What are your thoughts on the Jason Aaron run (one of my favorites)?
Greetings and thanks for asking!
I’m so glad it’s one of your favorites runs because I feel exactly the same. Every person that comes to me and ask me about where to begin with Stephen’s chronology, there will be Aaron’s run.
Honestly, I don’t even know how to start my praisings. But the most touching part for me is how Aaron created a perfect metaphor for the monster in the cellar? I mean, he wrote it like a master.
Empirikul is just another ordinary villain seeking revenge [though he nearly killed all magic along with the sorcerers], but Mr. Misery? He was created from Stephen’s years of pain! How deep is this plot?
It’s beautiful in a way because Aaron managed to explore and develop Stephen’s core like no one else. Bendis tried a little bit with New Avengers, but we all know the run wasn’t about him. So I consider Doctor Strange v4 as the first time that we’re really able to dive into his fears, his flaws, his insecurities, and most importantly, his pain.
Stephen keeps a lot of pain within. And he’s the kind of person that simply can’t get all of it off their chest (I relate to that so damn much). It is said in Psychology that should an issue not come out in the form of words, it will probably manifest in the form of a symptom.
Well, for Stephen, it simply did as a brilliant metaphor.
Not to mention that he was really trying to overcome his past flaws and his fear of creating bonds through Wong and Zelma. You can clearly see his growth.
No, really, I read comics for this kind of thing. I don’t wanna see only fights and explosions as if it were a Transformers movie. I want to read something deep, something touching. And Aaron is the person that did it with my favorite character in the entire world.
Sadly, his run slowed down a bit after Empirikul, but Cates came and made me genuinely cry in Damnation. Cates was able to develop Stephen’s pain even deeper, how dare they?
So, I do love Aaron’s run, but you know what I love the most? Aaron + Cates destroying my feelings. They’re great writers. Stephen has never been in more capable hands.
I mean, Mark Waid is good and all, but is he writing with the same depth? No. And I miss that.
One last personal thing: I’m very proud of this collection! Jason Aaron has a special place in my heart and on my bookcase. no it’s not in English
Thank you for sharing your love for Aaron’s run with me!
