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Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange #2
Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange, Vol. 2
Collects Strange Tales #142-168.
Don't miss Dr. Strange's climactic battle with the dread Dormammu and the cataclysmic intervention of Eternity; in his first-ever appearance the Living Tribunal lays his judgment upon the Earth, and if that's not enough reality-threatening thrills for you, we pit him head-to-head with Nebulous, Lord of the Planets Perilous. It's guaranteed to rattle your astral fillings! The origin of the Ancient One, the return of Baron Mordo, Strange's struggle against Kaluu while Clea's life hangs in the balance, and an otherworldly odyssey into deadly dimensions to save the lovely Victoria Bentley are the final incantations in this spell unlike any other ever uttered!
Don't miss Dr. Strange's climactic battle with the dread Dormammu and the cataclysmic intervention of Eternity; in his first-ever appearance the Living Tribunal lays his judgment upon the Earth, and if that's not enough reality-threatening thrills for you, we pit him head-to-head with Nebulous, Lord of the Planets Perilous. It's guaranteed to rattle your astral fillings! The origin of the Ancient One, the return of Baron Mordo, Strange's struggle against Kaluu while Clea's life hangs in the balance, and an otherworldly odyssey into deadly dimensions to save the lovely Victoria Bentley are the final incantations in this spell unlike any other ever uttered!
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 1968
About the author
Stan Lee
7,079 books2,222 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 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 1, 2021
By the mid-to-late 60s Doctor Strange was one of Marvel’s hippest characters, beloved (or so the story goes) of students and stoners across America. Unfortunately his actual comic had to deal with the departure of Steve Ditko, Strange’s creator and the man whose artistic visions of magical quests and mystic dimensions built the strip’s reputation and defined its style.
The start of this volume covers Ditko’s last few strips, giving an ending to his signature creations Dormammu and Eternity and signing off with a tour de force one shot (against “Tazzo”) in which he romps through his repertoire of visual tricks. And then he’s gone, leaving his successors visibly trying to work out what to do with a Ditko-less Doctor.
So the bulk of this book is often interesting but also rather directionless. Strange at this point is still getting 11-pagers in Strange Tales, and sometimes over half that length is taken up by recaps. The stories, when we do reach them, are absurdly repetitive: no sooner has the unspeakable Kaluu been loosed from his magical prison and dealt with than the even more unspeakable Zom gets free. No sooner has Doctor Strange risked his life rescuing a girl from the dimension of the tyrannous Umar than he’s risking his life rescuing a different girl from the dimension of the tyrannous Yandroth.
Attempts to do things differently don’t last. Denny O’Neil turns up with a subplot about Strange running out of money before Stan returns and nixes it in two panels. Indeed Stan is altogether too present in these stories, which give him plenty of opportunity for chauvinism - such as when the all powerful Umar is defeated essentially by having to see herself without her make-up on.
But on an issue by issue basis the strip rattles along nicely. Even more than usual with 60s Marvel there’s an entertaining mix of ideas that stuck around (Umar and the Living Tribunal) and stuff that absolutely didn’t (the completely ridiculous Zom and the strikingly designed Nebulos). It’s also fun watching different artists try and get a grip on Strange’s universe. Golden Age stalwart Bill Everett takes a Ditko-for-Squares approach (his magical beasts are adorable). Marie Severin calls back to EC-era fantastic horror. And Dan Adkins brings a sci fi illustrators widescreen sensibility to the wild dimensions Strange visits - though alas, for the crucial episode where our man fights a giant robot he’s replaced to comical effect.
Cardboard box robots aside something here was clearly working, as the collection ends with the announcement that Doctor Strange is getting his own mag. It’s an odd fate for a comic that’s so obviously casting around for a viable identity, but at least the journey is enjoyable.
The start of this volume covers Ditko’s last few strips, giving an ending to his signature creations Dormammu and Eternity and signing off with a tour de force one shot (against “Tazzo”) in which he romps through his repertoire of visual tricks. And then he’s gone, leaving his successors visibly trying to work out what to do with a Ditko-less Doctor.
So the bulk of this book is often interesting but also rather directionless. Strange at this point is still getting 11-pagers in Strange Tales, and sometimes over half that length is taken up by recaps. The stories, when we do reach them, are absurdly repetitive: no sooner has the unspeakable Kaluu been loosed from his magical prison and dealt with than the even more unspeakable Zom gets free. No sooner has Doctor Strange risked his life rescuing a girl from the dimension of the tyrannous Umar than he’s risking his life rescuing a different girl from the dimension of the tyrannous Yandroth.
Attempts to do things differently don’t last. Denny O’Neil turns up with a subplot about Strange running out of money before Stan returns and nixes it in two panels. Indeed Stan is altogether too present in these stories, which give him plenty of opportunity for chauvinism - such as when the all powerful Umar is defeated essentially by having to see herself without her make-up on.
