Dr. Strange Top 10: #4 - Strange Tales 127

  Continuing our countdown of the Top 10 issues of Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#4 - Strange Tales 127 - “Duel with the Dread Dormammu”

    Just a few months before this series hit the stands, fans could tell that Dr. Strange was getting a following.

   He shared Strange Tales with the Human Torch, but he was finally getting significant attention on the cover - and he was also featured in that cool upper-left-hand-corner art box that Marvel created in the early '60s.

   This issue featured a (rare, at the time) continued story, as Strange faced his greatest enemy for the first time - the ruler of the Dark Dimension, the Dread Dormammu (which, according to the movie, is pronounced "Door-Ma'am-Moo" - so I had it right all along).

   Issue #127 deserves attention, as it details Strange entering the Dark Dimension and meeting Dormammu for the first time - but since we're looking for the Top 10 individual stories, the actual battle was the better of the two.

   The story allowed Ditko to run wild with inventive images as he created an unearthly environment, with flat, floating spaces serving as doorways. Pathways wind with no regard to gravity or logic, creatures of all shapes and sizes thrive, and Strange must face overwhelming odds.

   These are the stories that really drive readership - a great, powerful opponent, a never-before-seen environment, and high stakes for the coming battle, with the fate of the Earth hanging in the balance.

   A couple of notes: happily, this Dormammu is human-sized, so he and Strange can go toe-to-toe and fight as equals. Years later, Dormammu was depicted as a towering giant, and he's been that ever since (mostly), including in the movie. I've never cared for it. Also, the coloring is different, as his head is enveloped in blue flames and smoke - later appearances would change it to red, which was much more effective.

   Strange is faced with an impossible task - defeating the foe who once defeated his master, the Ancient One. Even with a slight assist from the lovely Clea, who makes her first appearance, he's outmatched.

   The plot twist that allows Strange to survive his battle - and "win" (sorta kinda) was brilliant, and serves to show both Strange and Dormammu in a good light - making him a better hero and Dormammu a worthy villain with personality - not just a monster.
   

   At the end of the adventure, Strange receives a gift from his teacher - a new Amulet of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation (which is oddly colored all yellow here).

   If there was any doubt that Dr. Strange belonged in the Marvel Universe, this adventure closed the deal.

   One of my all-time favorites!

Grade: A+

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Dr. Strange Top 10: #5 - Strange Tales 123

   Continuing our rundown of the Top 10 stories of Dr. Strange as created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#5 - Strange Tales 123 - “The Challenge of Loki!”

   But in the early days of the Silver Age, a crossover into a character's comic book was a rare event, even within the same comics company (not counting books designed to be crossovers, like The Avengers). 

   But it was a tool Marvel used to great effect. Sometimes the "crossover" would last all of a panel or two, like the time Thor flew past Spider-Man and kept right on going. It wasn't unusual for heroes to call each other on the phone to ask for advice.

   This issue of Strange Tales (cover date August 1964) is one I fondly remember for the double-crossover it includes. The comic's pages were split evenly between the Human Torch's solo adventures and the mystic adventures of the (relatively new) hero Dr. Strange.

   But as much as I enjoyed the lead-in story, it's the backup feature that really made the comic. Dr. Strange is tricked by Loki, the Norse God of Mischief, into stealing Thor's hammer.

   Strange realizes his mistake, which quickly translates into an all-out battle between a mortal and a god. It's a battle that pushes Strange right to the brink of defeat, and it's only his quick wits and his courage that allows him to survive.

   This was the issue that made me a Dr. Strange fan (and Lee and Ditko fan) for life - he was a "normal" person who used his special education (magic, natch), to fight the forces of evil, succeeding thanks to his determination and intelligence. The story bristled with imagination and amazing adventures! 

   I've been reading his adventures faithfully every since. 

   In the world of comics today, it's not unusual for comic books characters from different companies to meet. 

Grade: A

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Dr. Strange Top 10: #6 - Strange Tales 146

   Continuing our countdown of the Top 10 issues of Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#6 - Strange Tales 146 - “The End - - At Last!”

