Over in the pages of “Doctor Strange”, Marvel has united Stephen and his wife Clea Strange. Stephen and Clea have been adjusting to their life together in the first couple of chapters in the latest “Doctor Strange” ongoing series. While Stephen was gone, the magic-based threats in The Marvel Universe have grown even larger. In the previous chapter of “Doctor Strange” we saw Clea and Stephen team-up to fight off the villain known as Nightmare with a little help from Marvel’s Moon Knight. In the pages of “Doctor Strange” #3 a cult has revived Stephen Strange’s villain Dormammu. Will Clea and strange be able to stop Dormammu from destroying New York?
Cover by Alex RossWritten by Jed MacKay and Amy Chu
Illustrated by Pasqual Ferry and Tokitokoro
Colored by Heather Moore and Protobunker’s Fer Sifuentes-Suto
Lettered by VC’s Cory PetitA DAY WITH DORMAMMU! Stephen Strange has no short supply of enemies, but none are more fearsome than DORMAMMU…master of the Dark Dimension! When a cult summons the Dreaded Lord to New York, Stephen has to risk everything in order to defeat his most dangerous foe! But is he truly up for the task? Plus, a backup story featuring Doctor Strange and Sister Grimm of the Runaways!
In “Doctor Strange” #3, author Jed MacKay adds so much characterization to Dormammu. Instead of getting a more traditional narrative where Dormammu is pitted against Stephen, MacKay examines Stephen’s relationship with Dormammu with an incredible amount of depth. Dormammu takes the chance to catch up with Steven, reminisce about old times and add some additional commentary on recent continuity with Stephen in The Marvel Universe. One of my favorite aspects of the narrative here is the artful way that MacKay is able to tie together the opening of the story into the core threat with Dormammu. MacKay’s plots for “Doctor Strange” so far have been incredibly cohesive and filled with surprises.
One of the strongest aspects of “Doctor Strange” #3 is Pasqual Ferry’s art in the issue. Ferry utilizes a non-traditional line to capture gothic and magic elements of characters with intrigue. Ferry’s depiction of Clea carries so many curious aspects of her character with a fascinating hairstyle and curved eyebrows that allude to her dark personality at certain moments. Ferry captures an interesting interpretation of Dormammu in “Doctor Strange” #3. Dormammu is entering a more relaxed environment that creates an intriguing element of cognitive dissonance. The colors from artist Heather Moore also accentuate the mystical nature of characters like Strange’s bright bolts he shoots out of his hands.
MacKay does an excellent job using subtle plot beats to enhance this issue. Strange immediately questions Clea’s involvement for a crime in the issue but stops in his tracks when she professes innocence. This characterization falls in line with the “Strange” series showing Clea’s short temper. The way Dormammu constantly shifts locations when he makes his appearance known in the issue should really keeps readers engaged here. Sometimes it can seem forced when writers decrease the sense of tension between the protagonist and antagonist. MacKay keeps this characterization for Dormammu firmly rooted within the context of the overall story. Another great aspect of the continuity here is how Wong’s time as an Agent of W.A.N.D. is continually referenced in this series. MacKay has introduced subtle ties back to the plot with the W.A.N.D. characters referencing the current status quo of Aggamon. It is thrilling how subtly MacKay has teased Wong’s involvement with the story before showing readers the full scope of what Wong is going through.
“Doctor Strange” #3 carries an intriguing back-up story with Nico Minoru of The Runaways. The inclusion of this tale with the rest of the narrative doesn’t feel as cohesive as I would have hoped. It would have been great to see author Amy Chu use a couple more plot threads from the main story to make this chapter stand out less. Stephen Strange has a few solid one-liners in the issue and it is pleasant to see Nico and Stephen fight together. However, I wish there were additional moments of characterization in the story to give it more substance with the rest of the package.
Continued belowArtist Tokitokoro has a really nimble line that sticks out among other Marvel creators. However, the line captures so many interesting details but doesn’t always find that sense of precision in the anatomy for the characters in the issue. It feels like Nico’s face is stretched in certain moments. The artistic inaccuracy also extends to Stephen as well. Characters do not look consistent when comparing them from panel-to-panel in the issue. However, it is hard to deny that Tokitokoro has a wonderful stylistic line that I would love to see developed further in the space of comic books.
Overall, “Doctor Strange” #3 is a solid package that captures several intriguing moments in the life of Stephen Strange. Strange’s dynamic with Dormammu in the issue is fascinating and should pique the interest of readers. It’s always fascinating when MacKay references previous Strange continuity through the lens of supporting players as well. Witnessing the echoes of so many past Strange issues helps “Doctor Strange” #3 feel even more cohesive with Marvel’s continuity.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – “Doctor Strange” #3 is a subtle issue that avoids cliches with nuanced plot threads.
