Thompson Twists Time & Space for "Doctor Strange & the Sorcerers Supreme"

[Lucena Soares]

If Merlin summoned them to the past why would Dr Strange still be depowered? It's magic in the present that's gone not Strange's ability to use it

He's isn't depowered, but traumatized and broken. Merlin made the spell hastly and didn't end up with the Strange he wanted, so he needs to fix this one because it's what he's got.

[jphamlore]

Seems like Marvel can still do something right. Loving the way this' advertised and I hope it lives up to its premises.

Edit: Is this Newton from Hickman's Shield? If so he's not exactly someone I would call a good guy... or a sorceror supreme. The armor he's wearing seems like something he could have worn in the Shield story while fighting Leonardo though.

The article said that Newton has secrets and compared his role I believe to Telly Savalas's psychopath in the movie The Dirty Dozen.

[Tulku]

I could swear there was a price to using magic that was addressed in Dr. Strange books long before Aaron was on the title...

Oh, yes. A couple of times that I can think of. During Peter B. Gillis' run (the "Strange Tales" split-book revival), it is indicated that normally Doc uses "white" magic and is protected from paying a price because of his purity. During that storyline, he loses the ability to use white magic, has to turn to black magic, and it is expressly stated that black magic comes with a price. Doc turns to Kaluu for help learning the ropes of black magic, but he is never comfortable with the cost of it (frequently a life, albeit not necessarily a human life).

Also, when Len Kaminski kicked off the disaster that was The War of the Seven Spheres, the premise was that, by calling on the traditional entities (the Vishanti, Seraphim, Cyttorak, etc.) Doc was essentially pledging himself to their service and so the price of magic was that he was ultimately called to leave Earth for thousands of years to fight the War for them. He refuses and gets depowered.

Of course, neither is the "price of magic" that Aaron is using, but these days the concept of new writers just trashing the established continuity and doing whatever the heck they want is hardly shocking. Far too common. I miss the days when editors would rein in such things for the good of the book and screw the writer's ego.

As for the Team book, I worry it won't hold up after the first arc. I mean, after the great disaster that causes Merlin to gather them is over, what point will there be to keep them together? I will certainly buy it, but I don't expect it to have too long a run.

[Clea]

She's supposed to be showing up in the upcoming annual, at least.

Kathyrn Immogen and Robbie Thompson are writing the annual. From the cover art and blurb, it looks like Clea is only showing up to break up with Strange (an idea that got kicked off in Fearless Defenders). I'm not optimistic about her future in Doctor Strange stories. Marvel has been actively erasing the character for years. I do wish they'd keep her around and use her in some role even if they do want to make Strange relationship-free. Only time will tell.

I was literally about to type that I thought he had been the Ancient One for like 2000 years, but then I wasn't sure if I was confusing him with Doctor Strange as the Ancient One in the 1990's Guardians of the Galaxy series. Either way, some ret-conning needs to happen. Still, I'm interested in seeing some of these other sorcerers.

The Ancient One was only ~500 years old, not 2000 years old. I don't recall it ever being mentioned that there were other Sorcerer Supremes during his tenure in the role, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. We've seen Strange step down from the role a couple of times, so the Ancient One may also have done so, especially towards the end of his tenure when he was so old. It does sound like some retconning is happening but it seems to fit in well enough. I'm interested to see what Thompson does in this new series. It looks promising. I can't stand Aaron's book so I'm not buying it. It would be nice to have a new Doctor Strange series that I'd actually like.

[Frontier]

Kathyrn Immogen and Robbie Thompson are writing the annual. From the cover art and blurb, it looks like Clea is only showing up to break up with Strange (an idea that got kicked off in Fearless Defenders). I'm not optimistic about her future in Doctor Strange stories. Marvel has been actively erasing the character for years. I do wish they'd keep her around and use her in some role even if they do want to make Strange relationship-free. Only time will tell.

I thought they were already pretty definitively broken up after the Roger Stern run?

I'm also not optimistic about Clea's use in the annual, especially with how they're currently depicting Strange in his own book (where he's a horndog on the level of Tony Stark).

I've never understood why Marvel continues to marginalize and barely use Clea as much as they have.

[Clea]

She's supposed to be showing up in the upcoming annual, at least.

I was literally about to type that I thought he had been the Ancient One for like 2000 years, but then I wasn't sure if I was confusing him with Doctor Strange as the Ancient One in the 1990's Guardians of the Galaxy series. Either way, some ret-conning needs to happen. Still, I'm interested in seeing some of these other sorcerers.

I thought they were already pretty definitively broken up after the Roger Stern run?

I'm also not optimistic about Clea's use in the annual, especially with how they're currently depicting Strange in his own book (where he's a horndog on the level of Tony Stark).

I've never understood why Marvel continues to marginalize and barely use Clea as much as they have.

Clea and Strange were still married as of Strange's last solo series in the 90s (Sorcerer Supreme). She was in the Dark Dimension fighting Dormammu. Strange was on Earth, but still vowing to help her in the Dark Dimension whenever he could. She appeared again in the mini-series The Order, but then pretty much vanished from view until she showed up again in Fearless Defenders telling Strange that she wanted a divorce because he'd been cheating on her while she was off in the Dark Dimension. Looks like this annual is going to continue with this idea and break up the couple for good. Assuming that's the case, I just hope that Marvel continues to use her in other stories and doesn't simply erase her completely. Given that they went years without mentioning her, even in stories set in the Dark Dimension and/or involving Dormammu or Umar, I get the feeling that Marvel would like her to quietly vanish from the scene so that they can have Strange be single and so that they can write him as a womanizing playboy, ala Tony Stark, to make him more popular with the superhero fans.

