200 POSTS - SPECIAL EDITION! Something Old - Something New! (In Search Of... Doctor Strange # 200!)

--
I'm in the middle of several series of posts this month so I really wasn't aware of the fact that I've now hit my...

200th POST !

However, I didn't want the occasion to pass without any notice...

and so, I am using this occasion for two things:

1) Showcase the new 3-column format for the blog.
(I DO plan on making it more cohesive and design-friendly, but for now, this will do.)

2) to commemorate what would have been Doctor Strange's 200th issue...
(as you may know, Doc had never actually had a 200th issue... heck, he never even made it to 100... but as Marvel does when it wants to pump up a character's/title's issue number count, we'll do a cumulative count of all the various volumes that Doctor Strange has had and add up the totals until we find what issue would have been # 200.)

Well, let's see... adding Doc's "titles" is a tricky bit of business, as he's popped all over the marvel landscape at one point or another - with his narrative being distributed fairly uniformly amongst the various titles with which he's been associated.

So, the question is...
"What constitutes an actual 'Dr. Strange' comic?"

Do we include ALL of his "sequential" issues?
ie;

• Strange Tales v1 (#110, 111, 114 - 168)
• Dr Strange v1 (# 169 - 183)
• Marvel Premiere (# 3 - 14)
• Dr Strange v2 (#1 - 81)
• Strange Tales v2 (#1 - 19)
• Dr. Strange v3 (#1 - 90)

Do we only count comics that bear his name - and/or do we omit anything that isn't a "full-issue" (where he shared the title with another);

• Strange Tales V1
• Marvel Premiere
• Strange Tales v2

What do we do then with self-titled mini-series?

• Doctor Strange : Flight of Bones
• Strange v1
• Doctor Strange : The Oath
• Strange v2

What about issues of comics that are in sequence, but only a portion of the issue is "important"?

• Marvel Feature # 1 (2nd story, "The Return" - wherein he regains his use of magic)

(although the primary story in that issue is the formation of The Defenders, and while "important" isn't a part of his true narrative)

But if we add the issue where he regains his magic, should we not include the issues wherein he forgoes his use of magic? Even if those issues were cross-overs with part of other character's titles - but where his narrative resumed after his 1st volume was canceled and before his return?

• Sub-Mariner # 22
• Hulk # 126

But if we do that then we would need to include issues where his comic crossed over with continuing stories, like:

• Tomb of Dracula # 44
• Man-Thing v2 # 4

So, no. We can't take those into consideration.

And then what about "special" cases, like his "Giant Size" or Annual issues?

• Giant Size Dr. Strange # 1
• Annuals # 1 - 4

And what about his own graphic novels - or special all-new content issues:

• Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa
• Dr. Strange & Dr. Doom : Triumph and Torment
• Spider-Man & Dr. Strange : The Way to Dusty Death
• Strange Tales (deluxe format, acetate cover) # 1
  
• Doctor Strange: "What is it That Disturbs You, Stephen?"
• Stan Lee Meets Dr. Strange # 1
• Mystic Hands of Doctor Strange # 1
  

Obviously, we can't use mini-series where he might not be named in the title, but is truly a/the star of the show - can we?

• Black Knight
• Thor : Vikings
• Witches
• X-statiX presents : Dead Girl
• (and the new) Spider-Man : Fever
  

And we certainly do not use reprint volumes:

• Strange Tales v 1.2 (a 1973 "continuation" of the title) # 182 - 188
  
• Doctor Strange -vs- Silver Dagger # 1
• Doctor Strange Classics # 1 - 4
• Dr. Strange / Ghost Rider Special # 1
• Dr. Strange -vs- Dracula # 1
• Marvel Watch # 0
• Marvel Milestones : Strange Tales # 1
• Marvel Milestones : Doctor Strange / Defenders # 1

And, there's no way we should count ash-can editions:

• Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme ashcan
• Dr. Strange: Sorcerer's Apprentice ashcan (came with limited editions of his animated DVD)

Heck, we certainly can't (but should) be able to count:

• Amazing Spider-Man Annual # 2 (a truly awesome Spidey - Doc team-up special by Steve Ditko - although it was reprinted in dr. Strange v1 # 179, so... at least the story "counts".)
  

No.

This undertaking will only allow for a possible two (or three) "true" results.

At best we should omit anything too extraneous, such as non-named minis, graphic novels (no matter how awesome. (And no collected volumes or books, as it should go without saying.)

Obviously we need to ignore things like 'Marvel Team-Up', 'Marvel Two-in-One', 'Marvel Fanfare', 'Marvel Comics Presents' and even the various incarnations of 'Defenders' or 'Midnight Sons' (or especially not the 'Illuminati'), and we can't even take into account comics or issues that feature Strange as a regular in a stable of rotating features, like "Over the Edge", or even treat him as a solo star like his issue of "Uncanny Origins" ... because we're not looking for his 200th appearance, but his 200th "published issue".

So, to this end we are left with either:

ONLY full stories of comic titles that bear his name...

