Issue(s): Doctor Strange #36
Cover Date: Dec 91
Title: "Footnote to infinity"
Credits:
Roy Thomas & Dann Thomas - Writer
Dan Lawlis - Penciler
Andrew Pepoy - Inker
Barry Dutter - Assistant Editor
Mike Rockwitz - Editor

Review/plot:
"Jim Starlin, Advisor" is given a "special thanks" for this issue. Starlin presumably gave the Thomases details on how he wanted Adam Warlock depicted in his first appearance as the wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet. I wonder if he was happy with the result.

The issue starts with a post-Infinity Gauntlet party!

For those not able to keep track of Dr. Strange's growing cast, from left to right we have Topaz, Scarlet Witch, Dr. Druid, Victor Strange (aka Baron Blood), Morgana Blessing, Sara Wolfe, Imei Chang, and Wong. I'm assuming you can recognize Clea, Dr. Strange, and Rintrah.

Ironically, the majority of the people at the party don't remember what it's for.

Wong and Imei use the occasion to announce that they've set a date for their wedding, six months from now, in Tibet. And then the party is crashed by Gamora and Pip.

They say that they want Dr. Strange's help to find, and "maybe kill" Adam Warlock. The problem is that he's possibly not handling his omnipotence all that well.

In addition to juggling planets, he's been up to some other nonsense as well.

But Dr. Strange appears unfazed by this, or at least pretends to be. In fact, Strange tries to go home. But he finds that he can't, because Warlock has willed him to stay. And this Strange finds a bridge too far.

Warlock wants Strange to be around for his next action, wherein he will cause all the universe to be good.

Warlock then attacks Strange. Strange was somewhat prepared for this, and he's brought along all of his magic talismans (the Orb of Agamotto, the Purple Gem, the Wand of Watoomb, etc..), which he uses to counteract the attacks from the Infinity Gems.

The issue is a real head scratcher, kind of a low rent rehash of the battle against Thanos when he had the Infinity Gauntlet. But i guess the difference is the end result, where Strange is able to reach out to Warlock through his Soul Gem and show him what the universe would be like if everyone was forced to be good (which is, essentially, a universe wide version of the ennui that we've seen in Zenn La).

This seemingly causes Warlock to see the error of his ways and decide to "tread more carefully".

The whole sequence seems like a contradiction of what i understood to be the point of Warlock's decision to shut down his sense of morality in Infinity Gauntlet. This is exactly what he wanted to avoid. But it does serve as a kind of preview for what will happen when we get to Infinity Crusade, with Warlock's "good" side being out of control. Still, it comes off very clunkily.

On the way home, Dr. Strange runs into Eternity, who says that he's going to bring Warlock to trial to try to get the gems from him.

We'll see that trial in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1.

It's really just a cringe-worthy issue. Possibly some good ideas in there, but i don't think this is the creative team that ought to be handling them.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Infinity Gauntlet story concluded in Infinity Gauntlet #6.
  
• During Warlock's attack on Dr. Strange, we see an alternate history of Strange's origin from Strange Tales #115.

Crossover: Infinity Gauntlet

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The art makes the characters look so wooden.I find Warlock to be dull. This story feels to me like another simple "absolute power corrupts" tale written with the elegance and deftness of an average teenage English student.