Doc Strange: The Lost Miller Run

Doctor Strange! Master of the Mystic Arts! With his swirling spells and trippy dimensions, he’s one of Marvel’s coolest characters. Artist Frank Miller? He’s a legend, known for his dark, gritty style that brings superheroes to life in a whole new way. Imagine them working together! Well, in 1980, Marvel Comics announced just that: a brand new Doctor Strange series written by Roger Stern and illustrated by the one-and-only Frank Miller. Fans went nuts! But here’s the crazy part: it never actually happened. Let’s dive into the strange case of the Doctor Strange comic that almost was.

The Promised Team-Up

Back in 1980, Marvel Comics magazines were filled with exciting ads promising upcoming stories. One ad featured a dramatic picture of Doctor Strange, his cloak swirling around him. But this wasn’t just any ad. It announced a brand new Doctor Strange series unlike any other. Why? Because the story would be written by Roger Stern, a comic book writer who knew Doctor Strange really well, and the art would be drawn by Frank Miller, the superstar artist who everyone was talking about.

Roger Stern had already written a bunch of Doctor Strange adventures that fans loved. He understood the character’s magical world and all his cool spells. Frank Miller, on the other hand, was famous for his dark and edgy art style. He made superheroes look super serious and powerful. Fans were hyped to see what these two talented guys would cook up together for Doctor Strange!

A Fork in the Path

So, what happened? Why didn’t this dream team comic ever hit the shelves? There are two main stories floating around.

One story says that Frank Miller got really busy working on another comic book, Daredevil. Daredevil is a dark and gritty superhero just like the characters Miller loved to draw. Maybe he decided Daredevil needed him more than Doctor Strange!

Another story suggests that Miller signed up to draw a comic book based on a James Bond movie. James Bond is a secret agent, kind of like a superhero without the tights. Maybe Miller thought working on James Bond would be too cool to pass up!

Whatever the reason, something changed, and Frank Miller wasn’t going to draw Doctor Strange after all.

The Legacy of What Could Have Been

Imagine a Doctor Strange comic with Roger Stern’s mind-bending stories brought to life by Frank Miller’s dark and dramatic art. Fans were crushed that they wouldn’t get to see this epic team-up. It became a giant “what if” scenario. What kind of crazy adventures would Doctor Strange have gone on? How awesome would his spells have looked in Miller’s art style?

Even though the comic never happened, both Roger Stern and Frank Miller went on to have amazing careers. But for many fans, the question of what a Stern-Miller Doctor Strange comic would have been like lingers on. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the coolest ideas never quite make it off the drawing board.

Conclusion

The chance to see Doctor Strange conjured by Frank Miller’s art and fueled by Roger Stern’s stories vanished faster than a magic trick gone wrong. Although we’re left to wonder what could have been, this whole ordeal reminds us that even the coolest comic book ideas don’t always become reality. Still, the excitement for this almost-collaboration shows just how powerful Doctor Strange and Frank Miller are as characters and creators.

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