-or-

ALL sequential comic runs.

Let's run it down:

IF ONLY full stories of comic titles that bear his name:

• Doctor Strange v1 - (# 169 - 183)
  
• Dr. Strange v2 (Master of the Mystic Arts) - (#1 - 81)
• Dr. Strange v3 (Sorcerer Supreme) - (#1 - 90)

... but that only leads up to 196 issues?!?!

So. then we need to add what is considered to be Dr Strange v4

(at least according to checklists and price guides)

• Dr. Strange : Flight of Bones (mini-series) - (# 1 - 4)

Which would make FLIGHT OF BONES # 4 ...

Doctor Strange # 200!

However, if we take into account ALL sequential comic runs:

• Strange Tales v1 (#110, 111, 114 - 168)
• Dr Strange v1 (# 169 - 183)
• Marvel Feature (# 1) * (do we count this or not?)
• Marvel Premiere (# 3 - 14)
• Dr Strange v2 (#1 - 81)
• Strange Tales v2 (#1 - 19)
• Dr. Strange v3 (#1 - 90)

We would find that either

Doctor Strange v3 (Sorcerer Supreme)

# 16

* or *

#17
(if we do not include Feature # 1 into the count)

to be...

Dr. Strange # 200!

*sigh*

This entire enterprise should confirm what we die-hard Doc-fans have known all along...

... it isn't easy being a Dr Strange fan.

Sadly, he may never get an issue #200... but as a "Founding Father" he most certainly deserves one, so I'm giving him MINE.

Happy # 200, Doc!

(Hey! Did I do the math right on this? Any Doc fans out there want to posit an argument or counter? LMK)

Diablo ex Machina -or- Blogging about NOT blogging is a sin

There are many times in my life that I feel cursed and put-upon by fate.
Such times are when I feel kinship most with lovable perennial losers like "Peter Parker", Howard the Duck or, maybe even moreso... Richard Rory
(close friend of the Man-Thing. Look him up on your interwebs... or just use the handy link by his name).

Usually, I take these things in stride, (with the occasional burst of colorful ephithets and expletives,) all the while realizing that things could be worse.

Under normal circumstances, these speed-bumps in my road of life aren't things that others might notice, as they may not impede my way completely in whatever tasks that need be done.

However, in the case of my blogging... the latest incident is the equivalent of a tire blowout and I have no real spare (or more accurately, I DO have a spare, but I don't have the jack).

If "Deus ex Machina" means "God from the Machine", a way of saying that some powerful force - usually one for "good" - is tampering with the natural order of things in the material world, then I am suffering (perhaps fairly literally) from the opposite; "Diablo ex Machina" - the DEVIL from the Machine... or perhaps more accurately... devil IN the machine.

As any of you who have been readers of this blog may know, I have been utilizing a laptop on-loan to me from a good friend (after "my" laptop had to be returned to my former employer after I was downsized). Well, sadly, it seems to have popped a cog and gone to Hardware Heaven.

Now, I honestly don't know if the problem is that I gave it some kind of worm or virus via junk software downloaded (even though MACs don't suffer from viruses under normal situations, if you download and run a bit of bad joob-joob, it's still going to fritz out on you) or if it was something beyond my doing or control.

My buddy had told me that it was broken before he loaned it to me, but had been able to get it repaired before he did so. However, he would be unsure of how long that fix might last, before it might crap out again.

It would seem that time has come.

This is one reason why I have yet to post my reviews of many comics and animated appearances of Dr. Strange (and others) that I had intended.

This is just my long-winded way of saying that, even though I DO have other computers, that my blogging has been seriously curtailed by this event, since the only real "free" time that I have to devote to this blog is at late night hours, where I would usually work into the wee hours of morning. Something that could almost exclusively require a portable device so that I would be free of the risk of waking anyone (female or feline).

I'll try to get back to this.
The blog posts are backing up (and have been since my initial layoff in April 2009), and I was only just starting to break out of that bottleneck before this occurred.

Bear with me folks.
Hopefully I'll be able to work a bit of Necrotech, and revive the dead thing.
As Doctor Strange has said on multiple occasions;
"My abilities are limited in their effect on the physical world."

R.I.P." l'il mac on-loan-from-a-friend"

---

...and the days dwindle down...

"September Song" is one of my favorite tunes.
Doesn't make any difference who sings it, I've heard them all.
Everyone from Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, and Willie Nelson
to Lou Reed, Jeff Lynne (E.L.O) and Ian McColloch (Echo & the Bunnymen).

It always comes to mind this time of year, and serves to remind me that time is not my friend.

Sadly, I've been out of synch with time the past few weeks (at the very least).
Not the least of reasons because early September always maintains a very full schedule for me.
The first week of September has my mother's birthday, and my wife's is the very next day.
There are also a few personal milestones to celebrate, not the least of which is my Wedding Anniversary.

