What would you sacrifice to protect your child? For Regent Idyl of Heven, the answer is everything, including a deal with the twisted Elven Prince Vyrbodin. Doctor Strange #2 explores the consequences of impossible choices, as Doctor Strange finds himself caught between warring factions and a mother trying to protect what’s hers.
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The War of Heven and Alfheim Escalates
Issue one set the stage by bringing Strange directly into the conflict between the Angels of Heven and the Light Elves of Alfheim. This chapter progresses the conflict even further, with Vyrbodin breaking free from his prison tomb. Landy handles the momentum well, providing a stunning finish to Strange and Vyrbodin’s first encounter while further expanding on the Angel’s background.
The Visual Power of Strange’s Demonic Transformation
Ivan Fiorelli’s art shines during the initial fight sequence. When Strange taps into the bracelets of Strife and Regret, he transforms into something almost demonic. An evil sneer dances across his face, his eyes are missing their irises, and magical fumes slowly emanate from his body. Colorist Dono Sánchez-Almara splashes the Doctor in menacing reds, marking this new form with a striking color difference, while letterer Cory Petit matches those colors in his speech bubbles, using crooked white fonts to drive home the change. Vyrbodin doesn’t flinch, baiting Dr. Strange as he summons a dragon to cover his getaway. The way he plays Strange is strategic but with a hint of madness, peeling back layers on how this villain operates.
A Visual Tour of Heven’s Cerulean Heights
Once the battle is over, our heroes travel to Heven to warn Regent Idyl. It’s a stark difference from their previous setting, with Fiorelli and Sánchez-Almara combining forces to make an astonishing landscape. Fiorelli displays the Angel’s home with a modern sensibility touched by classic flourishes. Cerulean skyscrapers shoot upward, rubbing elbows with pillowy white clouds, while intricate carvings line the Angel’s golden temples. Sánchez-Almara uses color to show the contrast between this holy area and the despair of a battlefield, bathing Heven’s throne room on page sixteen in warm yellows before using dark shades to underscore the tragedy of Idyl’s flashback in the following sequence.
Regent Idyl’s Impossible Choice: A Mother’s Secret Deal
Speaking of Idyl, she gets the most interesting character development here. It’s revealed that she made a Rumplestiltskin esque deal with Vyrbodin, allowing her to end their ancient battle as long as she gives him her first-born in return. She broke that deal, and the fear of his retribution drove her to demand his coffin be unsealed in issue one. It’s a shocking revelation from the leader of Heven, but it cleverly shows humanity even in a fantastical realm. She made a mistake by aiming for a short-term win, and then protected her daughter as any mother would. It proves that even Angels will go to extreme lengths to safeguard their family.
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The Passenger Problem: Is Strange Lost in His Own Book?
This series has one glaring problem though. Strange is a passenger in his own book. He’s reacting to Vyrbodin’s escape, listening to Idyl’s backstory, and getting lectured by Angela. This is a stark departure from Jed MacKay’s run, where Strange’s personal relationships and moral choices shaped every arc. MacKay’s Strange drove the action, while Landy’s Strange responds to it. When your main character could be replaced by any sorcerer without changing the story, something’s wrong.
Final Verdict: A Great Fantasy Thriller, But a Flawed Strange Comic
Doctor Strange #2 builds off the promise of its first issue by taking a deeper look into the characters and affairs shaping the realm of Asgard. The conflict is compelling, and there’s strong character work, just not for Strange. Landy needs to incorporate him more directly into the story instead of leaving him on the sidelines. Right now, we have a good Asgardian political thriller, but a mediocre Doctor Strange comic.
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‘Doctor Strange’ #2 | Why the Sorcerer Supreme is a Passenger in His Own Story
The conflict in Doctor Strange #2 is compelling, and there’s strong character work, just not for Strange. Landy needs to incorporate him more directly into the story instead of leaving him on the sidelines. Right now, we have a good Asgardian political thriller, but a mediocre Doctor Strange comic.
