Issue(s): Doctor Strange #67
Cover Date: Oct 84
Title: "Private eyes"
Credits:
Roger Stern - Writer
Stephen Leialoha - Penciler
Stephen Leialoha - Inker

Review/plot:
Stephen Leialoha draws this issue, and it's fitting, because this issue has a cameo by Spider-Woman, and also follows up on the events of Doctor Strange #62, which he drew.

For Spider-Woman, Dr. Strange is just checking up on his "patient", since he recently put her soul back in her body. She's doing fine a as private eye, and the Shroud is still flirting with her.

The rest of the issue has Strange responding to a telegram from Hannibal King. It seems King, Blade, and Frank Drake have formed a detective agency together, and they've discovered that the Darkholders cult still need some mopping up. Since Strange wiped out all of the vampires in this dimension, the Darkholders try to import some from another dimension.

But the way Strange's spell works, once the vampires arrive in on our plane, they're eliminated as well.

It's a fun little story, and i like Leialoha's art.

One complaint is that while Hannibal King retains his pulpy hard boiled detective persona, and also gets some nice scenes enjoying sunlight and garlic bread now that he's not a vampire, Drake and Blade are almost devoid of personality. Blade is especially disappointing. The guy that Dracula once referred to as "that madman" is now just casually sitting around wearing a sit and tie.

In a subplot, Clea has one of her rebels deliberately annoying that cool little guy Asti the All-Seeing just to get Umar angry.

It's cool that the rebel base is hidden in the middle of the Mindless One zone.

The lettercol in this issue prints Dracula's death certificate, promising us that Dracula is dead and will stay dead (as long as the signatories remained at Marvel, i guess).

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Shroud tells Jessica Drew that "things have been relatively quiet in Los Angeles since that last little favor I did for you!" in West Coast Avengers #1.
  
• Dr. Strange restored Jessica Drew's astral self to her body in Avengers #241.
  
• There's no footnote, but these events follow up on the death of Dracula arc that ended in Doctor Strange #62.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Beautiful!

Stern can't be beat, and Leialoha gets top marks for all of the little flourishes that encompass this issue.

I still get a chuckle from reading the last line in the death certificate. What a world!