Not that this isn't enough, but with my unemployment, I've been really digging into the "warehouse" to post stuff for eBay auctions (2 weeks of which, I was too busy to even MENTION here - which is sad, because some sweet goodies are up there. There's still a day left on the latest batch. It's not too late to hop into the auctions UP FOR SALE on the eBay).

On top of all that, we were searching for a "new" used vehicle to replace the ones that died on us several months back.
Happily, we just purchased a van (wanted for several reasons; we need a 2nd vehicle so I can better look for work, my wife prefers a larger vehicle when the snowy season hits, and a van is handy in case we need a larger vehicle to move stuff out of our home... if these tough times make it come to that), but, of course, not without incident.

The long and the short of it all is to say that somewhere, with all of this going on (and much more that I won't bother you with) I have run myself down to a frazzled nub of my former self.

One GOOD thing... the first day with the new vehicle, I drove into town and found the new "Marvel Legends 'Nemesis' figures" and scored my BLACK BOLT (as mentioned [HERE]).
So... at the very least, my action figure collection is complete (for now - at least until Brother/Doctor Voodoo & The Hood are released - also mentioned [HERE]).

However, action figure goodness aside, the past week has had me feeling like crap, yet only for the past 2 days have I actually been able to stop. And do nothing.
I need the rest, or else I'll have a serious illness on my hands.

So, I DO wish to catalogue some goodies here, and discuss some recent events, but I'm just too tired.

Let's hope that I won't be out of commission too long (hopefully not "from May to December").

The Days of Whine and No-says.

Hey there, visitors to the Sanctum.

Apologies all around.

The backlog of thoughts that I've had concerning the past few months' worth of comics has been pretty overwhelming (especially when added to everything else going on these days).

To that end, I had every intent to post snippets, scans, thoughts and reviews here the past few weeks, but just can't seem to dig my way out from under.

Brain... fuzzy. Energy levels... low. Ennui... rising.

I'm looking to post some info on some stuff going up on eBay tomorrow (and how they fit in with my old 6-Dimensions of Dr. Strange philosophy), and then once that's out of the way, I'll redouble my efforts to bring this blog up to date.

So much I still want (and need) to get to.
Thanks for the patience.

MAN... THINGs just ain't right.

Maybe it's just me but something isn't right with this next piece...

Statues and maquettes are big business.
Collectors will plunk down major coin for 3D likenesses for their favorite characters / properties.

Now, I will fight ANYONE to the death who refutes my claim as being one of the world's most intense fanatics of the Marvel Comic's character; THE MAN-THING...
However, even I don't see the need for THIS:

A $499.00 "comiquette" of the MAN-THING!

Manufactured by Sideshow Collectibles it's a lovely piece (complete with light-up l.e.d. eyes).
Standing 18.5" High (469.9mm) x 22" Wide (558.8mm) x 16" Deep (406.4mm), and weighing in at over 15 pounds, it is a GIANT.

Would I love to have one?
Well, duh. SURE I would.
(although, it has already sold-out at the manufacturer level)

But with the economy as it is (and this is not even taking my recent employment situation into account)... I would be hard-pressed to justify dropping 5 bills on this.

This is exactly the kind of thing that has been gnawing at my completist collector's mentality as of late.
I've been feeling more like prey than a prized fan or customer.
Marvel (and many other such companies) are tapping deeper into the wallets of the declining numbers of their fan base and - seemingly - been taking our love for granted.

At one time, only the most popular characters garnered such treatment, and slowly over time, the lesser known properties had been given the special treatment - much to the delight of their small (but very loyal) fanbase.

However, over the years we've seen just about every lesser known entity being given "life" in such a high-profile manner.
It has got to the point where many bloggers are astounded when the newest statues and busts are solicited, that the dregs of the character property pool are being turned into high-priced collectibles.

It is to the point where every character is getting multiple statues, every old storyline is being reprinted ad nauseum in deluxe hardcovers and the fans are being asked to spend more and more.

I own every representation of the Man-Thing (there are more than you may think) and Doctor Strange, among other properties... but I have been forced to take a more serious look at these items as of late.

(of course, if anyone out there wanted to take up a collection and buy one for me... well... I wouldn't stop them.)

Many OLDER items are still highly sought after, and as rarer items (before the production numbers on such things has exploded to "1990s Image comic" proportions) and many of those older items are still "worth" a high price tag.
But $500 for a giant Man-Thing statue?

If the economy wasn't as it is (and I was still gainfully employed)... I'd probably be trying to rationalize a way to order this. But would that make any sense?

So... what do YOU guys think?
Is it a case that ANY character is now viable for such a treatment?
Or are we being fleeced?

CURSE ME FOR A NOVICE! : 03-28-09 PUBLISH or PERISH!

---

"l'il mac"

---

To ANY readers who have been eagerly anticipating my review of New Avengers # 51, and the pursuant in-depth analysis of the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme... (with my continuing series on "the Search for, Nature and History of the Sorcerer Supreme").

It is nearly completed.

However, my general physical and mental state as of late has left me easily fatigued.

