The creative team of Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner’s usher in one of the greatest creative periods in Doctor Strange’s history!
When Doctor Strange’s first solo series ended, there was little doubt that the Master of the Mystic Arts would soon return. That moment arrived in Marvel Premiere where hot new art talents illustrated tales tinged with Lovecraftian horror. Then, writer Steve Englehart and artist Frank Brunner brought Doctor Strange to new heights of cosmic consciousness and other-dimensional adventure. Brunner’s mixed a deliriously lush line with psychedelic stylings, while Englehart’s scripting plumbed the depths of Strange’s soul. The series goes from strength to strength when artist Gene Colan returns and the entity Eternity declares that the end times are here. Next comes a Doc Strange vs. Dracula crossover and a time-travelling Occult History of America.
COLLECTING: MARVEL PREMIERE (1972) #3-14, DOCTOR STRANGE (1974) #1-22 & ANNUAL (1976) #1 and THE TOMB OF DRACULA (1972) #44.
Strange days and mystic ways
"I finally finished Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts Omnibus Vol. 1, the one I started a few weeks back. I was never a big Strange fan before, but this collection won me over. It gathers Marvel Premiere #3–14, Doctor Strange (1974) #1–22, and more—covering his return to solo stories and his rise to Sorcerer Supreme. The early issues are hit-or-miss. You get standout art from Barry Windsor-Smith and P. Craig Russell, but also some uneven stories and one notorious misfire (Marvel Premiere #5) that even Marvel admitted didn’t work. Still, the arc slowly builds around Shuma-Gorath, an elder god straight out of the Lovecraft-Howard mythos, which gives it a strong thematic spine. Everything levels up when Steve Englehart and Frank Brunner take over. Brunner’s sprawling, surreal layouts and Englehart’s cosmic, introspective scripts create a run that feels both personal and grand. Strange’s battle with Shuma-Gorath, the death of the Ancient One, and his ascension to Sorcerer Supreme all hit hard. This is where the book justifies itself. When Brunner exits, Gene Colan takes over art duties. His shadow-drenched, fluid style shifts the tone again—less psychedelic, more moody and expressive. The stories lose a bit of cohesion toward the end, but Colan keeps the visual energy high, and the Dracula crossover is a fun detour. This is Strange at his most ambitious—philosophical, horror-tinged, and genuinely weird. If you're curious where to start with the character, this volume captures why he’s endured."
