It's fitting that Peter Gillis' favourite childhood character is the one he ended up having the longest association with. When asked recently what appealed to him so about Doctor Strange, he replied "I think the limitless possibilities of it... I looked at Steve Ditko's Dr Strange universes and just said, I want to participate in that. And Strange's stories were different... he was the epitome of cool. He didn't wear shoes. He had a flowing blouse and a cape. And a moustache. And could open doors and space with a gesture."
What more could you possibly want? Gillis' Strange stories pretty much spanned the length of his decade at Marvel, starting with this early leftover...
Marvel Fanfare #8 (1983) - Doctor Strange
Pencils: Carmine Infantino
Inks: P Craig Russell
Fanfare published a lot of inventory stories, i.e. fill-in issues that were kept for emergencies. Inventory that had passed its use by date often wound up as Fanfare fare. Such is the fate of this early Gillis effort, whose 17 page count and art team would place its origin somewhere between 1978 and early 1980. It's a follow up to a Dr S story from 1976 about a wannabe Strange disciple Jim Mandarin. Back then his quest for magic lead him to become briefly possessed by Satan. Here he's in a happier place and a healthy relationship, yet his continued search for forbidden knowledge unleashes a shadow demon from another dimension. Walking Marvel encyclopedia PBG dredges up not only James Mandarin, but the monstrous Night-Crawler from an early Hulk, here for X-Men reasons renamed as the Slitherer in Shadow.
It's a decent little tale of love and redemption, which uncommonly peers at Strange and the supernatural through an everyman's eyes. Heavy stylists Infantino and Russell make for an odd and not altogether successful art combination.
Roger Stern was coming to the end of a long legendary run alongside Paul Smith on Doctor Strange. So when he asked Peter Gillis if he'd like to take over, Gillis naturally jumped at the chance. An outgoing writer crowning the next king was not the done thing at Marvel, but no doubt Doctor Strange editor Carl Potts was all for the idea, considering he was also Gillis' editor on New Defenders and backing his Morituri proposal.
There was however, one caveat to Stern's offer: PBG's first issue would be the poisoned chalice of a Secret Wars II crossover.
Doctor Strange #74 (1985)
Art: Mark Badger
A forlorn Beyonder is lost and in need of spiritual enlightenment, so he turns to a Doctor... the two meet in a waterfront dive bar that Strange used to frequent in his alcoholic days. Terrified of his limitless power, Stephen traps the Beyonder in a sneaky interactive retelling of Strange's origin. The lesson learnt: power and happiness come at a cost of sacrifice. Or with great power, comes great responsibility.
This is the third time Gillis has got to play with and reshape the classic origin story, counting his two Dr S What If's. The issue provides a solid introduction to how he sees the character and his values. Like most of the Secret Wars II crossovers, there's no lasting effect to the story, but Gillis makes the best of a bad hand. Badger was announced as new regular artist in some press, but this turned out to be his only full issue. His distinctive styling may be well suited to the weird worlds of the Doctor, but isn't really my bag.
Issue 75 of Doctor Strange is a curious beast. Rather than the advertised new creative team of Gillis and Badger, Roger Stern returned for one last issue, along with Badger on layouts and Sal Buscema finishes. The opening pages quickly wraps up a Fantastic Four vs Mephisto crossover, then the rest of the issue focuses on the reintroduction of Topaz, a Werewolf by Night character who would become instrumental in the the early issue of Gillis' run. Which kicks off properly with...
Doctor Strange #76 (1986)
Breakdowns: Mark Badger
Pencils: Chris Warner
Inks: Randy Emberlin
A hitherto unknown old surgeon friend of Strange's, Darryl Berenson is bored with his comfortable affluent life and finds himself entranced by an otherworldly succubus Iuriale. Strange intercedes, banishing this Medusa with hand teeth back to her hellish dimension. However this causes a bereft Berenson to commit suicide, which commences a spiral of self doubt in our good Doctor.
A classic style Strange story to begin the run. The new art team of Warner and his childhood friend Emberlin are terrific once settled in, evoking a mix of realism, detail and otherworldliness in the classic Frank Brunner model.
Doctor Strange #77 (1986)
Pencils: Chris Warner
Inks: Randy Emberlin
Stephen reluctantly returns to the operating theatre to save a cursed minister's life. A minor cat demon with on the nose moniker Khat turns out to be responsible. Khat preys on Strange's emotional crisis, calling him out on his inability to love and care for others. It's hard to believe a minor minion like Khat could give him any trouble, but here Gillis presents a more vulnerable, human Dr Strange than the arrogant and semi-omnipotent sorcerer we're used to.
Doctor Strange #78 (1986)
Pencils: Chris Warner
Inks: Randy Emberlin
The cloak of levitation lies in tatters thanks to Khat. Strange's efforts to repair it bring him to other dimensional master weaver Enitharmon.
In what is essentially an unconnected B plot, Cloak (of & Dagger fame) is tracking a drug lord in Marseille named Ecstasy. Gillis was a little ahead of his time with that association. Turns out she can also control the darkforce like Cloak, so conflict ensues, which Dr S gets dragged into over the final five pages. It feels like traditional fight scene filler to cap off a largely transitional issue. Ecstasy went on to be a recurring Cloak & Dagger baddie.
Strange would be seeing more of the teenage duo soon enough...
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