Doctor Strange by Mark Waid, Vol. 1

Doctor Strange (2018) (Collected Editions) #1-2

by Mark Waid, Marvel Various (Illustrator)

Earth's Sorcerer Supreme goes intergalactic! When Stephen Strange loses his mastery of the mystic arts, Tony Stark offers a twenty-first-century Search for new magic in outer space! Bizarre new spells, allies and enemies await Strange beyond the stars as he uncovers corners and secrets of the Marvel Universe never before witnessed! But he's a little out of his element traveling the galaxy - and it shows! Before long, Strange finds himself powerless, friendless and the prisoner of a hostile civilization. Thankfully, a new companion can lend a hand when the Super-Skrull swings by, wielding the Time Stone! But what shocking surprise is waiting for Stephen back on Earth? It's time to gear up, get serious and build a new arsenal - because Doctor Strange has become his own worst enemy! Collecting DOCTOR STRANGE (2018) #1-11.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Superheroes, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics

264 pages, Paperback

Published December 19, 2023

About the author

Mark Waid (born March 21, 1962 in Hueytown, Alabama) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America.

Reviews

[Jonathan Ammon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite version of Strange and maybe my least favorite version of his costume, but these are entertaining tales that improve once Strange returns from space.

[Ross Cudmore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big Mark Waid fan but this didn't feel like his best work. I never really connected with his take on Strange or his new companion.

The initial premise felt lacklustre, "Doctor Strange losing his abilities" was better done by Jason Aaron in his run. And while I appreciate that taking Doctor Strange into space is a new premise, the story never really delivered anything interesting or noteworthy, the villians were all one-note and Strange regained access to magic quickly and without much struggle. The rest of the book just feels like Waid was rushing through the various ideas he had, without ever giving time for the events to settle or to feel substantial, it was just one thing after another without pause.

It seems to me that Waid struggled with writing a "magical character" and was ill-suited to write Strange.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another volume of Doctor Strange because Marvel wants us to use a map to figure things out. Pretty sure the last volume was Donny Cates. Some side characters are ignored for the first few issues and we have a plot that has been done a couple times before. Doctor Strange lost his magic and needs to find a new source. This time he travels through space.

Although this plot seems tired, (except for the space part) Waid manages to make it work by knowing how to write the character and create new, believable characters. And I’ll give away a spoiler, we do eventually get the other characters back.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected, self-contained with no big tie-ins to the events of the larger Marvel Universe, save a handful of connections to past Dr Strange tales. I look forward to the next volume!

[Alberto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toda la etapa Waid.

[Joshua]

Halloween… adjacent!

[Grace]

Volume 1- read in 2019, 4 stars

Currently reading: Volume 2

[Chris W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool concept. Fun,simple, no tie ins or convolution due to some event. I enjoyed this collection