Doctor Strange #1 review
It’s all about subtleties.
I think issue #1 is a perfect start, not because of the possible mystic threats and glorious magic fights. It’s perfect because it’s just Stephen being Stephen. More than that, it’s just Stephen being happy and doing good on a regular basis. It’s simple, but it sums up everything he represents as a hero.
And all the team got it right, whether it’s the story, art or colors. It’s sweet and colorful, even though not everything is sunshine and roses (which gives the right, believable tone to Clea and Stephen’s relationship, after all).
But first, this is my remark that we were SO RIGHT to assume these two would f* like rabbits. So yeah, it’s canon hehe not that we needed any confirmation but... 👀
Now, back to the subtleties. They speak of a lovely couple teasing one another.
(Clea and Marc’s friendship is unbreakable now btw)
They speak of Stephen’s compassion towards his friends.
They speak of domestic life.
And fluffiness.
And peace of mind.
But they also speak of important matters like the crisis we have to face in order to fight for human rights and equality.
(if this metaphor is not clear, this IS a criticism towards the way the world has been treating war refugees, especially those of color)
In addition, those subtleties speak of injustice.
As well as conflict.
In short, this is the essence of Doctor Strange. If you want to learn who Stephen is, this is the perfect issue to illustrate it all. His kindness, compassion, duty, his conflicted heart, love and life, patience, altruism, stubbornness, weaknesses, flaws, maturity. He’s just a human with incredible mystic abilities and a powerful heart.
It’s not a dramatic story, it’s just... light-hearted in its own way. There’s conflict but the focus is a man who is finally learning happiness again. It’s an accurate portrayal of life, in which nothing is perfect but there’s beauty and joy. A well-deserved happiness after so much suffering and loneliness.
Plot-wise, I’m pretty sure Clea didn’t murder Aggamon. It’s probably just a device to create conflict in their marriage, which was expected by the interviews and solicitations. My heart is at peace because I know Jed wouldn’t reunite Stephen and Clea just to split them afterwards.
There’s also Wong’s new role as an agent of W.A.N.D., and he does have his own unique style to reach out to others -- through peace and compassion as well. I confess I’m in love with Wong in this uniform and I’m just so excited to see more of him and Pandora. He’s finally his own character, having his own life and personality. And I couldn’t be more grateful.
Looking forward to Nightmare and the mystery that surrounds Aggamon’s death. If DODS taught me anything, the culprit is closer than we suspect.
I’m also expecting some healing in the future issues. I know there was a tension between Stephen and Victor (a deserved one after DODS, if I may add) and an apology it’s out of question for a character like the king of Latveria, but a team-up would be nice to go past that. Also, Jed has been cooking Marc’s apologies for a while now (in both his MK’s run and DODS, as well as teased in the sneak peek). You know me, I’m always down to emotional bonding cause I’m hopeless 💜
Verdict: amazing issue! 10/10!
