STRANGE : The Doctor is OUT! (and I feel ill) an INTENSE Review of "STRANGE" v2 1-4

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- The pre-amble -
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There is something that is required to understand before reading this series (and my review of same).

For a number of years, Marvel's head editorial committee believed that Doctor Strange simply "didn't work" as a headline character.

He was too powerful, they thought - possessing abilities seemingly without rules and in a niche genre (magic) that "didn't sell no matter what they tried" (although, truthfully, they didn't really try too much or well enough - because [start sarcasm] obviously magic and the supernatural doesn't interest people - at all - unlike the 'Harry Potter' series and other wildly popular magic-based properties that permeate pop-culture today - such as 'Twilight', 'Ghost Whisperer', 'YuGi-Oh!', and 'WinX club' - to name but a few, each in different age-brackets and/or gender preference. [/end sarcasm])

Due to these "truths", they felt that Doctor Stephen Strange needed to be "torn down" in order to be remade.

So it came to pass that editorial dictate had Doctor Strange suffer grievous injuries to his hands (while in the act of showing compassion and mercy to a friend-turned-foe who was merely "playing possum" - although, that damage could be seen as payback for betraying that friend in the first place), thus forcing him to utilize dark magicks which he could not control - and subsequently abdicating of his role and title of "Sorcerer Supreme" (since he was no longer "worthy").

* An excellent recap of these sequence of events can be found in a previous post [HERE].

It is into this climate - the one time that an impressive showing for Doctor Strange is absolutely CRUCIAL to help bolster sales of a solo series and to show that a magic-based series starring the "Master of the Mystic Arts" in indeed viable ... they give us... this.

Maybe it's a kind of curse or something, but it seems that each time Marvel removed the "Doctor" from the title, what was left was faaar from "Strange".
(The worst such instance was J. Michael Straczynski's blatant "Matrix" rip-off from 2004, but the less said about that series, the better.)

As one of the pre-eminent "Doctor Strange" fans and comic book magic-character centric bloggers active at this time, it may be seen as curious as to why I have yet to speak much of the most recent Doctor Strange "series"; a 4 issue mini entitled "STRANGE".

Hey. Even the inimitable Neilalien is late to the table with this one. (Still, I know that great minds think alike - using this Memorial Day holiday weekend to work on it and as such his review can now be found [HERE]).

Such an absence of discussion comes, primarily, from the fact that I was waiting for all 4 issues to ship before I cast my views one way or the other. (That, and the fact that this series was less than gripping enough to have me itching to write about it as it transpired.)

I did broach the subject of some of my praises and perturbation of the first few issues in the "best" and "worst" categories of my 2009 "SANCTUM AWARDS" - from which I cribbed some of my own words for this review.
*Those Sanctum-Awards can be found [HERE].


Yet, my hesitance to review the work while in progress was - for the most part - in an attempt to give the benefit of the doubt to writer Mark Waid, (who has been known to pen excellent tales,) and allow him to complete his story - especially since, as it progressed, my feelings toward the work fluctuated wildly.

It wasn't all bad, mind you - in fact I had every hope that the series would end on a high note, and so I waited.

Issue one was abysmal, but issue two scored a redeeming high-note, then the third destroyed nearly all good will that the previous issue managed to salvage, and then by the end... well... by the time that the series wrapped up - in such a patchwork manner, I found myself filled with such mixed feelings for much of it, that I waited for other concurrent Marvel magic series' to wrap up as well (Doctor Voodoo and a New Avengers storyline) - hoping for some sort of explanation, follow-up or anything with which to remove the mostly bad taste from my brain.

Eventually, I let too much time pass, and then said to myself, "I'll wait for the trade edition and review the collected work". Which is what now follows.

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---- The Review ----
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STRANGE v.2
# 1


Super Hero Squad
variant cover for # 1

Behind a photo-retouched, fan-freakingly-tastically designed cover art by Tomm Coker & Daniel Freedman, Mark Waid starts off this series with a pedestrian issue about the fallen-far-from-glory Stephen Strange's attempts to prevent the culmination of a soul-stealing pact between a "gamesmaster" demon and a stadium filled with sports enthusiasts.

The issue is marred by several points, but most specifically by the fact that the ending is ridiculously, easily guessed at once the demon is introduced and you learn his particular shtick area of "specialty".

Doctor Strange appears undercover, portrayed as a minor-league-baseball-loving, "Swing Batta batta batta... Sa-Wing!"-taunting, "regular guy" while he is investigating a demonic upheaval that is taking place in a baseball stadium.

First, I need say that is kinda nice to see Stephen seemingly be able to smile, kick back and enjoy life for a change. Strange states that he used to be a lover of the game way back before he had to bear the responsibility of the universe not getting all "wonky".

While that might be the case, never, in Strange's documented history, would he be seen comporting himself like he was recreating a scene from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" ("Sa-Wing, Batta!").

Certainly, this is merely a "front" he is using in order to get closer to Casey Kinmont, the granddaughter of the owner of the home team, so that he may gain access to her grandfather and warn him of the dire menace that threatens, not just his team, but everyone in the ballpark.

While the mission is something that the former mystic master would have undertaken prior to his loss of rank as the "Sorcerer Supreme", the manner with which he is relegated to handle it now is more hand's-on. Indirect infiltration and confrontation, as opposed to his prior style of materializing and casting a "big magic whammy".

This seems to be because here, in this mini-series, Waid has Strange physically unable to cast magic, due to the severity of the injury to his hands (caused by the Hulk crushing them during the "World War Hulk" mini-series). While these severe injuries should, in fact, be treated in much the way that Waid has handled it, it seems that he was the only Marvel creator to "get that memo" and do so.

In every other appearance prior, concurrent and after this series, (Last Defenders, Thor, New Avengers, etc...) Dr. Strange seems to have little to no trouble using his hands to cast spells and work other magic. While he may state, in those other comics, that he is not as powerful as he once was, he is able to perform many complex spells.

Such a dissonance with the rest of his "in-canon" appearances leaves readers with a sense of there being no one at the helm of this re-direction of Marvel's main mystic master. Sadly, editors, who once watched for such differences, are now little more than project-managers, simply making sure that product rolls out on time with little heed to any actual duties that are the responsibility of "editors".

Here, in this titular series, Strange has hands so shaky that he is reduced to having others work magic for him, or having their hold his hands in certain "spell-casting" positions. He works no magic himself, save a scant two or three minor spells.

It is of this that one factor demands to be called out:
Stephen casts a minor spell of revealing upon a pair of glasses worn by the young girl, Casey Kinmont, so that she may be able to see things as they really are - the magical nature that hides below a veneer of normalcy.

He also quickly shows her how to cast a spell of "vanishing".

Neither spell is meant to last more than several minutes. However, Casey is inexplicably able to retain the abilities which she uses with ease and increasing frequency.

