An infamous tabletop role-playing game has possessed New York City, forcing Doctor Strange to form a ragtag party to fight it. Allied with Black Cat, Hunter’s Moon, and Taskmaster, the four must venture into the game to reverse its magic. But Strange must ensure his team can work together before saving the day. Doctor Strange #13 by Jed MacKay and Pasqual Ferry offers an exciting adventure with plenty of action, magic, and fantasy that will appeal to RPG fans.
MacKay has tackled a variety of Marvel characters, so I enjoyed having all of them interact in this issue. More impressively, he explains why Strange would call upon them as new Secret Defenders to help tackle this threat. Considering his history, the party has defined and character-motivated dynamics within the party. While they may be fighting for the overall group end goal, they each have different reasons for accepting Strange’s offer to join the team. MacKay’s firm grasp of the characters and their personalities showcases his excellent writing and how he became a defining creative, such as with Black Cat or Taskmaster.
Utilizing the TTRPG structure for the adventure justifies the team-up and explores and plays with established conventions. A magical tabletop game feels perfect for a Doctor Strange adventure, and I am pretty surprised it has not been done before. Also, it allows for a much more humorous tone especially for those familiar with similar games. Considering my passion for TTRPGs, MacKay translates those experiences on a much larger scale for this story. Strange forming Secret Defenders from three other characters who have no ties to each other truly matches the party creation process of those games. And the characters fall under those archetypes as well. It’s a fun premise that scratches that TTRPG itch while leaving plenty to explore in the next issue.
Ferry demonstrates again his incredible talent and penchant for capturing Strange’s magic nature through his art. New York City already has a heightened feel but goes full-on fantasy after the party travels into the game. And his designs for the party’s costumes reflect that classic Dungeons and Dragons aesthetic while reflecting the character’s personalities and characteristics. You can quickly tell the character’s class by looking at their new costume. Ferry’s clean paneling with black borders and even using shapes like circles make an already stunning comic more visually gorgeous. Heather Moore’s colors accentuate Ferry’s mystical art with her dreamy and enchanting color palette. Especially in the game, the colors feel otherworldly and unnatural. VC’s Cory Petit’s lettering matches the book’s overall tone, such as a blue and wispy tone to match Strange’s astral form or red and yellow for his thought panels.
Doctor Strange #13 continues the strong and artistically excellent series by MacKay and Ferry. The pair have proven that they have yet to run out of ideas as they embark the character on a new fantastical adventure. The series is as magical as ever and has me digging through my dice pouch and exploring my manuals. This story is truly a love letter for TTRPG fans like myself.
Story: Jed MacKay Art: Pasqual Ferry
Color: Heather Moore Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Story: 9.4 Art: 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Read
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle
Source: Graphic Policy
