Strange

[Jan]

Has anybody else been reading these? "Strange" is a new mini being written by JMS and Samm Barnes (who wrote a few "Jeremiah" episodes). I think it's supposed to be 6 issues and I've read 2 so far.

What JMS said about it at the Hawthorne con:

Audience: Is there anything you can tell us about the Dr. Strange Limited Series?

JMS: The Dr. Strange mini-series, turned the first script in. Me and Samm Barnes are writing it. It's a 6-issue mini that, in essence, reimagines his past, his art and his background. The problem if you look a Doc Strange is that his look, his way of doing business, everything about him is rooted in 1950s style Vegas magicians - the big cloak and all the rest of it and Lovecraft. Which is an odd combination. Well, maybe not. Now that I think about it if Lovecraft had imagined Vegas it would pretty much be as it is now. And...I'm trying to find new ways of making the character current. A lot of guys have had a hard time writing for that character, my job, as with Peter Parker, is to peel away all of the detritus and the ancillary stuff, get down to "who is this guy?" ultimately. I think that when it's all said and done, it's a pretty good story. Yes...

I've never read any Doc Strange before and only know little bits that have shown up in the ASM books. From some of what I've read, the beginnings here are at least somewhat different from the original but I don't know any specifics.

Anybody else reading it?

Jan

[Mike Hammer]

Doctor Strange has been one of my favorite characters for over 20 years. Needless to say I have been waiting anxiously to have my favorite writer tackle my favorote comic subject!
I find it interesting that JMS opted to reimagine the whole character back to his origins. It makes the book seem more like an Ultimate title rather than an active part of the Marvel Universe.
So far I am very happy with the treatment, JMS has captured the personality of Strange while giving it the fresh face he wanted. I can't wait to see where he takes it from here.

[Jan]

Originally posted by Mike Hammer
So far I am very happy with the treatment, JMS has captured the personality of Strange while giving it the fresh face he wanted. I can't wait to see where he takes it from here.

Thanks, that's good to hear. The Marvel Universe newsgroup seems full of people down on JMS lately so it's nice to read something from somebody who knows the character both past and present.

Jan

[Eccles]

Good 2nd issue as well.

<spoilers>

It does a good job of showing his decline into poverty over just a couple of pages. I'm not a long-time fan of Dr. Strange, so I don't know how Clea originally entered the picture, but was she a mystic practicioner before Stephen as is suggested here?

</spoilers>

Chris

[manwithnoname]

i've read both issues of Strange. i like what samm & jms are doing with Strange: giving depth to Wong; specifically, explaining why he is a faithful servant to the doctor. this, in turn, adds dimension to the doctor's character.