10 Best Doctor Strange Comics
Posted on May 4, 2022
by Eric S
If Spider-Man: No Way Home and Loki are any indication, fans are ready to dive deeper into the Marvel multiverse. Who better to take us on this journey than the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange? With Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the MCU looks to be embracing parallel dimension shenanigans with open arms. After rewatching the Sorcerer Supreme’s first cinematic outing, make sure to grab your Cloak of Levitation, dust off the Eye of Agamotto, and prepare for the sequel with some of Doctor Strange’s greatest comic book adventures.
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Doctor Strange: The Oath
By Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Marcos Martin (illustrator)
Written by modern-day-comic-legend Brian K. Vaughan (you may have heard of Saga and Y: The Last Man) and illustrated by future Daredevil artist Marcos Martin, Doctor Strange: The Oath is an excellent entry-point for new readers. After a mysterious assailant steals a supernatural elixir from Doctor Strange and leaves him near death, Strange must race to reclaim the elixir—after all, the life of his trusty assistant Wong is hanging in the balance.
Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
By Roger Stern (author), Mike Mignola (illustrator)
A personal favorite, Triumph and Torment is perhaps more of a Dr. Doom story than a Strange story, but it remains an under-appreciated gem. Written by the prolific Amazing Spider-Man author Roger Stern, with art by Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, this comic tells the story of Dr. Dooms’ struggle against some rather malevolent forces. Why does the arrogant Doom need Doctor Strange’s help, and more importantly, why are they trying to break into Hell itself?
Doctor Strange Vol. 1: The Way of the Weird
By Jason Aaron (author), Chris Bachalo (illustrator)
Leading up to the Doctor Strange film in 2016, Marvel put two of their biggest guns on the Sorcerer Supreme. Jason Aaron, coming off an impressive run on Thor, teams up with his old Wolverine and the X-Men collaborator Chris Bachalo (notable for his work with Neil Gaiman and an impressive body of X-Men comics) to bring Doctor Strange to a new legion of fans.
Doctor Strange Epic Collection: A Separate Reality
By Roy Thomas (author), Gene Colan (illustrator)
While rarely mentioned in the same breath as Stan Lee or Jack Kirby, few creators have had as much impact on Marvel Comics as Roy Thomas. The successor to Stan Lee as Marvel’s editor-in-chief, Thomas’ notable stints on Conan the Barbarian, What If? and The Avengers would shape the superhero landscape for years to come. Along with master horror artist Gene Colan, Thomas would produce some of Doctor Strange’s first great post-Ditko tales.
Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange Vol. 1: The World Beyond
By Stan Lee (author), Steve Ditko (illustrator)
A list of Doctor Strange comics would be incomplete without mentioning his co-creator, Steve Ditko. Known for his massive contributions to the creation of Spider-Man, Ditko would become one of comics’ most enigmatic figures. In addition to introducing some of Strange’s classic villains, like Dormammu and Baron Mordo, the issues in this collection also set the standard for all Doctor Strange comics to come by showcasing Ditko’s unique visual vocabulary.
New Avengers Vol. 3: Other Worlds
By Jonathan Hickman (author), Rags Morales (illustrator)
In the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull War, Doctor Strange joined the Illuminati—a secret society of Marvel’s brightest minds, formed for the purpose of preventing world catastrophes. In the years since, Strange’s membership in the Illuminati has led him into some morally-compromising positions, especially during the brilliant, slow-burn Avengers saga by Jonathan Hickman. In this volume, we see how far he is willing to go to save Earth, but the whole run is a treat for fans of Marvel Comics history.
Doctor Strange by Mark Waid Vol. 1: Across the Universe
By Mark Waid (author), Jesus Saiz (illustrator)
Mark Waid is no stranger to Marvel heroes, having left his mark on Captain America, The Fantastic Four, and Daredevil – among others. In this series, Waid takes the Sorcerer Supreme to an unexpected place: outer space. After losing his magical abilities, Strange embarks on an intergalactic journey in search of new magic. What threats will he encounter in this unfamiliar territory?
Doctor Strange: What It Is That Disturbs You, Stephen?
By P. Craig Russell
A criminally under-discussed Doctor Strange story, What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen? is a comic worth seeking out for fans old and new. Recently included among the 100 greatest Marvel Comics of all time, this Eisner-Award-Winning book puts a new spin on the wild, supernatural, Ditko-esque worlds of the early Doctor Strange comics. If this book gives you Sandman vibes, there’s a perfectly good explanation: it was written and illustrated by Sandman artist and Neil Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell.
Doctor Strange: Season One
By Greg Pak (author), Emma Rios (illustrator)
If some of these selections seem a little heavy on the comics lore, Marvel’s Season One books are a great substitute for catching up on more than a half-century’s worth of history. Written by acclaimed Hulk scribe Greg Pak, this retelling of Doctor Strange’s origin also includes the first issue of Matt Fraction’s delightful Defenders comic, which sees the Sorcerer Supreme teaming up with Silver Surfer, Iron Fist, Red She-Hulk, and Namor. Speaking of which…
Marvel Masterworks Presents the Defenders, Vol. 4
By Steve Gerber (author), Sal Buscema (illustrator)
Not to be confused with the Netflix show of the same name, the Defenders are an on-again, off-again superhero team introduced in the early ‘70s. While they originally consisted of the all-star lineup of Doctor Strange, the Hulk and Namor, the Defenders would have a rotating roster of characters over the years. In this volume, Marvel mainstay Steve Gerber teams up the highly underrated Spider-Man artist Sal Buscema to bring 1970s superhero action to everyones favorite purveyor of the mystic arts.
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