Doctor Strange is getting a new #1 this week, and it doesn’t feel like an arbitrary renumbering, either, due to Strange being the Sorcerer Supreme of Asgard. He’s got a new look and a new set of responsibilities, especially since he can’t get back to Earth anytime soon. Throw in Angela, an underutilized character since joining the Marvel Universe, and there’s a lot of potential for this far more fantasy than sci-fi restart.
Writer Derek Landy makes it fairly easy to pick up this issue and run with it, even if you didn’t read Doctor Strange of Asgard. The issue opens with Doctor Strange attempting to portal himself back to Midgard, aka Earth. Two crows look on, laughing at his folly, and are soon asking him to join Lady Sif. There, we learn that Strange is on a short leash and tasked with helping with an elven matter.
A couple of things pop off the page right off the bat, the first of which is the interesting dynamic between Angela and Doctor Strange. While Doctor Strange is empathetic, Angela is bored and uninterested. Where Angela is a strong and brutish fighter, Strange is more delicate with his spells and approach. The dynamic feels fresh from the very start.
Cool opening page!
Credit: Marvel
The fantasy-themed conflict also pops, which involves a pact made eons ago. Landy taps into the vast length of time the Marvel Universe has existed, setting up a main villain that’s plausible and not simply concocted for this adventure. Once the villain enters the tale, they feel incredibly dangerous and more than worthy of being a villain for Doctor Strange. Heck, they could probably take on the Avengers. The stakes and Doctor Strange’s new role feel well met by the task at hand.
Art by Ivan Fiorelli is good, with a slightly cartoony look that reminds me of Michael Avon Oeming’s work. You see it in the elf eyes, as well as Lady Sif’s. The opening full-page splash is gorgeous, with magical spells floating around Doctor Strange in a cool way, while the animated and talking crows add an ominous feel. Action is easy to follow with magic and close-quarter fighting stealing the show.
One downside of being a Sorcerer Supreme of Asgard is the politics, which can drag things along and feel a bit boring. Take, for instance, Doctor Strange managing two arguing factions. Precious time on the page is wasted as Strange tries to keep the peace. They are arguing about opening a coffin. It takes up five pages, and while those five pages also introduce one character’s vengeful heart for the dead, it feels overly long since it’s all nullified a page or two later.
Doctor Strange #1 kicks off a refreshingly fantasy-forward era for the Sorcerer Supreme, blending big cosmic stakes, sharp character chemistry, and a new setting that feels ripe with story potential. Despite a saggy mid-issue detour into Asgardian diplomacy, the debut is imaginative, accessible, and anchored by a compelling Strange/Angela pairing that promises exciting adventures ahead.
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