with the art that takes extra time to truly take in and this is a work of a mad genius. That’s a double-edged sword, however, because if you don’t have the patience to decipher this book, you might find it hard to understand and enjoy it truly.
Colors by Heather Moore are also fabulous, leaning into the colorful nature of Marvel’s storied history with the character. Paired with Tradd’s lines, you have a work of art, a panel, or a full-page composition. I’d argue this book deserved to be released in a larger format, as the standard comic book size doesn’t do this art justice. More than likely a Treasury Edition is on the way eventually, but you somehow feel shorted by the page size, given how epic and creative the art can be.
You need to read Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise with eyes wide open, willing to accept that what you get isn’t hand-feeding you answers or delivering a conventional story. This is an artistic masterpiece with a vision that’s hard to deny or put down. Could the story use more cohesion to make sense of it all? Probably, but then maybe your experience would be disrupted since this is more about the unknowable weirdness of Doctor Strange’s daily mission. Tradd Moore’s work here is brilliantly original and gloriously dreamlike. It’s a delight.
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