To that end, thrice over the past day, I have meant to hit "SAVE NOW" and instead clicked "PUBLISH POST" only to be forced to quickly scurry, copying and pasting everything into a NEW POST and then hurriedly deleting the posted, UNFINISHED version.

I mean - - WHO DESIGNED Blogger?
WHY would you place those two buttons so close together like that?

WTF?

So, if you have subscribed to this blog and have received a few half-formed posts on the subject, my apologies.

Feel free to read what you have, but please understand that it is unfinished and many notes are just tossed in various spots as mental placeholders.

I don't normally like to work this way, but I'm not operating at 100% today.

Keep your eyes on this space for that promised post.
Later today!
(I hope)

*UPDATE*

OK. The post is live.

You can find it either in the post que or feel free to just use this handy link: [HERE]

 

The Search for, Nature and History of...the Sorcerer Supreme : 

- SETTING THE STAGE. 

What has led up to New Avengers # 51

*END UPDATE*

The Sorcerous Sauce...

The past few weeks have been brutal.
Replace Doc's bottle of Vodka * with one of Bourbon, and that's me there **.

* Don't worry. He doesn't take the drink.

**I however, will. ***
I may even imbibe out of my Doctor Strange toon tumbers.

*** I'll avoid driving my sports car into a tree though ****...
The likelihood of my hooking up with a centuries-old Tibetan monk and his teaching me the mystic arts is pretty slim.

****Even slimmer than the chances that I would even HAVE a sports car.

CURSE ME FOR A NOVICE! : 03-16-09 The Forgotten Things...

From Marvel Premeire # 12
Steve Engelhart & Frank Brunner

Alas, I too have been so fixated upon the multitudes of weightier matters as of late, that I let myself lose sight of the basic, structured order of things around here.

Besides being far behind on 2 major posts that I'm eager to get in the can soon, I ALSO missed announcing when I had my 100th POST (several posts ago) - but to top it ALL off, I find myself having to squeeze in some RETRO-POSTS in between older ones (thusly screwing up further which post truly was the 100th - not that it was anything specially prepared for the occasion), in order to correct a mistake in the chronological nature of my "Idol Pursuits" series.

Somehow, I had skipped over two items that needed to be blogged about before my last batch of entries (of the Dr. Strange PVC, the "Man-Thing" rubber figure & the assorted Marvel PVC's).

Those forgotten items are: the 01984 Marvel / TSR r.p.g. metal figures - & - the standees for the same game!

So, now that I have made sure that the forgotten posts have been placed in their rightful order, and renumbered the entries to make right the error, I'll have to make THIS post the official "gatekeeper" for them - by using it to direct you kind readers there.

• 01984 Marvel / TSR Metal Miniature figurines (HERE)

• 01984 - 01991 Marvel / TSR r.p.g. standees (HERE)

Hope springs eternal that it will be quite some time before I err enough to exclaim;
"Curse me for a novice!"

Spells Re-Cast

I have a "confession" of sorts that I've been meaning to mention, for quite some time now.

There are often times where I'll have a flash of inspiration, or a fleeting memory will resurface, or I'll dig up something while researching a new post, or a stray neuron will set off a synaptic miss-fire and I'll go back to an already published post (usually the most recent) and add to it, or edit it in some way as to make a re-read possibly worthwhile to those who may have already given it a once-over.

It's a habit from which I've been trying to break myself, and on occasion, if the added information can sustain itself as a stand-alone (or addendum) post, I'll simply give it it's own entry (linked to the predecessor).

This was most recently done in the case of the
"And Now Ladies and Gentlemen... Observe as I put this rabbit back INTO my hat!" post, which was itself an addendum to the earlier "Silly Rabbit..." post.

It was new information that should have been in the earlier post, but it could support itself on it's own.

Some times, however... that's just not the case.

And so, to that end, I have added a piece to the side-bar, directly UNDER the blog-post history where I'll list any posts that get added to in a fairly major way.

Just look for the list under THIS image * :


It's titled "SPELLS RE-CAST ".
There are also notations as to what date each post was edited and when were the original post dates.

Not every tweak will get a re-listing. I won't bother if I've just added a line or two or changed some grammar around, or some other cool, but "minor" change (which happens pretty much all the time). I'll just list the ones where vital goodies are added;
Information that further fleshes out a point, brings forth an instance that really belongs with the original post, or in some way enhances the reading experience - making it worth a second read.

Two caveats, however:

1. While in some instances, the edited post may have a noticeable ***EDIT*** blurb on it (usually at the end), many times, especially if the information needs to be in the body of the post, it won't be readily evident what I've changed. I can only promise that it would be a fairly important point.
2. I'm not sure how LONG I'll leave the tweaked posts in that list. It could be a week, a month... who knows? All I know is it won't be permanent (unless I relocate it to the BOTTOM of the side-bar to give it breathing room to grow - which I highly doubt), so check back early and often.
   

Why, look! There are some there NOW.
(Who says this isn't the world's most self-referential blog?)
;-)

That's all for now.
I have to get cracking on my next big entry.
Thanks for your kind indulgence.

