DOCTOR STRANGE #12
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Chris Bachalo, Tim Townsend, Antonio Fabela
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: October 5, 2016

Damn, I loved this comic.

A big part of Doctor Strange has always been his arrogance. There hasn’t been much in the past that he can’t spell his way out of. He’s typically the most powerful in the room and he knows it. Aaron & Bachalo’s continuous destruction of everything the character is and his built has been fabulous, and issue #12 is the kickoff of a new arc that is the culmination of brilliant work thus far.

The systematic eradication of Strange’s power base is giving readers a great look at the core of Doctor Strange without all the “Alakazam” and all that jazz. This is Stephen Strange being more resourceful than ever before, and Jason Aaron is executing it brilliantly. This arc kicks off in a fabulous way, with Stephen into messes that are infinitely beyond his current power class, and mostly of his making. It’s the perfect situation for this iteration of Doctor Strange, and I’m convinced that Jason Aaron cannot make a misstep in the Marvel Universe right now.

In the past, depending on the tone of the book, I’ve been hit or miss with some of Chris Bachalo’s work. In the case of Doctor Strange, he’s a f***ing master. This is the perfect forum for Bachalo to go hog wild and his collaboration with Townsend and Fabela is firing on all cylinders. He captures the wild form of Mister Misery amazingly and Mordo has never looked more badass in his life. What impresses me most is how Bachalo represents Strange’s humility in his new state, and how much humour he infuses into the character. This art team does a killer job with this issue and the arc is off to an amazing visual start with issue #12.

Doctor Strange is one of the best superhero comics available today. Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo have done a great job elevating this character to not just an A-list power threat, but an A-list character. There is a depth to Strange and his growing cast of supporting characters that I’ve never read in the past and I am VERY excited for this arc.

The Verdict: 10/10