The Death of Doctor Strange #1

Writer – Jed Mackay

Artist – Lee Garbett

Today we are gathered to remember the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Stephen Strange.

This was at the top of my read pile last week and I’m thankful that I added it to my pull list. Two different comic shops I frequent had sold out of it the day of release.

This issue is a nice “day in the life” snapshot of Stephen Strange. He has returned to his former gig as a surgeon recently, which I was unaware of until I read this issue. Once finished with his medical duties, he stops a man rampaging across the city from harming himself and others. He speaks with the students of Strange Academy on his role as Sorcerer Supreme and how important it is not just for Earth, but for other dimensions in existence. He says he won’t be Sorcerer Supreme forever and that one of the children under his tutelage may one day take up the mantle in his stead. Strange starts to realize that there is an uptick in paranormal emergencies as he teams up with Magik to stop an invasion from Limbo. He returns home from a long day and encounters an unknown assailant, who kills him with a dagger to the heart. Wong, Doctor Voodoo, and Zelma Stanton find his body as Baron Mordo shows up, angry that someone else has killed his nemesis. Who killed Dr. Strange and what will the long-lasting ramifications be for his friends, Earth, and everything else that was under his protection?

Jed Mackay has skyrocketed to superstardomsince taking the reins of Moon Knight and now with The Death of Doctor Strange. Both series have sold out once hitting the comic racks, flying off the shelves at a steady pace. Both Marc Spector and Stephen Strange have been reinvigorated thanks to Mr. Mackay. He has a bright future ahead of him and I can’t wait to see which hero or villain he tackles next.

This book is the perfect read to get excited for and celebrate Halloween. The Death of Dr. Strange is a mini-event that will stretch into 2022. Much like Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America, there will be one-shots focusing on characters and how the death of Dr. Strange affects them.

As any comic fan knows, character deaths are seen as a marketing ploy and a way to make a quick buck. I’m cautiously optimistic about the direction of this series and I hope at the end, we have a new Sorcerer Supreme taking the Cloak of Levitation from its predecessor. However, with Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness on the horizon, I have a gut feeling it won’t be long before Strange returns to the land of the living.

This issue gets four out of five Eye of Agamottos. This murder mystery rocks the Marvel Universe and shakes Strange’s allies to their very core. Once Strange is off the board, who will lay claim to Earth? Who will be the next Sorcerer Supreme? Will we see Strange be avenged and who will be the one that saves all of existence? So many good questions and I will be there as we get some answers over the course of the miniseries. It’s not too late to jump onboard.

Next Issue – “REST IN PEACE STEPHEN STRANGE! With the Sorcerer Supreme gone, so too are Earth’s magical defenses! Now the rest of Earth’s heroes have their hands full with multiple invasions from other dimensions. Some are familiar…but some are new… and frightening! Meet the Three Mothers!” In Stores October 20, 2021.