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Update: The Death of Doctor Strange limited series will expand with a tie-in one-shot featuring the students of the Strange Academy as they process and deal with the death of their headmaster - who just so happens to also be the Sorcerer Supreme.
Written by Strange Academy writer Skottie Young with art from Mike Del Mundo, Strange Academy Presents: The Death of Doctor Strange #1 goes on sale on October 27, the same day as the previously announced Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers one-shot (read more on that below).
"Strange Academy is shut down until the events surrounding Dr. Strange's death are resolved in Strange Academy Presents: The Death of Doctor Strange #1 written by Strange Academy creator Skottie Young with art by superstar cover artist Mike Del Mundo," reads Marvel's announcement.
"When the student body is forced to return home, Iric and Alvi come face-to-face with their mother: the Enchantress!" it continues. "Dealing with problems of her own in the wake of Strange's death, fans will learn that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and more than just one realm is in trouble."
Enchantress is a classic Asgardian villain who has powers of illusion and mesmerism, true to her name. In addition to her kids Iric and Alvi, who are students at the Strange Academy, Enchantress has a successor of her own for her title in Sylvie Lushton - who was recently adapted to the MCU's Loki show.
Along with the announcement of Strange Academy Presents: The Death of Doctor Strange #1, Marvel Comics has unveiled the cover of the one-shot from Strange Academy series artist Humberto Ramos, along with Kaare Andrews' cover of October 20's Death of Doctor Strange #2, which seems to show the Sorcerer Supreme's funeral.
Original story follows...
Ever since Marvel announced the Death of Doctor Strange comic book series, people have been wondering how the Sorcerer Supreme will die - but a new Avengers one-shot will ask, how the Marvel Universe will live without him?
In the October one-shot Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1, Strange's teammates attempt to step up and fill the void the Sorcerer Supreme occupies as the defender against dark magic.
"Earth's weakest heroes! With Doctor Strange gone, the Avengers are the only ones who can stop a rampaging Juggernaut-like monster from wrecking all of Manhattan!" reads Marvel's description of Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1. "But what does this mystical creature want? And how does the magic-skeptical Iron Man hold the answer?"
From the capitalized "Juggernaut" to the meaty fist on Steve Skroce's cover, it appears to be none other than longtime X-Men foe, the Juggernaut. While he hasn't had many crossings with Doctor Strange, the Juggernaut's powers are from one of Marvel magic's most feared individuals: Cyttorak. Cyttorak is an evil deity that ruled over portions of Earth centuries ago but was exiled to a sealed-off realm called the Crimson Cosmos. Although imprisoned, Cyttorak was able to still influence Earth in other ways such as creating the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak, which gifted whoever possesses it with superpowers and the onus of being Cytorrak's avatar on Earth. The current possessor of that gem? Juggernaut.
This is the same Cyttorak whose name Doctor Strange evokes when casting a spell for the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak.
It appears with the death of Doctor Strange and no one evidently stepping in to replace him, Cyttorak and his avatar, the Juggernaut, are using it as an opening to once again exert their influence on Earth.
"The death of the Sorcerer Supreme has opened the world up to a whole host of terrifying magical threats," says Alex Paknadel, who writes this one-shot. " In Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes - exhausted from putting out occult fires on every continent - face a new menace from a familiar mystical realm that may push one member of the team past their breaking point. Expect big action, big emotion, and stark choices."
Paknadel will be joined by artist Ryan Bodenheim, best known for his work with Jonathan Hickman on The Dying & The Dead, Secret, and Red Mass for Mars.
Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1 will be one of several one-shots surrounding the event. Death of Doctor Strange #1 (of 5) goes on sale on September 22, with Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1 to follow in October.
Speaking of Death of Doctor Strange, we have some ideas - a vision, let's say - on who could succeed Doctor Strange as Marvel's next Sorcerer Supreme.