---

* That image, by the way, is from the "What is it That Disturbs You, Stephen?" graphic novella by P. Craig Russell.
It, itself, is a "Spell Re-Cast", since it was reworked, nearly panel for panel, from P.C.R.'s much earlier work found in Doctor Strange Annual # 1.

The "Magic" of Video - Part II : Dr. Strange in Animation - entry 1: Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends; 7 Little Super-Heroes - and more.

Another SANCTUM SANCTORUM VIDZ Presentation.

If you recall, in THIS post, we were talking about how truly criminal is Marvel's treatment of Dr. Strange in other media (not that he fares much better in their handling of him in PRINT oftentimes).

Unlike DC/Warner, who lavish truly mystical flourishes upon their Dr. Fate and his special niche in their mythos, while in animated ventures, Marvel can't seem to afford Dr. Strange the proper, sorcerous treatment, or even an approximation of his unique world(s) befitting his true, published, stature.

This started as far back as his 01978 TV movie (as showcased previously on this blog: the FILM, the SWAG, the ACTION FIGURE, the REVIEW).
An inaccurate and watered-down rendition of a character with an otherwise exciting and vivid potential.

Marvel's lackluster representations of Strange in other media then continued into the realm of animation. While he never had a starring role, he had guest-starred in several cartoons, the first of which was the series;

Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends.

Strange appeared in one episode, quite possibly the most favored episode of the series:

• "7 Little Super-Heroes" - episode # 06 of the series.
  

and his costume appeared in two others:

• "The Triumph of the Green Goblin " - episode # 01 of the series.
  

• "Spider-Man Unmasked" - episode # 17 of the series.
  

(both of which I'll showcase at the end of this post, after the main entry).

But, first, we'll discuss, and view "7 Little Super-Heroes".

Title card for the 01981 episode.

Before I get too far along, allow me the indulgence of showcasing some collector's pieces pertaining to this animated episode... the first, and primary one being the animation character model sheet, original production cel of DOCTOR STRANGE featured last post - HERE.
(But I'll paste the pic and some basic info of it here as well - for completeness sake - just make sure to go back to the original post for even more detail.)

This is an extremely rare, authentic production cel for the episode.
Not just any production cell, but a even rarer "model sheet cel"... of DOCTOR STRANGE!

It's a bit hard to read, but it states:
Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends
Series # 6000
"7 Little Superheroes"
Prod. # 6006
Model sheet # 0
"Doctor Strange"
(c) 1981 Marvel Productions LTD

 (Don't forget to go back later to check out more info on this cel at its original post - HERE.)
 



Another piece of swag for the episode is this, the actual VHS tape featuring the episode.

Goldstar Video's official VHS release of 7 Little Super Heroes.

Back of packaging with write-up.

Thanks. Now that I have that taken care of, we can go back to the review and watching the episode(s).

This episode takes a riff from the classic nursery rhyme; "10 Little Indians" (which was the inspiration for a mystery story, and then was, in turn, adapted into several films; "And Then There Were None", "10 Little Indians", as well as the hilarious spoof "Murder by Death"), wherein a group of individuals fall victim to various accidents, (or in the case of the film and animated versions; guests are slowly and methodically eliminated by a mastermind with a grudge,) until, ostensibly, only ONE remains.

This episode followed the events of the villainous CHAMELEON who invites the heroes to the mysterious "Wolfe Island Mansion" for a social gathering for super-beings.
(There's a Wolfe Island in Ontario, Canada and while only accessible by ferry - or helicopter- or the power of flight, as a superhero might possess, is indeed reachable by ferry from Cape Vincent, New York. Most likely, this is the location.)

Spider-Man, Iceman, Firestar, Sub-Mariner, Doctor Strange, Captain America & Shanna; the Jungle Queen are all unknowing "guests" of the Chameleon!
None are aware of the others' invitations until they are all gathered within the walls of the castle.

Wolfe Island Mansion

Several liberties are taken for the story.
The major one being; these heroes have all been targeted since they, purportedly, have all dealt defeats to the Chameleon.
For the life of me, I can't imagine Shanna "the Jungle Queen" having any reason to interact with the Chameleon, much less Doctor Strange. Although, if pressed, I could imagine a story-point where Strange may have been able to thwart the villain's illusions - except... Strange has never had any altercations with him, and judging from the events of this episode, Strange doesn't seem to be able to do even that.

Sadly, in this story, the "Spider-Friends" are the real action heroes, while the other characters are just there to point and say "Hey, Look!"... or worse; stand around, slack-jawed, waiting to be taken out like chumps.

While it's always exciting to see Strange in this famous episode, Doc says little... and does even LESS!

After paying the hair-stylist to care for those sideburns,
there was no more money left to pay Strange for a large speaking role.

In the course of the episode you'll THRILL to the sight of:

Doc chillaxin' and kickin' it - old school!

This chair is the Venerated Vibro-lounger of the Vishanti!

