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Doctor Strange Epic Collection #1
Doctor Strange Epic Collection, Vol. 1: Master of the Mystic Arts
Collects material from Strange Tales (1951) #110-111 and #114-146 and Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2.
A vain man driven by greed and hubris, Dr. Stephen Strange was a world-renowned surgeon until the night a car accident crippled his hands. Broken and destitute, he journeyed to Tibet to seek a cure from a legendary healer. There he found not a man of medicine, but the venerable Ancient One — and the path to the mystic arts! From Doctor Strange's eerie Greenwich Village home, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created new dimensions and otherworldly terrors unlike anything seen before. These classic first stories remain as influential today as they were to 1960s counterculture. In this premiere volume, experience the debut of iconic characters including Baron Mordo, Eternity, Dormammu and the Mindless Ones — as well as Strange's faithful servant Wong and the mystic mistress Clea!
A vain man driven by greed and hubris, Dr. Stephen Strange was a world-renowned surgeon until the night a car accident crippled his hands. Broken and destitute, he journeyed to Tibet to seek a cure from a legendary healer. There he found not a man of medicine, but the venerable Ancient One — and the path to the mystic arts! From Doctor Strange's eerie Greenwich Village home, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created new dimensions and otherworldly terrors unlike anything seen before. These classic first stories remain as influential today as they were to 1960s counterculture. In this premiere volume, experience the debut of iconic characters including Baron Mordo, Eternity, Dormammu and the Mindless Ones — as well as Strange's faithful servant Wong and the mystic mistress Clea!
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2018
47 people are currently reading
192 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,565 books2,335 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
January 5, 2019
These Doctor Strange tales start out much like many other silver age comics-a monster of the week plot where the bad guy would rather exposit endlessly than actually do anything. The first few issues are basically the Ancient One telling Strange: "Don't forget to use your all-powerful amulet!" and then Strange forgetting until right before he is defeated: "My amulet! I totally forgot about it until now!". The rest of the first half is Dr. Strange defeating his enemies by making an illusion of himself: "We thought we had the drop on him, but it's just an illusion!". It helps that these stories are shorter than the average comic since they originally shared space with other stories in the same book (The Human Torch and, later, Nick Fury in case you are interested).
The second half, however, is where it gets interesting. We get a long, continuous story that spans many issues (that would reflect how comics would all eventually be written) and the art gets absolutely trippy as Strange travels to other dimensions, meets Eternity, and battles various demons and other-worldly threats. It is odd, though, that Strange commands the mystic arts (the powers of black magic, as these early stories would tell you) and yet, more often than not, he has no problem just punching a chump. He even gets into an actual wrestling match with Dromammu. I'm glad that comics have (kind of) evolved from having every hero's power set consist mainly of punching someone in the jaw.
Finally, we get the story where Spider-Man and Strange meet and begin their long, strange (no pun intended) relationship.
Like most of these early silver age stories, if you aren't already into this era of comics, you will likely find these stories pretty terrible. On the other hand, if you are a fan of Doctor Strange, it is certainly worth checking out.
The second half, however, is where it gets interesting. We get a long, continuous story that spans many issues (that would reflect how comics would all eventually be written) and the art gets absolutely trippy as Strange travels to other dimensions, meets Eternity, and battles various demons and other-worldly threats. It is odd, though, that Strange commands the mystic arts (the powers of black magic, as these early stories would tell you) and yet, more often than not, he has no problem just punching a chump. He even gets into an actual wrestling match with Dromammu. I'm glad that comics have (kind of) evolved from having every hero's power set consist mainly of punching someone in the jaw.
Finally, we get the story where Spider-Man and Strange meet and begin their long, strange (no pun intended) relationship.
Like most of these early silver age stories, if you aren't already into this era of comics, you will likely find these stories pretty terrible. On the other hand, if you are a fan of Doctor Strange, it is certainly worth checking out.
December 28, 2019
Sometimes these Silver Age comics can be rough going if you attempt to read them the same way you read a modern comic. There’s tons of (to our modern ears) unnecessarily dialogue, captions that dont’ seem needed, etc. And the stories are often frustratingly simplistic. The first few stories in this volume are like that, as Steve Ditko and Stan Lee find their footing with the unusual character of Doctor Strange and his mystical world. I have to be honest, I slogged through the first half of this book. But when we finally come to the first “multi-part epic,” which pits Strange against both Mordo and the Dread Dormammu, things really picked up and I found myself swept up in Ditko’s increasingly interesting art, and the breakneck pace of the adventure. It was good stuff, and felt finally like the precursor to the Doctor Strange we know. That multi-part story elevated this book from 3 to 4 stars.