But on an issue by issue basis the strip rattles along nicely. Even more than usual with 60s Marvel there’s an entertaining mix of ideas that stuck around (Umar and the Living Tribunal) and stuff that absolutely didn’t (the completely ridiculous Zom and the strikingly designed Nebulos). It’s also fun watching different artists try and get a grip on Strange’s universe. Golden Age stalwart Bill Everett takes a Ditko-for-Squares approach (his magical beasts are adorable). Marie Severin calls back to EC-era fantastic horror. And Dan Adkins brings a sci fi illustrators widescreen sensibility to the wild dimensions Strange visits - though alas, for the crucial episode where our man fights a giant robot he’s replaced to comical effect.
Cardboard box robots aside something here was clearly working, as the collection ends with the announcement that Doctor Strange is getting his own mag. It’s an odd fate for a comic that’s so obviously casting around for a viable identity, but at least the journey is enjoyable.
July 17, 2020
This second Marvel Masterwork is a strange (haha) collection of stories. It contains the tail-end of Steve Ditko's original run on the character, featuring some of the best stuff of his career, and then the rest of the Strange Tales runs with a variety of other creators. The writers change every few issues and, with each issue already being shorter features than other full-sized issues of solo series, the character is constantly in flux with some issues being incredible while others are a disappointment. It's probably easier to separate them by artist than it is to talk about the writers themselves.
Steve Ditko's Doctor Strange is incredible. His Strange is this psychedelic horror fantasy of one man using his magic and his wits to fight off a variety of evil beings. Throughout his run "Dr. Strange" fights rival sorcerers, alien invaders, other-dimensional slavers, demon lords, dream monsters, ancient horrors, and an embodiment of chaos in the form of the Dread Dormammu. He travels the world, different dimensions and universes, and comes face-to-face with none other than the physical embodiment of the multiverse itself. Despite his great power, Strange only manages to win and survive because of his quick-thinking and his bravery. Faced against beings even more powerful than he, the key to victory is often found in patiently waiting for the opponent to make a mistake and using their shortcomings against them. Dr. Strange is this figure often cloaked in shadow, a stern face and a furrowed brow, whereas the magic around him is full of simple and bright. There's this amazing sense of contrast where the magic Strange uses aren't exactly spells, they're manifestations of his willpower. Cutting loose from the world they are almost featureless and more vague expressions of pure idea. The environments of the other worlds are also strange and growing, with the roads pulsing with life and the walls being composed of tendrils and webs that spread without intended form. Ditko establishes Dr. Strange as the good man trying to stave off evil, always being under-powered and trying to keep his grip on his own soul (and commitment to good) while faced with unimaginable terrors.
The first follow-up to Ditko is done by Bill Everett. Everett was a Golden Age artist who worked on the original Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner, and he makes Strange Tales out to be more of a superhero comic than he ever was before. Theses issues are full of recaps, lengthy exposition, and some solid artwork that never really pushes any boundaries. There's not much that's really brought to the table here, almost like no one knew exactly what to do with Dr. Strange now that Ditko is gone. There's an attempt to give more characterization to Strange's supporting cast, especially his master the Ancient One, but all attempts to do so are noticeably dated and generic in ways that Dr. Strange never was before. This is very much a fantasy superhero story that tries to explore magic, but lacks any of the darker horror edge or experimental art that defined the character. Instead it's just a superhero story, not particularly bad but offering nothing new.
After Everett comes Marie Severin, one of the more underrated artists of Marvel's Silver Age. If Everett drew Strange Tales as a superhero comic, Severin drew it as a dark fantasy comic. Some of the creatures Dr. Strange faces, and the settings themselves, embrace the more supernatural aspects of the character in interesting ways. There's a darker aura to the magic itself, though her stories are often troubled with a dramatic change in Dr. Strange's character. Instead of the underdog and the intellectual, Strange becomes a confident braggart. His spells aren't manifestations of his will, they are sometimes giant lasers that blast the enemies away. Of course Ditko wasn't opposed to giant lasers, but these stories become more of an action series while Ditko's work itself could best be described as a thriller. This kind of makes sense as a post-Ditko Dr. Strange persona- having just stared down Eternity and great cosmic beings, having inherited powers from the Ancient One and become his own man, Dr. Strange now has more experience and is ready to tackle whatever challenges he may face. But this bold, almost cocky Dr. Strange is completely different from what has come before and the constant changing scripters make it difficult to nail down exactly what voice he has at any given moment. Some issues he's more cautious and thoughtful, other issues he's more brash and foolish, and though Severin may very well be the artist in this collection who best represents Ditko's style and how it can grow and expand the story itself is a mixed bag.
