Doctor Strange

Doctor Strange #68, 1984 “Sword and Sorcery”

Posted on by billyd75

As the month draws closer to the end, so does my spotlight on Doctor Strange. One issue that I must talk about is this one, issue number sixty-eight. It features not only the Doc, but another one of my favorite characters, the Black Knight! Also, the lady named Victoria Bentley, and her relationship with both men. Dane Whitman (the current Black Knight and the one from this story), was just recently released from his curse that had entrapped him in stone, but he seems to now have some type of madness that is deadly for those around him! A duel between the Knight and the Sorcerer Supreme is upon us!

This story was during the fantastic run of Roger Stern. He also wrote the great story that featured the second war between Dr. Strange and Dracula! The artist, Paul Smith, had a brief run on the title, and did  a solid job as well. Having a great inker like Terry Austin didn’t hurt either though, and we know all about his exploits with people like John Byrne, for example. Written by Roger Stern, pencils (and cover) by Paul Smith, inks by Terry Austin, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Jim Novak, and edited by Carl Potts! Enjoy!

 

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Doctor Strange #53, 1982 “Land of the Pharaohs”

Posted on by billyd75

This issue holds a ton of sentimental value for me. It was the first Doctor Strange comic I bought back in the day, and it blew me away. I always thought the Fantastic Four was a good team, so when I saw them on the cover, that was enough to entice me into buying the issue. Marvel using guest appearances wasn’t new, but this story had a twist. The Doc traveled back in time to check something out, and wound up witnessing the FF battle the “Pharaoh from the Future,” Rama-Tut. Now today, we all know that Rama-Tut, Kang, and Immortus are all the same man, just at different points in his life. This character is one that I absolutely love, and for a myriad of reasons. First, he’s ruthless, and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Secondly, he’s taken Thor’s best shots, and still keeps coming back to get what he wants. And, well, you get the picture. I’m in love with rapacious conquerors!

The title had recently taken a turn with its creative direction, and who better than to usher in something new than Roger Stern (writer), Marshall Rogers (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Jim Novak (letters, and a hold-over from the last team), and Al Milgrom (editor)! This new group set out to do something totally different, and they sure made good on that! The first thing they did was to have Clea dump the Doc! Now, it’s time for you to enjoy some great work by the creators!

 

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Doctor Strange #42, 1980 “The Black Mirror!”

Posted on by billyd75

I think you’d be hard pressed to find a better cover/interior combination than this one. Gene Colan’s career had already seen some of the highest of the highs at this point, having already spanned over thirty years. Michael Golden was just getting started with his career, and he was a change of pace that the industry needed as far as I’m concerned. A great mix indeed, and when you get a strong story from another pro who was rather young in his comic book life, it cannot be denied that this was a good time for comics, and for the Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange! In this wild tale, Clea and Sara have switched bodies for the moment, and the Doc ends up almost getting beheaded!

A story this awesome could only be brought to you by Chris Claremont (writer), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Jim Novak (letters), Bob Sharen (colors), Michael Golden (cover) and Jo Duffy (editor)! Doctor Strange versus a cadre of sorcerers bent on his destruction, and a dragon that would make J.R.R. Tolkien jealous! All this and more wait inside the pages of this Bronze Age classic! Enjoy!

 

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Doctor Strange #38, 1979 “Eye of the Beholder!”

Posted on by billyd75

To close out the 1970’s, Chris Claremont had a short stint on this title, as it had become a bit of a merry-go-round of creative teams for the last couple of years. Claremont took his turn (as if he didn’t have enough on his plate with the then resurgent X-Men!), and didn’t disappoint. He brings a new character to the book, named Sara Wolfe. She’s an “old friend” of the Doc’s, and you can immediately see the “Betty and Veronica” approach taking a foot-hold on the book. Matched with the eerie artwork of Gene Colan, this book definitely reminds you of a horror story. Speaking of the story, Wong gets captured by an unknown foe, then the Doc must face Native American demons, for his eternal soul!

Written by “Superscribe” Chris Claremont, pencils by Gene “The Dean” Colan, inks by “Delightful” Dan Green, letters by “Terrific” Tom Orzechowski, colors by “Boisterous” Bob Sharen, and edited by “Joyful” Jo Duffy! Don’t forget the awesome cover by Bob Hall and Terry Austin! A great creative team for the greatest sorcerer in the universe! Enjoy!

 

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Doctor Strange #6, 1974 “Lift High The Veil of Fears!”

