Doctor Strange #6 – One is Folly, Three is Irresponsible

What happens when Doctor Strange finally sees a path back to Midgard? Is it too good to be true? Have his adventures in Asgard truly run their course? With Strange unable to remember what the other half of his deal was with Vyrbodin, will there be a greater threat on the horizon? Magic users across the Nine Realms have turned up dead. A magician here, a skald there, a wizard somewhere else. One by one, they are found dead. With Stephen Strange now a magic user across two worlds, is he the next target?

This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn!

Creative Team

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

Writing

Derek Landy really ramped up the action in this one. I’ve enjoyed this entire series, but I really enjoyed seeing the narrative of this issue. The impact of seeing three of the most powerful Sorcerer Supremes in the Marvel Universe together was astounding. I’m intrigued by this new antagonist. One thing that I’ve really appreciated throughout this series is that Landy has not been afraid to take chances and try something new. He hasn’t really done anything that has shaken the core of Doctor Strange lore, but has toyed with new ways to see how it can be viewed and impacted. This new antagonist feels like the latest entry into that.

Every time I think I’ve figured out all the wrinkles in Landy’s story, a new one reveals itself. That’s how this issue felt with both seeing Vyrbodin again as well as this new antagonist. This issue feels both satisfying and full of promise which serves as a testament to the quality of writing that Landy put into this issue.

Art

Ivan Fiorelli continues to stun. It was amazing and spectacular to get to see him finally draw Clea and Stephen together in panels. The work with Fiorelli’s lines and shading this issue really stand out. Vrybodin’s face and the subtle yet distinct lines add depth to the character and a weight that only the recognizable face of age can provide. Fiorelli does a superb job. All three Sorcerer Supremes are expertly drawn.

Dono Sánchez-Almara does a wonderful job with colors. This was not an easy issue to color. As exciting as three Sorcerer Supremes are narratively, the idea is a nightmare for a color artist, as all three have distinct palettes that aren’t complementary to each other. Sánchez-Almara handles this with the skill of a surgeon, coloring scenes where each of the characters appears together in a way that is so visually appealing. Cory Petit helps readers keep track of each character and the overall narration making it easy to follow the course of the story.

Final Thoughts

This is everything you would want in a Doctor Strange story. There’s magic, a compelling story, and beautiful art. This issue feels like it could set the tone going forward. It brings in relevance from the previous arc and adds weight to it. This issue set a fire in my bones that I’m ready to see grow.

Overall Grade: 10/10

How are you liking this Doctor Strange series? Let me know in the comments