Doctor Strange #3 – A Mother’s Love, A Son’s Betrayal

Doctor Strange and Angela must figure out what comes next. The realm of Heven is under attack from Vyrbodin. Family secrets are revealed, and tears are shed as the pair work to try to unravel the secret behind Vyrbodin’s apparent immortality before it is too late.

Did you miss my review of Doctor Strange #2? Check it out!

Creative Team

Writer: Derek Landy
Artist: Ivan Fiorelli
Color Artist: Dono Sanchez-Almara
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Cover: Alex Horley

Writing

Derek Landy continues to do a great job with Doctor Strange all while forcing me to like Angela a little more each issue. This issue was so drastically different from the previous two in the best of ways. While the issue may have arisen from the aftermath of conflict, Landy managed to work in some serious, heart-wrenching moments into the story. He did so in a way that was both meaningful to the story and impactful for the reader.

Even a seemingly offhanded self-reflection from Doctor Strange can be poignant, as Landy has Doctor Strange consider the pain of a mother losing her daughter twice. One of my favorite subplots that continues in this issue may be the constant pressure Angela faces from the angels to be their Queen and her insistence on refusing to be Queen.

With the setting of Heven and Asgard, as well as other realms, Landy has really been able to build on the Doctor Strange lore. Marvel has faced some criticism before for doing the same thing over and over again, but with Doctor Strange, Landy has been given the free rein to add to the lore. We’ve already seen some new magical items utilized by Strange and Angela, and in this issue, we see some new spells specific to Asgardian magic. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the familiar standbys like the crimson bands of Cyttorak, but it’s also refreshing to see new spells and magic in a new light.

Art

Fiorelli and Sanchez-Almara continue to craft a beautiful world. It’s one thing for the writer to have the character passively comment to themselves how each world they travel to in the realms is more beautiful than the next. It’s another thing for the artists working on the visual side to bring that beauty to life.

As the realms we’ve seen through issues 1 and 2 have been beautiful and brightly colored, it was also nice to get a chance to see what kind of work Fiorelli and Sanchez-Almara could do with dark tones and scenes. We finally get to see that when Strange and Angela visit Skravarede.

The artwork on this issue is really top-notch, but Cory Petit also deserves some serious credit for the hard work on the lettering in this issue. As in previous issues, certain points are made or conveyed forward by Doctor Strange’s internal monologue, and Petit does a great job ensuring that those moments are not only clear but that they don’t interrupt the flow of the comic.

Final Thoughts

This issue marks another satisfying entry into the story of Doctor Strange. Landy does a masterful job of taking advantage of the setting offered by the story to explore new magics, spells, and items in the lore and world of Doctor Strange. The buddy cop story vibe that is created between Angela and Strange has been a joy to read and watch. Landy has crafted my favorite version of Angela I have encountered in a comic book.

The subplots (Angela refusing to be Queen and Strange pining for home on Earth) continue to be enjoyable additions to the story. I’m really enjoying the series so far, and happy that Marvel signed off on Landy being able to explore other realms beyond the Doctor Strange of Asgard limited series that ran during One World Under Doom.

Overall Grade: 10/10

Until next time, may your pulls be magical and your multiverse remain stable

What did you think of Doctor Strange #3? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to check out my other reviews!