Strange and the others caught by a hackneyed ruse!

"Oh, there, voice come from cow on wall..."
"Moose, moose you imbecile!"
"Mr. Lionel Twain, I presume."

Strange protecting Ms. Lion - the Lhasa Apso dog!

Dogs usually run AWAY from Doctors. Or is it JUST Veterinarians?

Doc standing around uselessly!

Well... in his defense, they're ALL standing around uselessly.

Doc getting a headache!

A... Aquaman? Is that YOU? I told you never to call me here.

Doc flying and pointing - at the same time!

invizible uru-hammrz! i haz one!

Doc doing the batusi!

The Shadow tested, Batman approved!

Strange not fighting a robotic-demonic robot/demon!

No joke here. This thing IS pretty cool.

Doc held prisoner in a dog kennel!

Walls do not a prison make, nor iron bars a cage...
oh wait... they totally do.

...and much MORE (or less)!

OK... preview over.
Here...
Watch the episode via these three segments (sadly... my video editing software is still f.u.b.a.r. and as such, I'm recycling older clips - edited - poorly - by others).

We'll meet again and discuss after the episode.

-ROLL FILM-

-------------

The Sanctum Sanctorum Comix blog

presents a Sanctum Sanctorum Vidz presentation

- of -

"7 Little Super-Heroes".

-------------

part - 1




part - 2




part - 3




OK.

So...
Doc was exceedingly useless, was he not?

Remember the part early on, when the Chameleon gave that little roll-call while they were in the Mansion, and everyone is shown when he announces their name - except Dr. Strange?
When Doc is addressed, the director thought that a crotch-shot of Iceman was a better use of the time.
That exemplifies the overall gist of Dr. Strange's treatment in the episode;
Somewhere below Iceman's snowballs in priority.

The total extent of his "occult powers" was to receive a "psychic message" from Shanna, block a robotic-demon's zap with his cloak, use the Eye of Agamotto to make prison bars vanish and cast a spell to help Shanna fly off the doomed castle.

He couldn't even defend himself from a robot demon (or even TELL that it WASN'T the real thing!).
And, just between you and me, while it was VERY cool for the robot to be a take-off of the Dark Dimension's "G'Uranthic Guardian"... how the hell would the Chameleon know what THAT looked like?

The ONLY thing that this cartoon (like the others in the Spider-Man & his Amazing Friends series) got right is Dr. Strange's costume. They barely altered a thing.

And so, this appearance gets a rating of:
2.5 out of 5 G'uranthic Guardian robots.

/x X X

-------------

Now, remember that Strange (or at least his COSTUME) appeared in two other episodes as well.

A minor honor indeed, Strange's costume is shown, being worn by a party-goer at a Comic-book themed costume ball, in the FIRST episode of the series:

"The Triumph of the Green Goblin"

"Strange" is seen dancing in the back left corner of the doorway - with a woman dressed as... Princess Python perhaps?

Disco... Dis-co Doc!

That's pretty much the entirety of the appearance. You can watch the entire episode if you wish, but if you're just looking for Strange's costume in action, the above pic is pretty much all you need.

But, here ya go. As a detail-oriented collector-monkey, I'll include the episode as well.

part 1
Strange gets down and boogies at the 6:30 mark.




part 2

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AND... if you're wondering just WHERE the guy obtained his costume... chances are it was from the same establishment shown in episode 17 of the series:

"Spider-Man : Unmasked"

"Stan's Costume Shop", as seen here specializes in super-hero costumes.

"Stan's Costume Shop" would totally be my personal haberdasher.

Strange's sorcerer's garb is shown along the back wall, worn by a mannequin.

This must be the "urban legends" section,
since the existence of all those figures is shrouded in mystery.
Especially "Dazzler". No way is she real.

That's all the Dr. Strange that you get for the episode. However, I'll present the entire episode for those who wish to view it.

Part 1




Part 2
Stan's Costume Shop comes in at 00:10. Strange's garb appears at 00:20.

-------------

And there you have it; Doctor Strange's first foray into animation with appearances in the "Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends" cartoon series.

As I pontificated in a previous entry (HERE) Strange's appearance in his animated excursions are... meh. Not great. Barely a Sorcerer of any strength or ability.
And what's worse, is that his world; the world of magicks and dimensional whatnot, has barely been shown. When it has, it's been a watered-down version, at best.

These first steps into the Saturday morning world have nothing to stand out as spectacular or noteworthy. No real mysticism is shown, no otherworldly realms are visited. No love for the character is shown.

For a Dr. Strange fan, the only thing going for these are... well... Dr. Strange is at least FEATURED in a cartoon that hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of kids (and their families) have seen.

That's some magic in and of itself.

MONSTERS, MYTHS and MARVELS ... a Mystery Maybe Made Manifest?

OK. Annnnd, we're back.
(Hopefully, I've exorcised the ghosts from my last attempt at this post.)

This entry is about a bit of a mystery and I'd appreciate any information that you kind readers might be able to share.

