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A review by unladylike
Doctor Strange, Vol. 1: The Way of the Weird by Jason Aaron
3.0
I know now that I read the first two volumes of this about a year ago, but I was not in a place (physically or mentally) to be writing a review, so I'm re-reading and catching up on this series by one of the comic writers I respect most, Jason Aaron.
This story is pretty good and well-paced, and gives new readers more reasons to be interested in Doctor Strange than bored with him. At times, he feels just like Tony Stark, but with magic. Strangely (lol) enough, Iron Man is exactly the local ally he should be calling in to help in this catastrophic story of an alien horde of technological magic-eaters. I know, I know, this is just one of *many* comic narratives in a massive shared universe where the obvious solution to the reader would be "Call in the big guns who specialize in this particular threat!" and if the writer had done that, the story would be over far too soon, without the losses and revelations necessary. But this story arc, which spans at least two volumes, maybe three, is a tragic witch-hunt story through and through. It's sad to see Strange throwing all his fellow magicians right into the feeding pit of the beast he's fighting. It's made apparent to the reader long before Doc Strange figures it out, that the enemy is trying to find, and able to disarm and kill, any particular magic it comes in contact with. So...maybe don't give it what it wants? Try fighting it more physically, using your own non-magical machines, weapons, and soldiers? Oh well, I know it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, but it won't help for me to try interjecting with my own tactical suggestions. Best to watch it all play out as the creative team intended.
This story is pretty good and well-paced, and gives new readers more reasons to be interested in Doctor Strange than bored with him. At times, he feels just like Tony Stark, but with magic. Strangely (lol) enough, Iron Man is exactly the local ally he should be calling in to help in this catastrophic story of an alien horde of technological magic-eaters. I know, I know, this is just one of *many* comic narratives in a massive shared universe where the obvious solution to the reader would be "Call in the big guns who specialize in this particular threat!" and if the writer had done that, the story would be over far too soon, without the losses and revelations necessary. But this story arc, which spans at least two volumes, maybe three, is a tragic witch-hunt story through and through. It's sad to see Strange throwing all his fellow magicians right into the feeding pit of the beast he's fighting. It's made apparent to the reader long before Doc Strange figures it out, that the enemy is trying to find, and able to disarm and kill, any particular magic it comes in contact with. So...maybe don't give it what it wants? Try fighting it more physically, using your own non-magical machines, weapons, and soldiers? Oh well, I know it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better, but it won't help for me to try interjecting with my own tactical suggestions. Best to watch it all play out as the creative team intended.