July 5, 2020
The "Dr. Strange" stories from Strange Tales are some of the greatest stories from the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. Steve Ditko puts on a grand display of his talents where, with the characters being stern and covered in shadow while the magic itself is bright and pulsing with life. Stephen Strange, once an arrogant doctor, suffers a humbling injury and devotes his life to magic. Under the tutelage of the Ancient One he makes his battle against the evil Baron Mordo, other-dimensional dark forces like the Dread Dormammu, and a host of fantastical beings.
The biggest surprise of this volume, when comparing it to modern interpretations of magic, is that Dr Strange isn't necessarily the strongest. His opponents are just as strong, if not stronger, than him, and require more than a simple spell to defeat. Instead Strange has to use his cunning and wits, tricking opponents to gain the upper-hand and waiting for them to make a mistake. Strange extols the virtues of patience, kindness, and intelligence. He has sworn to never take a life or harm others and must find new ways to take away his enemies' powers or otherwise render them harmless.
The best part of this collection is, of course, Steve Ditko's art. Ditko's art is psychedelic and constantly changing, sometimes looking like a horror comic and sometimes being a bright fantasy adventure. The various dimensions he creates feature walls made of crystal, floating planets bursting with fire, and twisting paths through the stars that look more like spider webs than roads. When Ditko gets a chance to draw big cosmic features, like Eternity, he fully embraces abstract art full of weird shapes and bright contrast that bring these larger-than-life creatures to the pages of the comic while still feeling expansive and bigger than anything else.
As far as I'm concerned this collection is a must-read. The short issues (since Dr. Strange only got a half dozen pages, at most a dozen pages, of each Strange Tales issues) means that every story is concentrated. Despite the rambling exposition and over-narration common to Silver Age comics, especially those coming out of Marvel, every issue manages to weave a momentum-forward saga that continues to amazing and quick in pace. One of the best that the Silver Age has to offer.
The biggest surprise of this volume, when comparing it to modern interpretations of magic, is that Dr Strange isn't necessarily the strongest. His opponents are just as strong, if not stronger, than him, and require more than a simple spell to defeat. Instead Strange has to use his cunning and wits, tricking opponents to gain the upper-hand and waiting for them to make a mistake. Strange extols the virtues of patience, kindness, and intelligence. He has sworn to never take a life or harm others and must find new ways to take away his enemies' powers or otherwise render them harmless.
The best part of this collection is, of course, Steve Ditko's art. Ditko's art is psychedelic and constantly changing, sometimes looking like a horror comic and sometimes being a bright fantasy adventure. The various dimensions he creates feature walls made of crystal, floating planets bursting with fire, and twisting paths through the stars that look more like spider webs than roads. When Ditko gets a chance to draw big cosmic features, like Eternity, he fully embraces abstract art full of weird shapes and bright contrast that bring these larger-than-life creatures to the pages of the comic while still feeling expansive and bigger than anything else.
As far as I'm concerned this collection is a must-read. The short issues (since Dr. Strange only got a half dozen pages, at most a dozen pages, of each Strange Tales issues) means that every story is concentrated. Despite the rambling exposition and over-narration common to Silver Age comics, especially those coming out of Marvel, every issue manages to weave a momentum-forward saga that continues to amazing and quick in pace. One of the best that the Silver Age has to offer.
February 27, 2019
Going back to the early days of Dr. Strange was a treat. There's an economy of story that's counterbalanced by the psychedelic-surreal artwork. I found it interesting that, for the most part, Dr. Strange was operating on his own, separate from the other heroes and villains of the era.
May 23, 2022
This first Doctor Strange Epic Collection collects the entirety of artist/creator Steve Ditko's run of stories, scripted mostly by Stan Lee.
With the release of the second Doctor Strange movie, I decided to revisit the original stories by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee that introduced the character. The early Strange tales are dark, moody stories, more similar to pre-Fantastic Four Atlas science fiction/monster stories than to the Marvel superhero fare. Being a co-feature in the Strange Tales title, the character's stories ranged from 5-10 page installments. These early stories establish most of the iconic elements of the character, as well as the magical imagery and visualizations of alternate dimensions.