  As proof that all good things come to an end, this issue of Strange Tales was the final adventure of Doctor Strange (presumably plotted and) drawn by master artist Steve Ditko.

   To send him off in style, for the first time that hero was given a solo appearance on the cover - although it's not an original drawing by Ditko. It's an image pieced together from two panels in the story.

   The title of the story is "The End -- at Last!" - and it certainly lives up to that, as it wraps up all the loose ends and storylines that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko had been building for over a year. (I admit it's a slight cheat to include this issue, since the story is scripted by Dennis O'Neil.)

   The story starts with an enraged Dormammu, who's desperate to get his revenge on Strange - but he's honor-bound not to attack the Earth, so he lures Strange to another dimension by the attacking (and imprisoning) the powerful being known as Eternity!

   Strange rises to the bait and manages to survive only because he frees Eternity, who's angry at Dormammu's audacity. But the dreaded one ups the ante by launching a direct attack on the massive cosmic being!

    What follows is shocking - and two splash pages are needed to capture the cataclysm!

    To say more about the story and the stunning events that follow would spoil too much - but it's the kind of over-the-top, world-shaking event that's oh so rare in comics. (This is what the rest of them aspire to be.)

   If you're going to wrap up your run on a title, here's a prime example of how to do it - blow everything up and wrap up all our storylines to give the next guy (or gal) a clean slate to work with.

   Simply tremendous work, and a testament to Ditko's mastery of the comic book arts.

Grade: A+

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Dr. Strange Top 10: #7 - Strange Tales 145

    Continuing our countdown of the Top 10 issues of Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#7 - Strange Tales 145 - “To Catch a Magician!”

   The adventures of Dr. Strange, as crafted by Lee and Ditko, always focused on battles between the hero and a magic-wielding enemy (sometimes human, sometimes not).

   This story seems to be following that lead, as Strange tracks down the evil magician known as Mister Rasputin, a criminal who uses his magical skills to steal.

   Yep, he's just a "common" criminal, but a very clever and deadly one. 

   When Strange confronts him, Rasputin seems almost defeated before he starts - his mystic power pales next to Strange's - but he does something the hero doesn't expect. 

   He draws a gun and shoots Dr. Strange! It was a shocking and unexpected event.

   Mortally wounded, Strange must run - but Rasputin isn't one to leave things to chance.

   It's a shocking change of pace for the series, and it pushes Strange to the limit.

Grade: A

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Dr. Strange Top 10 - #8 - Strange Tales 136

   Continuing our rundown of the Top 10 issues of Dr. Strange by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#8 - Strange Tales 136 - “What Lurks Beneath the Mask?”

   This is a personal favorite, and one of the stories in the "Dr. Strange, the Fugitive" series that started in issue #130.

   This one shook me up right from the splash page, which featured Dr. Strange - with a different head!

   The story follows Strange's continuing quest to find help in his fight against Baron Mordo and Dormmamu as he seeks to find the creature known as Eternity.

   He finds an ancient, faded mystic scroll that may hold the secret. It opens a door to another dimension, and there he finds columns of lifelike masks - and a lone figure shackled and blindfolded, begging for help.

   When Strange removes the pitiful figure's blindfold, he's hit by a powerful spell from the creature's eyes - and finds he has switched places, and now he is trapped by the chains, unable to cast a spell - and death is moments away!

   The battle of wills - and Strange's ingenuity in fighting back - made this tiny little tale of horror a real delight, and one of my all-time favorites!

Grade: A

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Carrie Fisher

   It's heartbreaking to say goodbye to Carrie Fisher, who passed away today, several days after suffering a heart attack on a flight into Los Angeles.

   Best remembered as Princess Leia Organa in the Star Wars movies, she had a tremendous career, acting in numerous movies, writing several (great) books, and working as a script doctor on high-profile films many times over.

   She was funny, sexy and very smart - an intoxicating combination.

   Not many actresses could carry the weight of being the only woman on one of the biggest movies of all time - but she cemented her role as a tough, smart and big-hearted woman capable of leading a band of heroes and an army of rebels.

