Doctor Strange Epic Collection, Vol. 11: Nightmare on Bleecker Street

Doctor Strange Epic Collection

by Len Kaminski, Roy Thomas, Geof Isherwood (Illustrator)

Powerless! When Clea’s actions free the dread Dormammu, Doctor Strange beseeches the all-powerful Vishanti for aid. But his mystical patrons have a request in return — and when Strange refuses, he is stripped of most of his magical power! Sorcerer Supreme no more, to contend with Dormammu Strange must revive his old non-team the Defenders! Then, when Nightmare targets Strange, will Morbius be a friend or foe? Plus: Strange loses and gains a disciple, and is swept up in cosmic chaos when the Goddess launches her Infinity Crusade! And when Strange aids the Midnight Sons against Lilith, it unleashes a terrifying new foe — and sparks a radical reimagining of Strange himself!

COLLECTING: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988) 48-61; Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual (1992) 3; Morbius: The Living Vampire (1992) 9; material from Marvel Super-Heroes (1990) 12, 14; Marvel Comics Presents (1988) 146

Genres: Comics, Supernatural, Collections, Graphic Novels

488 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2023

Reviews

[RunningRed NightBringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collecting the 1992-1994 run of Dr Strange, the period where he declined joining a cosmic war and lost access to the entities he once drew upon for his magic. I think, like the end of Kryptonite No More with Superman, the intent might have been to power down the Doc a bit and make his adventures more challenging. It continues through Dr Strange's standalone issues during the Infinity Crusade to the Siege of Darkness storyline in the Midnight Sons crossovers.

The writing's okay. 1990's Doc bounces from one mystical crisis to another with scarcely a break.
Kyllian is introduced as a potential foe or ally or spinoff, then unceremoniously put on a bus. He had powers of the Celtic Gods that he could tap through tattoos. The way he's presented as the only descendant able to tap these powers makes me wonder if the writer ever heard of Doctor Druid. I'd posit that Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid is, "what if he wasn't bogged down with 90s edginess and allowed to grow to be a decent character."

The art is mediocre in the beginning. Kyllian has what are called tattoos, but just look like brandings. I'll chalk it up to 90s Marvel being cheap. The art does improve with the Midnight Sons crossover.

It's not a bad Doctor Strange collection, but the issues were part of an ongoing series and did touch upon that year's big Marvel crossover event, so you may need to Google some of the backstory.

I do wish they'd included the other comics in the Siege of Darkness crossover, maybe have that be it's own collection.

[Chad Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen loses his magic and battles with increasingly potent entities