Doctor Strange Is Poised to 'Redefine' Marvel's Time Stone

In the Marvel Universe magic and the supernatural aren't just an Earth based phenomenon. So when Doctor Strange, Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, found his magical abilities waning on Earth he headed out into cosmos to investigate new and alien sources of mystical power. In doing so, though, he inadvertently put himself on the frontline of a cosmic war for control of a set of all-powerful artifacts that he's all too familiar with, the Infinity Stones.

Strange's entry into this cosmic conflagration came in issue #3 of his new self titled series where writer Mark Waid and artist Jesus Saiz kicked off a new arc that ties into Marvel's upcoming Infinity Wars event.

CBR spoke with Waid about Strange's opponent in the arc, Kl'rt the Super-Skull who wields the Time Stone, how Strange's experiences with the Infinity Gems as a member of the Illuminati will inform the choices he makes in the arc, and the inspiration for his protagonist's cosmic traveling companion, Kanna.

CBR: In Doctor Strange #3 your protagonist's journey into space really heats up as he encounters the wielder of an Infinity Stone and you kick off a tie-in to Infinity Wars. How connected is the story you're telling to what Gerry Duggan is doing over in his miniseries? And is issue #3 a good jumping on point for curious Marvel Cosmic fans who have yet to pick up Doctor Strange?

Mark Waid: It's very much a good, easy-access jumping-on issue, yes! We're very much tied into what Gerry's doing, but my lips are sealed other than to say what happens here is an important development, redefining just exactly what the Time Stone does.

EXCLUSIVE: Art from Doctor Strange #4 by Jesus Saiz

The Stone wielder Stephen runs afoul is Kl'rt, the Super Skrull. What's your sense of Kl'rt? And what can you tell us about his agenda?

What's any Skrull's agenda? Conquest. And with the Time Stone, Kl'rt knows full well that he can lead his race to cosmic dominance... if a certain Sorcerer Former-Supreme will just get out of his way.

Doctor Strange has some history with the Infinity Stones,stretching back to when they were Gems and he was part of the secretive Illuminati of Marvel heroes. What's it like writing Stephen around the Infinity Stones, now? How does he feel about his history with them?

He now knows what good can be done with the stones -- and what evil. Frankly, the moment he sees it's in play, he's tempted to back off. He doesn't want it in his hands; it's too dangerous to be in any mortal's hands. But better his than the Super-Skrull's.

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What else can you tell us about your Infinity Wars tie-in arc?

As they roam the spaceways in search of new magics and new sorcerers, Strange and his new companion, Kanna, have come to the new Skrull homeworld in search of a Skrull magician--which gives us a chance to see what a Skrull magician would look like and what he'd be capable of doing, including casting spells in ways Strange never envisioned.

You introduced Kanna, who describes herself as an “arcanologist” in Doctor Strange #2. What inspired her creation?

I really wanted Stephen to have someone to talk to in the book to break up the extended third-person "storybook" narration that we've chosen to tell our story with. I wanted her to be someone who shared some of Stephen's interests, but in an alien way. Kanna, like Strange, is a magician--but where Stephen is a big believer in "the old ways," using venerable spells and tomes, Kanna is a technomancer who likes to substitute high-tech components for ancient spell ingredients.

Bringing to life Stephen and Kanna's adventures is your Avengers Collaborator, Jesus Saiz, who is doing some amazing work on both art and colors. What's it like collaborating with Jesus on this book?

Oh, my God. Every page is a vision. It's the work of his career. The way he chooses to interpret magic is breathtaking to behold, and his Stephen Strange is perfect.

Finally, can you leave us with some hints and teases about your immediate plans for Doctor Strange and what might be coming up further down the road?

Following this adventure, Strange will run afoul of another menacing race in the Marvel Universe and lose badly -- which will lead him to a Nidavellir dwarf armsbuilder familiar to Thor, a magical forge, and an entire new way of approaching and wielding the power of magic.