Doctor Strange #10 – Arrogance Is An Inescapable Part of My Nature

Doctor Strange cut a deal to ensure the villain Vyrbodin would surrender. In doing so, he sacrificed part of his own memory to keep their plans to defeat Vyrbodin’s tormentor secret. Atho-Tet, an entity of great power, had already dispatched his emissary, Downfall. Sorcerer after Sorcerer of the Nine Realms fell at the hands of Downfall. Now, with Angela, Vyrbodin, and Strange struggling to defeat Downfall, Strange has a theory that just may change the tide of battle.

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Creative Team

Writer: Derek Landy
Artist: Ivan Fiorelli
Color Artist: Dono Sánchez-Almara
Letterer: Cory Petit
Cover Artist: Alex Horley

Writing

Doctor Strange #10 reveals it all. With this issue, Derek Landy winds down his run on Doctor Strange in the most satisfying of ways. I genuinely loved this entire series, and issue #10 is a great example of why. So much of Stephen Strange has been two steps forward and three steps back. It seems as if every single writer for Strange has had the character begin to learn from his ego, only for it to surge forward and cause a calamity. In Doctor Strange #10, Landy shows us a Stephen Strange who has truly grown. A Stephen Strange who is willing to do something noble, even if it kills him.

One of my favorite aspects of this issue was not only that it gave a really satisfying ending to the plot points created during this run, as well as Doctor Strange of Asgard, but that it continued to add twists and turns that resolved themselves prior to the ending of the issue. It really feels like Derek Landy has altered Doctor Strange in a really powerful way if whoever picks up the mantle next is willing to take the changes and run with them. The Stephen Strange that Derek Landy gave us shows a level of calculated risk, self-awareness, and genuine ingenuity few others have given us before.

Art

Ivan Fiorelli, Dono Sánchez-Almara, and Cory Petit went out with a bang. I’ve loved the designs that Ivan Fiorelli went with throughout this series, and it felt like Doctor Strange #10 was a really satisfying chance to bring all of the skill he has shown throughout this series to the forefront. This issue artistically had everything. There were close-up panels, highly detailed backgrounds, panels filled with large numbers of detailed characters, and a terrifying villain. Through it all, Fiorelli showed a deft touch that made this a satisfying story.

Dono Sánchez-Almara saved his best panels for last. The color work on the final panel of this series alone is worth its weight in gold. While Fiorelli designed a truly terrifying villain in Downfall, it’s the work of Sánchez-Almara in coloring the villain that brings this story to life and makes you feel the terror in your bones. Cory Petit does a really good job ensuring your eyes flow easily from the first panel onward. This was no easy task, with Angela, Strange, Lord Strange, Vyrbodin, and the Angels to navigate on top of all of the other characters.

Final Thoughts

This creative team should be commended. This issue closes the book on a run that has pushed Stephen Strange as a character in new ways. The series is a breath of fresh air that just works. It’s been a great ride, and I can’t wait to see where Stephen Strange goes next.

Overall Grade: 10 /10

What did you think this run of Doctor Strange? Let me know in the comments