Stephen Strange: Doctor Strange Appreciation 2021

[Albert1981]

Little bit nervous about future MCU projects. I absolutely think that COVID-19 "damaged" the end results of both WandaVision and the Falcon and the Winter Soldier. I wonder how much the pandemic affected Loki. The finales for both MCU shows could have been so much better if it wasn't for the virus.

[Reviresco]

Oh I see. I'm glad you warmed to Cumberbatch. Every performer is entitled to some stinkers. I think Cumberbatch is a fine actor and he does Strange justice. It's funny how Marvel Studios has turned performers who were mired in mediocrity for a long time and made them into bonafide stars. They're great at casting actors and actresses. So give Feige props there.

I have to disagree. Marvel has had an amazing ability to cast excellent well known actors and talented directors -- whether that's Feige doing or his directors (most likely) or the material (I'm always astounded at how many people have enjoyed comics at some point in their lives).

Well, it's not like Benedict was an obscure choice. He'd already done several movies, including an Academy-award nomination for his role as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Frankly, a lot of people suggested him in the role, due to his on-screen persona and cheekbones.

Exactly. He played Khan and Smaug, for god's sake. He was in two Masterpiece Theatre shows -- played Richard III. Played Julian Assange in the Fifth Estate. Tons of British and stage stuff. All before he was tapped for Dr. Strange.

I just watched the PBS documentary on L. Frank Baum. Wow. That dude had an incredible imagination. The documentary mentioned how he was into theosophy and the occult. He was even interested in astral projection! I liked how he used simple American prose to write his Oz stories and the show explicitly described how Oz was imbued with magic, but Dorothy and her friends hardly used any magic on their quest to get home and brains, hearts and courage. That's a fantasy story that was really well-constructed!

Baum wrote simply because he was writing for children.

[Albert1981]

I have to disagree. Marvel has had an amazing ability to cast excellent well known actors and talented directors -- whether that's Feige doing or his directors (most likely) or the material (I'm always astounded at how many people have enjoyed comics at some point in their lives).



Exactly. He played Khan and Smaug, for god's sake. He was in two Masterpiece Theatre shows -- played Richard III. Played Julian Assange in the Fifth Estate. Tons of British and stage stuff. All before he was tapped for Dr. Strange.





Baum wrote simply because he was writing for children.

I was talking about the performers (actors and actresses alike) who were not famous or doing very well before they got on the MCU gravy train. I think RDJ and Bethany were really struggling before Iron Man came along. The Thor franchise made Hiddleston and Hemsworth into bonafide stars. WandaVision actually made Lizzie more popular than her sisters (which I didn't think was possible). I had absolutely no idea who Mackie, Boseman, Stan, Wyatt Russell, Hahn and Brühl were before I saw them in Marvel stuff. It's probably my fault. I don't watch a lot of new movies these days besides the superhero fare we discuss here. And I barely watch any British film/television productions (you know me and my uncomfortable relationship with "archaic prose"). But I was really impressed with how Disney even FOUND these folks!

I thought Baum was pretty clever with his writing style. Children's books can influence adults a lot too. And they can address grown-up themes in ways that seem basic but can be kind of profound. I know many older folks who are MORE moved by reading Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree after THEY have children.

Cumberbatch played Smaug? As in the dragon in the Hobbit?!! I didn't know that!

[Eto]

So.....I've finished the Dr. Strange run (1968).



#175
Clea, why are you so gullible? -__-


#176
Ooh that's just great, the sons of satannish got ahold of the book of the vishanti!


#177
I get that the Satannish worshipper impersonated Strange and looked like him, but did Strange have to change into blue man? He's Doctor Manhattan now?
lmao.


#178
Eerr sorry but, no, this whole "I have to hide my identity from people so another Benton situation may not happen again" hasn't really satisfied me.
It makes no sense, Strange went toe-to-toe with Dormammu, Mordo, Nightmare and the likes and even had discussions with friggin Eternity and The Living Tribunal. Now you're telling me Benton and co are too much? Ehh no.


#179
Is this the first Dr. Strange and Spidey crossover?
I'm pretty sure it is, well at least it's the first one in Strange's own book if that counts
Xandu should appear more often btw.


#180
*sigh*
That was such a brief date.
Man I love Strange and Clea together.
I like how Clea justs wants to embrace "Earthly" weather..in this case snow instead of shielding herself with a magical spell.


#182
This literally makes no sense, why didn't Eternity act sooner then? Says Nightmare didn't really have him imprisoned. Yeah, big words but no action smh. Nightmare owned him period!


Onto the 1974 run!
Wish me luck!
It'll take me a while lol.....uni, internship, weekend job,...

[Clea]

So.....I've finished the Dr. Strange run (1968).



#175
Clea, why are you so gullible? -__-


#176
Ooh that's just great, the sons of satannish got ahold of the book of the vishanti!


#177
I get that the Satannish worshipper impersonated Strange and looked like him, but did Strange have to change into blue man? He's Doctor Manhattan now?
lmao.