The final artist that rounds out this volume is Dan Adkins. Dan Adkins' tenure is probably the best growth of Dr. Strange post-Ditko, and after a dozen issues there's finally a consistent and well-rounded characterization. A bit more confident and self-sufficient than Ditko's tenure but not as foolish as he has been since. While Adkins doesn't have the same flair for displaying magic and power like Marie Severin, he excels at creating unique settings more than any other artist in this collection. His worlds aren't psychedelic like Ditko, adventurous like Everett, or Gothic like Severin, but they always have a grand sense of scale to them. The worlds are still weird and different, but instead of looking upon them with horror there's this sense of beauty to them. The story isn't an adventure, but you get to see these big beautiful plants and starlit skies that dwarf even the reader's perspective. The main antagonist for a portion of Adkins' run is a "Scientist Supreme" who wants to defeat Dr. Strange using physics and logic, and for however many fantasy and cosmic beings Dr. Strange has fought so far pitting him up against giant death robots with laser eyes is a fun change of pace. And I guess that's what this collection ultimately ends as- fun.
This volume isn't spectacular. It's got no consistent tone and reads as if the host of creators are all throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks. Sometimes Dr. Strange rhymes with his incantations, sometimes they're statements of fact. Sometimes it's about this magic superhero, sometimes it's about a tragic doctor. There are ancient horrors and abominations, and there are mad men with guns. There's giant laser beams, and there's subtle puzzle-solving. It doesn't quite figure out what it wants to be until the very end, and even then Doctor Strange soon relaunches into his own ongoing and there's no telling what direction that will take. But even when the story is middling, or even outright bad at times, it still features multiple talented artists pushing the character into interesting directions. It's not a book that I would consider a must-read (unless you're a big fan of Marvel's cosmic universe and want to get a glimpse at the first appearance of characters like the Living Tribunal) especially when you can check outDoctor Strange Epic Collection Vol. 1: Master of the Mystic ArtsDoctor Strange Epic Collection Vol. 1: Master of the Mystic Arts and get all of Ditko's run in one place instead of having the final issues tacked onto this collection. But it's enjoyable, and downright fantastic at times, and you can at the very least walk away from it seeing some absolutely fantastic Silver Age comics art.
Steve Ditko's Doctor Strange is incredible. His Strange is this psychedelic horror fantasy of one man using his magic and his wits to fight off a variety of evil beings. Throughout his run "Dr. Strange" fights rival sorcerers, alien invaders, other-dimensional slavers, demon lords, dream monsters, ancient horrors, and an embodiment of chaos in the form of the Dread Dormammu. He travels the world, different dimensions and universes, and comes face-to-face with none other than the physical embodiment of the multiverse itself. Despite his great power, Strange only manages to win and survive because of his quick-thinking and his bravery. Faced against beings even more powerful than he, the key to victory is often found in patiently waiting for the opponent to make a mistake and using their shortcomings against them. Dr. Strange is this figure often cloaked in shadow, a stern face and a furrowed brow, whereas the magic around him is full of simple and bright. There's this amazing sense of contrast where the magic Strange uses aren't exactly spells, they're manifestations of his willpower. Cutting loose from the world they are almost featureless and more vague expressions of pure idea. The environments of the other worlds are also strange and growing, with the roads pulsing with life and the walls being composed of tendrils and webs that spread without intended form. Ditko establishes Dr. Strange as the good man trying to stave off evil, always being under-powered and trying to keep his grip on his own soul (and commitment to good) while faced with unimaginable terrors.
The first follow-up to Ditko is done by Bill Everett. Everett was a Golden Age artist who worked on the original Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner, and he makes Strange Tales out to be more of a superhero comic than he ever was before. Theses issues are full of recaps, lengthy exposition, and some solid artwork that never really pushes any boundaries. There's not much that's really brought to the table here, almost like no one knew exactly what to do with Dr. Strange now that Ditko is gone. There's an attempt to give more characterization to Strange's supporting cast, especially his master the Ancient One, but all attempts to do so are noticeably dated and generic in ways that Dr. Strange never was before. This is very much a fantasy superhero story that tries to explore magic, but lacks any of the darker horror edge or experimental art that defined the character. Instead it's just a superhero story, not particularly bad but offering nothing new.
After Everett comes Marie Severin, one of the more underrated artists of Marvel's Silver Age. If Everett drew Strange Tales as a superhero comic, Severin drew it as a dark fantasy comic. Some of the creatures Dr. Strange faces, and the settings themselves, embrace the more supernatural aspects of the character in interesting ways. There's a darker aura to the magic itself, though her stories are often troubled with a dramatic change in Dr. Strange's character. Instead of the underdog and the intellectual, Strange becomes a confident braggart. His spells aren't manifestations of his will, they are sometimes giant lasers that blast the enemies away. Of course Ditko wasn't opposed to giant lasers, but these stories become more of an action series while Ditko's work itself could best be described as a thriller. This kind of makes sense as a post-Ditko Dr. Strange persona- having just stared down Eternity and great cosmic beings, having inherited powers from the Ancient One and become his own man, Dr. Strange now has more experience and is ready to tackle whatever challenges he may face. But this bold, almost cocky Dr. Strange is completely different from what has come before and the constant changing scripters make it difficult to nail down exactly what voice he has at any given moment. Some issues he's more cautious and thoughtful, other issues he's more brash and foolish, and though Severin may very well be the artist in this collection who best represents Ditko's style and how it can grow and expand the story itself is a mixed bag.
