Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom - Triumph and Torment (gnv64)

Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment - Marvel Graphic Novel #49

Roger Stern, Michael Mignola Mark Badger | Marvel Enterprises | PDF | ISBN 0871356600 | Nov 1990 | 80 Pages | 35.5 mb



Doctor Doom and Doctor Strange enter Mephisto's realm in an all-out effort to free the soul of Doctor Doom's mother! But what price must be paid before Mephisto will release it? And will Doctor Doom make the sacrifice? solicitation,marvel.com

Triumph and Torment is perhaps the best story Marvel ever told in the graphic novel form. It is the tale of one man's great quest, the final result of that quest, and the costs to him and his associates.



It is fairly obvious to the casual observer that this story stars characters from Marvel's superhero universe. But this is not a superhero story. There are no black hats or white hats here; it is a story about people who have mystical and technological super powers, and elements of good and evil within them. In other words, the characters are three dimensional and real.



The quest in this story is Doom's, and the object of his quest is his mother's soul. It is held prisoner in hell by the demon Mephisto, and he has long sought to free it. Strange becomes partnered with Doom in a quest to free the soul of Doom's mother from Mephisto. How the partnership comes to be is an important element of the story, as these two gentlemen are not the sort that travel in the same circles. And that it is singularly believable is a tribute to Stern's writing skills.



Mignola and Badger have created some truly beautiful art for this story. Mignola provided penciled layouts that Badger then painted, rather than the standard inking and coloring process. The result is breathtaking, whether it's an ancient mystical monastery in the jungles of Thailand, Doom's ceremonial palace in Eastern Europe, or the depths of Hades in Mehpisto's realm. The characters, whether it be our principles or minor supporting cast members, are all painstakingly crafted-if you relax, you are can almost hear the soundtrack and see the movie screen in front of you, so polished is their visual craftsmanship.



The story is a stand-alone work. If you've never read a comic, let alone a Marvel comic before, you can read this story and understand the characters and motivations perfectly. Even though Doom and Strange have been mainstays of the Marvel Universe since its early days, you need no knowledge of their previous appearances. Everything you need to appreciate and understand these two is between the first page and last page of the story, including a retelling of their origins and the critical choices they have made in their lives to this point.



What makes this work essential is its ability to appeal across genres. You could argue that it is a fantasy story. You could argue it's a superhero genre story. The rules or conventions for either don't exactly fit. All you need to know is this is a great story. And in the end, isn't that all that matters?