With this, Waid repeats a grievous sin that he was guilty of committing when he was writing his otherwise awesome run on the Fantastic Four (issue # 497-500 specifically); that of letting those untrained in magic be able to cast - with no difficulty - the spells that Strange spent many years studying at the feet of the Ancient One.

Sure, by issue two we learn that the "normal" in question is an unusually adept "natural" magic user. That helped the case slightly, but it still irked, as Strange himself has often been stated to have been a "natural", but he still required intensive study in order to perform even the most basic of spells.

Magic that he is no longer able to perform here, as Strange is obviously physically impaired and he wears black leather gloves in order to hide the damage. Yet, this does not keep Strange from striding boldly where angels fear to tread to deal with supernatural entities that no mere mortal has business confronting.

The first such demon, is Tul'Uth, the Lord High Incubus of Games and Chance.
Ugh.

There wasn't a single thing that I found interesting or engaging about this "menace".

Poorly executed and truly lacking, this is a 4F villainous creation from an otherwise "best of" writer, Mark Waid.
A mismatch of poorly inspired demonic visual with smack-talking dialogue all rolled into one of the oldest clichéd villain-types ever put to print:

The "Unbeatable" Gamesmaster who is, in the end, bested by his own rules and contract.

Tul'Uth tosses a particularly nasty wrinkle into the oft-used "souls-for-deeds" pact, but even that doesn't feel dire because we know way in advance how he is going to be defeated.

I have to take umbrage at Tul'Uth's (and possibly Waid's) temerity as he(/they) state that Strange is "a legendary terrible bluffer".

Really???
The same Dr. Strange who managed to win numerous gambits against the likes of Nightmare, Dormammu, Mordo and many other, usually far more powerful foes and entities with nothing more than a carefully worded bluff and one hand held, fingers crossed, behind his back?

That Dr. Strange?? Yeah, I didn't think so.

If this were Tul'Uth trying to gain a psychological edge by putting Strange down in front of those he is trying to protect, I could dismiss it, or even enjoy it.
However, at no time does Tul'Uth give any indication of such a stratagem (nor Waid, nodding that this is merely a taunt at Doc while he is at his lowest ebb).
And as such, it goes down as bad writing - poor research done on a character with a history of overcoming more powerful foes with naught but his wits and a winning "poker face".

Tul 'Uth does have one thing going for him. Despite the overly garish, over-saturated, poor coloring of Christina Strain, she gives the demon the traditional color scheme of a comic book villain; purple and green (and grey).

Purple skin, wearing a green and grey visiting-team jersey.

Likewise, Strange is made more recognizable due to the fortunate happenstance of rooting for a team who wear a uniform comprised of a red jersey with gold edgework, over a blue shirt - replicating the general appearance of his old costume.

Wearing his jersey unbuttoned, untucked and allowed to flutter a bit behind him, it looks at least slightly reminiscent of his Cloak of Levitation. These color choices were obviously intended and help to remind readers of who he is.

While we speak of the visuals, I must voice my opinion that illustrator Emma Rios' work on this series is a poor fit.

Rios' work in other titles (before and since this series) stand up much better than her work here.
Her work isn't bad... far from it.
She has proven herself to be adept at handling many types of locale and activity. It is somehow not a good fit in this instance.
I've seen many of her other works, both in and out of comics - and they are all splendid!

What seems to be wrong here is that her artistic skills on this title just aren't up to the same levels that she has shown elsewhere. Her ability to draw realistic environments and objects is exceptional. Possessing excellent design and spatial skills, she can illustrate just about anything.
Yet, aside from and some genuinely interesting creatures, her "magical" design is lacking. And that is indeed odd, since I have seen her produce fantastic, fanciful works dealing with things mystical in nature.

Just to prove my point, here is a piece that she produced for a festival in her home town in Spain.
(Her flickr stream pic [HERE])

I mean, that's pretty sweet, isn't it? An excellent blending of magical, fantastical and realistic images to form a cohesive illustration.

Perhaps her deadline on this "STRANGE" project was too tight? Or she was working on more than one project at a time? Or perhaps some other unavoidable deterrent prevented her from turning this into an artistic triumph.

With the exception of the boring visual for Tul'Uth, every other other-dimensional entity is an interesting or totally unique creature.

Still, one thing that is obvious in this series (and is evident in this issue) is that when the action gets hectic, Rios' artwork becomes a bit hard to "read". It seems, to this reader, that her mystical perception in these issues is an overly busy mass of wavy lines obscuring the action.

In issue 1, the mystical menace is combated in an all-out, bottom-of-the-ninth, down by one with two outs - the tying runner on base and Stephen Strange stepping up to the plate.

The magically controlled pitches are fantastic, and the motion and force of Strange's swings are palpable. Rios can certainly draw action scenes that bound with kinetic energy.

However, when he has to run the bases, all hell literally breaks loose and it is darn near impossible to follow the action.

The fault of the artwork does not fall completely upon the shoulders of Emma Rios, however.
As noted earlier, the coloring by Christina Strain is an uneven compilation of hard-to-look-at neon hues and impossible-to-discern murky shades.
In direct contrast to the solo piece I linked to above, where Rios pencils, inks and colors her own work, the coloring in this Strange series, by Strain and Staples is a red hot mess.

I'm not sure if this was the direction given by editorial edict; to "brighten up" magic, but just about everything is far too colorful.

Except... for when it isn't.

If the color saturation isn't dialed up past 111, it is dropped down to negative ratios, and shades too dark and murky are utilized.

Sometimes, the overly dark colors are placed directly next to the too-bright colors.
This miasma of colors makes it difficult at times to see just what the heck is happening. In some instances, the coloring makes it downright impossible to see important details and events.

Perhaps some of the fault does belong to Rios, as her art consists of naught but contour-drawing line-art, with her inking bearing no discernable differentiation of line quality. Nor are there any "spotted blacks" to be found anywhere in her artwork, instead leaving it up to the colorist(s) to provide light and shadow.

There is one other thing that bothered me about Emma Rios' artwork in this series.
There is a tendency for artists to draw their characters with facial features which they themselves are most familiar. To this end, Strange and nearly everyone in the series are drawn with vaguely "ethnic"-looking faces - most of which look a lot like Rios' own
Here's a pic of the artist [HERE]


She can't be faulted for her natural style, however. It's a common occurrence. It's just that a professional artist should be able to draw a multitude of facial types.

Issue one - Grade = 1 out of 5

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STRANGE v.2
# 2




Issue 2 helped regain some lost footing for the series, not only in the writing, but with the artwork of Emma Rios, as it was a distinct giant leap ahead from the first.

Only the cover art by Tomm Coker & Daniel Freedman, which is dark, atmospheric and intriguing, is the only aspect of the issue that isn't better than issue one. but only slightly.