The final artist that rounds out this volume is Dan Adkins. Dan Adkins' tenure is probably the best growth of Dr. Strange post-Ditko, and after a dozen issues there's finally a consistent and well-rounded characterization. A bit more confident and self-sufficient than Ditko's tenure but not as foolish as he has been since. While Adkins doesn't have the same flair for displaying magic and power like Marie Severin, he excels at creating unique settings more than any other artist in this collection. His worlds aren't psychedelic like Ditko, adventurous like Everett, or Gothic like Severin, but they always have a grand sense of scale to them. The worlds are still weird and different, but instead of looking upon them with horror there's this sense of beauty to them. The story isn't an adventure, but you get to see these big beautiful plants and starlit skies that dwarf even the reader's perspective. The main antagonist for a portion of Adkins' run is a "Scientist Supreme" who wants to defeat Dr. Strange using physics and logic, and for however many fantasy and cosmic beings Dr. Strange has fought so far pitting him up against giant death robots with laser eyes is a fun change of pace. And I guess that's what this collection ultimately ends as- fun.
This volume isn't spectacular. It's got no consistent tone and reads as if the host of creators are all throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks. Sometimes Dr. Strange rhymes with his incantations, sometimes they're statements of fact. Sometimes it's about this magic superhero, sometimes it's about a tragic doctor. There are ancient horrors and abominations, and there are mad men with guns. There's giant laser beams, and there's subtle puzzle-solving. It doesn't quite figure out what it wants to be until the very end, and even then Doctor Strange soon relaunches into his own ongoing and there's no telling what direction that will take. But even when the story is middling, or even outright bad at times, it still features multiple talented artists pushing the character into interesting directions. It's not a book that I would consider a must-read (unless you're a big fan of Marvel's cosmic universe and want to get a glimpse at the first appearance of characters like the Living Tribunal) especially when you can check outDoctor Strange Epic Collection Vol. 1: Master of the Mystic ArtsDoctor Strange Epic Collection Vol. 1: Master of the Mystic Arts and get all of Ditko's run in one place instead of having the final issues tacked onto this collection. But it's enjoyable, and downright fantastic at times, and you can at the very least walk away from it seeing some absolutely fantastic Silver Age comics art.
December 20, 2021
Defnitely starting to gain steam, these issue really expand the mythos and give a much bigger scope to what Doctor could (and will become) in later issues and series.
November 18, 2017
Dr. Strange’s STRANGE TALES run encompasses two eras: The Ditko Era and the Post-Ditko Era. Unfortunately, these are not equal in length, and thus, Volume Two begins with the last five Ditko stories. That results in Volume One ending in a somewhat unsatisfactory matter and Volume Two feeling slightly disjointed. It would have been nicer to have a larger Volume One and a slightly smaller Volume Two, but then, I suppose that the pricing would be different for each volume, and perhaps that would have caused complaints.
At any rate, the end of Ditko’s run is here, and I must confess that his last few stories seem a little subpar compared to the brilliant work contained in Volume One. Ditko ends the epic began in the previous volume in a spectacular but still not completely satisfying fashion. The resolution works but could perhaps have used more build up.
Bill Everett succeeds Ditko on the art, and you can sense the series floundering a bit at first. There are long recaps to the Ditko issues, and Lee and Everett attempt to make Dr. Strange relatable by giving him money problems. The money problems are then quickly and unsatisfactorily resolved, perhaps indicating Lee’s realization that that particular plot thread wasn’t working. Everett also seemed – to me, at least - an odd choice to follow Ditko. Whereas Ditko’s work was psychedelic and trippy, Everett’s seems more cartoony, with wonky perspective and small heads sitting atop massive bodies. It’s possible that I’m revealing my own prejudice here, since I’ve admittedly never been a fan of Everett’s art. Still, the Everett run does begin the cliffhanger format that will define the rest of the STRANGE TALES stories and before Everett leaves, he and Lee introduce Umar, one of Dr. Strange’s more popular villains. Umar is the sister of Dormammu, and while you can see how Lee and Everett were mining from Ditko’s run, Umar is still distinguished from Dormammu both by being female and by being more cunning and less rage-filled than her brother. She soon proves more evil than Dormammu ever was, and truth be told, I think I kind of like her better.
