Even though there's only a week until the Sorcerer Supreme's big screen exploits, that's still plenty of time to learn about him from his adventures in comics and other media. That's why we've compiled this list of Doctor Strange stories to check out, ranging from the Silver Age to the modern era. Unless otherwise noted, these stories can be found either as collections or at digital sources like Comixology (or in one entry's case, on Blu-ray/DVD/digitally)
Doctor Strange: The Oath
If you ask a hardcore Doctor Strange fan what's the main comic book story to read starring the good Doctor, chances are they'll mention The Oath first. Written by Brian K. Vaughn and illustrated by Marcos Martin, this five-issue story arc saw Stephen Strange dealing with one of his former surgeon colleagues, Nicodemus West, who will actually be played by Michael Stuhlbarg in the live action movie. However, while the cinematic Nicodemus has simply been described as a "rival scientist," his comic book counterpart actually wielded mystical forces against the Sorcerer Supreme. The Oath also followed Strange trying to heal Wong from his terminal cancer. As far as self-contained tales go, outside of Strange's origin, The Oath definitely should rank at the top of your must-read list
7 Doctor Strange Stories To Check Out Before The Movie
Doctor Strange: The Eternity Saga
The early years of Doctor Strange were some of the craziest. Sure, comic book adventures were weird and unusual, but never before had they been so psychedelic. The Eternity Saga is a prime example of this. Original published as Strange Tales#130-144, this tale from good ol' Stan Lee and Steve Ditko saw Doctor Strange meeting Eternity, the leader of all the abstract entities in the Marvel universe. Strange had to find him in order to learn how to defeat Baron Mordo and Dormammu, two of his greatest adversaries who joined forces for the first time. This particular storyline hasn't been collected as its own volume yet, but if you can track down Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 1, you'll find the tale printed within.
Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme
This is the only non-comics entry on the list, but before the live action Doctor Strange movie, this was the Sorcerer Supreme's most prominent appearance in other media (outside of the occasional guest appearance on another hero's animated series, of course). Released in 2007, Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme told the good Doctor's origin for a new generation. As with other media adaptations, the animated movie took some liberties with the source material, like adding a few original characters and having Strange encounter magic before his car accident, but for the most part, it was a neat self-contained tale that gave Stephen Strange a new way to shine. If you want to get a good sense of what Doctor Strange is all about without turning any pages, Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme would be your best bet.
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