Sorcerer Supreme #5 – Becoming Boring is Still A Crime

Wanda Maximoff, Earth’s newest Sorcerer Supreme, has battled the Vishanti. Not content with Wanda being the Sorcerer Supreme, they sent her friend Agatha Harkness after her after invoking her oath. Now, as Wanda recovers, one of her closest advisors, Clea Strange, Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension, may need Wanda’s help with Clea’s Uncle, the Dread Dormammu, who comes calling.

This joint review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Shawn! You can click on each name for more reviews from each of us.

Creative Team:

Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Bernard Chang
Color Artist: Ruth Redmond
Letterer: Joe Sabino
Cover Artist:Lesley Li

Writing

Megan: Life as the Sorcerer Supreme is no easy task, especially for Wanda. It seems like around every turn, there’s a new situation that needs her expertise. This time, it’s Clea. Clea puts out an alert that she’s in dire need of help, and Wanda is the only person who can do just that. Dormammu is weak and desperate to make himself strong, so he’s after his bloodline’s power. So, he’s come to feast in the Dark Dimensions.

In Sorcerer Supreme #5, we see Wanda flex her powers and prove why she’s the rightful Sorcerer Supreme. With Clea and Bats by her side, the reader is in for a battle filled with beautiful, magical work and fantastic team-ups. Plus, can you ever have too many Bats? The answer is absolutely not.

Shawn: Look, I’m going to keep it real with you. When I saw Clea Strange on the cover and the bestest of boys, Bats, I was already sold on this issue. Steve Orlando did not disappoint. Issue after issue, Sorcerer Supreme continues to give us a healthy blend of entertaining action as well as some intrigue.

I won’t spoil what happens, but this was an entertaining read. I really loved that Orlando took some of the ideas North laid out during last year’s One World Under Doom and brought them into this story. It’s little inclusions like the kind found in this issue that make me appreciate how Marvel can sometimes tie together various stories.

Art

Megan: Goodness gracious, Bernard Chang and Ruth Redmond showed up and showed out in this issue. With Dormammu, Clea, Wanda, and Bats in one issue, it’s guaranteed that it’ll be an absolutely stunning issue with these two handling the artwork. The detailing and coloring work is second to none. Chang brings beautiful drawings that are dripping in mystical goodness, and Redmond plays off that perfectly, using excellent vibrancy that juxtaposes the darker colors. Joe Sabino serves as the letterer of the comic and really drives home the heightened emotions of the characters, most notably Wanda. Along with that, Sabino brings excellently timed sound effects that allow the reader to experience the story even better.

Shawn: Bernard Chang and Ruth Redmond continue to astound in this issue. There’s a lot of crazy art and colors in this issue, and they’re both handled perfectly by Chang and Redmond.

The main battle sequence of this issue is beautifully drawn and even more perfectly colored. While Orlando’s story is really good, from the front cover to the final panel, the art is really the star of this issue. While Joe Sabino does a great job with lettering, Chang and Redmond craft a story that you could follow through emotion alone.

Final Thoughts

Megan: 10/10. There was so much to love about Sorcerer Supreme #5! The action, the magic, and the dynamics of the characters all deserve an easy 10 out of 10 for me.

Shawn: 10/10. Full disclosure, I love Bats. Having gotten that out of the way, this feels like the most complete issue of Sorcerer Supreme so far. The narrative is satisfying, and the art is spectacular. Even if you missed every issue of Sorcerer Supreme so far, you could pick this issue up and get a complete and satisfying story. More of this in future issues of Sorcerer Supreme, please.

Overall Grade: 10/10

What do you think about issue #5 of Sorcerer Supreme? Let Megan and Shawn know in the comments below