This issue is a good showing for the severely depowered Stephen Strange as written by Mark Waid.

It helps establish (or maintain) the seldom-visited aspect of Dr. Strange as extra-dimensional diplomat, as he is forced to use tact and assuring words instead of mystical forces to accomplish his goal: namely, the smoothing over of a wronged alien-being with whom a pact was accidentally broken.
The culprit behind the broken accord; Casey, the young girl that Strange aids in the previous issue, becomes Doc's newest "apprentice".

In fact, the real star of the issue is Casey, who embarks on a quest to find Dr. Strange who had vanished at the end of the previous issue.

An interesting “modern-tech” riff is used as Casey is using Dr. Strange’s sigil-design to track him down via the web.
Since the sigil bears a stylized “tic-tac-toe” board design, she calls it a “hash-tag” – so named after the “Twitter-like” “#” symbol.


Casey's "origin" path mirror's Strange's own, as she starts off as a selfish, spoiled, rich brat, paying no care to the concerns (or even names) of others, but through loss is set upon a road to greater understanding.

She searches the country for Strange, whom she sees as the one who possesses the power to answer her most burning questions / desires, much as Strange originally trekked to Tibet in search for the “Ancient One” in order to cure his hands’ (original) nerve damage.

Slowly, she forgoes her own problems, and with the magic that she has learned is willing and able to step up to do what is right to try and put right the mystical wrongs of her own doing and those that affect the world as a whole. This reflects Strange's own foregoing of his selfish goals and willingness to let go of "himself" in order to better protect those that dark forces would threaten.

Waid and Rios put the “true sight” glasses to good use here, showing the various people that Casey meets on her quest for just who they really are – inside.

The artwork as a whole takes a huge step forward from the last issue. Rios’ designs and real-world settings are believable and very well drawn. However, the real success is that her rendition of Stephen Strange in this issue is much more in control and possessing of relaxed, yet in-command ease that is definitely the required look for Strange. She even manages to bestow a more “human” and “attractive” nature to him here.

The overly bright and overly dark palette of colorist Christina Strain, while not quite right in the scenes where Strange is involved, worked somewhat better with the various settings of the story.

It becomes readily evident that the color theory of this series is that bright greens and purples are the “primary” colors used when “magic” is happening, and other colors and shades are for the “normal” world.

Now, I personally agree that the colors of magic are greens and purples.

However, the only downside to that is that in printing, warm colors (reds, yellows), which the eye sees as “advancing” are used to show things that are in the foreground, and cool colors (blues), which the eye sees as “receding”, are used to tint items in the background. Green (which is made of yellow and blue) and purple (red and blue) are both warm AND cool – and as such wreak havoc with spatial depth for the eye. A green item colored over a red item makes the eye want to reverse their position. But, Strain has purples and green intermingling with reds all over the place.

This might make the magical realms that Strange visits to be more interesting, with a laws-of-physics-defying “up is down” nature, but I don’t get the impression that to be the intention here.

On the positive side, the demonical insectoid Chosk-Dynn and the living salad-bar appearance of Baroshtok; the caretaker of another dimension, all show a great sense of imagination and artistic freedom. Kudos go to Emma Rios for providing such interesting entities.
I'll even credit Strain with a detailed and appealing coloring scheme for the Dynn's true form despite the green/purple hazards.

Rios and Strain also provide an excellent half-page collage-like series of vignettes that detail Strange’s origin. It shows an obvious nod to the works of Steve Ditko and Gene Colan – both inspirations for Rios in this project.

As a whole, this is an excellent appearance, with some good dialogue (and a powerful example of frustration) by Strange, and stands as the very best issue in the series.



Issue two - Grade = 3 out of 5

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STRANGE v.2
# 3

The third issue introduces many more menaces (or some who are merely menacing) with Strange and Casey being “abducted” by a demon who asks Strange to help him combat an even worse demon who has taken over one of the deepest pits of hell.

OK. It’s not “hell”, but it is the Bibb County, Georgia Annual “Little Miss Buttermilk” pre-teen Beauty Pageant – a more horrific setting I can not imagine.

Honestly, those beauty contests are disturbing to me in every conceivable manner – and as such is an interesting venue for demons to make their soul-pacts since every one of the mothers involved with such things are evil.

Still, I also dislike that this seems more like a fitting “John Constantine; Hellblazer” or “Zatanna” story than one for the former Sorcerer Supreme. Unfortunately, while DC has such characters at the ready, Marvel doesn’t really have a star-quality D-list magic-user to use here.

The friendly demon who has requested aid from Strange is “Larry” (real name Laroximous Boneflayer).
A satyr-like beast, “Larry” is a visual mix of the arch-demon ZOM and Rintrah (Strange’s apprentice in the 1990’s). In fact, “Larry” seems far too much like Rintrah that it would have been nice if Rintrah could just have been brought back to use in this. Still, one too many “apprentices” would be confusing (and with the exception of his first few appearances, I never really liked Rintrah all that much anyway).

“Larry” is a retired soul-dealer demon who was basically forced out of the biz by the newer breed of demon, named Virilian, who (with a sly dig by Waid at the Banking industry) cooks the books and believes that doing unethical business (such as making the same pact with all parties involved, thus cheating all of them) would rather suffer a slap on the wrist and “pay a small penalty” for breaking the rules, while still reaping in the even bigger rewards of his even-more-than-usual dishonest practices.

The issue splits the action between Casey, who has to infiltrate the pageant and Strange with “Larry” journeying to a pocket of hell to find the misappropriated souls stolen by Viridian.

Mark Waid writes several things into this issue that need to be commended – or corrected.

Firstly, he has Larry mention the fact that Strange has “survived the ‘Big Bang’ ”, a reference to the fact that Doc saw the “creation” of the universe by Siseneg/Genesis waaay back in Marvel Premiere. Awesome! Larry, despite being a demon, has obvious respect for Strange.
A great continuity-nod by Mark Waid.

Waid slips up however, when Strange and Larry journey to hell.
Strange seems a bit distressed, and when Larry states; “What’s the matter? You’ve been to hell before.”
Strange replies “In ASTRAL form”… explaining that the sounds and smells are filtered by being on the astral plane.
That might well be true, but Waid should know that Doc has been to hell (various “hells” in fact) several times before while in physical form. It would have been more appropriate for Strange to possibly comment that he feels the effects of hell more now that he is “lessened” in mystic strength.

Still, Waid has Strange stride forth through the bowels of the dark domains with his usual commanding nature – beseeching the wretched spirits within to grant him information.

Casey, meanwhile, discovers the perils of the not-so-straightforward nature of dealing with magic. First, she misinterprets what she sees through her “true-sight” glasses, and then discovers the dangers of having any “dealings” with devils. All good plot points by Waid.

