The term "classic" more so its variant "modern classic" has often been thrown around stories that more often than not don't deserve the prestige. However, while Strange Academy not too long ago wrapped up its initial run and overall storyline, I think it more than deserves the "classic" title.
What modern comic series could've earned such high marks from most of the comic community? If you've ended up on this article and saw the title, then you already know, but for the sake of building up to the reveal, let's dig into the vast and enchanting world of Marvel Comics' Strange Academy!
1. Strange Academy creative team
The whole series was written by acclaimed artist Skottie Young, and drawn by the ever-evolving talent of Humberto Ramos. Both Young and Ramos have been a part of the comic world for decades at this point, and over the course of their careers they developed a style that at the beginning was deemed, shall we say, bizarre. In particular, whenever one of them was drawing Spider-Man, they gave him such odd body proportions that it was hard to call what they did "interesting" or "new."
Ramos' early work was ridiculed by fans when it came to Spider-Man. While Young wasn't as critiqued as Ramos, they both had similar art styles which makes it hard to not compare the two.
However, both Young and Ramos made a name for themselves in the comics field over the years, with Young taking up writing as well as drawing and Ramos greatly improving his art style that was at one point in time too over the top and unrealistic. Eventually, both creators would come together to create a story set in the Marvel Universe and deal with its more magical characters while creating many of their own. That story would become Strange Academy.
2. What's the premise of Strange Acadmey?
The premise is very simple: what if there was a place like Hogwarts from the Harry Potter franchise in the Marvel Universe? Beyond that premise, the series has often been compared to the X-Men, where instead of mutants going to Xavier's School to hone their powers, students from across space and dimensions learn to use their magical abilities for good at Strange Academy. While the series does take inspiration from those two franchises, it doesn't rip them off and instead stands on its own merits.
There are many characters introduced in the series, but one of the main characters is a girl named Emily Bright, who was born with great and potentially dangerous magical abilities. Her parents, fearing for their daughter's safety, send her to a new school in New Orleans meant to help her control her magic. Thus, she becomes enrolled in Strange Academy, named after the Sorcerer Supreme himself, Doctor Strange. Emily becomes enraptured in this strange yet amazing world, and along the way she meets other students like her from across the Marvel Universe and beyond.
3. The characters in Strange Academy make this series
The majority of the main cast of Strange Academy are all new characters, specifically the students while the professors at the Academy are all established characters within the Marvel Universe, such as Doctor Strange (who appears on and off), Scarlet Witch, Brother Voodoo, and many more. While having all these established characters inhabit and interact with each other is great, the main attraction are the new students because they are all totally unique from each other and so interesting to boot.
I especially loved Emily and Doyle's romance that blooms, flounders, and blooms again throughout the series, but not to the point where it becomes cliched or repetitious. Another romance that I didn't expect but welcomed was between Shaylee and Toth because to me they are the definition of opposites attract. Shaylee is a fairy who can't stop talking and giving people hugs, and Toth is the son of the swamp creature Man-Thing who can't speak at all but is a very laid-back and chill guy. A character like Shaylee who's the talkative type might become overtaxing and/or annoying to readers, but Young manages to keep her on the ground (despite the fact that she's a fairy with wings) with her interactions with the other characters, especially Toth.
While there's plenty of romance that brews within the series, there's also a good amount of bromances as well. Doyle and Calvin were best buds from minute one, and it was a treat to see their relationship grow into something akin to brothers.
I think that's the best way to describe this series as a whole, as a delicious treat that you can't help but go back to over and over again. And it's the kind of treat that keeps on giving with its artwork as well.
4. The art is perfect for the story
I mentioned earlier that for a while Humberto Ramos was considered a bad artist among critics and fans, mainly because of his downright bizarre depictions of human anatomy, I think if Strange Academy came out during those early years of Ramos' career, people wouldn't have judged him so harshly for his work.
What I mean by this is that Strange Academy is set in a world full of magical worlds and creatures, and more often than not those worlds and creatures defy the normal conceptions of our reality. Because of this, Ramos' unique art style would've served him just as well if the series had been conceived twenty years ago. I don't know this for certain, but I think Ramos had a field day with this series because it's a testament to how well he draws characters and creatures in action in a fantastical background of epic proportions. There's just so much energy and life within the artwork, even when it's just characters talking about day-to-day stuff. It's a feast for the senses, and I'm here for it!
Final Verdict: Strange Academy is worth reading
The bottom line is that Strange Academy is one of those modern comics that anyone can enjoy, whether they're hardcore fans or newcomers to comics, they'll see it as a modern classic in the making.