For the most part, these are solid stories, though relatively simple in their depictions of good vs. evil, a hallmark of creator Steve Ditko and his outlook on life. The early stories are tight, done-in-one stories, while much of the rest comprises an extended epic battle between Doctor Strange and foes Dormammu and Baron Mordo. As the volume winds down, signs are apparent of the rift that had grown between Lee and Ditko, with Ditko's plots reverting to more simple battles between Strange and relatively minor mystical opponents, while Lee departs as scripter, with the last few installments handled by Roy Thomas and Denny O'Neil. Even the art in those last few stories seems somehow lesser in effort from the earlier ones.
Overall, this is an entertaining read, displaying the skills of its creative team in their prime, while also being somewhat of a snapshot of the complex relationship between Steve Ditko and Stan Lee.
With the release of the second Doctor Strange movie, I decided to revisit the original stories by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee that introduced the character. The early Strange tales are dark, moody stories, more similar to pre-Fantastic Four Atlas science fiction/monster stories than to the Marvel superhero fare. Being a co-feature in the Strange Tales title, the character's stories ranged from 5-10 page installments. These early stories establish most of the iconic elements of the character, as well as the magical imagery and visualizations of alternate dimensions.
For the most part, these are solid stories, though relatively simple in their depictions of good vs. evil, a hallmark of creator Steve Ditko and his outlook on life. The early stories are tight, done-in-one stories, while much of the rest comprises an extended epic battle between Doctor Strange and foes Dormammu and Baron Mordo. As the volume winds down, signs are apparent of the rift that had grown between Lee and Ditko, with Ditko's plots reverting to more simple battles between Strange and relatively minor mystical opponents, while Lee departs as scripter, with the last few installments handled by Roy Thomas and Denny O'Neil. Even the art in those last few stories seems somehow lesser in effort from the earlier ones.
Overall, this is an entertaining read, displaying the skills of its creative team in their prime, while also being somewhat of a snapshot of the complex relationship between Steve Ditko and Stan Lee.
July 26, 2023
I've never been a huge fan of Dr. Strange and this Omnibus doesn't help. To be fair 60s comics are generally not great and this one doesn't buck the trend. That being said as an origin of Strange and some iconic villains that will play a major role in the Marvel Universe this is awesome if only for the glimpses of what's to come.
2 stars for the actual stories but add another for the origins of iconic things yet to come.
2 stars for the actual stories but add another for the origins of iconic things yet to come.
January 15, 2022
It's been a long time since I Dr. S's origin stories. I really enjoyed this.
July 22, 2020
Not sure what I was expecting as I started to read the earlier editions of Doctor Strange and was pleasantly surprised by the restraint of the creative team, not wanting to give away any of the mystery that makes the man a master. Even as battles between Nightmare and Baron Mordo seemed to tread the same ground narratively, there was often a detail in the elaborate background or a magical bolt wrapping around one of the ectoplasmic combatants that gave the story a bit more gravity than the usual kerpow and blammo bubbles. It gets really good when the human world Strange has sworn to protect remains clueless as to how many threats from other dimensions have been thwarted by the mystical arts. Even the serial nature of the cosmic catastrophe that first has Mordo and Dormammu's team up and then Eternity's downfall, still found time to give more earthly villains the upper hand while the wandering Doctor returns from another dimension. I can just imagine the anticipation the initial audience experienced each month or so, waiting to see what happens next, and most likely not expecting any of what follows to appear in each panel, just like me when I began my epic encounter!
May 21, 2022
What a tremendously fun book. Definitely one of the best of the silver age Marvel books. The art from Steve Ditko is perfect In this book. The other dimensions and also the designs for the characters are some of the best comic book work I’ve ever seen. I also loved the series of issues that were just a continuous story that ended with another duel with Dormammu. I also loved the early stories in the book too because they have a horror comic feel that really stood out from other characters. This book really shows why Dr. Strange is such a fun character to write. A must-read for any Marvel fan.
April 9, 2021
I should mot ne forced to give a review after every book I complete.
After every book I read I cannot complete it intil I gov a review. Its like I don't have a choice in the matter, and that is annoyimg.
After every book I read I cannot complete it intil I gov a review. Its like I don't have a choice in the matter, and that is annoyimg.
December 22, 2019
First a bit about the format. These started out as 6-page short stories until popular demand called for an origin story, after which they continued as 8-10 pagers. Throughout this entire book, Dr. Strange came at the back of Human Torch and Nick Fury comics.