#178
Eerr sorry but, no, this whole "I have to hide my identity from people so another Benton situation may not happen again" hasn't really satisfied me.
It makes no sense, Strange went toe-to-toe with Dormammu, Mordo, Nightmare and the likes and even had discussions with friggin Eternity and The Living Tribunal. Now you're telling me Benton and co are too much? Ehh no.


#179
Is this the first Dr. Strange and Spidey crossover?
I'm pretty sure it is, well at least it's the first one in Strange's own book if that counts
Xandu should appear more often btw.


#180
*sigh*
That was such a brief date.
Man I love Strange and Clea together.
I like how Clea justs wants to embrace "Earthly" weather..in this case snow instead of shielding herself with a magical spell.


#182
This literally makes no sense, why didn't Eternity act sooner then? Says Nightmare didn't really have him imprisoned. Yeah, big words but no action smh. Nightmare owned him period!


Onto the 1974 run!
Wish me luck!
It'll take me a while lol.....uni, internship, weekend job,...

Doctor Strange #179 might have been the first official crossover between Strange and Spiderman. The Doctor Strange issue is a reprint of an early issue of Amazing Spiderman. They both already seem familiar with each other though so I wonder if they may have met in a different story. I'm not sure. Does anyone know?

You've now hit on the run of stories where Strange wore a blue mask so that people wouldn't recognize him, and then he he gets his 'secret identity' as Stephen Saunders. I hated that affectation. I have no idea why Marvel did that. Perhaps they thought it would make him look more like a superhero.

[John Venus]

Well, it's not like Benedict was an obscure choice. He'd already done several movies, including an Academy-award nomination for his role as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Frankly, a lot of people suggested him in the role, due to his on-screen persona and cheekbones.

Yep, if anything he was too safe a choice for the Dr Strange. Marvel had blown me away by casting Hemsworth, Evans and Pratt in their respective roles. They weren't hugely well known actors at that point so I was expecting someone....well unexpected for the role of Strange. The only time I was intrigued by a big name being in the talks for the role was Ewan McGregor.

[Albert1981]

Yeah, I even liked Tom Holland's casting...Despite the fact that the Sony Spider-Man movies destroyed my love of that character. I hope Marvel Studios continues to hire no-name and "washed up" actors and actresses in future projects.

[Tulku]

So.....I've finished the Dr. Strange run (1968).

[edit]

Onto the 1974 run!
Wish me luck!
It'll take me a while lol.....uni, internship, weekend job,...

Yes, okay, this is where life gets confusing: Don't rush immediately into 1974. First, did you get to read #183? You didn't list it. It is the official "last issue" of that run....and it ends in the middle of an adventure!!! To get the full story, you then have to read The Sub-Mariner # 22 (February 1970) and then The Incredible Hulk #126 (April 1970).

After that, it makes the most sense to get hold of a copy of Marvel Feature #1 (December 1971) which introduces The Defenders (consisting of Doc, Sub-Mariner and the Hulk--gee, where have we heard those names before?). It includes a supporting story that is a solo Doc story and explains what he has been up to since Hulk #126. After that, read Marvel Premiere #3 through #14 (July 1972 through March 1974). These are important solo Dr. Strange stories and their success led to relaunching the ongoing series in June of 1974.

[Tulku]

You've now hit on the run of stories where Strange wore a blue mask so that people wouldn't recognize him, and then he he gets his 'secret identity' as Stephen Saunders. I hated that affectation. I have no idea why Marvel did that. Perhaps they thought it would make him look more like a superhero.

I assume it was a misguided attempt to increase sales by making him look more like a superhero character. Fortunately they dropped the idea. However, I do not cast stones at the creation of the Stephen Sanders identity because my first introduction to Doctor Strange was DS # 35 (June 1979) which started the Dweller In Darkness saga...and the issue ended with the promo for the next issue: "The Man Who Knew Stephen Sanders!" Roger Stern's interweaving of Dr. Strange's history into that story did much to make me a lifetime fan.

[Albert1981]

Found this comment about Strange in a fantasy and NOT a superhero discussion online recently:

"The whole "magic always has a price" angle is really big in the Doctor Strange comics right now. There's been a recent example of it that I absolutely loved. An arc not long ago dealt with Dr. Strange never really considering that the magic he used had a price. Throughout the years, he just used magic when he needed it. He knew academically a price would come eventually, but like a kid with a credit card he just avoided thinking about the debt he was racking up...Until one day, he discovered that his assistant had actually started a, well, basically a cult of Dr. Strange followers. There were tons of people at a hidden training camp, whose sole purpose was to pay the price for Dr. Strange's magic. Every time he'd use magic, they'd pay the price for him (literally becoming ill and harmed whenever he'd use magic). The assistant justified the secrecy as necessary, because if Dr. Strange were always worried about (or suffering the effects of) the magic he used, he might hesitate at a moment that would end up with the bad guy ending the world. Dr. Strange was, of course, furious, knowing that someone else was paying the price for his magic, and knowing he had been more careless with magic than he needed to be, thinking the price was something he'd deal with in the future."

