Broken Frontier

Strange has been wounded by more than a bullet – his pride has been stung and Wong’s life is in jeopardy. Now he will let nothing stand in his way – not even the Night Nurse.

Brian K. Vaughan continues his tale returning Strange to his roots but also adding some new layers and interpretations. The Master of the Mystical Arts has rarely been this witty, smart, and vulnerable.

With the Night Nurse having successfully treated Strange’s bullet wound, the Sorcerer Supreme is eager to get back on the trail of whoever stole the mystical elixir that is Wong’s only hope. When the Night Nurse (dubbed "Watson" by Strange) insists on tagging along to make sure Strange’s wound does not reopen, the young woman gets a crash course in the ways and means of magic. The question remains, though, just who has the elixir and what will they do to keep it out of Strange’s hands?

Writer Vaughan deserves a standing ovation for his work here with this character. He not only goes back and continues to flesh out Strange’s past as a talented, arrogant, uncaring physician, he also carries it forward to show how, however far Strange has come, the magician still has some of that arrogance. Strange’s memory of how easily he was taken down by a minor villain strikes his pride and, in a touch of genius, Vaughan shows readers how vulnerable that has also left the good Doctor. Vaughan has also added a sardonic wit and an earthiness as well that humanizes a character who had become something of a deus ex machina of late. While the explanation for getting Night Nurse to tag along on this adventure is a little thin it is made palatable by the character’s pluck, determination, and skills picked up from treating scores of New York superheroes.

Artist Marcos Martin is joy to behold as well. His pencils have a flair for the dramatic that is entirely appropriate for a mystic-based title and he accomplishes the small, fine gestures as well. He has also given Strange’s Cloak of Levitation its own separate personality! The anthropomorphic, loyal, puppy dog-like attributes for this usually inanimate article of clothing is a small touch but it makes a big difference, injecting an air of whimsy to scenes.

In Doctor Strange: The Oath, readers are treated to a fully fleshed out version of this venerable character that manages to make him more human than at any time in his publishing career. This is a Strange that has faults and failings and yet is spurred on by a cast iron friendship and a chance to change the world. Will he succeed? Read on.