I really enjoyed these, and to be honest I kind it liked how short they were, making it easy to read one in the few minutes before leaving for work. I also appreciated the villains, especially when compared to the guys on the cover fighting the Human Torch. I mean, Paste Pot Pete? Really? That's a recurring villain? I'll take Nightmare and Baron Mordo any day.
Like with most of Marvel's work in the 60s you can see the lack of editing, which is maybe understandable if you consider the sheer amount and variety of content being pushed out by Stan every month. Still, you have to look the other way when he occasionally refers to Mormmamu instead of Dormmamu or when someone calls Strange Dr. Doom. How did nobody catch that one?
I think over all the comics aged pretty well too when compared to some others. Spider-man, for instance, was sometimes hard to understand due to the heavy use of slang, but Dr. Strange kept things formal and clear.
Throughout most of the book, especially the first half, Strange's Amulet is used as a deus ex machina in nearly every comic, which is sometimes a little annoying. But then about halfway through, starting with issue 130, a really long and interesting arc begins, and it continues pretty much for the whole rest of the book.
I really enjoyed this collection, and it lasted me for a really long time, so it ended up being money well spent.
I really enjoyed these, and to be honest I kind it liked how short they were, making it easy to read one in the few minutes before leaving for work. I also appreciated the villains, especially when compared to the guys on the cover fighting the Human Torch. I mean, Paste Pot Pete? Really? That's a recurring villain? I'll take Nightmare and Baron Mordo any day.
Like with most of Marvel's work in the 60s you can see the lack of editing, which is maybe understandable if you consider the sheer amount and variety of content being pushed out by Stan every month. Still, you have to look the other way when he occasionally refers to Mormmamu instead of Dormmamu or when someone calls Strange Dr. Doom. How did nobody catch that one?
I think over all the comics aged pretty well too when compared to some others. Spider-man, for instance, was sometimes hard to understand due to the heavy use of slang, but Dr. Strange kept things formal and clear.
Throughout most of the book, especially the first half, Strange's Amulet is used as a deus ex machina in nearly every comic, which is sometimes a little annoying. But then about halfway through, starting with issue 130, a really long and interesting arc begins, and it continues pretty much for the whole rest of the book.
I really enjoyed this collection, and it lasted me for a really long time, so it ended up being money well spent.
September 19, 2021
Ditko's mind-bendingly creative visuals on this title deserve all the praise they've ever received, and this book is worth picking up for that reason alone if you've any interest in them. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the stories. The first half-dozen or so issues are packed to the brim of magical exposition and hampered by the low page-counts that restrict Ditko to a boring 3X3 grid. Moreover, even for the era, the plots are mind-numbingly predictable, and it becomes a real slog to watch Strange use the Eye of Agamotto to defeat each random villain-of-the-week (usually Baron Mordo).
However, things pick up about halfway through in issue 130 when Lee/Ditko move away from a self-contained story each issue and move toward a serialized cliffhanger approach. This plus the introduction of Dormammu, Clea, and the Cloak of Levitation breathe some life into the series, but it's still rather predictable fare. In fairness, however, I think it's the "collected" nature of this volume that hurts the stories the most. I don't doubt for a moment that this is a book which would be best read in incremental monthly doses - something that, for better or for worse, is unlikely to ever be recreated in modern times.
Still, returning to my first point, this is by far THE best marvel book of the era in terms of aesthetics alone. How Ditko was able to come up with such off-the-wall, engaging, and continuously fresh depictions of alien dimensions and spiritual incantations back in the four-color/assembly-line method of production era is beyond me. Master of the Mystic Arts is certainly worth looking at if nothing else.
However, things pick up about halfway through in issue 130 when Lee/Ditko move away from a self-contained story each issue and move toward a serialized cliffhanger approach. This plus the introduction of Dormammu, Clea, and the Cloak of Levitation breathe some life into the series, but it's still rather predictable fare. In fairness, however, I think it's the "collected" nature of this volume that hurts the stories the most. I don't doubt for a moment that this is a book which would be best read in incremental monthly doses - something that, for better or for worse, is unlikely to ever be recreated in modern times.
Still, returning to my first point, this is by far THE best marvel book of the era in terms of aesthetics alone. How Ditko was able to come up with such off-the-wall, engaging, and continuously fresh depictions of alien dimensions and spiritual incantations back in the four-color/assembly-line method of production era is beyond me. Master of the Mystic Arts is certainly worth looking at if nothing else.
