BRONZE AGE MINUTE: Doctor Strange #46

Marvel; April 1981
Cover by Frank Miller and Tom Palmer

Title: “The Reality”
Synopsis: Called by a dream, Clea joins the sisterhood of Sibyls in an effort to thwart the Black Oracle prophecy.

Writer (plot): Bill Kunkel
Writer: David Michelinie
Penciler: Kerry Gammill
Inker: Al Milgrom

Review: This series has a Clea problem. In addition to being trapped in the ever-creepy disciple/lover role, the character rarely has any agency. Here, she’s called to fulfill her destiny…which apparently is to sit in a fugue state while being defended by Doctor Strange. Clea deserves better.

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Title: “Moment’s Peace”
Synopsis: Doctor Strange and Clea share a quiet, seaside moment before the duality of their relationship makes things awkward.

Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Michael Golden
Inker: P. Craig Russell

Review: Strange treating Clea like a child ramps the creepy to 11, but the art is as good as it gets.

Grade (for the entire issue): B-

Cool factor: Michael Golden + P. Craig Russell = Beautiful
Not-so-cool factor: The opening caption describing Clea as Strange’s “disciple-cum-lover” is one more example of the underlying uncoolness at play in this series.

Notable: According to the annual statement of ownership on the “Strange Mails” letters page, Doctor Strange had an average total paid circulation of 105,427 for the 12 months preceding October 1, 1980.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 20p British variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.

Character quotable: “My spell of purification is working … cleaning my pores.” – Doctor Strange, master of the Clearasil arts

Copyright ©2022 Off the Wahl Productions, all rights reserved. Each week, T. Andrew Wahl offers up a Bronze Age Minute for Scoop. For daily reviews like this one, check out Wahl’s website, offthewahl.com.