Today, he dominates the box office. 53 years ago, he was born.
Sinister director Scott Derrickson has a massive hit on his hands with Doctor Strange, easily the most wonderfully weird movie that Marvel has released to date. Like Guardians of the Galaxy before it, Doctor Strange is so uniquely its own in the realm of comic book movies, and the tale of a surgeon-turned-heroic-sorcerer has been winning over audiences all across the world.
It’s also the first superhero movie to begin with a beheading, which seems perfect considering the titular character was inspired by a horror icon who rolled a few heads in his day.
Doctor Stephen Strange, who first appeared in July 1963’s Issue #110 of Strange Tales, was created by artist Steve Ditko, and among the principal inspirations for Marvel’s mystical superhero was Chandu the Magician. Another inspiration? Legendary horror icon Vincent Price, who played a powerful sorcerer in a film (The Raven) released the same year as Strange’s arrival!
Yes, the character was originally drawn up to look quite a bit like Price, and Strange’s middle name even paid tribute to the horror master. His full name? Stephen Vincent Strange, of course!
Vincent Price himself had a little fun with the Doctor Strange connection years later by voicing the character Vincent Van Ghoul in the animated series “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo.” Like Strange, Van Ghoul has black hair with prominent streaks of grey on each side of his head, and in addition to dressing much like Strange, he even possesses magical abilities.
Gotta love it.
Oh by the way. Get out and see Doctor Strange if you haven’t yet. It’s one of Marvel’s best.
*Credit to Jagoba (header) and ImaginativeHobbyist (below) for the fun mash-up art.*
