Stephen Strange Space Oddity
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Jesus Saiz
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: June 6, 2018
Cover Price: $3.99
Stephen Strange has been through a lot lately. From the Magic on earth depleting to the point, the Doctor had to resort to magic baubles. Making him more like a medieval Sorcerer Supreme. Then he was kicked out of Sorcerer Supreme position by Loki. Stephen then turned himself into more of an Asgardian God with the help of the life tree (Yggdrasil) to battle Loki. He still ends up resorting to extreme measures to defeat Loki, unleashing The Void and losing a friend (The Sentry) in the process. Filled with guilt with using the trust of multiple friends Stephen tried to set things straight by bringing Las Vegas back from the brink of destruction. This didn't go well either, He basically unleashed hell on earth. Now with Fresh Start, it is time to see Mark Waid’s take on The Sorcerer Supreme.
When we first open up the book I was caught by surprise on how “normal” everything seemed. Doctor Strange is battling X’AXAL, an ugly looking massive elder god. Strange has all his old elements to him The cloak of levitation, eye of Agamotto, the cockiness, and the self-confidence. Things that he hasn't had for awhile. He is battling X’XAXAL in a different dimension. He beats back the elder god and his minions. Fleeing through a tear in our realities Strange manifests thread and surgically sews up the tear.
Seven Years later our real story begins. Stephen Strange is losing his magic again. This time it seems like Doctor Strange is the problem like its almost an infection or a sickness that is taking away his ability to use magic. He wakes up and one day he can't see the magical and strange with just one eye and then a couple days later he can’t see the strange with the other eye. Within no time at all, he is basically completely useless. No magic wands, no magic spells, No cloak of Levitation, Hell he even gets trapped in his own Sanctum Sanctorum for awhile. Afraid of getting help from other magic users for fear he will infect them with whatever is happening to him Stephen goes to an very unlikely person for help, Tony Stark.
Tony gives Stephen the encouragement he needs. The idea he needs, the equipment and training he needs to accomplish his mission of getting his magic back somewhere out in the cosmos.
First stop is a little planet in Shi’ar space that is populated and may be of interest to Stephen, so says Tony. A chance encounter with a Asteroid upon arrival has grounded Stephen on this planet for the time being and his captors don't seem to be the conversing type. Even worse they don't seem to know what magic even is, so our good Doctor is in solitary with no hope to the future.
Bits and Pieces:
Going into this comic I felt Waid had an up hill battle right off the bat. He is following probably some of the best Doctor Strange stories written in ten years with Aaron, Hopeless, and Cates. Plus it feels a bit similar to all of them because yet again Strange is de-powered. This time he has no powers at all and he is stuck on a strange planet and that is the only thing keeping my interest. The art was was good but not as energetic as we once had and same can be said of the story. Sadly this issue had me pretty bored and depressed.
6.5/10
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