October 25, 2022
I've been reading this off and on over the last few months, usually in bed, because trying to read Stan Lee's writing honestly helped my brain want to go to sleep, which sounds harsh and isn't entirely meant to be. Yes, Lee's dialogue is extremely wacky and feels frivolous and dense. It's definitely a sign of the times these comics originally came out, so there's plenty of charm in viewing it as a look into the past. But it isn't easy to enjoy as a narrative experience. As much as I liked the overall scale of the conflict Lee gradually develops, it's a chore to get to the good stuff amidst the stream-of-consciousness dialogue and repetitive action scenes.
On a strictly visual level, this is a terrific book of artistic and comic history. I've always known how talented Steve Ditko is, but this is my first genuine foray into his work, and I was even more impressed than I expected. He takes those repetitive action scenes (i.e., Lee uses the same structure for every fight the title character is in) and turns them into dynamic, vibrant sequences where beams of color blast across panels. They're a treat to look at, even (especially?) while skimming the dialogue. Ditko's visual pacing is so strong that you could arguably read the comic without any dialogue and still get the gist of what's happening. And then there are his illustrations of multiversal realms and otherworldly dimensions, which all look like remixes of Kandinsky's paintings. These comics wouldn't have any staying power without Ditko, I don't think, and he deserves to be held in even higher regard than he already is.
On a strictly visual level, this is a terrific book of artistic and comic history. I've always known how talented Steve Ditko is, but this is my first genuine foray into his work, and I was even more impressed than I expected. He takes those repetitive action scenes (i.e., Lee uses the same structure for every fight the title character is in) and turns them into dynamic, vibrant sequences where beams of color blast across panels. They're a treat to look at, even (especially?) while skimming the dialogue. Ditko's visual pacing is so strong that you could arguably read the comic without any dialogue and still get the gist of what's happening. And then there are his illustrations of multiversal realms and otherworldly dimensions, which all look like remixes of Kandinsky's paintings. These comics wouldn't have any staying power without Ditko, I don't think, and he deserves to be held in even higher regard than he already is.
December 29, 2025
Początki Dr Strange'a. Rozkręca się dosyć powoli, ogólnie ma ten vibe wczesnego Marvela z niezyt skomplikowanymi historiami (pierwsza połowa lat 60.). Im dalej, tym lepiej. Trwająca kilkanaście zeszytów walka z Dormammu jest już świetna!
Zeszyty w antologii:
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #110
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #111
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #114
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #115
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #116
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #117
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #118
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #119
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #120
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #121
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #122
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #123
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #124
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #125
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #126
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #127
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #128
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #129
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #130
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #131
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #132
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #133
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #134
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #135
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #136
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #137
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #138
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #139
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #140
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #141
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #142
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #143
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #144
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #145
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #146
Zeszyty w antologii:
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #110
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #111
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #114
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #115
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #116
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #117
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #118
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #119
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #120
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #121
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #122
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #123
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #124
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #125
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #126
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #127
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #128
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #129
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #130
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #131
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #132
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #133
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #134
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #135
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #136
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #137
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #138
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #139
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #140
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #141
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #142
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #143
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #144
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #145
Doctor Strange - Strange Tales #146
August 20, 2021
The early issues are a bit average as Ditko and Lee are finding their feet. A lot of it is just Baron Mordo feeling aggrieved at Strange and the Ancient One and doing his best to torment both. They're pretty much one and done 8 page shorts. Things start to pick up when we're introduced to Dormammu - Ditko gets to go a bit nuts on the psychedlic art and we're also introduced to the Mindless Ones and Clea.
But things really pick up from Strange Tales #130, when the creators get the wonderful idea to team up Mordo with Dormammu and we get a multi issue epic that criss crosses dimensions as both chase Strange and don't let up. Ditko does amazing work, we get the as-mentioned psychedelia of a crazy dimension where the laws of physics don't exist set against windswept nights in Greenwich Village, where Strange lives. The ability of Ditko being so adept at both is mind-blowing. Not to mention his story-telling ability, no matter how weird it gets, as a reader it's never difficult to follow.
I definitely recommend everything from Strange Tales #130 to the end. Once both creators find their groove, we get an absolute classic.
