Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange - Volume 3 [Hardcover]

This volume of Doctor Strange reprints Doctor Strange (first series) issues 169-179, from June 1968 to April 1969, and Avengers #61 from February 1969. The artwork is initially pencilled by Dan Adkins (169, 170), and Tom Palmer (171), with Gene Colan taking over from #172. Inking is by Dan Adkins (169-171) and Tom Palmer (172-178). The Avengers issue art is by John Buscema and George Klein. The stories are written by Roy Thomas, beginning the second of the greatest runs of the Doctor Strange comic (as far as its older fans are concerned), following on from that of Steve Ditko. Gene Colan and Tom Palmer were one of the greatest art teams in Marvel Comics history, and they begin here at the top of their form, and will just keep going for the next several volumes of this archive series.

The contents are -
#169 - retelling the origin
#170 - Nightmare returns
#171 - the return of Clea, Victoria Bentley, and the Dread Dormammu
#172 - how Dormammu escaped from his previous appearance, the rescue of Clea and Victoria, and the return of Umar the Unspeakable ("I told you not to mention her!")
#173 - Dormammu vs Doctor Strange
#174 - `Power of the Pendulum' - Baron Mordo returns in one of Gene Colan's masterpieces; Jim Steranko was making his name at this time with the surreal influences on his artwork over in `Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD', but for my money, Gene Colan was actually being much more innovative with his page and panel designs, here and in the next volume of this series, throwing away conventional structures and actually making the story more powerful without detracting form the flow of the story.
#175 - introducing the `Sons of Satanish'
#176 - `Sons of Satanish' who defeat Dr Strange
#177 - featuring the transformation of Dr Strange into his `masked' version in order to circumvent the spell set by the Sons of Satannish.
#178 - the Black knight guests to help defeat Tiboro- another returning character from the Ditko days.
#69 - The Avengers cross-over issue as they and DR Strange take on Surtur and Ymir, released by the Sons of Satanish.
#179 - the cover only, as it was a reprint issue.

This book begins the first run of one of the enduring art teams for Doctor Strange, and one of Roy Thomas' most famous sequences as well. This volume and the next features what might be Gene Colan's most memorable and adventurous artwork. Don't miss it.

This here's a solid collection of Doctor Strange, with most of the artwork by the distinctive Gene Colon. I'd forgotten Colon's run on this title and looking at it again, I'd have to say I rather prefer Colon's work to most of Ditko's. Steve Ditko laid a great foundation, that few have been able to follow up on. Most Dr. Strange books have fallen flat without the Ditko touch. Not here. Colon and Thomas do real nice work.

Also, if you're a Doctor Strange fan look for Doctor Strange: The Oath (New Avengers). The Oath is just about the best Dr. Strange collection ever.

collecting all the masterworks some are very hard to find, it is nice to know i can come to amazon to find the missing ones, this is a wonderful book and series worth collecting for reading or saving for your kids which is what i intend to do.