In what is a most irresponsible move since a guy dressed like a flying rat encouraged a pre-teen boy to dodge bullets while wearing short-shorts and a bright red target, Strange prevents Casey from volunteering to sacrifice her own soul to help fix the situation which is rapidly deteriorating around them.

This is, because it seems that when Strange attempts to make the same offer, he is told that he doesn’t appear to HAVE a soul!
(This is a plot development that goes nowhere – and is left... dangling.)

In the frenzy of someone needing to do something, Casey steps in and signs her soul away. Strange may have been caught off-guard, but I still don’t believe he couldn’t have prevented it.
Even with her sacrifice, only one danger is averted, but there is a far greater problem to be dealt with – “magic is having a fit”.

Visually, Ema Rios’s art is much less impressive than last issue. Her best work here is her design for Virilian, that of an old-world, new-romantically dressed satyr – as well as the scene(s) of the lost souls held captive in his hell – one page especially (but I won’t give that away).

The rest of the issue feels rushed. All of the human characters in this issue – except for Strange, the “real” Casey and the human-form of Virilian, are stiff and misshapen.

Also, like the previous issues, once the action gets intense, the art becomes difficult to follow. That is a mixed fault between Rios’ tendency to add swirling lines all over the place (magical fire and energies) combined with the overly light/dark color palette – provided in this issue by Val Staples.

The cover art looks like it was done by someone other than the team responsible for the other - truly great - covers in the series.
This one does nothing for me - or for Strange.

As a whole, this issue is not as good as the last, but better than the first. It’s is up to the final issue to make or break this series.

Issue three - Grade = 2 out of 5

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STRANGE v.2
# 4

The final issue starts where the last one ended; “magic is having a fit”.

Strange manages to teleport himself and Casey to the ruins of his Sanctum Sanctorum – which he keeps hidden behind an illusion of it being an empty lot.

Strange, faced with two serious dilemmas; to retrieve the soul of Casey and to heal the magical nature of the universe - is forced to prioritize.

It is Casey, nearing the end of her transformative “origin” from selfish brat to selfless hero, who makes the call – likening it to the “rules of triage” – deal with the worst cases first.

Waid posits that Strange; the former mystic is not the one who can do any good here, but Strange the former surgeon… can.

Strange must perform a mystical surgery on the universe – most specifically the entity known as Eternity in order to repair the damage.

It might just be me, but that is a mixed message if ever there was one, in what is a series that has specifically taken the “Doctor” out of the title.

One nerdly problem with this is that this “performing surgery on Eternity” plot has been done already fairly recently (about a year or so ago, Doc had to perform surgery on Eternity in the pages of Fantastic Four (issue # 550) – using the hero “Gravity” as his scalpel).

While here, Doc uses a sliver of Eternity itself as the mystic blade, it still seemed like a misplaced story point.

Mystical and magical guest-stars (both hero and villain) are shown being beset by magic gone awry.

Even Doctor Voodoo – the guy who got Strange’s old title of Sorcerer Supreme –is unable to do much against the overwhelming nature of the magical convulsions of the world.

So it is up to the one guy who has been “demoted” and “downsized” from his old job to do that job properly?

Then, what the hell was the point of this entire demotion?!?

Strange, who was being removed from being the mystic "too big for the room" is being forced to go in that direction - all in a mini that was designed for him to be given a new, more reigned in direction.

All this does is reinforce my belief that the problem isn't that Strange is too powerful - it is that the writers can't NOT write themselves into corners!

What could be a major mistake/slip-up/ oversight/ nit-to-pick is that Strange heads off in astral form to perform his surgery on Eternity... which itself makes sense - since his astral form should not suffer the same trembling hands caused by his physical hands' being crushed.

However, if Waid is following the rules (and he seems to be the only one doing so), then he should know that Doc's hands were crushed IN his astral form.
It was the astral hands that were crushed which (in some inexplicable manner) caused the damage to his real (physical) hands!

So, his astral hands should be just as useless as his real ones.

So, he'd be useless as a surgeon, mystical or not, just as he was back in his origin, 46 years ago.

Of course, I am SURE that I am the ONLY one to think of that, so maybe there's something wrong with me.

Visually, this issue is more good than bad.
All the more placid and introspective scenes - the quiet moments between Strange and Casey - are golden.
Some of the action scenes do get a bit cramped, but this time nothing much is really happening in those panels to worry about missing any details.

The issue comes to a head while Strange is away in astral form and Casey is left to watch over his body while using a scrying gem to search for her missing soul.
It is as Strange is helpless to intervene that long-time classic foe; Silver Dagger uses the chaos as a time to attack and Larry, showing his baser nature, tempts Casey with her soul shard.

(The missing soul shard and the tempting by a demon beyond the pale is nearly the same thing that happened with Topaz - another of Doctor Strange's friend/apprentices back in the tail-end of the "Master of the Mystic Arts" series. At least that was a few decades ago, so it's not within the consciousness of modern readers to compare/contrast/be reminded of same.)

Casey, caught between a mystical rock and a metaphysical hard place, makes a dramatic and defining decision.

I won't give away the ending to those who are looking to read it.

The end is arguably NOT the way you want to go on a limited series -with no guarantee that anyone at any time will follow up on it.
In fact, in reading the story "Rondeau" in "Girl Comics" # 2 (an intense review of which can be found in a recent post [HERE]) a negative clue is placed that things don't pan out as well as we would hope.


This issue, in all regards from cover to cover, manages to be a step up from the last and places itself in second place as far as overall quality in this series.

Issue four - Grade = 2.5 out of 5

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- The post-amble -
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The final issue and the series ends with cliff-hangers and dangling plot-points – many I fear will never be resolved (or if they are – will be footnoted one-panel continuity fixes somewhere down the line).

Sadly, the final issue failed to pull a "rabbit from the hat" trick that was impressive enough to make the series a positive one.

Sales for this series failed to impress, and the future of Doctor Strange as a potential title-character might fail along with it.

It remains to be seen if the sales of the collected format will help overmuch.
With a few added pages showcasing “Super Hero Squad” variant cover art, some original sketches and commentary by Emma Rios – and coming in below the combined cover price of the originals, this collection might do better than expected.

Certainly, all the brightly colored and “anime-like” (manga-lite?) artwork that I find fault with might just be what pulls in readers who flip it open in the book store.

However, confusion between the actual cover art style (dark and serious) and the interior art (bright, anime/manga-inspired) might cause some problems.

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------- Recommendation ?-------
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For the readers of this blog or anyone who is curious as to whether or not to make the purchase...

If you are interested in the recent situations facing Doctor Strange, Dr. Voodoo and magic in the Marvel universe? Maybe. It depends on how interested you really are.

If you are someone who has little experience with Dr. Strange and want to know him better? Well… probably not, unless you like brightly colored, anime-looking artwork and have no desire to read older, “out-of-date” stories.