   As she proved in The Force Awakens, she still had plenty of grit and love to share (and reportedly her scenes have a been shot already for the next Star Wars movie), but her loss leaves an ache in the hearts of fans around the world.

 

 

Dr. Strange Top 10 List - #9 - Strange Tales 130

   Continuing our countdown of Chuck's picks for the Top 10 Dr. Strange stories by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko:

#9 - Strange Tales 130 - "The Defeat of Dr. Strange!"

   Up to this point, there had been only one continued story for Strange - his two-part battle with Dormammu.

   But this issue kicked off a story that - while each chapter could stand alone - continued through 12 issues, for a full year of continuity!

   Dormammu is powering up Baron Mordo, and in a sudden attack the Ancient One is injured, and Strange has no choice but to go on the run, trying to find a safe haven for his teacher and then seeking a way to fight back against his opponents.

   What follows is an ingenious Fugitive-style story, as Strange must find a way to fight back against an opponent who is far more numerous and far more powerful. He is hunted, hounded - but never surrenders!

   It was just the beginning of one of Strange's most amazing stories (which we'll touch on again as our countdown continues)!

Grade: A

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Dr. Strange Top 10 List: #10 - Strange Tales 115

    As promised, here's the start of my "Top 10" list for the Doctor Strange issues scripted by Stan Lee and drawn (and presumably plotted) by Steve Ditko. 

   The two worked together on some 35 issues (though a few of the final ones featured other scripters, including Roy Thomas and Dennis O'Neil) - not including Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2, which featured an incredible team-up with the Doc and the webslinger.

   This list is especially difficult because of the fact that so many of the best stories were continued - but we'll stick to individual issues here. So let's start the countdown at the bottom:

#10 - Strange Tales 115 - “The Origin of Dr. Strange”

   One of the odd things about Doctor Strange's origin is that it took four issues to get around to it.

   He first appeared in issue #110 of Strange Tales (sharing space with the Human Torch and Nick Fury over the years), then in #111 and #114. Apparently then it occurred to Stan and Steve to give us an origin story for the mysterious hero.

   And in the 8-page gem they gave him a really odd origin. 

   The pre-Master of the Mystic Arts was a brilliant surgeon, but he was also conceited and heartless. A terrible car accident leaves his nerves damaged - he's no longer able to operate. 

   He spends all his money searching for a cure, and finally goes in search of the Ancient One, a mystic who might be able to offer a cure.

   What Strange finds instead is a different world of powers and abilities he'd never dreamed of. 

   He accidentally sees Baron Mordo, a student of the Ancient One's, planning an attack on his master - but Mordo casts a spell the prevents Strange from warning the aged mystic.

   Instead, Strange asks the Ancient One to teach him - and that begins his reformation, as he dedicates himself to standing against the forces of evil.

   It's a lot to squeeze into a mere 8 pages, but Ditko manages to brew up some amazing atmospheric environments - and fantastic characters - in such a small space.

   The story's not perfect - there are some big ol' holes in there to be covered (thankfully the film did a fine job of fixing the shortcomings of the original story) - but it's a powerful piece and a great start for the series.

   The origin was a bit late, but well worth it. 

Grade: A

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

   Hope you're all having a terrific holiday season!

   I've been a bit snowed under during the holidays, but here's the plan: to cover the holiday season, I'm going to list my own Top Ten list from Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's classic run on Doctor Strange!

   That'll wrap up at the end of the year, just in time for my annual "Chuck's Best Comics of the Year" list!

   As always, you're invited to send in your own "Top Ten for 2016" list - you can send it in as a comment or email it to Chuckscomicoftheday@gmail. com.

   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, all!

Executive Assistant Iris: Enemies Among Us #1

   Aspen has been bringing together some of its disparate characters into a unified continuity - that's what comics companies do, right?

   The next step in that process can be found in the latest version of the Executive Assistant series.

    The series follows the adventures of a number of beautiful young women who are trained to be bodyguards, assassins and permanent aides to the rich and powerful.