Could folks on this thread please tell me where this stuff took place (in what comic books)? It sounds absolutely riveting and totally original. Wow!

[DigiCom]

Found this comment about Strange in a fantasy and NOT a superhero discussion online recently:

"The whole "magic always has a price" angle is really big in the Doctor Strange comics right now. There's been a recent example of it that I absolutely loved. An arc not long ago dealt with Dr. Strange never really considering that the magic he used had a price. Throughout the years, he just used magic when he needed it. He knew academically a price would come eventually, but like a kid with a credit card he just avoided thinking about the debt he was racking up...Until one day, he discovered that his assistant had actually started a, well, basically a cult of Dr. Strange followers. There were tons of people at a hidden training camp, whose sole purpose was to pay the price for Dr. Strange's magic. Every time he'd use magic, they'd pay the price for him (literally becoming ill and harmed whenever he'd use magic). The assistant justified the secrecy as necessary, because if Dr. Strange were always worried about (or suffering the effects of) the magic he used, he might hesitate at a moment that would end up with the bad guy ending the world. Dr. Strange was, of course, furious, knowing that someone else was paying the price for his magic, and knowing he had been more careless with magic than he needed to be, thinking the price was something he'd deal with in the future."

Could folks on this thread please tell me where this stuff took place (in what comic books)? It sounds absolutely riveting and totally original. Wow!

The Aaron run, from 2016. Specifically, issues #5-9.

Not my favorite run, because even though the visuals were good, almost the whole first year of the run was "Magic is dying and Stephen is on the run!"

Yet another in a tedious run of "depowering Strange" stories, with the added joy that now Strange can't eat normal food, because "magic has a price". :P

[Clea]

I was scrolling Tumblr this afternoon and saw a reference to a Doctor Strange story that I had not heard of before. (BTW, I have no idea who is running this Tumblr account called DoctorofMagic but whoever it is knows an amazing amount of Doctor Strange lore.) The story is called "Rondeau", from Girl Comics #2, July 2020. The writer is Christine Boylan. The story opens with Strange playing the piano in the Sanctum. He is attacked by an acolyte of Baron Mordo named Adria. She intends (but fails) to imprison Strange and take the Sanctum for herself. The story ends with him playing the piano again. He muses that practicing the piano when he lacks the dexterity in his hands is excruciating, but that he will endure. I thought Strange's opening thoughts in the story were quite interesting.

"What I know: That matter is created by thought, not the other way around. That is the physics of magic."

[Albert1981]

The Aaron run, from 2016. Specifically, issues #5-9.

Not my favorite run, because even though the visuals were good, almost the whole first year of the run was "Magic is dying and Stephen is on the run!"

Yet another in a tedious run of "depowering Strange" stories, with the added joy that now Strange can't eat normal food, because "magic has a price". :P

Well, it seemed like the story had an interesting and original premise. I didn't know that Strange got de-powered again in it. I know fans here on the Strange thread didn't particularly like Aaron's idea of Stephen eating foods that guests on Fear Factor would refuse to touch, but I think it's hilarious. I might have to read that story. I kinda think that the whole magic has a price thing is here to stay in the Marvel Universe. As you know, this idea has my full support:

http://www.augurmag.com/magic-vs-rea...magic-systems/

http://pop-verse.com/2015/11/30/cons...ntasy-stories/

There is a difference between a realistic story (one that could actually happen) and a believable story (one that has a perfect internal logic, even if it does involve superpowers). I believe even children can tell the difference. That's why I'm REALLY hoping the MoM is "reasonable" in its use of magic. I think folks on this thread have seen FAR too many fantasy movies and shows get ruined because of a lack of consistency in them when it comes to the use of magic. I have high confidence Feige and his team know what they are doing. ESPECIALLY because they've been SO cautious in introducing magic into the MCU.

[DigiCom]

I remember Adria. She was one of the three disciples of Mordo who turned up at the Sanctum disguised as a film crew in DS:SS #48.

MCU fans may be amused that Kaecillicus was one of the others. The third called himself Demonicus.

Correction: #56, not #48.

[Clea]

I remember Adria. She was one of the three disciples of Mordo who turned up at the Sanctum disguised as a film crew in DS:SS #48.

MCU fans may be amused that Kaecillicus was one of the others. The third called himself Demonicus.

Correction: #56, not #48.

It's Master of the Mystic Arts #56 1982. The trio show up as a film crew to attack Strange inside the Sanctum. Once they realize that Strange is on to them, they bumble around trying to escape. Strange kinda stands around watching them make fools out of themselves, wondering, "How can anyone have studied the mystic arts as much as they...and yet have learned so little?" LOL. Adria foolishly grabs a purple globe without knowing what it is, and it sucks the trio into the Purple Dimension where they remain trapped until a lucky conjunction of the stars allowed them to slip free of the Purple Dimension back to Earth via an ancient artifact (a mirror) in Valkyrie: Jane Foster #4, 2019.

I thought it was amusing that they used Kaecilius as the antagonist in the MCU film. I wonder if Adria and Demonicus were amongst the rest of his crowd of Dormammu worshipping acolytes?