Everett draws six issues, and is then replaced by Marie Severin. Severin provides a more gothic, eerie feel, and while it’s not what Ditko would have done, it still works nicely for Dr. Strange. The storyline also ramps up, as Dr. Strange continually trades one menace for another in rapid succession. While there’s a different feel from the Ditko era, the series is no less trippy, as we witness an interdimensional race, a hideous monster named Zom and a cosmic three-headed being known as the Living Tribunal (The latter two are particularly well-designed by Severin.).
Although I was sorry to see Severin go, Dan Adkins proves a worthy successor. In comparison to his predecessors, his art is more lush and illustrative. I found it reminiscent of illustrations on old science fiction paperback covers, and Adkins, in fact, gives us a number of star-filled universes, odd alien creatures and a scientist villain named Yandroth. It must be admitted that Yandroth is not one of Dr. Strange’s better villains, but Adkins and his collaborators continue to deliver the thrills, as our hero again goes from one magical cliffhanger to another. While I greatly enjoyed the stories and the continued suspense, I will also admit to feeling somewhat exhausted when I finally finished the book. That’s what happens when you binge read two years-worth of a cliffhanger serial, though, and I will say that it was a fun ride, nonetheless.
The first volume’s stories – all by the same artist – provided a certain stylistic consistency lacking in Volume Two. The various artists of Volume Two, however, offer a treat of another sort. The reader sees how different creative minds can differently interpret the magical realms of Dr. Strange, and it’s fun to compare and contrast the different results. The Ditko Era tends to receive more praise than the Post-Ditko Era, but the latter has its own pleasures, and ultimately, Volume Two proves worth the price of admission.
My grade: 9/10
_________________
At any rate, the end of Ditko’s run is here, and I must confess that his last few stories seem a little subpar compared to the brilliant work contained in Volume One. Ditko ends the epic began in the previous volume in a spectacular but still not completely satisfying fashion. The resolution works but could perhaps have used more build up.
Bill Everett succeeds Ditko on the art, and you can sense the series floundering a bit at first. There are long recaps to the Ditko issues, and Lee and Everett attempt to make Dr. Strange relatable by giving him money problems. The money problems are then quickly and unsatisfactorily resolved, perhaps indicating Lee’s realization that that particular plot thread wasn’t working. Everett also seemed – to me, at least - an odd choice to follow Ditko. Whereas Ditko’s work was psychedelic and trippy, Everett’s seems more cartoony, with wonky perspective and small heads sitting atop massive bodies. It’s possible that I’m revealing my own prejudice here, since I’ve admittedly never been a fan of Everett’s art. Still, the Everett run does begin the cliffhanger format that will define the rest of the STRANGE TALES stories and before Everett leaves, he and Lee introduce Umar, one of Dr. Strange’s more popular villains. Umar is the sister of Dormammu, and while you can see how Lee and Everett were mining from Ditko’s run, Umar is still distinguished from Dormammu both by being female and by being more cunning and less rage-filled than her brother. She soon proves more evil than Dormammu ever was, and truth be told, I think I kind of like her better.
Everett draws six issues, and is then replaced by Marie Severin. Severin provides a more gothic, eerie feel, and while it’s not what Ditko would have done, it still works nicely for Dr. Strange. The storyline also ramps up, as Dr. Strange continually trades one menace for another in rapid succession. While there’s a different feel from the Ditko era, the series is no less trippy, as we witness an interdimensional race, a hideous monster named Zom and a cosmic three-headed being known as the Living Tribunal (The latter two are particularly well-designed by Severin.).
Although I was sorry to see Severin go, Dan Adkins proves a worthy successor. In comparison to his predecessors, his art is more lush and illustrative. I found it reminiscent of illustrations on old science fiction paperback covers, and Adkins, in fact, gives us a number of star-filled universes, odd alien creatures and a scientist villain named Yandroth. It must be admitted that Yandroth is not one of Dr. Strange’s better villains, but Adkins and his collaborators continue to deliver the thrills, as our hero again goes from one magical cliffhanger to another. While I greatly enjoyed the stories and the continued suspense, I will also admit to feeling somewhat exhausted when I finally finished the book. That’s what happens when you binge read two years-worth of a cliffhanger serial, though, and I will say that it was a fun ride, nonetheless.
The first volume’s stories – all by the same artist – provided a certain stylistic consistency lacking in Volume Two. The various artists of Volume Two, however, offer a treat of another sort. The reader sees how different creative minds can differently interpret the magical realms of Dr. Strange, and it’s fun to compare and contrast the different results. The Ditko Era tends to receive more praise than the Post-Ditko Era, but the latter has its own pleasures, and ultimately, Volume Two proves worth the price of admission.