But things really pick up from Strange Tales #130, when the creators get the wonderful idea to team up Mordo with Dormammu and we get a multi issue epic that criss crosses dimensions as both chase Strange and don't let up. Ditko does amazing work, we get the as-mentioned psychedelia of a crazy dimension where the laws of physics don't exist set against windswept nights in Greenwich Village, where Strange lives. The ability of Ditko being so adept at both is mind-blowing. Not to mention his story-telling ability, no matter how weird it gets, as a reader it's never difficult to follow.
I definitely recommend everything from Strange Tales #130 to the end. Once both creators find their groove, we get an absolute classic.
October 13, 2025
As with the first Fantastic Four epic collection, I thought this fine with some interesting stories and some not.
The start of the volume has standalone stories and there were some quite interesting and different tales. However, as with the Fantastic Four, there is repeated use of villains that is tiresome to read when collected; though completely understandable in the context of the throwaway nature of comics on newstands at the time.
It was interesting seeing Dormammu referenced in spells by Stephen early on; one wonders if there was always the intent to turn that into a character. The introduction of the character does lead to some engaging serial storytelling, though I did think it went on a bit too long.
Overall, I think it was worth reading for the artwork by Steve Ditko and the introduction of so many key characters.
On side note, it was funny seeing Stan Lee refer to Doctor Strange movie in 1984! I have seen clips of one on YouTube so I'm not very curious to see it given the hype up.
The start of the volume has standalone stories and there were some quite interesting and different tales. However, as with the Fantastic Four, there is repeated use of villains that is tiresome to read when collected; though completely understandable in the context of the throwaway nature of comics on newstands at the time.
It was interesting seeing Dormammu referenced in spells by Stephen early on; one wonders if there was always the intent to turn that into a character. The introduction of the character does lead to some engaging serial storytelling, though I did think it went on a bit too long.
Overall, I think it was worth reading for the artwork by Steve Ditko and the introduction of so many key characters.
On side note, it was funny seeing Stan Lee refer to Doctor Strange movie in 1984! I have seen clips of one on YouTube so I'm not very curious to see it given the hype up.
February 8, 2023
A classic run, and an essential starting point for anyone who wants to read Doctor Strange comics. Lee's scripts are hammed up for sure, with tons of silly incantations invoked by Strange such as "By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!" or "By the Ruby Rings of Raggadorr!" taking up a significant chunk of the dialogue. But the stories are inventive and interesting, and it does help that a lot of the early Strange Tales issues only dedicated 8-10 pages for the story (I really miss proper anthology style comics with compressed storylines).
Of course, the real draw to this collection is Ditko's artwork, which is at the top of his game. The panel compositions are impeccable, and the sheer creativity it took to bring concepts like Nightmare, Eternity, Dormammu, etc. to the page will never fail to blow my mind. This isn't just essential Doctor Strange read, it's essential comics reading in my opinion.
Of course, the real draw to this collection is Ditko's artwork, which is at the top of his game. The panel compositions are impeccable, and the sheer creativity it took to bring concepts like Nightmare, Eternity, Dormammu, etc. to the page will never fail to blow my mind. This isn't just essential Doctor Strange read, it's essential comics reading in my opinion.
August 11, 2021
Why is this a four and not a five star review? I loved this volume of Doctor Strange. It was awesome. I had never read these early Doctor Strange stories. They were great. My sole issue and I find this might be a complaint related to the time these books were done. I feel as though the efforts of Ditko vary from issue to issue. Sometimes his work is amazing others it is good and others it is down right pedestrian. Most of the stories are plotted very Stan Lee like and sometimes they are great and other times they are mediocre. I really enjoyed this and enjoyed the stories overall. I loved the introduction of all the characters besides Strange like the Ancient One, Mordu , Dormammu and Clea. I had never noticed the similarity of Ditko's art work and that of Jim Starlin's. This is a great read.
January 26, 2024
I tried to give this a fair shake but even toward the last 4th of the collection when there were multi-issue plots I just wasn't invested. I think there wasn't enough world building to turn on my imagination. The villains all seemed to exist because of the main character existing, in-story they would exist regardless but they are too-detached from reality as if trying really hard to make it plausible that Dr. Strange exists in the real world and why we don't know. It seems most of the antagonists are against him, not the world he is protecting, and any that recur have more to do with Dr. Strange allowing them to persist. There does seem to be a concerted effort to not have a constant increase of power, which is nice, but the struggles seem hollow and I don't think it is the short form and narration though that is plausible.
