Doctor Strange: A Separate Reality by Steve Englehart – A Review

Doctor Strange: A Separate Reality by Steve Englehart
Illustrated by Frank Brunner
Comic Books | Fantasy
Published by Marvel Comics
Released April 29, 2002, First Published in 1974
Goodreads | Amazon
Rating:

Doctor Strange has been my favorite Marvel character since my boyfriend first introduced me to the comic book world. It’s no surprise really, as I love magic and the occult and trippy 60s/70s art, all of which Doctor Strange comics contain.

Doctor Strange: A Separate Reality is a collection of Doctor Strange comics from 1974 – Marvel Premiere Vol. 1 #9-14 and Doctor Strange Vol. 2 #1-5. In this collection, Doctor Strange, along with help from Clea and Wong, fight against the dark forces of Sise-Neg and Silver Dagger.

While I’m pretty up to date on modern Doctor Strange comics (with the exception of the currently-running Mark Waid series, because as much as I adore Doctor Strange, I’m really not a fan of Waid’s writing), I still have so much to read when it comes to the older comics.

This collection has some important moments in the overall life of Doctor Strange, and as such is a must-read for any fan of his.  I’m not going to say too much as to the plot, because I went into this blind and I think it’s the best way to do so. What I will say is that this collection contains both Doctor Strange becoming Sorcerer Supreme and achieving immortality.

The stories contained in A Separate Reality are really fantastic. Steve Englehart did a fabulous job of showing all sides of a complicated character and pacing the story in such a way that it is incredibly enjoyable and deep at the same time. That’s something that is not always easy in comic books since each issue is usually less than thirty pages. There is so much contained in these pages that it’s damn impressive how much story Englehart managed to write.

And then we have the art, which is so amazing. Before reading this collection, I wasn’t really familiar with the name Frank Brunner, but I will be searching out some of his other work for sure! It’s colorful and trippy and the perfect example of why I love Doctor Strange comics so much. Here are a few examples:

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If you’re already a Doctor Strange fan or if you’re new to his character and want a great example of why he’s one of the best Marvel heroes, A Separate Reality will be a great place to start.

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Have you read Doctor Strange: A Separate Reality? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!

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Want more Doctor Strange?

Doctor Strange: The Fate of Dreams | Doctor Strange: The Oath

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