My grade: 9/10
_________________
November 3, 2016
I don't care what anyone else might say, you can really like this volume and not care at all about the story. Let's be honest, the stories at this time were predictable. The only thing I think they really got right was that they decided to keep up an ongoing narrative, instead of the single-issue vignettes that were featured through most of volume one. What you should appreciate is the psychedelic art and the pseudo-Eastern mythologies. That background art is amazing.
Not a bad artist in this volume, but I liked Bill Everett's clean line work and awkward poses. Marie Severin is amazing, as always, but the inking was a bit heavy-handed. Stan Lee hands over the writing a few issues in and, to my surprise, the dialogue really suffers. It was as if we went from a 60's adventure story to a 40's Flash Gordon serial. Doctor Strange's personality changes almost entirely. Looking forward to the 70's stuff after this.
Not a bad artist in this volume, but I liked Bill Everett's clean line work and awkward poses. Marie Severin is amazing, as always, but the inking was a bit heavy-handed. Stan Lee hands over the writing a few issues in and, to my surprise, the dialogue really suffers. It was as if we went from a 60's adventure story to a 40's Flash Gordon serial. Doctor Strange's personality changes almost entirely. Looking forward to the 70's stuff after this.
September 30, 2023
Steve Ditko's legendary run on this title draws to a close in grand fashion four issues into this book, with the Dread Dormammu fighting Eternity. One could end their marathon there (as the recent Doctor Strange Omnibus does), but then you'd be missing out on some real treats. This was my first time reading this material and, dare I say it, the series actually improves once Ditko leaves the fold. All of his original concepts and designs are expanded on.
Bill Everett takes over the art with #147, and this is among his finest work. Everett is a legend who created the Sub-Mariner back in the late 1930s but is largely a footnote to modern comic fans. Kaluu looks like something out his Sub-Mariner run, and the follow up villain, Dormammu's sister Umar, could have come out of his 1950s Atlas Heroes revival.
Marie Severin takes over the art chores with #153, and while she is legendary for being the colorist for EC Comics and that iconic Hulk Annual cover (you know the one...), her artwork leaves me cold. To defeat Umar, Doctor Strange must release Zom, a ridiculous looking, supposedly unstoppable demon whose Achilles heel is embarrassingly easy for Doctor Strange to find. The Living Tribunal arrives at the end of issue 157. Herb Trimpe's inking helps save Severin's artwork beginning with that same issue and running through 160.
158 is where things really get cooking. Roy Thomas has arrived with thesaurus in hand to turn comic books into purple prose Shakespeare. The psychedelic elements are continually ramped up from one issue to the next, and it's easy to see why all of the 'heads loved this series in the '60s. Thomas brings back Baron Mordo, but it's Jim Lawrence who puts a cork in this arc with a battle between The Living Tribunal and yet another cosmic entity, Nebulos.
Dan Adkins arrives with #163, and he has a real wide angle psychedelic lens. Adkins out Ditkos Ditko. +covers face to shield self from stream of rocks and tomatoes+ I love the battle with Yandroth, Scientist Supreme, who uses advanced technology to battle Doctor Strange. I really love his robot, Voltorr (renamed Voltorg one issue later for no reason), because robots rule. And science meets magic resulting in a battle with a robot rules even more.
Since Strange Tales was a split book featuring two headliners, this strip is limited to 10 pages per issue. The shortened page count keeps things moving briskly, albeit in the same dense, meaty fashion that you'd expect from a Silver Age comic book.
The entirety of this book has a sort of soap opera element with the Ancient One and Clea. Doctor Strange braves untold dangers across untold dimensions for this bird, and I hope that she's worth it. Doc's spent all 304 pages looking for her for crying out loud!
Marvel Masterworks are the Criterion Blu-Rays of collected editions, with top shelf restoration and a color palette faithful to the original comic books. Romanticists yearn for Ben Day dots and off register printing, but these were never artistic considerations, folks. They were charming byproducts of the limits of printing technology of the day. The original art (and by extension, film used on these books) didn't look like that. It's a real philosophical debate amongst collected edition sorts, and it's shaken out like this: If it's Marvel or DC you get full blown restoration. Expensive and time consuming but worth preserving history correctly. Dark Horse was in the game but has gotten out for the most part. Everyone else uses scans with varying degrees of tinkering. It all boils down to preference, and there are benefits and drawbacks to both presentations. Given the choice I'll stick with full blown restoration though.
Bill Everett takes over the art with #147, and this is among his finest work. Everett is a legend who created the Sub-Mariner back in the late 1930s but is largely a footnote to modern comic fans. Kaluu looks like something out his Sub-Mariner run, and the follow up villain, Dormammu's sister Umar, could have come out of his 1950s Atlas Heroes revival.
