Today is the release date for Doctor Strange, the latest in Marvel Films’ ever-growing cinematic universe. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek: Into Darkness) stars as the Master of the Mystic Arts, alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Martian) as Baron Mordo, Mads Mikkelsen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as the villainous Kaecilius, and Tilda Swinton (Constantine) as The Ancient One. After the successful revamp of writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko’s first creation, the ever-Amazing Spider-Man, in this summer’s blockbuster movie, Captain America: Civil War, audiences have been eagerly looking forward to Stephen Strange’s magical debut on screen.
And that reminds me of this post I wrote back on November 2, 2015, to celebrate the 88th birthday of Doctor Strange co-creator Steve Ditko, whom I once got to talk to in relation to a Marvel-related project. Okay, it wasn’t Doctor Strange, it was the Incredible Hulk—but still, I got to talk to Steve Ditko. Then check out this post from December 28, 2015, which celebrated the 93rd birthday of Ditko’s DS collaborator, Stan “The Man” Lee and detailed my contacts with him.
You know who else is associated with Stephen Strange? SWC friend and painting legend Bob Larkin! Bob’s painted Strange covers and trading cards in the past—including a magazine cover that teamed up Strange with Captain America and Star Wars’ C-3PO as a backup band for ’70s singer Linda Ronstadt! You can see those images by popping over to the StarWarp Concepts Facebook page.
Speaking of the talented Mr. Larkin, have you seen SWC’s The Bob Larkin Sketchbook? If not, you’re missing out on spectacular pencil drawings of femme fatales, pulp adventurers, superheroes—including Doctor Strange—and a host of other characters by Bob, whose cover paintings graced such Marvel Comics titles as Dazzler, The Hulk!, Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian, Haunt of Horror, and Tomb of Dracula, not to mention his renowned work as a cover painter for Bantam Books’ Doc Savage pulp novel reprints. It’s 24 pages of artistic goodness, available exclusively from the StarWarp Concepts webstore. Visit the Bob Larkin Sketchbook product page for all the ordering information, as well as sample pages.