Marvel (as you may know) have been offering many of their old comics in an online format (not cbr or cbz or even pdf - as some out there might be familiar with), but via an online "reader" that can only "see" the comics and not download them to your computer.
At a price of either a year's subscription ($4.99 a month but billed in a one-lump sum of $59.88) or as a by-the-month deal ($9.99 per month), you can read whatever comics they have on their server - and that number is getting to be fairly sizable.

The major downsides to all this are:

1) the interface has problems (as the wailing and gnashing of teeth online offers testament)

2) the scan quality (which is poorer than the illegal downloads that some "comic-archivers" are used to).

and lastly (and the most egregious sin)
3) you can only "save" (in a digital collection) your comics on their server. And only as long as you pay for your "subscription".
The moment you stop paying, all those comics are completely cut off to you.
You keep nothing. You were only paying to "peek" into their server.

This service they have labeled the Marvel "Digital Comics Unlimited"
(the Marvel D.C.U. ...yeah, I know. *ouch*)

We on the same page here?

OK.

Now, in a bid to increase their subscriber base (and beef up the offerings online) Marvel has started to produce "online exclusive" content.
The first of these is a title called:
MARVEL CHANNEL: MONSTERS, MYTHS & MARVELS.

It's supposed to be the Marvel comic's equivalent of those cable tv shows that debunk mysteries and such.

Their first urban legend being Galactus.

Preview teaser artwork has appeared online and in two such pages (for issues # 1 and # 3 of the online edition) there have been panels featuring MAN-THING and DOCTOR STRANGE.

Here ya go.


What is shown here seems to be an intro page and a cross-section of Marvel characters being interviewed by a bothersome reporter.


However, the FEBRUARY shipping comics (solicited now) include this item (as I had listed in my last "preview" post - here):

MARVEL TV: GALACTUS - THE REAL STORY
Written by FRANK TIERI
Pencils & Cover by JUAN SANTACRUZ
Welcome to MARVELS CHANNEL, where you can get all the 411 on the 616. In this episode of MONSTERS, MYTHS and MARVELS, we explore one of the greatest threats mankind has ever faced: GALACTUS. But is he really the planet-eating celestial being we’ve come to fear with every fiber of our being? Or is he the construct of a super hero team desperate for headlines? Join host Gordon Allsworth as he exposes the truth behind Galactus, and the greatest hoax ever pulled on humankind.
48 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

This is the same creative team and premise as the "online exclusive", but just with a slightly altered title.

Has anyone here subscribed to the Marvel "digital comics unlimited"?
Can you offer any insight to this?


It WOULD make sense for them to try to cast the net around as big a pond as possible, so printing these "online exclusives" can reach a broader audience and pull in some extra revenue.

So, then these are "exclusive" to the online servers only for a short while, and then they're released to the masses?

I can live with that.
Just as long as no content is lost.

It would suck if the online versions had extra content or were animated (a factor that has never been mentioned in any article online).

Now, I'm pretty sure that I'd be ALL FOR a digital comics future.
Save the trees and stop having to build forts out of my longboxes.
As shown by those old "Marvel Library" collections, the amount of comics that could be kept on a single DVD is truly fabulous. Sometimes, whole 40 or 50 year runs!
However, sadly, until the Marvel "D.C.U." is something that I can pay for to KEEP (download and backup to a disc) then I won't be subscribing.

However, as a die-hard lover, reader and collector of MAN-THING & DOCTOR STRANGE, I NEED to see this. I just don't see myself subscribing to do so. Not now anyway.
I don't mind waiting the extra few months for the content to be made available to the non-digital world. I can be patient - sometimes.
However, I need to know... are these being released in their totality or is it some sort of teaser program to get subscribers back to their online comics service?

ANY info that I can get on these installments of their "exclusives" like
MARVEL CHANNEL: MONSTERS, MYTHS & MARVELS
would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks.

Knowledge is Power that can (not) be denied?

Just a "quick" hit&run post here since I'm wrapping up the awesome mega-post for later tonight. (It'll be posted, probably fairly late tonight - so as to give reader's time to wade through this dissertation.)

This is in part a commentary that I held back from my critique of the upcoming "What If? House of M" one-shot which I listed in my last entry (check it just under this post, or if you're surfing around - here). However, it is mostly a reply to a comment that was left on that post (no, not by the spam-bot- thanks for validating my initial hesitancy to allow "anonymous" comments, internet). The comment being discussed is by fantastic blogger, word-smith and thinker extraordinaire: PLOK, of "A Trout in The Milk" blog. His comment here.

In it, he questions WHY, if in the plot in question, because Scarlet Witch utters "No more POWERS" would Doctor Strange be powerless? Surely, EVERYONE by now should know that DOCTOR STRANGE HAS NO POWERS! He has only knowledge. A wisdom of the forces of the universe/ multiverse / omniverse and the nigh-eternal entities that possess such power and energies with which Strange can TAP INTO or ENTREAT.