Marie Severin takes over the art chores with #153, and while she is legendary for being the colorist for EC Comics and that iconic Hulk Annual cover (you know the one...), her artwork leaves me cold. To defeat Umar, Doctor Strange must release Zom, a ridiculous looking, supposedly unstoppable demon whose Achilles heel is embarrassingly easy for Doctor Strange to find. The Living Tribunal arrives at the end of issue 157. Herb Trimpe's inking helps save Severin's artwork beginning with that same issue and running through 160.
158 is where things really get cooking. Roy Thomas has arrived with thesaurus in hand to turn comic books into purple prose Shakespeare. The psychedelic elements are continually ramped up from one issue to the next, and it's easy to see why all of the 'heads loved this series in the '60s. Thomas brings back Baron Mordo, but it's Jim Lawrence who puts a cork in this arc with a battle between The Living Tribunal and yet another cosmic entity, Nebulos.
Dan Adkins arrives with #163, and he has a real wide angle psychedelic lens. Adkins out Ditkos Ditko. +covers face to shield self from stream of rocks and tomatoes+ I love the battle with Yandroth, Scientist Supreme, who uses advanced technology to battle Doctor Strange. I really love his robot, Voltorr (renamed Voltorg one issue later for no reason), because robots rule. And science meets magic resulting in a battle with a robot rules even more.
Since Strange Tales was a split book featuring two headliners, this strip is limited to 10 pages per issue. The shortened page count keeps things moving briskly, albeit in the same dense, meaty fashion that you'd expect from a Silver Age comic book.
The entirety of this book has a sort of soap opera element with the Ancient One and Clea. Doctor Strange braves untold dangers across untold dimensions for this bird, and I hope that she's worth it. Doc's spent all 304 pages looking for her for crying out loud!
Marvel Masterworks are the Criterion Blu-Rays of collected editions, with top shelf restoration and a color palette faithful to the original comic books. Romanticists yearn for Ben Day dots and off register printing, but these were never artistic considerations, folks. They were charming byproducts of the limits of printing technology of the day. The original art (and by extension, film used on these books) didn't look like that. It's a real philosophical debate amongst collected edition sorts, and it's shaken out like this: If it's Marvel or DC you get full blown restoration. Expensive and time consuming but worth preserving history correctly. Dark Horse was in the game but has gotten out for the most part. Everyone else uses scans with varying degrees of tinkering. It all boils down to preference, and there are benefits and drawbacks to both presentations. Given the choice I'll stick with full blown restoration though.
May 13, 2017
Pick this up to finish Steve Ditko's amazing art run. Ditko's psychedelic art and rubbery anatomy fits perfectly well with the master of the mystic arts. Bill Everett follows with a very clean and bold art style which I enjoyed but didn't seem suited for Dr. Strange. Dan Adkins does a pretty good job and Marie Severin is an artist that I really never got into and here the art seemed messy. Amongst the three writers Stan Lee, Dennis O'Neil, and Roy Thomas it is Stan "The Man" Lee who held my interest with his well spun tales. Nuff Said.
November 28, 2019
The equal in story and art, (with a view exceptions), of the previous Doctor Strange Masterworks Volume 1. My only disappointment was that Steve Ditko ended his association with Doctor Strange in issue 146. Bill Everett and Mary Severin's art work was so so... that is, until the arrival of Dan Adkins in issue 161. Though his style is far different from Ditko, Adkins' art work left me wanting more and in my own opinion, he even managed to surpass Ditko! This volume has some of Marvels greatest villains and heroes in Eternity, Nebula and the Living Tribunal...
June 1, 2018
This is my umpteenth time reading through these tales of the Sorcerer Supreme. As have many, I continue to be enthralled and enchanted by the Lee/Ditko era. They both did some of their finest work with these stories. The quality by and large suffered for quite some time after Ditko left; as was to be expected. Alas, it took some time for others to come to grips with that which made the characters and their world 'tick'. By the end of this volume the path of stories was rising.
March 18, 2022
This volume includes the final few issues of co-creator Steve Ditko's work on "Doctor Strange" - as wild and wonderful as ever. After that, though, the series seemed to be attempting to find its direction, as it underwent many changes of writers and artists. It never really settled, so the storyline seems very fragmented. It's still enjoyable, but never quite comes together.
March 26, 2022
It's a window into another time reading this. Some highly questionable stereotypes and hyperbolic dialogue not to mention the whole faux spirituality abound in these trippy first few Doctor Strange stories. They are making the lore up as they go and, like Ditko's art, it keeps morphing. It was, however, a diverting read that laid the groundworks for the character I enjoy today.
January 28, 2018
Great artwork by Steve Ditko but the concept itself is absolute illogical garbage,unless you're a gamer.
February 26, 2018
Another Great One
If you liked the first one you will enjoy this one. Not much else to say, it's just as good as the first one.
If you liked the first one you will enjoy this one. Not much else to say, it's just as good as the first one.
