A big thank you again to my uncle Jim who has passed on even more bound copies of 60s and 70s Marvel comics to me.
This time I thought I’d take a look at an old favourite of mine, Dr Strange. I remember the stories being a bit different in Doc Strange mags when I was a kid, a bit more involved, a bit more mystical than the normal run-of-the-mill masked man/busty chick socking it to the bad guys formula. Looking at this clutch of comics from 1972/3 I’m not so sure they were. Okay so they were set outside the normal American cityscapes but reading them as a cynical adult the stories are pretty rote. It’s mostly the old classic man-meets-girl, girl-summons-unspeakable-evil-from the-dimensions-beyond-the-stars, man-socks-it-to-’em-both, girl-gets-dragged-off-to meet-unspeakable-fate-in-another-dimension story.
But you know what? when they are illustrated as well as this by Frank Brunner, Jim Starlin, Sal Buscema and Irv Wesley that’s not too much of an issue. I’m especially taken that in almost every single paragraph someone shouts something along the lines of, ‘No! she has the Gandrinian Gauntlets!‘, or ‘Behold, mortal! Tremble at the sight of the dread portal of Nagrin-Dia!’. Happy days.
Now the good doctor, unlike me, does not seem to have a winning way with well-endowed ladies of the opposite sex, in fact they all want to kill him:
I am also very impressed that Dr Strange appears to be able to fart his way out of dangerous situations. I myself have often summoned the dread Vapors of Valtorr, although I do find their ‘hidden lightnings’ a bit embarrassing on the train in to work.
There was also, apparently a ghastly quest that took place entirely in the mind of Gene Simmons:
There are many really beautiful panels in these comics, I really love their colours too – these are my two favourites:
Thank you again Uncle Jim!
704 Down (still).
The artwork is amazing. I find quite a bit of the 60s/70s dialogue in the the Marvel/DC world to be a bit rote. I revisited the first couple runs of X-Men and was pretty bored with it, though the illustrations were stunning.
As far as Dr. Strange goes, I was never much of a follower until the last couple of years. In retrospect it’s kind of cool to think of a superhero that’s a master of the dark arts; no hulking physique, choirboy do-gooding, or misunderstood outcasts. This guy’s casting spells and bending reality at his Will. That’s pretty damn cool. Though what I’ve seen, I think my favorite artwork was from Ditko’s late 60s renderings. His stuff was really drawing from the psychedelic times. It’s like each trip into the netherworld was like some crazy acid trip.
I have to say, you have one of the coolest uncles. I tip my hat to him.
I agree with every pixel you’ve just typed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!
I’ll have what he’s having …
Pork rinds and coca cola???
Yummy
Yes it is!
If only I wasn’t a pale, weak lifelong vegetarian. (Shakes fist at sky) Damn you God!
Life long? Is that true? (Just curious! Like everyone, I have carnivore friends who insist you need meat to live. I doubt their science credentials.)
I have never eaten meat or fish in my life (I’m 44) and in very good health. You don’t need meat, you just need to balance your diet if you don’t have it.
I knew it, damn carnivore propaganda.
Incidentally, good for you — I think that’s awesome.
Were your friends really scientists? You can usually spot them because they wear long white coats and people call them ‘Doc’.
The guy I know that wears a long white coat is definitely not a scientist. Just a guy who likes 80’s fashion.
Uncle Jim RULES!
This is an excellent, timely post (what with the movie coming soon, and all).
YAY!
He does and I hadn’t realised until someone else mentioned it that there was a film coming out.
Uncle Jim rocks. No surprise really, given his name is Jim. I never really bothered with Dr. Strange. I found him a tad odd looking… like a aristocratic Superman. Or something. Movie looks right good, though.
But there’s boobs here?
A good point well made, sir… Dr Strange rocks!
But is he a registered medical practitioner?
It’s a bit of a grey area, I think he qualified via a correspondence course.
But… Who was he corresponding with? *looks in wonder to the sky*
The eldritch demons of Kazak-Dron!
Aaarghhh! But I am powerless against them!
Try farting your way out of it like the good Dr.
I will summon some from their dreadings.
Looks deliciously daft. Here’s something… Last night I caught a glimpse of a TV ad that I think might have been advertising a Dr Strange feature film starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Could that be true? And if true, would that be attractive to you, Comic Man?
Hmm, I like Mr Cumberpatch as Sherlock, not so sure about this though. I’m very superheroed out at the moment. Mind you if it involved him being menaced by as many busty disgruntled ladies as these comics do, then I may be inclined to give it a go.
Busty disgruntled or disgruntled busty. Where’s that rule book?
What used to always amuse and at the same time annoy me about comics was that when you saw the cover, the super hero was getting his/her ass kicked but when you read the comic, nothing like that ever happened.
They have no bearing at all on the contents, you’re totally right!