Tag Archives: Frank Brunner

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Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 3

First Published: December 2007

Contents: Doctor Strange #1 (June 1974) to #29 (June 1978); Doctor Strange Annual #1 (1976); and The Tomb of Dracula #44 (May 1976) and #45 (June 1976)

Key Creator Credits: Steve Englehart, Marv Wolfman, Gene Colon, Frank Brunner, Jim Starlin, Roger Stern, Tom Sutton, and others

Key First Appearances: Silver Dagger, Gaea, Domini

Story Continues From: Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 2

Story Continues In: Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 4

Overview: As a part of the Marvel Universe for over 10 years, Doctor Strange served as the co-star of Strange Tales, which was later renamed (but not renumbered) as Doctor Strange; he was the focus of attention in Marvel Feature and Marvel Premiere; and he helped found a non-team in the Defenders. But it took until 1974 for Doctor Strange to finally get what every hero craves – a #1 issue!

Having finished his run in Marvel Premiere, Doctor Strange once again got his own bi-monthly title with the same creative team of Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner. But the title really picks up when Gene Colon returns to the title with issue #6.

There are some interesting stories in this volume. Doctor Strange becomes the last man alive, as the Earth is destroyed and then replaced with an exact duplicate. Doctor Strange travels to Boston where he encounters Dracula to save Wong from becoming a vampire. And who else could defeat Doctor Strange but a Doctor Stranger. Thankfully, Doctor Strange still has friends like Clea, the Ancient One, and Nighthawk to stand by his side as he faces down these new challenges.

What makes this Essential?: I do try to be original for each one of these reviews. But I run the risk of repeating myself with this review. So, I’m still not a big fan of Doctor Strange. But the art of this volume, in particular that of Gene Colan, is simply spectacular. I think that the black & white format actually enhances the art. This volume could serve as a primer for aspiring artists looking to understand page layouts and characters forms. The stories seem rather average against the artwork – for all of the talk about current writers stretching out stories for the trades, they should read some of these stories.

Footnotes: Doctor Strange #3 contains reprints of Doctor Strange stories from Strange Tales #126 and #127, framed with new pages. These Strange Tales stories were previously reprinted in Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 1.

Doctor Strange #14 and The Tomb of Dracula #44 and #45 were also reprinted in Essential Tomb of Dracula Vol. 2.

Doctor Strange #21 is a reprint of Doctor Strange #169, which retells the origin of Doctor Strange. This story was previously reprinted in Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 2.

If you like this volume, try: exploring the works of P. Craig Russell. Serving as the artist of Doctor Strange Annual #1 in this volume was one of Russell’s earliest jobs in comics. Over the years, he has been a modern master of the art, which a very distinct look and creative layouts. Russell is known for incorporating operatic themes into his work across multiple publishers and decades. He had a memorable run with Killraven, which can be found in Essential Killraven Vol. 1. Russell’s most recent work includes a two-volume graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book.

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Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 2

Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 2

First Published: March 2005

Contents: Doctor Strange #169 (June 1968) to #178 (March 1969) and #180 (May 1969) to #183 (November 1969), Avengers #61 (February 1969), Sub-Mariner #22 (February 1970), Incredible Hulk #126 (April 1970), Marvel Feature #1 (December 1971), and Marvel Premiere #3 (July 1972) to #14 (March 1974).

Key Creator Credits: Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Gene Colon, Frank Brunner, Barry Windsor-Smith, Dan Adkins

Key First Appearances: Satannish, the Vishanti, Shuma-Gorath

Story Continues From: Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 1

Story Continues In: Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 3 and Essential Defenders Vol. 1

Overview: Doctor Strange moves into his own title with full-length stories with this second Essential volume. This book can be broken up into three distinct parts:
* Part 1 covers Doctor Strange #169-182 and Avengers #61, with the start of new writer Roy Thomas joined quickly by Gene Colan to tell some breath-taking stories of the Sorcerer Supreme. Colan’s art is incredible in this edition and jumps off the page with pure energy.
* Part 2 covers Doctor Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22, Incredible Hulk #126, and Marvel Feature #1, which gives us the origin story of the non-group of heroes known as the Defenders (Doctor Strange, Namor the Sub-Mariner, the Hulk, and the Silver Surfer). To get the full story arc for this, I suggest reading Essential Defenders Vol. 1, as not all parts of the complete origin are contained in this volume.
* Part 3 covers Marvel Premiere #3-14, where once again Doctor Strange is given the chance to be the lead in the book. His run would end in this title with issue #14 but picks up the next month with a new Doctor Strange #1, which can be found in Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 3. The highlight of this run is the start of Steve Englehart’s association with Doctor Strange, which would continue on for many years.