If you are a die-hard Doctor Strange fan, then the answer is YES. Obviously.
(and you should order it from my Amazon link)



STRANGE v2; a 4 issue mini-series / tpb written by Mark Waid, with artwork by Emma Rios
with coloring by Christina Strain (1,2) and Val Staples (3,4) and lettering by Todd Klein
Cover art by Tomm Coker & Daniel Freedman

comics: $3.99 cover price
tpb (ppgs) $14.99 cover price

Marvel Comics
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GIRL COMICS issue 2 - an INTENSE Review of DR. STRANGE -vs- ADRIA in: "Rondeau"

Girl Comics # 2 (of 3)
An anthology comic
cover art by Jill Thompson.
Interior stories written and illustrated by many talented "girls".

Marvel. 48 pages. $4.99

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One might not think to look for a Doctor Strange appearance in a comic with the title; "GIRL COMICS", and yet, if you look inside issue # 2 - past the richly colored cover by Jill Thompson - you will be gladdened to find an excellent "Strange Tale" inside.


Serendipitously enough, it was the cover that first attracted my attention, as it incidentally features CLEA, Dr. Strange's former, long-time love.

I had originally suspected that perhaps inside, a Colleen Coover illustrated piece would feature Clea and possibly have a cameo by Strange. However, while I was disappointed that such a tale was not within, I was most appreciative to find, among an issue filled with delightful works, the Dr. Strange story "RONDEAU" written by Christine Boylan, with art by Cynthia Martin, Colors by June Chung and letters by Kathleen Marinaccio.

In an issue filled with whimsical humorous short stories, this most serious tale wraps up the issue and feels like the substantial meal you enjoy after you've first picked at sugary snacks.


What is to follow is a very detailed (far-too-much-thought-for-the-source-material-and-for-that-I-apologize-to-the-creative-team) review of just that one story. Normally, I wouldn't review such a "minor" piece, and yet this 6-page story deals with so many of the current situations facing Dr. Strange that it is elevated to a work of major importance and relevance by that very nature.
I will present the first 3 pages of the story here.

But it is up to you to go out and get the issue - aside from this entertaining and exciting story, but also for the other wonderful works to be found therein (there's truly something for everyone - although the price point of $4.99 U.S. is hard to justify - despite the 48 page count).

*All images can be enlarged by clicking on them *

Before the events of this story, Strange has been "laying low" since he abdicated his mantle as the Sorcerer Supreme. While some of his time has been in the company of the Avengers, (the "New" and the "Newly New",) other time has been spent within the walls of his now-hidden-from-sight Sanctum.

"Rondeau" opens with Stephen Strange, in plain-clothes attire; black slacks, white shirt, black tie and dress shoes, at a grand piano which is now located in his old study at the top floor of his Sanctum Sanctorum.

Here, the interior of the Sanctum is lavishly rendered - but I will get to the artwork of Cynthia Martin and coloring of June Chung a little later - I just wanted to state something truly positive before I got too involved with the various negative aspects of the tale. (Which is not to say that I didn't find the story to be a positive one, just that there are faults and flaws.)




While practicing a piece at the keys of his piano, Strange is ruminating upon some pseudo-intellectual, quasi-philosophical conundrum of the nature of magic, matter and thought.

Honestly, I don't wish to open the review with a negative (since I have a genuinely positive feel for the work) but it is with these words that the story begins.

I have to state that - to me - that sequence is totally out-of-place here since it is just a casually tossed-in bit of fluffery having nothing to do with the nature of the story.

It seems more about a writer trying to give a mystic and learned character something "enlightened" to say, without it much making sense for that character in the story with which it is placed.


I'll repeat it here, just so you can read what it is that irks me about it:

"What I know: That matter is created by thought, not the other way
around.
That is the physics of magic.

What I fear: If all thought ceases... will matter also weaken and
disappear?"

It is a flawed argument as Boylan contradicts her point by the end of his musings, because she has Strange end with:

"How do I get my thoughts back?"

Not to belabor the point, bashing what is intrinsically a good story, with (among some other problems) a misguided (or merely erroneous) opening line, but while, as someone who understands that matter is indeed created by thought, it is wrong to think that matter can not at least inspire thought (if not actually create it). Inspiration works both ways, as an inspired thought can help to create a work of matter and that matter can then in turn inspire more thoughts - which may in turn create more matter...

And the end line of his opening thought, begs us why would he lose his thoughts if the matter disappears, since the author states that matter does not create thought. By her own words, the fact that there is no matter... shouldn't matter - at least inasmuch as the creation (and therefore retaining) of thought.

Yes. I understand that her point was that "if all thought ceases"... then would all matter go away, but what would it take for all thought to cease?

In what regard would Strange then even think as to why he would require thoughts if everything ceased to be? - Unless he were turned (alongside the rest of all life on Earth if not the dimension) into a mindless lump, but then, he would still - by the original supposition, not exist to regain his thoughts. It's a poor argument and the puzzle which is at its heart, circles back upon itself like a Möbius-strip.


It's a very minor bit of writing that should have either been edited out, or expanded (and expounded) upon in the tale.

Luckily, while it is not the only questionable point in the story, it is not enough to dour my enjoyment overmuch, since the total of the tale is greater than the sum of its (sometimes faulty) parts.


"Rondeau" features a Stephen Strange who is no longer the "Sorcerer Supreme", and who is caught while at that crossroads by an old foe.

As we see, the foeman in the tale is not a man at all... as teased by the fact that the comic title is "Girl Comics". Besides it being a comic completely created by "girls", it also heavily features female characters - and the villain of this piece is one of Stephen Strange's oldest foes (and one of his few female adversaries); ADRIA.


As I am one of (if not the) most intensely (insanely) dedicated Doctor Strange fan with the most reference-heavy site on the web (with possible exception to Neilalien), I present:

--- A brief aside to some background on ADRIA for readers unfamiliar with that character ---

Adria originally appeared back in the early 1960's issues of the "Strange Tales" anthology title (which by then Dr. Strange shared with Nick Fury and at least one prose piece). In her history, she has only appeared in 2 stories (3 including this one):

• She first appeared in a three-part story in Strange Tales 141 - 143 (1966)

Plot and art by by Steve Ditko, words by Stan Lee

In those classic issues, written by both Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with art by Ditko, Adria was but one of three mystics (with Kaecilius, and Demonicus) who did the bidding of Strange's oldest foe; Baron Mordo.

Side Note: In my humble opinion, this story arc is one of the all-time BEST of Doctor Strange's history. He is trapped and (seemingly) totally helpless as a captive (bound and blinded) by the three minor mystics. His adventure and escape is a masterwork of story and art.

