Doctor Strange (2018-) #4

by Mark Waid

[Quirky Cat]

Back when I read the Death of Magic plotline in Doctor Strange, I can safely say that I never expected this to be the end result of it all. Doctor Strange is exploring space, but in a way he never has before. All in an attempt to find a new conduit for magic.
It makes sense, in so many ways. Of course Doctor Strange would be desperate to get his hands on a new way of magic. Not only does the earth sorely need that resource (there’s a reason that the Sorcerer Supreme is charged with protecting the earth from mystical threats) but frankly, his pride also requires it.
You see, Doctor Strange, while having many wonderful and positive qualities, is very much a flawed person. That’s what makes him such a great character. One of his biggest flaws, I think we can all agree on, is pride. He worked hard to become the Sorcerer Supreme, there’s no doubt about that. So he had reason to be proud about that. But he was still proud of it, and he was unable and unwilling to let that title or part of his identity be lost.
Thus we find our hero out in space, working with a fractured infinity stone and looking for magical scraps. It sounds all dark and gloomy, but it’s really been quite a wonderful series so far. We’re used to see Doctor Strange traveling the cosmos, but we’ve never really seen him do it using such mundane methods before. It’s a nice change of pace.
The big reveal at the end of this issue has successfully piqued my interest. What will Doctor Strange do, once he learns this new skill? I can see so many possibilities with this, and frankly I can’t wait to see which way Marvel takes it.

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