What makes this Essential?: For me, the highlight of this book is the Gene Colan art in the first part of the book. I have never been a big fan of the character of Doctor Strange, but I found myself pulled into these stories by the artwork. I don’t know if this volume is truly essential, even if you are a fan of Doctor Strange.

Footnotes: Doctor Strange #169 was the “first” issue of the character’s own title. Prior to this issue, Doctor Strange shared the Strange Tales comic with Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Strange Tales came to an end with issues #168. The title was renamed Doctor Strange for #169, keeping the previous numbering, which was the norm for this time.

Avengers #61 was also reprinted in Essential Avengers Vol. 3.

Doctor Strange #179 was not collected in this volume. The issue reprinted Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2, which has been included in Essential Spider-Man Vol. 2.

For Marvel Premiere #11, the cover and the framing sequences are included in this volume. The issue contains reprinted stories from Strange Tales #115 and #117, which were included in Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 1.

If you like this volume, try: Superman: The Phantom Zone TPB, which was recently re-released by DC Comics. The main story is written by Steve Gerber with art by Gene Colan (hence the recommendation). This was originally a mini-series from 1982. The paperback is printed on a bright white glossy paper, which accentuates Colan’s art beautifully. The story features the Phantom Zone villains (more famously featured in the Superman motion pictures) escaping to Earth and imprisoning Superman in the zone. He must travel through the different worlds of the Phantom Zone before he is able to escape and return the Kryptonian criminals to their rightful place.

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Essential Howard the Duck Vol. 1

Essential Howard the Duck Vol. 1

First Published: February 2002

Contents: Howard the Duck stories from Fear #19 (December 1973), Man-Thing #1 (January 1974), Giant-Size Man-Thing #4 (April 1975) and #5 (August 1975), Howard the Duck #1 (January 1976) to #27 (September 1978); Howard the Duck Annual #1 (1977); and Marvel Treasury Edition #12 (1976)

Key Creator Credits: Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, Frank Brunner, and John Buscema

Key First Appearances: Howard the Duck, Beverly Switzler, Paul Same, Winda Wester, Doctor Bong

Overview: Created as a back-up character in the Man-Thing stories, Howard the Duck was a cigar-smoking, fowl-mouth duck that should never be confused with any other ducks at Disney or Warner Brothers. Howard moved into some solo stories in the Man-things books before crashing into the mainstream Marvel Universe, albeit Cleveland.

Following the obligatory cameos by Spider-Man and later the Defenders, Howard the Duck settled into a normal life – just a struggling duck looking to find work, and living with his friend, Beverly Switzler. Along the way, Howard would reach great heights (running as the All-Night Party candidate for the 1976 presidential election) and deep lows (wrestling for money). He met a lot of oddball characters along the way, such as the Kidney Lady and the Space Turnip.

Written by Steve Gerber, most of the art in this book was done by Gene Colan, who really does make Howard seem fully alive and part of the normal world of us “hairless apes”.

<WAAAUGH> makes this Essential?: Howard the Duck provided a brutally honest social commentary on life in America in the 1970s. Steve Gerber used Howard to voice the unsaid truths that needed to be said. From politics to kung-fu, and from the Moonies to the Conservative movement, Howard helped verbalize the absurdities and the craziness of that decade. So, from a historical point of view, it’s worth a look. This volume collects all of Steve Gerber’s work with the character in the 1970s, but not all of Howard the Duck’s appearances in that era. So maybe this would be better billed as the Essential Howard the Duck by Steve Gerber.

Webfootnotes: Issue #16 was an odd issue, which is saying a lot considering the over-all tone of the title. Gerber had fallen behind with his writing assignments, having finished up the annual in addition to the bi-monthly book, while relocating from the East Coast to Las Vegas. So he penned a series of text pieces that were internal monologues of his thoughts as he drove cross-country. The issue was a collection of two-page spreads, with background art provided by a variety of artists (Colan, John Buscema, Ed Hannigan, Al Milgrom, and others). Never fear, the ongoing story resumed with issue #17.

Parts of (Adventure into) Fear #19 and Man-Thing #1 are also reprinted in Essential Man-Thing Vol. 1.

Marvel Treasury Edition #12 is also reprinted in Essential Defenders Vol. 2.

If you like this volume, try: the Howard the Duck Omnibus. While I try to advocate other works to explore with this section, reading this omnibus will give you the chance to finish the original run of this title. Steve Gerber was removed from the title following issue #27. The series ran for four more issues until #31. At that point, Howard took up residence in his own black-and-white magazine. The magazine ran for nine issues, and have not been reprinted as of this post. That would not be the end of our fowl-feathered friend. Howard returned in 1986 (right around the time that Howard hit the big screen) for issues #32 and #33, before moving into Marvel limbo. He has been brought back from time to time in mini-series or Marvel events, but this is the longest sustained story-run of Howard. This omnibus includes the full run through issue #33.