At the end of that earlier tale, Doc wiped her mind (along with those of her helpmates) of the ways of magic (although, in her next appearance, we find that his mind-eraser spell was seemingly meant to be a temporary one - thus allowing a brief respite from magic, so that they might perhaps learn the error of their ways).

• Her next appearance was in Doctor Strange v2 # 56 (in 1982).

Doctor Strange v2 # 56
Story by Roger Stern, Art by Paul Smith
A CLASSIC!

In that oft-touted "best of" tale by Roger Stern and Paul Smith, Adria - along with her two fellow "Mordo's Minions" attempted to beard Strange in his own lair - the Sanctum Sanctorum - only to befall the dire fate of being sucked into the dreaded "Purple Dimension" - seemingly, with no way out.

Strange himself, had managed to escape from that dimension, but not easily (although, it was way back in one of his earliest recorded adventures).

Adria (nor her compatriots) has not been seen or mentioned since then - until now.

However, since she was always shown to be the most adept of her little group, it would not be surprising that she would have been able to find a way out - somehow.

(btw, for more info on "Mordo's Minions", check out their listing on the Marvel Un-Official Appendix - [HERE])

What is niggling, in a purely, "turn-over-all-your-cards-so-we-can-see-how-the-trick-is-done" type of way is that we don't see how she ever escaped from that fate.

--- END of ADRIA background info ---

What is curious, and I don't know if it is a clue as to how Adria escaped her prior fate, or merely a poor choice on the part of letterer Kathleen Marinaccio, but Adria's speech-bubbles (aka word balloons) are in "reverse". White text on a black background. That is a style usually reserved for demons and other-worldly "entities". Here, I think it is just utilized to mean that she is "evil" - unless writer Martin was unsure of the origins of the character - OR - perhaps was adding her own twist to them (but with no real info other than the style of visual speech - it is impossible to say). I daresay, that perhaps the ordeal of escaping from the "purple dimension" may have had an extra side-effect... or price - which, since it is not mentioned, even in passing within this story, is merely my own conjecture - to fill-in-the-blanks.


I will, at this time, take a moment to write of the artwork.

The coloring here, by June Chung, as opposed to that of every other story in the issue, is dark and deep, with rich, warm earth tones counterbalanced by cool greens and purples with some selective usage of deep lustrous reds.
The coloring lets you know, in no uncertain terms that this story is serious. No fluff piece, this.

The pencils and inks by Cynthia Martin are dare I say it... "masculine". Meaning no disrespect or gender bias, this work is precisely what readers have come to expect in an "adult" comic book. The artwork - if I might draw comparisons to a few contemporary illustrators (which I am reluctant to do, since Martin's work looks like... Martin's - but for the benefit of those who may require some further evaluation) is a blend of the best of Richard Case and Tim Sale. Again, using the rest of the issue as a comparison, this is serious artwork, wherein the rest of the book, while energetic and delightful, is more light and cartoony. Here, her figures are real and not overly romanticized. Strange is rugged while Adria (and the other female characters shown) are softer - and unlike the women drawn by many male artists, don't all share the same face and body - with just different hairstyles.

These 6 pages are filled with such intricate detail that it is worth re-reading the story again just to look deeply into each corner and crevice - nook and cranny, since (with the exception of one glaring omission) absolutely nothing is left out of the backgrounds. The interior of the Sanctum is meticulously rendered. Rarely, in all the 40+ years of any artist's visual representation of Strange's home, has it been furnished so lavishly, or filled, so replete with believable (and actually placeable) real-world knick-knacks, talismans, art, statuary and eclectica.

In that, it is a job well done. However, the art does not get a totally positive grade.

That praise of Cynthia Martin does not get her out of falling prey to something that causes the art to fail miserably, at least in the genre of consecutive visual narrative (aka panel-by-panel continuity).

The primary job of a comic book artist is not to just draw pretty pictures. The artist's primary task is to be able to tell the story - as if no words were to be used in conjunction with the illustrations, and still have that story be readily evident just by the drawn pages themselves.
Unfortunately, the artwork fails in a few different instances to covey the necessary information clearly.

There are several occasions where either the story /script was lacking or the artwork was not crafted to properly portray the events. In some instances - it is the fault of both, story and art.

It seems that one of the most important aspects of the story is that Adria has invaded Strange's Sanctum armed with some sort of mystic cuff (it looks like an ornamental bracelet). This item seemingly binds Strange's hands - mystically and remotely - without its ever being in contact with him, so that he is unable to cast any magical gestures of his own. It is never mentioned by any text or dialogue in the piece, but shown as something Adria is casually holding.

However, in the vital panel where we need to see it activated (and how it is activated), Martin chooses to show that event in a mid-ground image - allowing for only those who pay close attention to the body language - and note a simple glowing coloring effect, to guess what has transpired. Otherwise, the moment is lost.

Usually, such an action would be given a more up close viewpoint to give it "weight".

Another "error" (although, I don't know who is more at fault, the writer or the artist) is that Strange only escapes his predicament by fooling Adria into thinking that a fake electronic fireplace that he has clicked on with his toe is indeed real enough - and dangerous enough - to startle her into dropping the mystic cuff, thus releasing him.

Really?

A powerful sorceress has no idea if a fake, electronic fireplace is not real fire?

...Really??


It is this which leads me to believe that the writer; Christine Boylan, believes Adria to be an otherworld entity - unfamiliar with the workings of home furnishings.

(She might also fall prey to the sorcerous conundrums of the "I've-got-your-nose" thumb-trick, or the hiding-his-face-behind-his-hands "you can't see me" vanishing act.)

The sequence is also difficult to understand, because nowhere in the artwork (even in the panels where the "fire" is shown), is any actual fireplace or even device revealed. It merely seems that the "fire" (which is pretty realistic looking - for a simulated "fire") just spouts flames from the middle of the floor.

The activation of the phony pyrotechnic is one of a curiously over-complicated nature. The power button being on a surge-protector strip that is hidden under a throw rug - or is it an overly long curtain? It's hard to tell, as there are draperies everywhere. Either way, can we say "fire hazard?" But Strange seems to need to remove his shoe and sock in order to push the single button with his naked toe.

Is this supposed to be some sort of "fail-safe" that Strange has set up in case his home is invaded by stupid people - or those from the distant past - to whom this would seem like powerful magic?

(If so, then Stephen Strange is the most prepared-for-any-contingency comic book character since Batman pulled out a can of "Bat-Shark-Repellent" from his utility belt.)

At first, I thought that his activation of an obvious electrical fire hazard was to intentionally start a real fire. One that would force Adria to move and hopefully lose control of her weapon.
But when she questions him in that it was "not even a real fire?" - I simply lost all sense of suspension of disbelief.

In any event, with Adria being caught by surprise and her dropping of the mystic cuff, it is only with the deactivation of the item that the reader truly sees how it was used in the first place - or even that it was used - all after the fact. But, Strange is only encumbered by the baneful bangle for but a single page, and as such, is merely the first of Adria's trip-ups in the story.

