Marvel’s new Doctor Strange comic is somehow more mind-blowing than the movie

I have been a fan of Javier Rodríguez since the days of Batgirl: year one, but he still hadn’t understood that he was working on the new Defenders Serie.

So imagine my surprise opening Defenders # 1 to find out she’s become Full Ditko. Rodríguez combines trippy and diegetic magical visuals with non-diegetic things like an illustrated flashback through the steam coming out of a cup of tea. It’s a ride.

What else is happening on the pages of our favorite comics? We will tell you. Welcome to Monday Funnies, Polygon’s weekly list of books our comic book publisher enjoyed this past week. It’s part of the Superhero Lives Society pages, part of reading tips, part of “look at this cool art.” There may be some spoilers. There may not be enough context. But there will be great comics. (And if you missed the latest edition, read this.)

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Marvel Cinematic Universe fans may associate the Defenders with street-level heroes like Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones, but the Marvel Comics super team started out as a team book for Marvel’s most popular weirdos. Doctor Strange, Hulk, Silver Surfer; basically anyone who doesn’t really look like a team player.

Defenders # 1 recruits a new team through the Doctor Strange tarot deck, which is also used as a visual motif throughout the issue. If that’s not enough to wet his whistle, writer Al Ewing appears to be picking up some threads from his execution that will soon be completed in Immortal hulk, including Betty Ross as the Red Harpy, and the idea of ​​the last person alive in the universe becoming the Galactus of the next universe.

Give me a moment to take off my professional journalist hat. it’s okay.

MY FAVORITE ROBIN CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET THIS WEEK AND I’M VERY PROUD OF IT. I REALLY HOPE THIS IS CARRIED FORWARD AT TIM SEELEY’S ROBINS SERIES BUT MAYBE THE SCRIPTS ARE ALREADY FINISHED FOR HER? NO MATTER. MY BABY TIM!

Image: Sam Hamm, Joe Quinones / DC Comics

There is much that I like in Batman ’89 # 1, as the series makes it clear that it will explore Billy Dee Williams’ Harvey Dent in a way the movies never did, and it will feature Barbara Gordon and a new Robin! But also artist Joe Quinones is doing his best with these Tim Burton references.

Image: Sas Milledge / Boom Studios

I am completely delighted with Sas Milledge’s Mother. Small town magic! Cool fairy designs! Teen witches with girlfriend vibes! This wonderful little rock man!

Image: Rainbow Rowell, Andrés Genolet / Marvel Comics

Y Fugitives once again goes into hibernation with this latest issue of Rainbow Rowell’s run on characters. As usual in the series, we ended up in total suspense with everyone’s emotional state up in the air. Still, the final pages of the issue show some further developments, so maybe we’ll see those threads picked up in other books. I live with hope.

OK so, Campisi is a story set in a modern world where a dwindling population of sentient dragons is some kind of … a regular plague / natural disaster? And in this small town run by the mob, the meanest enforcer / problem solver in the gang now has to solve the problem of a real dragon who wants to kill his boss. I will certainly read a second issue.