Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Silly Rabbit...

You ever have one of those times when you think of something... something so completely random and incongruous, something that would seem improbable that anyone else has given much thought towards... and then find that it is addressed and brought to your attention soon thereafter?

Sure. We all do.
However, the difference between those "normal" instances and something like this is that the object of contemplation was a minor, throw-away scene in a comic book published nearly 35 years ago.

Back in November 02008, when I was working on a mega-series of posts *, I came across a scene that, whenever I see it, always makes me wonder... "Whatever happened to that giant rabbit?"...

From Doctor Strange; Master of the Mystic Arts # 1 (01974), by Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner...

In order to take Strange's mind off of more serious matters, Clea performs a cute magic trick.


Afterwards, the villainous Silver Dagger, who had been hiding outside, casts a spell upon the rabbit causing it to grow in size...

... and bust through the Sanctum's sigil-window, breaking the mystic seals, the rabbit's egress allowing him ingress.

However, the rabbit is soon forgotten in the ensuing chaos of Silver Dagger's attack and his "killing" of Dr. Strange.

But, as an animal lover, (and obsessed comic nerd,) I always wondered... "Whatever happened to that poor 'little' rabbit?".

It seems, Kurt Busiek has also had that thought weigh heavily on his mind all these years, as we see in
MARVELS : Eye of the Camera # 2...

MARVELS : EYE OF THE CAMERA # 2
by Kurt Busiek & Jay Anacleto.


Kurt Busiek is such a comics nerd... how can you not love him?
Thanks, Kurt!

This, added to his cameo for Dr. Strange from issue # 1 (seen here), it seems to me that Doc might be treated as a behind the scenes "urban legend" that touches the periphery of this story.
If it is indeed to work out that way... that would be FANTASTIC!

***UPDATE***
There's also another cameo of Dr. Strange - AND the Man-Thing - in this issue, that was brought to my attention after making this post.
They're in a new blog-entry - HERE.
***END UPDATE***

By the way... if you haven't read the epic Silver Dagger story arc you really should!
And, for your convenience, you can do so in either of these volumes:


Doctor Strange : A Separate Reality trade paperback
(full color reproductions of the epic storyline - and more)

or


Essential Doctor Strange vol 3.
A TON of Dr. Strange stories, reproduced in black & white.

***UPDATE***
It seems that Steve Englehart had NOT left the poor "little" rabbit to an unknown fate.
In an updated post, I show what happend to the rabbit after the events of
Master of the Mystic Arts # 01.
Check that out HERE.
***END UPDATE***

*(This Clea / Silver Dagger "rabbit-trick" featured in part III of the mega-popular "Housing Crisis" series of posts - seen here in Parts I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII & addendum)

1 comments:

Lee K. Seitz said...

As someone reading Marvels: EotC who hadn't read that original Doctor Strange story, thanks for clueing me in on where the rabbit came from.

Post a Comment