Much like "the FORCE" from Star Wars (PRIOR to that whole midichlorians bullshit. That was just ass). These energies swirl around us all, and Strange, due to his years of study, has learned how to manipulate and control them. His studies and journeys to other realms and dimensions has also taught him the proper methods and protocols of REQUESTING usage of these energies from the higher powers, if the energies required be such as might exist beyond natural ebb and flow, but instead as personal power of any number of these extra-dimensional entities.

I must state for the record, that I WAS going to toss a heavy coat of lambaste over the writers on that point. Especially, as since they state that the only powers that WILL work in the new "What if?" story would be tech-based (obviously, it's another IRON-MAN heavy vehicle), which are also primarily "knowledge-based".

Plok, I assure you, I was ALL OVER that.

But then, I took a step back and reflected upon something that I have long pondered in my years on this Earth; watching horrific war after war, gun-violence in the streets, children blowing their head's off at gun shows (please, I can't get started on that piece of recent news)...
WHY wouldn't God * just say that the laws of nature that would otherwise make gunpowder combustible... simply WOULD NOT WORK that way? Sure, every other similar law of physics or nature would work just fine, but bullets would NOT work. I'm not smart enough to work out which possible "beneficial" applications of gunpowder would still function, if any, and I'm sure man would invent some work-around to it all... but as "God", I would make sure that THOSE wouldn't work either. Simply put; "No more EXPLODO to kill"! **

IF the very laws of physics and nature COULD be overridden by a "magic word" spoken from an omnipotent personage, then why WOULDN'T the "normal" procedures that would allow for a spoken spell or series of gesticulations (even the peerless prestidigitation of a Sorcerer Supreme) just simply NOT work?

As a bat-shit crazy, "mommy-go-bye-bye", all-powerful mutant-gone-mental with the ability to alter even the slightest "probabilities", then perhaps Wanda's re-working of the fundamental nature of how the universe (or at least the universal "laws" work on Earth) take that into consideration and put the "hex-whammy" on it. That would effectively negate the possibility for ANY powers, even ones based upon the calling of aid from other-dimensional principalities or cosmic energies.

It wouldn't remove the KNOWLEDGE of how he should be able to do so, just that the knowledge would no longer lead to a functioning application.
Cause, but no effect.

It would render the Marvel Earth the same as OURS in that regard.
Besides some fantastic (and heretofore unexplainable) abilities and/or phenomenon, mere mortals can not perform high-end sorcery.
We can do the dance and jig, wave our hands around *** and draw runes in the dirt, all the while shaking chicken-bones to our heart's content. But aside from some cool moves and a stunned and awestruck crowd (if done with proper flair), there'd be no mystical-moombahs popping out of the cauldron. That is what Strange and the others mystics of the M.U. would be reduced to due to Scarlet Witch's revised utterance.

Now, again, perhaps off-world, it would work fine. If Strange COULD get to another dimension, then he should be able to toss mystic zaps. Perhaps through the Nexus of All Realities or maybe (closer to home) the Negative Zone portal, since science still works in that story (if dimensional apertures won't open in our atmosphere).

However, due to the ramifications of negating all technology on the planet, all Hospitals, airplanes, nuclear power plants, etc... would just go belly up - basically a mutant-driven "Millennium-bug", Wanda could not cut off tech-based abilities.
That would be devastating to the world. However, not cutting off those "powers" also provides for "the out" - storywise (enter Iron-Man).

So, that was why I didn't tear into that plot point.
I had to allow for a "godlike" power to state that a "normal" process, like magic, simply would no longer work. Be it a cut-off from tapping the energies flow, a deadening-effect on mystic whojams or simply that A is no longer A where magic is concerned... the new status quo is without hocus-pocus. ****

Now, as to the whole COSMIC CUBE thing... hey... one writer's disaster at a time.

----------------------

* Please refrain from the whole "God is a figment" replies... I'm up on the debates, and also posit my own questions to the Universe, but for the sake of this, since the story in question deals with someone with "god-like" powers, we're all accepting that in our universe, God exists. OK? ThanX.

** I've long thought that guns are the cowards' easy way to kill.
You want to kill someone? Really?? You shouldn't be allowed to (sit back, sometimes many yards away and) just twitch your finger to do so. It's too detached from the process of taking a life. It makes it too effortless, since you can do it from an easy chair. No. You want to kill someone (or something for those hunters out there)? You shouldn't get to do it unless you FIGHT that other life. Give it the same chance to kill you. Not that I'm condoning killing of ANY kind. Just that I've long thought that negating the laws of physics where weapons are concerned should have been top priority for the Almighty. But that's just one of the things that I'd do, given the power of "God". That, and the whole Famine, and Disease thing. Where the hell is that Infinity Gauntlet? I've got some work to do.

*** Good thing, too, because all of those "American Sign Language" users expressing "love" to anyone would turn their loved ones into newts.

**** Which would now beg the question... what is ALCHEMY? A science (like chemistry?)... or magic? I guess Diablo can whip up some bicarbonate of soda, but not elementals.