[REVIEW] DOCTOR STRANGE IN ASGARD #1

With Midgard under the thumb of Emperor Doom, Stephen Strange is forced to find a new gig in Doctor Strange of Asgard #1.

Doctor Strange has been through it lately. He died, like, twice within a span of a few years, and then Doctor Doom usurped his title as Sorcerer Supreme. With his role taken from him and his home world in shambles, he decides to take his bag of tricks (and probably scalpels) to Asgard, currently lacking a Sorcerer Supreme-equivalent, and asks Thor if he can hook an old friend up. What happens from there is a comedy of errors —and murder— when Loki gets involved. What else would you expect from the God of Mischief? 

Written by Derek Landy, this Doctor Strange of Asgard #1 is a very fun read that hinges on a classic setup: X character in Y setting. Strange has been to all sorts of realms and unexpected places before, so why wouldn’t he try to set up shop in Asgard? Even a place like that needs doctors, of course. Even better if they’re also powerful wizards. The pairing of Strange and Loki makes a lot of sense in its unexpectedness; it’s a classic straight man/jokester dynamic. 

The art of Doctor Strange of Asgard, drawn by Carlos Magno and colored by Espen Grundetjern, is dark and heavy, interestingly contrasting a lighter story — or at least, what appears to be one. The tone established thus far is not super serious, but the stakes of everybody involved are; the art reflects this sufficiently. It’s not the most dynamic in terms of character expressions, but it gets the job done. Overall, Doctor Strange of Asgard #1 is likely a must-buy for both fans of Doctor Strange and anything Asgard-y, even with the connection to One World Under Doom, and that itself is kind of a magical feat.

4.99

6.9

Premise

7.0/10

Execution

7.0/10

Script

6.5/10

Art

7.0/10

Credits

• Writer: Derek Landy
• Artist: Carlos Magno
• Color Artist: Espen Grundetjern
• Letterer: VC's Cory Petit
• Cover Artist: Geoff Shaw & Arthur Hesli

Credits (cont)

• Editor: Alanna Smith
• Publisher: Marvel Entertainment