Soss' Pull-List Reviews 6/6/13

Doctor Strange: The Oath

I've never agreed with Marvel's treatment of it's mystical characters. Most of their magical universe goes completely ignored in favor of the company's bread winner: street level heroes. Its this narrow view of their characters that has always made me want to be a Doctor Strange fan. Granted, I've never read anything that was actually good featuring the Sorcerer Supreme... until this week.

The Oath is a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin that centers around the relationship between Strange and his man-servant (yes, they refer to him as such in this book) Wong. Wong has developed an untreatable brain tumor and the good Doctor takes it upon himself to find a cure in the realms of magic. They are accompanied on this journey by super hero caretaker Night Nurse and end up discovering a magical potion that was more than they bargained for. 

The reader gets to see flashbacks of the arrogant prick that Stephen Strange was before the accident that crippled his hands. I thought this was important because there are still hints in Strange's dialogue that he can be kind of an asshole. It's not like he has completely changed his spots. 

Marcos Martin really brings it with his pencils. If you are a fan of crisp clean line work with a 1960's aesthetic, you will dig this book. -Soss

Panel of the Week: Doctor "Strange" indeed.