Younger readers who only recently discovered the world of Marvel's noted wallcrawler thanks to Tobey Maguire's portrayal of the character on the big screen in 2002 will likely enjoy this cosmic adventure. Unfortunately, for those who've read comics a little while longer, the tale will seem rather derivative. The title character's personality shines here, but the familiar and predictable story lacks suspense. Straczynski's take on Doc Strange is entertaining, though, and Romita's artwork is as strong as ever.
Dormammu has used the energy provided by New York's heroes to bridge the divide between hjis infernal realm and the Earth, and it's up to Dr. Strange to set things right... at any cost. What he doesn't count on, though, is a well-meaning webslinger who appears at an inopportune time. All is not lost, though, but Strange notes that the task of repelling powerful demon's
invasion has become a much more complicated -- and as Spidey discovers, emotionally daunting -- task.
The most striking visual element in this issue is Romita's tribute to Steve Ditko's artwork on the very first Spider-Man story. There's a view of the title character's origin, and it gives the artist a chance to take the reader back to the simpler tone of the 1960s and Ditko's imaginative depiction of high-fallutin' technology. Of course, one could argue that the presence of Dr. Strange in this story makes it a Ditko tribute from start to finish, but I like the darker tone Romita brings to the mystical characters here. I was disappointed, though, in the costume design for the future Spidey. The jacket looks like something you'd see on one of those ugly Skateboardin' Spidey figures at Toys R Us.
My favorite aspect of this issue is the writer's take on Dr. Strange. One of the problems I've had with the character in the past -- as well as some of Marvel's more cosmic figures -- is that his purple prose and alien adventures made it difficult to relate to him. Here, Straczynski brings some attitude and plausibility to Strange's voice, and his annoyance makes him much more entertaining rather than the eternally patient and reflective figure I've seen so often before.
Where this issue falls short is its exploration of some well-worn paths. The hero gets to change his future, or change his past, and he struggles with the ethics of the situation and his emotional need to better the lives of those he loves. Will the writer take the opportunity to make some real changes to the character? Given the anniversary issue that comes next -- #500 -- he may very well do that. But will such changes be lasting? I doubt it. It's one of the liabilities of such a long-running character, and more importantly, financial cash-cow property: even when creators are allowed to tinker with them, the additions to the mythos tend to be fleeting.
