I've always liked Dr Strange but there have only really been three runs that really appealed to me: the Ditko originals, the first Engelhart run (Caterpillars et al), and the Stern period with Tom Sutton and later Paul Smith on art. Everything since then has veered from quite good to not good. The current series is on the quite-good end of the spectrum.

The problem is that the comics medium has moved on since the days of Dr Strange's inception. He was rooted in pulp literature, of the line of occult detectives that extends back to Semi-Dual and Carnacki. Borrowed tropes include the sanctum sanctorum, the wise foreign mentor, the ethnic manservant, the rescued exotic princess, the menacing foreign counterpart enemy etc. These are all classics of their time but in days of more enlightened multiculturalism and sensitivity to appropriation they can be more difficult.

There has also been a lot of development in the fantasy genre since 1963. Leia Organa became the patron saint of rebel princesses from evil bloodlines. Generations of elitist gentlemen occultists were offended and outdated by John Constantine and his copycats. Magic was changed by Hogwarts and The Exorcist. It's no longer enough to wave one's arms around and shout the name of a made-up supernatural entity. In fact, Dr Strange has the same problems that the movie John Carter experienced: many of the innovations from the original have been borrowed and improved upon and run into the ground by later but better-known works.




A little more backstory would have been welcome, though. For example, comics' Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo came from a Transylvanian elitist lineage of sorcerers and once had a family. His study of the mystic arts was informed by a deep knowledge of magical tradition. His clash with Strange was really old-world European noble vs brash new world colonial upstart to shape the world's future; the American War of Independence in miniature.

I don't mind that they changed Mordo's ethnicity, but every change to some of those old Marvel stories weakens some period trope that they drew upon. A younger Aunt May? An AI Jarvis? A "dead" Jan van Dyne? You'd better plan to put something in that's just as good as what you cut out. So far to my view, they haven't.




Agreed. Something that explained why his dialogueless minions were following him would have been nice.




I'd be okay with Clea taking over McAdams' body or appearance. After all, when a half-Faltinean incarnates, why should she look at all human unless she chooses to?




I liked them too, but I spotted one continuity error that bugs me. In a nice throwaway link in the scene leading to Strange's car crash, he turns down operating on "some pilot who crashed his flight suit", a clear nod to Rhodey in Civil War. So that establishes Strange's origin as being post-CW. But in Cap 2: Winter Soldier, Strange is already known and is on SHIELD's watchlist, one of three names reeled off by Sitwell as being on HYDRA's hit list: "Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, Bruce Banner..."

Anyway, a fun film with some remarkable visuals. I look forward to seeing it again on DVD.