Doctor Strange #53
Published and © by Marvel, June 1982
Title: “Land of the Pharaohs”
Synopsis: Doctor Strange’s mission takes him back to ancient Egypt and an encounter with Rama-Tut and the Fantastic Four.
Writer: Roger Stern
Penciler: Marshall Rogers
Inker: Terry Austin
Review: And just like that, one of the best what-could-have-been runs of the Bronze Age is over. Over six issues, Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin proved to be the near-perfect artists for Doctor Strange, hampered only by the production limitations of the era. (And, perhaps, by the deadline grind.) Unfortunately, Roger Stern sends them out on a bit of a down note with a story that lacks oomph; dramatic energy is sapped by the amount of back story required, and much of this issue involves Strange’s astral form just floating around telling people what to do. Still, what a pretty run!
Grade: B
Second opinion: Recommended by The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003.
Cool factor: It was a gift whenever Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin teamed during the Bronze Age.
Not-so-cool factor: It’s might be greedy, but this reviewer would have loved seeing an extended run from this team on Doctor Strange.
Notable: Ties into Fantastic Four #19.
Collector’s note: According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “N’yah-n’yah! I’m here for the duration.” – Gnit, Nightmare’s nightmare
Editor’s note: This review was written May 19, 2025.