Before I continue with Adria's (and the creative team's) misteps, I want to address... a dress.

Adria's garment is a red gown - heavily detailed with mystic rune-like symbols, and yet, unlike her usual mystic garb, is a garment that could be worn out in public.

With a wide and deep plunging neckline (showcasing her body from breasts down to her navel) and seemingly held-together by a one-button-in-front design, it is a strange mix of "what a male comic artist would think a dress would look like" and "high-fashion" model-wear.

Curiously, it is exactly the type of revealing garment that garner most male comic artists accusations of "overly sexualizing" their female characters. Yet here, in the hands of a female artist, it is to be understood as "haute couture". Is it "demeaning" if drawn by a man, and yet "empowering" if drawn by a woman? I don't feel qualified or compelled to make that call.

Don't get me wrong. It is lovely to look at. I found it to be an interesting new look for Adria, although I must confess I missed her purple and white sorcerer's gown with the high collar. Yet, this new gown, while being fashionable, at the same time addresses a particular dilemma when dealing with this point of Dr. Strange's low-ebb mystic career.

Since his loss of the position as Sorcerer Supreme, he has been shown, most often, in plain-clothes.

This is not a problem (especially if Marvel/Disney is going to try to produce a film since his traditional costume is dreaded among all film-makers who have ever been attached to the long-overdue project).

You see, how do you have Strange wearing normal street wear and his adversaries running around in high-collared cloaks with pointy eyeball designs everywhere? You can't.

Adria's previous sorcerous apparel fit alongside the over-the-top couture of the Lee/Ditko mystic set. Her current gown matches the current "downplayed" nature of Marvel magic.

Still, count this fan as hoping for a return of the flamboyant gear of the Mystics of yesteryear. Certainly, a plain-clothed mystic is perfectly fine, (and John Constantine is his name) but when Doc eventually resumes his mantle, he also best don his ceremonial garb as well.

Back to the story-

After Adria is distracted by some sleight of hand (or toe, as the case might be) and having the rug literally pulled from under her, she counters with a spell that she says Strange doesn't know, and is to be so debilitating to him that he will be powerless and hover on the brink of oblivion all the while being kept in a glass display case for Adria to admire at her leisure.

No spell is actually portrayed - unless you count the fact that the artwork becomes so busy that a visual cacophony is presented. That may very well be the effect that Cynthia Martin was going for. Less flash and more frenzy. The background becomes awash with superimposed musical scales while a flurry of small vignetted images of Strange's former loves and apprentices (Night Nurse, Clea and the most recent, Casey Kinmont) taunt him at the periphery of sensation. It seems to be that the effect of the spell is to have Strange so overwhelmed that he is unable to defend himself - totally supplicant to his captor's will.

In that... the artwork and lack of a flashy spell works.

The only problem for Adria? Strange totally knows of the spell and can easily counter it.

* EDIT / UPDATE *

Artist Cynthia Martin graced this humble blog with her presence and she was gracious enough to leave a comment -I'll link to it - [HERE] (that -surprisingly- did not call for my head on a pike) where she even lets on to another slip-up in the art:

She mentioned that nearing the end of the story she forgot to draw Adria's many bracelets that bejeweled her arms for much of the story.

One panel they are on both arms, another panel they are only on one, and yet at the end she has none.

Honestly, even I didn't see that, and truthfully, it's not a big deal (although, to an artist - it is maddening. Such a thing would leap out at her every time she sees these pages from now on).

If it helps, I'll even help out with a "no no-prize winning" explanation - here goes:

Those many bejeweled bangles were, in fact objects of power! Adria was using them as energy resources to aid in her escape FROM the Purple Dimension - where she is still imprisoned!

The bracelets merely helped her to send out a mystical doppleganger with which to retrieve more power from Strange's edifice.

As she was forced to use more and more energies to combat against Strange, she used up their power and the bracelets would fluctuate - or vanish altogether!

When their power was used up, her pseudo-form would also wither away.

By the way, the fact that her real body was still in another dimension, and that she was speaking "through" her double, would ALSO explain the whole "reverse text" nature of Adria's word balloons!

How's about THAT?

If anyone from Marvel wishes to send me a No-Prize - I'll accept it gladly!

In the meanwhile, that's just my own "made-up" ending explanation.

I'd like to thank "Cyn" for bravely venturing here into the forums of nerd-commentary. I appreciate it and am gladdened that she found my review to have merit.

* END EDIT / UPDATE *

I won't give the (real) end away, for it is up to you to go and read it. Which I wholeheartedly endorse you doing so.

The point of ALL of this seems to be that Adria wishes to collect whatever "power" Strange has hidden in the house. He tells her that he is "powerless" but she knows he must have hidden it somewhere in various objects, and she will not stop until she collects it all for herself.

It is this point that so many writers fail to understand... and I can't emphasize it enough:

Being a sorcerer.. Strange doesn't HAVE any "power" or "powers".
He never has!

What he can do is manipulate latent energies that exist in the universe, and certainly some mystical objects do come with some power (although, it is more accurately a latent spell worked into the object - or a direct linkage to an entity and their power source), but the only thing that a mystic is empowered by is KNOWLEDGE! And THAT can not be lost (unless his memory is lost in some way - or his faculties are lessened).

To this end, Strange should theoretically be just as "powerful" as he was as Sorcerer Supreme, except with whatever abilities or "energies" that are bequeathed him by objects bearing to that mantle (the Eye of Agamotto and perhaps the Cloak of Levitation -along with some of the other talismans and tomes in his former collection). As far as abilities, he should not be any less that what he once was. Perhaps, otherworldly entities might no longer favor him to empower his spells. That could certainly be a possibility. But, if one looks into the "big picture", it would not do an entity any good to deny him - since he will most likely be in a better position to "owe" them should they acquiesce. The only deities who might deny his entreaty now would be those who are gladdened to see him rendered low. It is less likely that Strange would be calling upon such entities anyway, as any of them who wish to see him humbled would most likely be "less than good" anyway.

(Of course, gods and other-dimensional entities are fickle and childlike creatures, so who can say what their motivations might be?)

However, it has long been the erroneous point of Marvel magic that it is treated like a "point and shoot power" and less of an art form (which it is - hence the term Mystic Arts), so I have to be somewhat gladdened that in this story, Christine Boylan uses an object of art - of music - to be the place wherein Strange houses the last of his stored "power". Even as Stephen uses some of his stored power, the piano seems to lose its place among the laws of reality of the Earth, keys conforming to their own laws of perspective and foregoing the reality of Euclidean geometry. Boylan's story and Martin's art at least try to place a link between art and magic - if even this small instance.