January 17, 2021
This collection is Steve Ditko's wonderful run on Doctor Strange. While Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Denny O'Neil are credited with some of the scripts for these issues, it is pretty plain that the entire plot of this first run of Doctor Strange was imagined inside the head of Ditko. It does seem perhaps though, that the character's creation was in part due to Ditko's desire to draw other dimensions, crazy spells, and base a lot of action/fight sequences in voided white space. If you ignore some of the dialogue written by the aforementioned "scripters" this comic appears and reads as though it could have been created in the last five years. It is that good. I daresay that some of todays writers and artists could stand to learn a thing or two about pacing and rhythm from these action packed 10 page stories.
January 8, 2023
First half of these was pretty dull, feeling like every story was the same with sometimes a different villain, but mostly just Mordo. However, once they started doing serialization of the stories, I had a hard time putting it down.
You can really see how much this is Ditko's story. While it is no Mr A in terms of absolute rhetoric, I is Strange's individual superiority that gives him the control over the mystic arts. You can tell it's not all in on Objectivism because Strange places strong emphasis on helping anyone who asks.
The art is incredible. Over these issues you see Ditko grow immensely as an artist. Doubly impressive given the speed at which these books were made and the number of books the artist was on.
You can really see how much this is Ditko's story. While it is no Mr A in terms of absolute rhetoric, I is Strange's individual superiority that gives him the control over the mystic arts. You can tell it's not all in on Objectivism because Strange places strong emphasis on helping anyone who asks.
The art is incredible. Over these issues you see Ditko grow immensely as an artist. Doubly impressive given the speed at which these books were made and the number of books the artist was on.
April 30, 2023
Gems include the debuts of Nightmare, Baron Mordo, Victoria Bentley, Vapors of Valtorr, Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, alien Possessors, Aggamon, House of Shadows, Mordo’s ectoplasmic allies & minions, Nightmare’s enemy Gulgol, Zota, Dread Dormammu, Mindless 1s, Demonicus, Tiboro Tyrant of the 6th Dimension, Kaecilius, Clea’s father Orini, Shazana, Sir Anthony Baskerville, Demon of the Mask, Eternity, Pincers of Power, Adira the Witch, All-Seeing Asti, Mr. Rasputin, & Xandu, Mordo bottles Strange, 1st Strange v. Loki, Mordo dragnets Hong Kong, Clea unleashes Mindless 1s, Strange mindmelds w/ Ancient 1, Dormammu loses patience w/ Mordo, Mordo’s terrible trio capture Strange, Strange stores his body in a water tower, & 1st Dormammu v. Eternity
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2022
While this provides the essential silver age origin for Dr Strange, a few of his prominent rogues gallery, and Clea, the pacing and repetitive nature of some of Stan’s scripts make this volume not the most enjoyable of the 60’s era. Having said that, by the end of the volume you can see Stan having more of an idea about what to do with Strange and Ditko’s art shows significant improvement over the early issues. This is a must-read for die-hard Strange fans or those curious about his comic book origin. Otherwise, just watch the first movie and skip to the volumes after this.
August 18, 2021
Incredible art, wacky stories, all-around excellent. The first half is a little weak, just because the character is so new and he gets so few pages. But by the time that Doctor Strange goes to the Dark Dimension to confront Dormammu, the ball really gets rolling, and from then on the hits don't stop.
May 10, 2022
Really fun, and gets better the more Ditko and Lee expand the lore and world of Dr. Strange. However, they get into a pretty predictable rut of issues. Everything becomes a variant of Strange overpowered,forced to think creatively, and ultimately winning through wits. Good stuff, but too much of the same brings it down a star.
November 18, 2021
Absolutely fantastic collection of the very first adventures of Doctor Strange. Steve Ditko's art is out of this world and Stan Lee's storytelling shines with creativeness. Here we have 2 legends at the top of their game. A must read for fans of Doctor Strange.
April 20, 2022
It is cool seeing how Dr. Strange met most of his iconic villains for the first time like Nightmare, Dormammu, and Baron Mordu. And most of the comics are kind of short and it was interesting seeing how he operated before he became a more connected part of the Marvel Universe.
August 24, 2023
The shorter, backup story format allows for more variety, while also not really doing *that* much different. The art is better than the rest of what was coming out around the same time, really trippy and psychedelic.
October 9, 2021
I enjoyed the stories in this collection as well as Steve Ditko’s amazing artwork.
April 24, 2022
Fun art but typical cheesy silver age storylines
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