Doctor Strange: From the Marvel Vault #1

The funny thing about comics is that they could be written, presented to the publisher and turned down- placed on a back-burner and never released. This concept of pulling these stories that long ago had been developed but never made it to print until now is really kind of cool. Such is the story behind this week's Doctor Strange Marvel Vault One-Shot.

The Good

First, it's Dr. Strange. Now while few people can write a truly great Doctor Strange story, writer Roger Stern does this here. Reading either of the "Big Two" can sometimes be more work than entertainment- keeping up with various ongoing story lines and following the abundance of cross-over stories can sometimes overwhelm a reader. This is why I highly recommend this issue. This comic deals with Dr. Strange's past- before he came into his own as Dr. Strange The Sorcerer Supreme, but after he studied with 'The Ancient One.'  If you ever wanted to know the story of how Stephen Strange came upon his Sanctum Sanctorum, then you have to pick up this issue.

The pacing in this one-shot is stellar, and the art is truly beautiful. I think one of the most interesting aspects of this issue is the fact that Stern manages to bring a fantastic story from Stephen's past to the table and writes Stephen's dialogue perfectly. The This absolutely feels and sounds like Stephen Strange during his humble beginnings- and it's just wonderfully written. This made me want to go back and read old Dr. Strange comics, that's how good the characterization is here.

The Bad

Nada! Zilch! This issue is perfection, and I am just glad Marvel brought it out of the vault for us to enjoy.

The Verdict

There are not enough good things I could say about this issue, so I'll make it simple; go out and buy it. It's a lot of fun to read, with a perfect characterization of a young Stephen Strange, fantastic art to match and great dialogue. It's brilliant.