This is also the first time that I have ever noted where Strange has been shown to have any musical aptitude or inclinations whatsoever. (His naming of his mid 1990's business tower/Sanctum the "Tempo" building notwithstanding.) It makes sense, as stated in the story, surgeons (Boylan specifies neurosurgeons, thankfully) often play the piano as it is good dexterity practice for their hands.

Strange, of all such (former) surgeons, need to do this, especially as it is the damage in his hands (first from his original origin-inducing car crash and then in the fairly-recent "World War Hulk" mayhem that led to his losing control of magic) that he might need to reverse and thus regain some of his control to reclaim his abdicated title (and thus his "power").

One might argue how I leave the story with a positive appreciation for it, if I have so many negative comments or reservations about every aspect of it.

Well, I'm a complicated man.

Truthfully, the real reason is that this is only a 6-page story. Shorter than most of the earliest "Strange Tales" by Doc's creators; Steve Ditko and Stan Lee.

The title of this story; "RONDEAU" is a musical style, which the author states as meaning; "Return to the beginning". Much like the direction that Strange is being taken in the tale, the story itself - in style and content, is also a "return to the beginning", bringing we readers back to the manner of story from those early 1960's issues of Doctor Strange's original anthology title.
Even the manner of Strange tricking his adversary into losing, is a throwback to those earliest adventures.

Like those stories of old, this one has to fit a lot of information and ideas into a scant few pages. It is, by its very nature already starting off behind the "magic" 8-ball. And unless the work is completed by people who are working very closely with one another, from start to finish - or better yet - by one individual, all the while having a firm grip on the subject matter and characters involved, such discrepancies, omissions and errors are to be expected.

For instance, I honestly can not place the reason why Strange clicks the surge protector again at the very end of the story. There doesn't seem to be any need and the "click" is distracting in the absence of any visual effect.

Still, I'm evolved enough to see what this story was meant to be, what it could have been and appreciate the creative team for their efforts (and there is quite evidently plenty of effort shown) to make this piece a reality.

The tale, to use its musical framework, is an "interlude" - a point between what Strange was and who he is to be. It is the "song" that bridges those two separate works, especially if one thinks of one's self as a work of art --- in progress.

It is that "reworking" of ones self that is a very important aspect of this story.
I stated at the beginning of this "review" that I felt that this seemingly minor work bore major importance, and I do believe that could honestly be the case.

Aside from a return of one of Strange's long-lost rogues' gallery, it also steadfastly espouses a position that Strange is on the road to recovery.
His practicing of the piano piece and his words at the end of the story give rise to hope that Strange has begun the upward climb to greatness.

Perhaps the methods will change (as Brian Bendis is seemingly in charge of that - more so the pity), and sure, this could just be a small short story that happens to have a meaningful direction for the main character, but when that character has been dragged through the proverbial mud, losing nearly all greatness and direction over the past 5 years (or more), perhaps this hidden tale could be the first step on the path to redemption.

And if there is anything every true Doctor Strange fan must agree on, it is the power of...

redemption.

---

Don't forget - go out and get this issue!
I might have picked it apart, but I can not undermine the fact that this is a serious "jump on" moment in the life and path of Doctor Strange.

---

For those who are curious about the very TITLE of this story and the musical piece that Strange was working on I present this information - which sadly may also points out a possible flaw in the story.

It is that one last point that I feel I should explore - purely in the name of art...
Writer Cynthia Boylan has Strange state that he is practicing a piece composed by Bach (presumably Johann Sebastian Bach) and that piece is a "rondeau".
She has Strange state that the title of the piece is an instruction... "return to the beginning".

However, the artwork clearly shows the sheet music bearing the title of Bach's "Inventio(n) 4".

"Inventio(n) 4" is an appropriate piece for Strange to be practicing as the "Inventions" were pieces that Bach composed as educational practice exercises for his students.
Since Stephen Strange is trying to regain some finger dexterity, it is exactly a piece like this that he would attempt.

I could be wrong, but I do not believe that Inventio(n) 4" is a rondeau.
It might more likely be a "ritornello" which is derived from the Italian word ritornare meaning "to return". Although, in the progression of musical forms and histories, the "rondo" (which was also and earlier called rondeau and was a descendant of the even earlier Boroque "ritornello") doesn't truly stipulate a "return to the beginning".

And truthfully, "rondeau" doesn't quite mean "return to the beginning".
A rondeau is a term that calls for repetition of verses and refrain, but not a specific return to the beginning.
Typically the styles of repeating verses and refrains of Rondo/Rondeau are in the form of ABA, ABACA, or ABACADA or even ABaAabAB.

And, to add to the confusion, Boylan writes that it is the musical piece's TITLE, and not its STYLE, that is the instruction. The title which can be translated as "return to the beginning".
Neither "Rondeau" nor "Inventio(n)" mean such a thing.

While Bach did indeed pen some pieces with the word "Rondeau" in the title, "Instructio(n) 4" is not one of them.

A musical term that does indeed mean "return to the beginning", AND one that is used in the title of a work is "Da Capo" - which literally means "from the head". My original thought (before I saw the sheet music presented in the story) was that Strange could have been playing Bach's "Aria Da Capo" (sometimes called; "Da Capo Aria").

However, I am also unaware if "Aria Da Capo" is classified as a "rondeau".
(While I do possess some musical aptitude and retain some knowledge of my prior years in music study, I have never been a scholar of musical styles, forms and histories.
My knowledge of the works of Johann Sebastian Bach are relegated to merely those of an aware appreciation and ability to play - somewhat poorly - a few.

One fleeting thought in the "oh, I hope they won't go with the cliche' " vein, was that - again, before noting the actual sheet music's title in the work, that the piece Strange may be practicing was Bach's "Toccata and Fugue - in D-minor" (most commonly known as being the piece most used in "Haunted houses", Halloween soundtracks and the "Phantom of the Opera"). The term "Fugue" doesn't mean "return to the beginning" either, but a fugue does indeed feature a recapitulation (a "return") to a tonal key or motif that started the piece. So, in that, it does feature a "return to the beginning", in that off-hand way.

However, I leave it to those who are my musical superiors to inform us all if the term "rondeau" fits any of these musical works - but specifically, "Inventio 4" as it is the piece actually shown in the story.

What I also leave to the musicians in the audience to determine is... looking at the actual notes in the sheet music which is represented in the story... aside from the title of the work, I can find no similarity with it and the actual sheet music for "Inventio(n) 4". Admittedly, it can be transcribed for numerous instruments, and I have only the piano score with which to compare it.

I won't bother everyone (any more than I already have), but I have placed the image of the first stanza within the video below.

To thank you - and mostly to reward you for making it to the end of this overly critical "review", I present you with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Inventio(n) 4".

Enjoy! *

*(you MAY need to click on the audio/video player controls a few times. For some reason they get stuck.
But the music "video" IS there.)