[Tulku]

The Ancient One was only ~500 years old, not 2000 years old. I don't recall it ever being mentioned that there were other Sorcerer Supremes during his tenure in the role, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. We've seen Strange step down from the role a couple of times, so the Ancient One may also have done so, especially towards the end of his tenure when he was so old.

I am too lazy to look it up, but my memory is that, when Dr. Strange first met Dormammu, there was some discussion that the Ancient One's power was somehow limited by Dormammu due to some prior battle. When Doc beats him (well, okay, reaches a deal with him) he comes back finding the Ancient One doing much better because the Dormammu curse has been lifted.

If my memory is correct in all of that (and, honestly, could I make all that up????), then it might logically follow that, during the period that the Ancient One's power was limited by ol' Hibachi Breath, somebody else took over as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme.

[Elegant Dreamer]

Clea and Strange were still married as of Strange's last solo series in the 90s (Sorcerer Supreme). She was in the Dark Dimension fighting Dormammu. Strange was on Earth, but still vowing to help her in the Dark Dimension whenever he could. She appeared again in the mini-series The Order, but then pretty much vanished from view until she showed up again in Fearless Defenders telling Strange that she wanted a divorce because he'd been cheating on her while she was off in the Dark Dimension. Looks like this annual is going to continue with this idea and break up the couple for good. Assuming that's the case, I just hope that Marvel continues to use her in other stories and doesn't simply erase her completely. Given that they went years without mentioning her, even in stories set in the Dark Dimension and/or involving Dormammu or Umar, I get the feeling that Marvel would like her to quietly vanish from the scene so that they can have Strange be single and so that they can write him as a womanizing playboy, ala Tony Stark, to make him more popular with the superhero fans.

So much for attracting more female comic book fans. Hey, if Jane Foster's Thor now, why give Clea another chance? Let her represent women who tries to move on from heartache.

[mugiwara]

I didn't find any thread about this series, which is a shame, because it may be the best Marvel Nower ongoing.

At first, I was more than disappointed that Magik was not going to be part of the team, but the line-up turned to be awesome.

The story, so far, is good. There are some twists (especially in the last issue) and Thompson is taking the time to develop each character.
The characters? They all have different magics and differents agendas. Nina the Conjuror, Isaac Newton, Kushala the Conjurer... I can't think about one who is not interesting and wouldn't make a great main character for at least a solo mini-series.

And the best part: Javier Rodriguez's art. The designs of the characters are great and inspired, the background are gorgeous and each issue has mond-blowing splash pages. That's really top tier comics art.

This is a really underrated comics and I really hope it won't be cancelled too soon.

[Seren]

I think Nina might be my favorite. How can you not love a sorcerer duel weilding pistol-swords? She's a total badass.

[cosmos]

I went to this series just for Javier Rodriguez, Alvaro Lopez and Jordie Bellaire (OK, that's actually a big % of the creative team) and oh boy they don't disappoint. At first I didn't care for any of the characters but after 2 or 3 issues I was hooked! (plus: the Mindless One is kinda cute).

[Tulku]

This series feels more mystical than the main Doctor Strange title...but that isn't saying much. I do like the story, but I am having a hard time believing that all these characters are or were (or will be) Sorcerer Supremes. This past issue, they were using swords, axes and spears. Hey, guys, did any of you consider using magic? After all, you are supposed to be Sorcerer Supremes. You should have pretty powerful magic at your commands.

Doc is very much a minor character in this book, made even more so because he is saddled with that stupid powerless story from the main title (and, really, that storyline needs to end, fast). I guess that is okay, but if you are putting his name on the book he should be more than just a powerless observer. DS&SS is not a perfect book, but it is better than a lot of Marvel's current output.

I am not convinced that this title has the legs for a long run, but I'll enjoy it while we have it. I prefer the art here waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than the art on the main title. Javier Rodriguez does some properly mystical looking drawings, which are far more to my taste than the overabundance of horror-style gibbering demons that infest the other title.

[Nix Uotan]

I'm kind of enjoying it myself though yeah for Sorcerers Supreme they aren't very Supreme. Having said that, part of me thinks a number of them aren't at their full power. I mean Yao is before he became the Ancient One & Strange is kind of repowered a bit. So it might be the same with the others which is why they are using kind of mundane attacks.

Though I do think it's a continuity good and the past ones are Sorcerer Supreme as my understanding also was that the Ancient One held that post for a very long time.

I am enjoying the use of Newton though since I read SHIELD & his actions are as expected.

[mugiwara]

The next issue will be a "choose your adventure" comics.

Preview (scroll down for the preview with words):
http://www.buzzcomics.net/showthread.php?t=69131

[Tulku]

Though I do think it's a continuity good and the past ones are Sorcerer Supreme as my understanding also was that the Ancient One held that post for a very long time.

I like the fact that, in the most recent issue (I think), there was a line that the Ancient One would periodically disappear and be presumed dead from time to time, which is when these other Sorcerer Supremes came into action. Essentially, they were pinch-hitting until the AO came back. That nicely explains how the AO can have been El Supremo for ages and yet we can still have all these other Sorcerer Supremes.

What I really like is how this book took the time to explain what seemed to be an obvious problem with its premise. Unlike, oh, the main Doctor Strange book that has completely refused to explain the obvious problem of Strange not being able to wield magic like usual because "magic has been destroyed," but others are happily going along using magic around him with no problem whatsoever. Really cannot wait for Aaron to get off the main book.