Marvel Comics 2018
Written by Mark Waid
Illustrated by Jesus Saiz
Lettered by VC’s Cory Petit
IN SPACE, EVEN THE HOARY HOSTS OF HOGGOTH CAN’T HEAR YOU SCREAM…Stephen Strange is a little out of his element traveling the galaxy – and it shows! Powerless, friendless and far from home, Doctor Strange is just an Earthling who needs to convince a stranger that he’s worth saving. Meanwhile, a hostile civilization discovers Earth’s existence, and a new adversary to his wanton, unpaid spell-casting.
As I said when I reviewed issue #1 I have some trepidation when it came to putting Stephen into space. Dag freakin nabbit I no longer have any trepidation about as every last darn thing we see here is precisely what it needs to be to get me to back unconditionally. I think this just reaffirms my belief that Mark is some kind of mad genius and there is nothing you can think of that the man simply cannot write and write it extremely well.
While the way this is structured is exceptionally well done the fact that I am already seeing why this is going to be as good as hyped well that is just icing on the cake. Sometimes I think all of us forget to see the forest through the trees and while we might question an avenue a writer decides to take we should never condemn it or let it rankle you too much after its just a story. The method to the madness is coming along nicely and while I was excited last issue to see this team on the book after reading this I am that much more excited now moving forward.
A man’s journey through self-discovery isn’t easy at the best of times but to be the Sorcerer Supreme it is just that much more difficult. The time he is spending as a guest of the Gryndians is taking him back to basics where he can not afford to take anything for granted. Going over his studies again and trying to work out the problems at hand logically without the aid of his magic's. It is humbling to say the least well that is my impression of the situation. Though the introduction of Kanna who knows an Earthbilly well suddenly Stephen isn’t as alone as he thought. Though I cannot wait to see who she knows since space is a vast place and Earth has so many exploring it.
I do really like the work that Jesus is doing here. The linework is extraordinarily good and I really appreciate the attention to detail that he brings to this. There is a great sense of style and creativity going on in these pages and those filled with backgrounds that really capture the attention and imagination of the reader. The way that page layouts are utilised and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels shows off such a magnificent eye for storytelling. The designs that we see here are integrated nicely so that they seem both familiar and yet alien at the same time.
I like how this just flows through the pages. It has a very nice pacing to it and the information and characterisation that we see here is doled out wonderfully. I like seeing the man I knew, the man he is and the man he could become, including the potential for him becoming this obsessed maniac with an addiction to magic. The potential here is seriously unlimited and the fact that they can take Stephen in myriad of directions for me personally is exciting. Gone are the creature comforts of home that he can manipulate the odds in his favour no this is new, this is fresh and this is exciting.