Doctor Strange: Strange Origin

Yet another reboot origin story, this time for Doctor Strange. Except author Greg Pak doesn’t change up the original origin story (I had fun writing that) very much. It’s still Dr. Stephen Strange being an arrogant surgeon who loses use of his hands in a car accident and then seeking out the Ancient One, a mysterious figure who introduces him to the world of magic. While at the temple of the Ancient One, Dr. Strange meets Mordo, the bad student, and Wong, who will go on to become Dr. Strange’s manservant (he’s a little more independent than that here, but still fills the same role).

On the plus side it’s a pretty condensed retelling, with Dr. Strange getting up to speed just by memorizing a few incantations. After that, he and Wong and a sexy Italian sidekick are off hunting down the three rings of power to prevent Mordo from getting his hands on them. Yawn. Come on. We’re really doing this rings of power thing again?

At each stage there are portals opened and demons burst through that then have to be banished through an appeal to the Vishanti or else good ol’-fashioned fisticuffs. And Dr. Strange proves himself worthy to become a Sorcerer Supreme by renouncing the power of the rings and going back to the Ancient One to continue his training.

It wasn’t my thing. I liked the giant tiger of the Vishanti, and the art by Emma Ríos is distinct in a sketchy sort of style, but I also found it hard to read in places. The demons sometimes seem like balls of ectoplasmic yarn. And the story was underwhelming for the reasons given. Also included in this volume is a teaser for a different storyline (The Way of the Weird, which I already had a copy of), and that felt out of place even if it is just bonus content. The origin story there is presented as a flashback to the original, and not to the book we just read.

If you’re a Dr. Strange fan I’d give this a look mainly for the different style of the art, but otherwise it should be a pass.

Graphicalex