May 13, 2023
Wish the women played a bigger role but the world and magic is entertaining
September 17, 2023
Strange Tales #142-168.
May 15, 2023
Seriously wish someone would go back and remove Stan Lee’s dialogue bubbles because they suck and cover up the amazing art.
July 11, 2017
Ditko's Last Dr. Strange
Ditko's last monthly issues of Strange Tales, a title shared with Nick Fury and SHIELD marks the end of an era. Ditko's unique and psychedelic art includes the beginning of Marvel's comic pantheon including Infinity and the Living Tribunal. Stan gave way to Roy Thomas and Denny O'Neil as scribes and Bill Evert and Marie Severin followed Ditko. Fun continued stories with a cliff hanger every chapter. Good fun and great enduring characters.
Ditko's last monthly issues of Strange Tales, a title shared with Nick Fury and SHIELD marks the end of an era. Ditko's unique and psychedelic art includes the beginning of Marvel's comic pantheon including Infinity and the Living Tribunal. Stan gave way to Roy Thomas and Denny O'Neil as scribes and Bill Evert and Marie Severin followed Ditko. Fun continued stories with a cliff hanger every chapter. Good fun and great enduring characters.
December 31, 2019
These arcs were actually really good. The introductions of Eternity and The Living Tribunal alone are super influential for the history of Marvel. Beyond that, the stories were compelling and you can really see a strong transition out of the Silver Age, especially in the frame layouts and the artwork. They really took it up a notch. All except for Jim Lawrence's two-issue run. That was downright terrible. It really hailed back to the pulp comics of the golden age which was a really awful segment out of this whole thing. Thankfully Denny O'Neil gave the Scientist Supreme arc a satisfying ending.
August 10, 2014
The art is gorgeous, especially once Dan Adkins joined the title, but overall, I was still really disappointed. Every chapter is the pages of man vs. man conflict with very little character development. Zom has a hideousness that makes him look like a Marc Silvestri creation. Yandroth, Scientist Supreme is a terrible villain. He's Silver Age Lex Luthor without the personality. Before I decided to get all these Marvel Masterworks books through interlibrary loan, I put only volume 3 (Roy Thomas/Gene Colan) of this on my wish list. On my current budget, I'd be disappointed if I shelled out for this. Stan was so much better on Spider-Man and Fantastic Four that it's not even funny. This is nothing on the level of The Books of Magic. I wouldn't expect it to be, but I wasn't expecting something so far below the standards set by Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Daredevil, and the Hulk at approximately the same time and with similar creators. The latter two I definitely expected to like less than Dr. Strange, since they were never favorite Marvel characters of mine.
March 19, 2014
Dr. Strange, the master of the mystic arts, lives in Greenwich Village NYC. Strange has a levitation cloak and a powerful amulet and can create an ectoplasmic self to travel outside his body. His apartment is called the Sanctum Santorum and he has a manservant called Wong.
Although he battles evil villains e.g. 'The Dread Dormammu', he still goes down his local pharmacy for aspirin and 24 hour cold capsules! And the building inspectors serve notice the Sanctum Santorum will be condemned unless he upgrades to new standards!
This collection contains stories from 1966 to 1968. This period is reflected in the bright almost psychedelic colourings.
Bonkers and I had a good chuckle reading it.
Although he battles evil villains e.g. 'The Dread Dormammu', he still goes down his local pharmacy for aspirin and 24 hour cold capsules! And the building inspectors serve notice the Sanctum Santorum will be condemned unless he upgrades to new standards!
This collection contains stories from 1966 to 1968. This period is reflected in the bright almost psychedelic colourings.
Bonkers and I had a good chuckle reading it.
October 6, 2013
This wraps up the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run on Dr. Strange's series. Unfortunately the series took a big drop in quality after that--nobody was really able to duplicate Ditko's art or his role as co-writer. Not that they're bad, but they aren't memorable. Reading this in color does make me appreciate Marie Severin, the best of Ditko's followers until Gene Colan took over the series later.
January 14, 2014
Not bad. Volume 1 was a lot better.
September 5, 2014
Nothing quite like 60s comic dialogue, but fun to see the art and stories of original Doc Strange. A terrific read.
September 13, 2016
Another twenty-six solid tales from everyone's favourite sorcerer supreme in this epic Masterworks collection. Great fun, even if you're not usually a fan of Doctor Strange.
April 6, 2016
The continuation of Dikto's genius also ends here.
October 26, 2016
Steve Ditko's departure early on in the stories collected here means the series loses a great part of it's surrealistic, psychedelic charm. Still worth it just for Ditko's last stories.
February 18, 2015
By the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, this book was cheesy.
September 17, 2015
Dr. Strange accumulates new enemies and the old even come out to play.
April 6, 2017
The stories improved greatly in this volume. However, It was during this time that Steve Ditko left Marvel, and new artists began drawing the comic.
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