Marvel Reveals Doctor Strange Ongoing Series By Jason Aaron And Chris Bachalo

By Nick Tylwalk | Jun 22, 2015

He’s got a big role in Secret Wars, serving as the sheriff to the all-powerful Doctor Doom. He’s got a movie coming up with some big name actors attached that just might make him a household name with the general public. And in just a few months, Doctor Strange is going to have an ongoing comic book series by prominent creators that could boost his profile to its highest point to date.

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Marvel gave Entertainment Weekly the exclusive reveal of the new Doctor Strange series, which will go on sale this fall. Written by Jason Aaron and illustrated by Chris Bachalo, it’s obvious that Marvel intends for Stephen Strange to be a major player in the company’s super hero line going forward — no surprise since his movie debut is coming in the fall of 2016.

Along with the announcement came an interview with Aaron and editor Nick Lowe, and while the whole thing is full of interesting tidbits, here are a few of the major takeaways:

Doctor Strange has to deal with magical repercussions other heroes don’t need to worry about

Magic is always the trickiest of super powers to handle, because unlike common abilities like flight or super strength, it has to be defined for readers so they understand what it can and can’t do. It sounds like Aaron is keen on tackling that idea in the new series by using a risk/reward type of dynamic when Stephen Strange has to take action.

"We’re talking about the forces of magic. So whatever he does has repressions. Any of this stuff with magic, there’s always a cost to it. I think that’s kind of the only rule of magic we ever really talk about—everything he does, there’s a price to it. So he always has to kind of balance those skills and worry, “if I save the day here, what repercussions will that have for me, or elsewhere in the world?"

RELATED: Bam Smack Pow Jason Aaron Interview, Part 1

Doctor Strange will still be the Sorcerer Supreme … though maybe not the only one

Though Aaron mentions that Strange does have a peer group, he’s still very much the top dog when it comes to magic and all things mystical. Still, losing and regaining the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme has always been a part of the Doc’s overall saga, and that might continue to be the case.

"The mystical challenges that our universe faces are ultimately his responsibility. Yes, he’s still that guy, but that said… we’ll see other Sorcerer Supremes over the course of this story."

He’s going to be a more hands-on combatant, even using weapons

It turns out there was a reason Doctor Strange was carrying an axe in that All-New, All-Different Marvel teaser from a few weeks ago. In perhaps the only change that longtime readers might find controversial, Aaron says Strange is going to be using weapons and generally taking a more direct approach to fighting his foes.

"In terms of the weapons, it kind of goes back to what I was talking about in making him more active, more of a hands-on kind of hero. So we’re not turning him into Captain America or Thor where he has one weapon he carries around at all times. But certainly, we don’t want him to just be the guy who stands there and shoots blasts of magic energy out of his hands. We want him to be able to dive into different kinds of fights."

He’s always been one of Marvel’s more unique and powerful super heroes, and it looks like this will be his best chance ever to become a fixture in the minds of casual fans. Look for more info on Doctor Strange over the weeks to come.

Next: Where to Start Reading Doctor Strange

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