Writer – Steve Englehart
Artist – Gene Colan
Inker – Tom Palmer
Colours – Tom Palmer
Letters – Tom Orzechowski

Gene Colan and Steve Englehart continue to chronicle Doctor Strange’s battle against Eternity and himself in this twelfth issue. Englehart begins with Strange meeting his master, the Ancient One, trying to glean some answers as to why this is all happening. For a moment, he loses his concentration when Clea tries to contact him and as such, the Ancient One takes offense and breaks off from Strange. But Strange knows that if he is to get anywhere with the current crisis, he must try and best his former master. The action is as surreal as it has been for the past couple of issues and it is about as far from what most would call the norm in a Marvel comic as can be had. Colan’s pencils are fantastic as he takes Strange through this very disturbing world that Eternity has shunted our hero off to and with every successive issue, it just gets crazier and crazier. Soon enough, after the Ancient One is defeated, or whatever it was that was masquerading as him, Baron Mordo is soon revealed – not yet fully healed from his past ordeals, but just enough so that he can cause the end of the world. The book is heavy on the action and there is little time for Strange to dwell on anything but the task at hand. Despite the pace of it all, it is still a heavily dramatic tale though, especially when seeing the student face off against the teacher. Englehart spins a deadly web, his words painting as much of a portrait as Colan and his pencils. With that very spectacular ending, you have to wonder just what is going to happen next and if that can happen, what can Strange do against something like that? Eternity is not a being one trifles with and with Mordo back in the game and seemingly mad as a hatter; it is going to take everything that Stephen has to deal with the both of them.

4 out of 5