   This issue follows Iris, a newly-graduated student, as she starts her job - a lifetime of employment working for Mr. Ching, a mysterious businessman who has dealings with some less-than-savory individuals.

   The story is divided into two parts - the first written by David Wohl, the second by Vince Hernandez - and they feel like two different stories.

   The first part is all backstory and setup, with little actual conflict going on. The second chapter kicks it into high gear, with a fierce battle and an unexpected twist.

   The art is solid throughout, from Giuseppe Cafaro on part one, focusing on the exotic element of the story, while Randy Green and Mark Roslan in part two turn in a strong fight sequence and a big surprise.

   There's still an edge to this series that's hard to dismiss. Aren't the Executive Assistants just prostitutes who fight? (Granted, we don't see any hints of sex in this issue - but the concept is the same.)

   Maybe it's just me. I recommend checking it out and making up your own mind.

Grade: B+

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Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #3

   I can't pretend that I know where Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye is going - but I'm enjoying the ride.

   The character is so obscure, he was once a member of the group known as the Forgotten Heroes - but I always liked him.

    In the early '60s DC had several similar groups - heroes made up of a leader, his best friend / assistant, his best gal, and her brother (or variations thereof).

    Sea Devils, Rip Hunter, Cave Carson, Challengers of the Unknown - they were all real people thrown into adventure and adversity, and they formed a team - and a family.

   It's great to see the Young Animal brand bringing this character back. This issue continues to build the tension, as Cave gathers a new team (which includes his daughter and Wild Dog) to race to the rescue of an underground kingdom.

   But first they have to deal with the gruesome attack of giant monsters. (Natch!)

   It's not a comic for kids - there are adult elements at work here - but it's mighty entertaining and racing along at top speed.

   And it's further proof that any character can be interesting in the hands of a great creative team.

   I hope this succeeds - Cave deserves to be remembered!

Grade: A-

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Invincible Iron Man #2

   I like the character of Riri Williams.

   She's smart (world-class smart), she's funny and caring.

   But I still don't see a good reason for having her replace Tony Stark (who's missing in a way we won't find out about until the final issue of Civil War arrives - presumably).

   They can suit her up in Iron Man's armor, they can give her an artificial version of Tony to train her - but that doesn't explain why Tony would agree to send a teenage girl into harm's way.

   And his training methods, depicted here, are unsupportable.

   We do get some more of Riri's personal story, which is nice, and the art by Stefano Caselli is very good, with a great ability to bring characters to life.

   I can understand creating a new female hero, giving her some high-tech armor and the drive to fight the bad guys - but I still don't see any justification for putting her in harm's way.

   (I know, it's a comics trope - but it's not a good one.)

Grade: B-

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The Avengers #2.1

   This series has been a lot of fun as it mines the fertile fields of early Silver Age Marvel.

   Written by Mark Waid (who must find it difficult to type while laughing and clapping his hands in glee at the same time), it focuses on the beginning of the "Cap's Kooky Quartet" period of The Avengers.

   Just over a year into the original run of the series, the team's Founding Fathers (and Mother) - Thor, Iron Man, Giant-Man and the Wasp - all quit the team (or took a vacation), leaving Captain America to lead Hawkeye, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch against some heavy hitters.

   It all happened suddenly, and in the pages of The Avengers, the four were immediately acting as a well-oiled machine.

   This series shows us how the team became a trained unit - and a family.

   They've faced some heavy hitters here, taking it on the chin from the Frightful Four in the first issue, and facing the cosmic power of The Stranger in this issue.

   Barry Kitson and Mark Farmer provide some terrific art, capturing the clean look of a Silver Age adventure without outright imitating the Jack Kirby / Don Heck art from the '60s.

   Even the letters page joins in the fun, evoking the style of the '60s (in fact, these may be actual letters from that time - without digging out those original comics, it's difficult to say).

   So, a fun comic for long-time fans - and a clever story (with a mystery or two loaded in) to keep new readers involved.

   It's a win-win!

Grade: A-

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New Comics Day

    Here's what I picked up at the comics shop today:

- Archie #15 - Time for a surprise party!

- Avengers #2.1 - Things get even Stranger.

- Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #3 - Race against a monster!

- Doctor Strange #15 - Keeping an eye on things.

- Invincible Iron Man #2 - Facing an Iron Army.

- Justice League #11 - Outnumbered!

- Punisher #7 - Outgunned!

- Silver Surfer #8 - Swallowed by a space whale!

- Usagi Yojimbo #160 - A murder mystery!

   And I received these review copies:

- 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank #3 - Kids with bad ideas.

- Assassin's Creed Awakening #2 - Life as an 18th Century pirate.

- Bloodshot USA #3 - Armageddon in New York.

- Dark Souls Winters Spite #2 - A knight faces doom.

- Divinity III Stalinverse #1 - Earth has a new god.

- Doctor Who 10th Year Two #17 - The return of Sutekh!

- Doctor Who 11th Year Two #15 - The truth about the Time War.

- Doctor Who 9th #8 - Are aliens real?

- Executive Assistant Iris Enemies Among Us #1 - The beginning of a new era of danger!

- Harbinger Renegade #2 - They're in your mind!

- Hookjaw #1 - Attack of a great white shark!

- Masked #2 - Anomalies in the city!

- Mycroft #4 - In search of the Apocalypse Handbook.

- Samurai Brothers in Arms #4 - A family history mystery.

- Tank Girl Gold #3 - Getting some R&R.

- The Mummy #2 - Lost and alone in London.

- Torchwood #4 - Jack's quest continues.

- Warhammer 40000 Will of Iron #3 - The miniatures war game comes to life!

- World War X #1 - Monster on the Moon!

   Whew! And that's it!

The Classics - Starslayer #1

   In the early '80s, writer / artist / creator Mike Grell was on a roll.

   After a strong run of stories providing artwork for Green Lantern and the Legion of Super-Heroes, he created, wrote and drew an original character for DC - Warlord, about a modern man who finds himself in a savage prehistoric world.

   When Pacific Comics invited Grell to create an original, creator-owned series, he jumped at the chance and unveiled Starslayer.

    The series turned the Warlord concept on its head. Here we had a Celtic barbarian - Torin Mac Quillon - who is happy to hunt in the woods and provide for his wife and son. The time: 43 A.D.

   But he's not meant for a quiet life, and an invading Roman army threatens his tribe. Torin finds himself in his final fight against the enemy - but death isn't the end of his story.

   The final panel shows him somehow transported to a futuristic world, where a beautiful woman waits and his skills will help him survive in the strange new world.

   The series that followed was a terrific space opera, loaded with action and lots of heart - and, of course, Grell's art is terrific. Powerful, with amazing environments and stunning character deigns.

    Starslayer never matched the popularity of Warlord (or Grell's upcoming books, Jon Sable: Freelance and Green Arrow), but it enjoyed a solid three-year run, and backup features in the series introduced the Rocketeer and Grimjack.

   Grell has always had the ability to combine his strong artistic vision to solid storytelling skills, and the results were always entertaining. This is yet another high point in his body of work.

Grade: A

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Daredevil #14

   I've been kinda on the fence about the post-Waid and Samnee version of Daredevil.

   Those two are a tough act to follow, and I was a big fan of their take on the Man Without Fear.

   So now we're just over a year into Charles Soule and Ron Garney's take on the series - and there are things I like a lot and things I'm not so sure about.

   I like the art a lot. Garney has a raw, powerful and edgy look to this series, and color artist Matt Mills has crafted a unique, almost monochromatic look for the world. It leans a lot toward the grim and gritty style, but it's very well done.

   I like that Daredevil has his secret identity back, though it's annoying that they haven't told us how he managed it - and I do miss his old supporting cast. (Foggy, where are you?)

   I like the stories (mostly), though the latest story arc (which wraps up in this issue) is too dark, dismal and bloodthirsty for my tastes.

   So I'm hanging in there - but I'd like to see some lighter beats in future stories.

   All stürm and drang makes Matt a dull boy.

Grade: B

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Jessica Jones #3

   If you have any doubts about how tough Jessica Jones is, this issue has you covered.

