Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme Vol. 1: Out of Time

by Robbie Thompson

[Quirky Cat]

3 1/2 Stars.

Have you ever wanted to read a series where multiple Sorcerers Supreme showed up to try and help save the day? That’s pretty much the plot of this series; though naturally there are a few hitches. Still, if you’re greedy for Doctor Strange material (like myself) I doubt you’ll complain.



As mentioned above we see multiple Sorcerers Supreme gathered here to help fight a common for. They were brought together by none other than Merlin (yes, that Merlin); it should have been a perfect team, right? Well…not so much. It seems that whatever spell/item Merlin used to pull the Sorcerers Supreme from their timelines wasn’t terribly…precise. I’m sure you can already guess where this is going.
Doctor Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of our time, but anyone that’s been following the latest continuity knows there’s a problem with that. Magic was almost completely eradicated, which includes the very magic that Doctor Strange uses. It is this timeline that Doctor Strange got pulled from (as opposed to the prime of his career or really any other point). I’m sure you can guess the reactions from the other Sorcerers Supreme. To say they were unimpressed would be putting it kindly.
The Ancient One is another Sorcerer Supreme Merlin pulled…but again with a catch. Merlin grabbed Yao (his true first name) before he had completed (or really even started) his venture to find the Fountain of Youth. It’s before he became the wise man we’re all so used to, while he was still brash and frustrating and the type of kid that refused to listen to his elders. In short, he’s the polar opposite of the Ancient One we’re all used to. It was interesting to see him that young, but also frustrating (for obvious reasons). He was easily Doctor Strange’s loudest critic, which is so ironic I can’t even put words to it.
Other Sorcerers Supreme include Kushala (Demon Rider), Sir Isaac Newton (yes, you read that right), and Nina (The Conjurer). There are others of course, but these ones hold the most attention of the series so far.
This is a series with a lot of twists and sudden changes of events, which considering the heavy magic use going on isn’t that surprising. The original enemy the Sorcerers Supreme are meant to be facing are called the Forgotten, but as we learn their abilities and origins things start to change. Before you know it we’re introduced to a new foe, this one even more surprising than the last.
I think this is a series that needs a bit if time to build up before it gets good. It’s trying to accomplish so much in the little bit of time that it has, that it frequently felt rushed. I think I would have enjoyed it more had it taken a slightly more leisurely pace. I certainly would have loved to learn more about the other Sorcerers Supreme featured (though perhaps that will still happen, as the series is continuing).


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