Posted on by billyd75

After just a few issues, the Englehart/Brunner team lost one of its members. The rigors of monthly comics just didn’t suit the style of Frank Brunner, so he stepped aside from that chore (still doing awesome covers like this one). It just so happened that someone else with incredible artistic talents was ready and willing to take up the job! Gene “The Dean” Colan returned to the character that he had worked on before back in the late Silver Age, along with Roy Thomas, Tom Palmer, and others. Colan has done a lot of magnificent work in his lifetime, but other than Tomb of Dracula, I think Dr. Strange was his best work. The character just seemed to fit his style perfectly, and Colan really added a more macabre feeling to the book.

In this issue, the Sorcerer Supreme and Clea are beset by the unyielding powers of Umar and of course, the Dread Dormammu! This fantastic issue was written by Steve Englehart, pencils by ‘Gentleman’ Gene Colan, inks by Mr. Klaus Janson, letters by Sir Tom Orzechowski, colors by the indomitable Petra Goldberg, and edited by ‘Lively’ Len Wein! Enjoy!

 

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Doctor Strange #41, 1980 “Maelstrom at the Center of Time”

Posted on by billyd75

I definitely wanted to sneak in some Doc Strange for Halloween, and what better way, than with a Man-Thing story! In this issue, we see the Doc in an adventure with not only Man-Thing, but also Jenifer Kale, Baron Mordo, a cult, and even Death itself! From cover to cover, you’ll get everything you’ve ever wanted – the Nexus of All Realities, magic, monsters, skeletons, you name it!

The story is brought to us by Chris Claremont, pencils by Gene ‘The Dean’ Colan, inks by Dan Green, letters by Diana Albers, colors by Ed Hannigan, and edited by Jo Duffy! You also get a spectacular cover by Bob Layton and Klaus Janson, as well! Definitely check out this issue, as it can found for a decent price in most back issue bins.

 

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Marvel’s Unsung Heroes! -Alan Kupperberg!

Posted on by billyd75

The name Alan Kupperberg wasn’t familiar to me until a while after I started reading comics. Maybe he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves because he didn’t have an extended run on any one title, or possibly because he was busy with other work (different divisions of Marvel and commercial work). Whatever the reason, if you take a look at his body of work, you can see the pencils of a true craftsman that is under-appreciated, to say the least.

His work on The Invaders, is especially nice, but I also own some of his work on Thor, and a couple other gems you’ll find interesting. The man wasn’t limited in his work either, doing some writing, inking, coloring, lettering, and everything else you can think of  in the industry. So, here’s to you, Alan Kupperberg, thanks for all of your contributions to the greatest form of entertainment on the planet!

 

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Doctor Strange (1974) -The Stern/Sutton Run!

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The 1974 volume of Dr. Strange is nothing short of fantastic. When you look at all the creative titans on that series (Steve Englehart, Frank Brunner, Marshall Rogers, Jim Starlin, Paul Smith, Sal Buscema, Gene Colan, etc.) it cannot be denied. There are three specific runs though that really highlighted what Doctor Strange is really all about. The magic, mayhem, his relationship with Clea, the insane and arcane forces that he must deal with that others  do not even know about or can’t even comprehend. The first one of them that I want to spotlight is the Roger Stern & Tom Sutton issues (#27- 30, 33-35)! These two gentlemen really show the qualities that a creative team must be able to relay to the readers. Sutton’s artwork is nothing short of unbelievable, and paired with Stern, the two really were a great follow-up to the previous direction. Kudos must also be given to Ernie Chan, for his great job inking as well! So, now, let’s get ready to check out some of the best stories that these two guys put forth! Enjoy!

 

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Doctor Strange #15, 1976. “Where There’s Smoke…”

Posted on by billyd75

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In honor of my son’s birthday, today brings a double-dose of comic book action! I let him pick out the book I’d post for today’s second installment, and he blind picked this gem! Written by Steve Englehart, Pencils by Gene “The Dean” Colan, inks & color by Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza, and edited by Marv Wolfman! This tale brings Clea back to her mentor and lover, a strange man at the door that attempts suicide, and the minions of Hades itself! Cover by Colan, Palmer, and Crespi! Enjoy!

Dr. Strange #183, 1969. “Beware The Undying Ones”

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On the very first page of this book, we get to see a quote from H.P. Lovecraft, and also, some spectacular work from Gene Colan there and throughout the entire book. Back in the late 1960’s, Colan and Thomas had something very special brewing together with this title, and that would lead to a regular series that lasted for over eighty issues, starring Dr. Strange! Check out this final issue of that amazing series (Thomas & Colan) from those two great creators! Cover by Gene Colan and Bill Everett! Enjoy!