   She's been captured by a super-powered villain, and wakes to find herself in a confrontation with a mystery woman.

   And that's what this issue is (mostly) about - a quiet but intense discussion between two women.

   But since it's written by Brian Michael Bendis, you know it's a riveting exchange - and it actually has ties back to the events in Civil War II (but in this case, it's not a bad thing).

   The art by Michael Gaydos is raw, real and evocative. It's not the usual slick, over-muscled superhero standard - but it's perfect in its evocation of the real world setting.

   If you're a fan of the mini-series - or the original Alias comic series - you're bound to like this.

Grade: A-

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All-New X-Men #16

   Some stories are classics, and others... aren't.

   The latest story spooling out in All-New X-Men is based on a character that took center stage a few decades ago in the original X-Men title.

   Madelyne Pryor was created as a stand-in for the (then dead) Jean Grey - but when Jean returned to life, Madelyne joined forces with an army of demons and became the Goblin Queen.

   Hank McCoy (the Beast) has been experimenting with magical forces, and somehow opened a gate to a hellish dimension - and the Goblin Queen led an army of demons through it to attack Miami.

   So we've had several issues of the X-Men fighting demons, and despite some excellent artwork by Mark Bagley and Andrew Hennessy, it's pretty slow going.

   It's all very much like a video game, where the fighting never ends and the heroes never make much progress. And the solution is really improbable. (Don't they have Doctor Strange's phone number? Wouldn't a major incursion like this draw his attention?)

   This one is disappointing, although I did get a kick out of a comment by Iceman - it was a fun jab at the X-Men's often-impenetrable continuity.

Grade: B-

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Guardians of the Galaxy #15

    I have to admit, I was about ready to drop Guardians of the Galaxy from my "Pull" list.

   That's because the series has lacked focus and just has too many characters crammed in there - so everyone gets short shrift.

   I decided to flip through this issue at the comics shop and I saw that it focuses entirely on The Thing, who's been tagging along with the GoG - and I added it to my stack.

   I've mentioned before that it's absolutely criminal that Marvel has allowed the Fantastic Four - its first Silver Age super team - the stars of The World's Greatest Comics Magazine - the First Family of Marvel - to sit on the sidelines, no longer in continuity or appearing together in any comic book anywhere.

   It's a waste of potential and makes no sense at all.

   So if we can't have the FF, we can get some comfort from this story focusing on Ben Grimm's return to Earth after spending some time roaming the universe.

   The story includes some nice character beats as Ben discovers that, despite his rocky appearance, there are lots of people out there who love and respect him.

   But there's also an old enemy on the loose, and that gives the Thing new purpose - and a reason to cross over into other titles, too.

   Which is great! But it's also true that just a glimpse of one of Marvel's greatest heroes back in action again makes the absence of the FF that much more painful.

   So: a good issue (despite or because of no GoG content), and a good argument for bringing back Ben's original team.

   Come on, Marvel!

Grade: A-

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Hawkeye #1

   While I've never been a huge fan of the "two heroes have the same name" syndrome, I'm happy to put it aside in the case of the two Hawkeyes.

   The original (for Marvel, at least) is Clint Barton, the former criminal who became a respected Avenger - but these days, is neck-deep in the Civil War II silliness.

   So this series, instead, is focusing on Kate Bishop, member of the Young Avengers who took on Clint's hero name while he wasn't using it (being dead and all).

   (He got better.)

   So Kate is setting up shop in California - Venice Beach, to be exact - as a Private Investigator and Superhero.

   The first issue is mostly low-key, as the creative team - writer Kelly Thompson and artist Leonardo Romero - start with Kate in the middle of an investigation, which leads to a robbery attempt, and then over to her office where she meets the neighbors and lands another job, protecting a young woman being menaced by a mysterious figure.

   It's all fast and light and fun, very much in the vein of Matt Fraction's beloved take on the characters.

   I like the art a lot - it's fresh and evokes the real world (without being photo-realistic).

   It's a little understated - no big bad guys on display in this issue - but it's certainly a promising start. I'll be back next issue.

Grade: A-

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