So over at Marvel Comics they’ve got this whole Secret Wars, reboot, relaunch, “All-New, All Different” thing going on. As part of that we’re seeing the ending of some books, the ending of some characters, and everything is being reset back to Issue #1 to start at the top (if not the beginning). It’s not bad news for every character though, some Marvel stalwarts who haven’t had their own comic book in years are getting to shine once again. Among them, Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange.
Today Marvel announced that Doctor Strange #1 will launch this fall as part of a new ongoing series. Jason Aaron will write the new title with art by Chris Bachalo. Marvel is promising all the magical, mystical, weirdness that tends to accompany Dr. Strange. As the “Master of the Mystic Arts” Strange’s primary role to this point has been that of Earth’s protector from all things dark and magical. Although with everything changing in Marvel comics, time will tell if that’s the same man we meet in in the first issue of the new title. The book will focus on Dr. Strange battling a “new dark power” within the Marvel universe. It appears Strange will need to change or evolve into a new type of sorcerer in order to battle this power. This is where the “all different” part comes in apparently.
While Strange has been a consistent, if not particularly famous, part of Marvel comics pretty much since his creation in the early 1960’s the character has not had his own title since Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme which ran for 90 issues between the fall of 1988 and the summer of 1996. Fans of one of the weirder characters within the Marvel world will be glad to see him getting his due once again.
It’s little surprise that Dr. Strange is getting his own book. Marvel’s major goal in this relaunch of their books is to attempt to draw fans of Marvel’s films into (or back into) the comic shop. Dr. Strange is getting ready to make his feature film debut in the fall of 2016, being played by Benedict Cumberbatch, one of the hottest actors around at the moment. Strange’s stock will go up when the movie hits so the book will want to be there to cash in.
Doctor Strange #1 is one of several new comic announcements that we have seen and will continue to see in the coming months as Marvel finalizes the design of the new comic world they are creating(though some create more questions than answers). Are you excited to see the Sorcerer Supreme (if indeed he still carries that title) taking center stage again? Which new Issue #1 announcements are you still waiting for?
