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Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise #3
- Writer:
- Tradd Moore
- Artist:
- Tradd Moore
- Letterer:
- VC's Clayton Cowles
- Cover Artist:
- Tradd Moore
- Publisher:
- Marvel
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-01-25
- Colorist:
- Heather Moore
Stephen Strange, aka Doctor Strange, has been dead in the ongoing continuity of the Marvel Universe for over a year. However, given the nature of comics, that doesn't mean can't be stories featuring the iconic character while fans wait for his inevitable return. Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise is giving audiences their dose of the astral hero. Announced as a flashback series, the book begins when Strange wakes up in an unfamiliar environment. With death seemingly at every turn, Strange constantly fights for survival. Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise #3, written and illustrated by Tradd Moore, with colors by Heather Moore and letters by Clayton Cowles, depicts Strange in an ever-changing reality as he battles the ideas of existence itself.
This book is tremendously heady. For much of the issue, Strange isn't sure who or what he's fighting. He fights simply because that is what he does. He endures and takes on obstacle after obstacle. This issue operates in the abstract. Moore writes Strange's narration as a scattershot mix of fleeting ideas and defiant shouts. Moore expands on the reality presented in this series and gives a swath of answers. Pulling from Platonic ideals of "perfect forms," Moore imbues the story with a creationist myth that hinges on the ideas of reality, shape, and form as concepts.
Moore's writing is grand, poetic, and eloquent. He paints a picture of desolation and despair on the fringes of reality. Questions of faith and purpose are juxtaposed with descriptions of unreality unfolding around Doctor Strange. The issue keeps Strange and the reader confused about what exactly is happening. This tenuous grasp on reality works in favor of the overall experience. Readers can easily relate to the sense of dread and uncertainty Strange is experiencing.
As strong as the writing for the issue is, the art steals the show. A hallucinogenic trip from cover to cover, it would take weeks to pick up on every detail Moore has packed in. Equal parts abstract and cosmically epic, Strange is confronted with unimaginable horrors and incomprehensible sights on each page. Moore's art is truly a wonder to behold. Handling both writing and artistic duties, Moore ensures the marriage between the two is absolute. Both elements bounce off each other brilliantly, propelling the story forward at every turn.
Heather Moore's colors elevate the art to another level. Every shade conceivable is on display in an enthralling kaleidoscope of technicolor. Each color is deliberate and delivered with precision. Swathes of warm tones replicate the pulsing inferno Strange finds himself surrounded by, while precise breaks in the rainbow represent his visual spectrum being split. Cowles' lettering accents the issue wonderfully. Distinct page layouts present unique opportunities for dialogue and narration boxes, making the lettering a part of the narrative itself rather than just a vehicle for dialogue.
This series is unlike any other Marvel is currently publishing. It feels like a classic Doctor Strange story in the making. Everyone involved takes full advantage of the unique storytelling possibilities a character like Strange offers. With Doctor Strange: Fall Sunrise #3, Moore and the rest of the creative team deliver a mind-bending adventure that never forgets Strange's will to fight for others.