Dr. Strange: The Oath

[Dread]

When was it official that it was cannon? None of the versions of the characters as presented in the Strange mini have been used in the MU since.

Oh, if it'd sold 500,000 copies, Marvel would have shamelessly retconned all of Strangdom. But it didn't, happily, so instead it just proves a great waste of time and paper for readers and a random, pointless side gig to add to JMS's writing credits, in-between his ASM and FF work.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Oh, I didn't know the versions differed that greatly. I thought Strange basically arrived at the same point as he did in his original origin but in different ways, so continuity could technically have been preserved with the mini as the new origin. Sort of like Superman with Birthright. But if it's out of continuity entirely, even better.

 

[The Question]

Oh, if it'd sold 500,000 copies, Marvel would have shamelessly retconned all of Strangdom. But it didn't, happily, so instead it just proves a great waste of time and paper for readers and a random, pointless side gig to add to JMS's writing credits, in-between his ASM and FF work.

Meh. I don't see the big deal. Even if it had been retconned in, it wouldn't have effected the characters too much.

 

[BrianWilly]

Wait, seriously? Clea is an entirely different character. Wong is an entirely different character. I'm sure it doesn't seem like a big deal if you've had no connection at all to proper Dr. Strange continuity, but for the rest of us it'd literally be the equivalent of an iconic character and everything about his world being overtaken by Ultimate counterparts.

I don't understand how anyone can not see the Matrix connections. Beyond the fact that JMS pretty much laid it out? How about the black leather? The martial arts? Slow motion action shots? "The One"? The whole retconning of magic where they take out every ounce of spirituality and mysticism involved and turn it into some sort of reality perception thing?

And what was up with that nonsense ending where, because Stephen became "The One," then all memories of him are erased from his family members and they all wind up living horrifyingly miserable lives. What? Seriously, what? Thank Buffy that this isn't in continuity. Thank Buffy it's not even referenced in wikipedia.

 

[The Question]

Wait, seriously? Clea is an entirely different character. Wong is an entirely different character. I'm sure it doesn't seem like a big deal if you've had no connection at all to proper Dr. Strange continuity, but for the rest of us it'd literally be the equivalent of an iconic character and everything about his world being overtaken by Ultimate counterparts.

Okay. Besides that.

Although, Wong didn't seem so entirely different to me. Just younger.

Slow motion action shots?

How can you have slow motion action shots in a comic book?

The whole retconning of magic where they take out every ounce of spirituality and mysticism involved and turn it into some sort of reality perception thing?

Reality perception is a form of spirituality.

 

[PWN3R]

Good thing I didn't read that.

 

[BrianWilly]

How can you have slow motion action shots in a comic book?

Well, it looks a little something like this.

And ah yes, hello there Mr. Rippling Bullet Trajectory.

I mean, one or two of these instances might be coincidence. An entire second half of a miniseries filled with them is just being blunt about it.

Reality perception is a form of spirituality.

Metaphysics, maybe. Which is exactly what the Matrix is based on and what Doctor Strange isn't. Not that Strange's world can't have a healthy injection of some "what you see isn't what you actually see" rhetoric about it, but the intent in this case was pretty clear from the outset: Neo is seen as cool, Strange isn't, so make Strange like Neo and maybe he'll be cool. It's not even some great big secret or something, JMS has been pretty forthcoming about where he drew his inspirations from.

 

[iloveclones]

That seriously sucks. I feel your pain as my store still hasn't gotten Pride of Baghdad and I read on the MySpace page of POB that the first printing is about to sell out...thankfully, I ordered a copy from Midtown and should have that bad boy by next week.

I guess it's too late, but I saw a copy of it down at the Barnes and Nobles at the Waterfront.

And Dr. Strange will be at the top of my list. I hope it does well enough to kick off a series.

 

[The Question]

Well, it looks a little something like this.

And ah yes, hello there Mr. Rippling Bullet Trajectory.

I mean, one or two of these instances might be coincidence. An entire second half of a miniseries filled with them is just being blunt about it.

Odd. I didn't notice that.

Metaphysics, maybe. Which is exactly what the Matrix is based on and what Doctor Strange isn't. Not that Strange's world can't have a healthy injection of some "what you see isn't what you actually see" rhetoric about it, but the intent in this case was pretty clear from the outset: Neo is seen as cool, Strange isn't, so make Strange like Neo and maybe he'll be cool. It's not even some great big secret or something, JMS has been pretty forthcoming about where he drew his inspirations from.

I suppose. Still seems like a bit of a stretch to me. I mean, reality perception is a big part of certain types of spirituality. Especially the practices of the Hindu Yogis. And it didn't strike me as similar to The Matrix in that way.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

I don't know, based on what I've seen of it, the Matrix similarities do seem to outweigh the dissimilarities. Either way, it doesn't matter. The real Dr. Strange is back and better than ever now.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

Great book. I love how the cape, though knowing it had a life of it's own, has preferred places to hide like a cat or something.

That, and the art's awesome.

 

[Darthphere]

Do you guys think that this could be turned into an ongoing? I really dont see Vaughan or Martin sticking around for a full fledged on-going.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

I kind of wish that it would. But most likely won't.

 

[yenaled]

This was classic BKV, loved every bit of it.

 

[Anubis]

Yeah, good ish.

 

[SpideyInATree]

I guess it's too late, but I saw a copy of it down at the Barnes and Nobles at the Waterfront.

And Dr. Strange will be at the top of my list. I hope it does well enough to kick off a series.

Damn! Where were you two weeks ago?

I don't spend much time in the Waterfront area anyway...so I'm getting it either way.

 

[KingOfDreams]

I'll pick it up this weekend probably.

 

[Harlekin]

I picked this up today. Ate it up. Really, Vaughn and Martin did a perfect job. The art was fantastic and the characters were so well characterized. I've always loved Doc Strange, but Vaughn only reinforced that for me again. Just to see the relationship between Wong and the Doc for what it is, that of heterosexual soulmates. I thought it was brilliant when Strange basically told the Night Nurse to shut up and treat Wong with the proper respect. I'm going to be pissed off if Wong dies. He's awesome. Can't wait to read the rest of this mini.

 

[LouFerignoDemon]

How they were such good friends, that there were no human expressions to deliver just how close they were, heterosexual soulmates?


Something tells me Wong survives, but it probably won't be like just a long term healing thing or something. Probably like, he'll die, and just...regrow into a new body or something crazy magical like that.

I also liked how Strange told Night Nurse she basically wanted to be a hero, and when she refused, he pointed out the cape.

 

[iloveclones]

Oh, if it'd sold 500,000 copies, Marvel would have shamelessly retconned all of Strangdom.

As well they should have. (I didn't care for the series either, but I did like the first issue. It just got too Matrix-y after that. I wouldn't mind seeing re-imagining like that in a What-If? style series, though.)

That said, I hope this series does better. There was nothing wrong with the Dr. that really needed fixing. Just some Back to Basics. The inclusion of the Night Nurse was a great idea. I like these kind of external structures of the MU, like N.N. and Damage Control.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Damage Control has been perverted beyond any recognizability.

But I like those kinds of things, too. Ironically, although fictional organizations like the Night Nurse's hospital and Damage Control further remove the Marvel universe from reality, their existence in a world with super-powered heroes and villains makes so much sense that they add a lot of credibility to the Marvel universe for me.

 

[Darthphere]

Yes.

 

[KingOfDreams]

Bought it today. Vaughan is a fantastic writer.

 

[Darthphere]

Yes.