Episode 45 Podcast Addendum – The Tomb of Doctor Strange
Greetings, Marvelites!
I’m not going to bother denigrating this post with a saccharine introduction. Let’s just get to the gist of it – It’s DOCTOR STRANGE Versus DRACULA!
This has been a long time coming. Into The Weird has been waiting years to talk about this short storyline – the meeting of two of our favorite Marvel characters.
As discussed on this week’s episode, the issues concerned are Tomb of Dracula #44 and Doctor Strange Vol.2 #14 from 1976. The writers were Marv Wolfman and Steve Englehart, the artists Gene Colan, Tom Palmer, and Danny Crespi, and the letters were done by John Constanza. With these legendary bullpen bulleteers involved, it’s a tour de force for damn sure.
Below are the key panels we discussed, along with the Shelves of The Seraphim recommending Si Spurrier’s Image Comics graphic novel STEP BY BLOODY STEP from 2022. Check it out. It’s a visual feast.
Thanks again for supporting our show and the blog. You weirdos are the best. And now, on to the comics!
A magically explosive cover, wouldn’t you agree? Man, Doctor Strange really knows how to ruin a guy’s attire. Stephen throws a hissy fit when he finds out that Wong has been preyed upon. After all, who’s gonna pick up the laundry now?Stephen experiences Wongs ‘death’ by taking a shufti in his servant’s mind. It proves too much for him, but at least he knows who’s involved.Bumbling Harold making a mess of it with the alluring termagant Aurora. I love his exclamation when he discovers she published a novel before he did. “What’s the meaning of this madness?!?”An awesomely frightening panel. Dracula senses the presence of an ominous mortal. Stephen should feel flattered.The ferocity of ‘The Drac Attack’ bowls Stephen over. He should’ve taken a page out of Van Helsing’s playbook and shown up with a vampire hunting kit.A page we did not mention on the show. Blade meets Hannibal King in the final few panels of the comic. Read the next issue of TOD, and witness a battle for the ages between these two.This cover is, again, perfection.Dracula , the victor! Or is he?Dracula cannot contain his excitement at the prospect of having Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, as his personal toady and footstool.Stephen revealing the ace up his sleeve. He is, after all, no stranger to death.Stephen finds that egress is easier than entry. He is denied access to his rapidly transforming body!A deconsecrated church beautifully sculpted in pencil and pen by Gene Colan and Tom Palmer.Stephen mystically cosplays as Dracula’s long-lost love Maria. Vampire Strange!The mystic might of Tetragrammaton wins the day. On the show, I said “Tetragrammaphone” in a blooper 😉Two friends depart, one fiendish corpse stays.
And that’s it. Hope you enjoyed that, weirdos.
Take care of yourselves, and have a great week. Stay weird!
Into The Weird 