Some background on me: I read comics as a kid, but I was never a fanatic. The two main ones I loved were Batman and Spider-Man. I’m 99% sure I never even heard the name Dr. Strange until the run up to the 2016 film starring Benedict Cumberbatch. It wasn’t my favorite (Stephen Strange felt too much like Tony Stark at first, although that dissipated with further viewings), but I liked it enough to be excited for Multiverse of Madness. Long story short, I was rewarded for seeing the sequel on opening weekend with the 1st two issues of the miniseries this book collects. Liking what those 2 issues had and a ridiculously good sale made me buy this. In retrospect, I would’ve paid full price.
The story is a great ‘whodunit’, the “it” being the attempted murder of Dr. Strange. It goes on to show there being a connection to a disease suffered by his servant Wong (I can almost hear film-Wong either laughing at such an absurd thing or rolling his eyes while Strange smirks) and even a connection to his past. The way they reveal it is enough to not annoy longtime fans but also get new fans up to speed without being forced thanks to the inclusion of a character called the Night Nurse. Bonus points that she is clearly out of her element but can still keep up with Dr. Strange and put him in his place when needed. The story also showcases a moral dilemma, about how far a doctor should to treat patients and whether they have a moral obligation to the rest of the world. As a result, the villain is well written, and you feel like both him and Dr. Strange have good points. The ending may seem obvious but it’s at least a nice emotional resolution to the story.
Before I go into the characters, I just wanted to say comment on whether this comic is appropriate for kids, as I’ve certainly seen how far comics don’t want to be seen as children’s thing (to a fault at time). Without knowing a particular kid, I’d say this was MOSTLY fine. Dr. Strange’s first panel has him bloodied and he spends the first issue in surgery. It’s not a gruesome blood fest, but it’s clear his life’s in danger. Other than that, the fighting is basically what Benedict Cumberbatch or his real and digital stunt doubles would do. As for how often the female form is shown, I give the comic credit for not going to route. The only female we see often is dress modestly as is never shown in a sexual way. Any other female is similarly not shown that way. I’ll leave it at that for any parent debating buying this book for a younger comic fan.
If all you knew about Dr. Strange was Benedict Cumberbatch and the CG awesomeness Marvel throws on the screen (ESPECIALLY for Dr. Strange), what this comic represents is mostly that. The comic goes into more of Dr. Strange investigating weird things, without bringing up cosmic issues and little about different dimensions, but still feels like what you’d expect from the films. Dr. Strange sometime sounds like a legitimate Adam West-Batman (I’m not explaining that well; there’s nowhere near the camp of the 1966 Batman) but more often than not, I hear Mr. Cumberbatch’s voice reading the comic. I haven’t read any other Dr. Strange stories but at the very least, Benedict Cumberbatch was a good choice for THIS Dr. Strange at least.
About Wong; he’s a fun character. He’s not as fun as the film Wong but he’s loyal and has some good lines. He’s also NOT someone you want to tick off. You can feel he and Dr. Strange would do whatever they could to help each other. That said, I know there are probably people who’d have a problem with an Asian character being a manservant to a white character. If that’s something that would bother you, all I can say is this portrayal is more like the Wong from the films and nothing like Mickey Rooney in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s but he’s still subservient to Dr. Strange and doesn’t act without asking him (there’s film-Wong rolling his eyes again). It didn’t bother me at all but everyone’s different. Judge for yourself.
The rest of the characters were great. The main villain (spoilers) is clearly the better person compared to the ones who employ him for typical greedy reasons. He also has a tragic backstory that, again, connects to Dr. Strange. His actions certainly feel like there’s a believable reasoning behind them, making him a decent villain despite his low profile (small spoiler: he hasn’t appeared in any MCU film) and making him sympathetic without making him more sympathetic than our main hero. Night Nurse was someone I didn’t know but she was a fun. There’s not much revealed (not even her real name; Google her to see one potential identity that fits with the films), but her personality is on full display. She’s caring and she’ll MAKE her patients get care if need be. The tertiary characters are alright but it’s clear the previous four were the real focus of the story.
The art’s fantastic. It’s hits the right balance of realistic and cartoony and does not have weird proportions (except maybe the Cloak of Levitation a few times but that’s acceptable since it’s a magic cloak :) ). The coloring is nice, without using/over-using gradients. The compositions were great and helped tell the story. Not much else to say except it’s a nice book to look at.
This isn’t a groundbreaking Dr. Strange story but, for someone’s first comic (either first overall or first Dr. Strange), that’s probably a good thing. Even if you’re a longtime Dr. Strange fan, this would be a good book. Good paced story, great characters, and gives a good primer in Dr. Strange’s history without handholding. It may not quite be an all-ages comic, but it’s mild enough for most and should please everyone who reads it. Certainly worth it even if you bought it and didn’t get any issues for free.
Before I end the review, I want to tip my hat to Marvel and Regal; giving away the 1st two issues of a great five issue miniseries, looking benevolent while also likely encouraging sales of the last three issues or this collected edition. To quote Muldoon from Jurassic Park, “Clever girl” ;) :D
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他の国からのトップレビュー
Jonathan Buchanan
Great intro to Doctor Strange comics if all you knew was Benedict Cumberbatch
2022年5月18日にアメリカ合衆国でレビュー済みAmazonで購入
G. Serge
Très bien
2020年6月15日にフランスでレビュー済みAmazonで購入
DoobieDoctor5000
Excellent trade paperback; wish there was more.
2013年12月30日にアメリカ合衆国でレビュー済みAmazonで購入
The Emperor
Okay
2013年1月1日に英国でレビュー済みAmazonで購入
Hernan Guerra S
Intense and Impactful
2022年9月20日にアメリカ合衆国でレビュー済みAmazonで購入
