Jed MacKay is one of Marvel Comics’ most in-demand writers. He’s deep into a red-hot run on Moon Knight, the current scribe for the Avengers, and is leading the charge on the Blood Hunt comic book event. However, one current run has fallen under the radar a bit. That’s his time on Doctor Strange.
Told over three distinct phases, his Doctor Strange comics have dug into obscure history while still accessible, given Clea a starring role, and even killed the Sorcerer Supreme.
This reading order guide will help you if you’re looking to read MacKay’s (and artist collaborator’s) run on Doctor Strange comics. It lists all the comics you need to read with additional resources to help make sense of your reading. Soon, you’ll be able to sink into Doctor Strange’s magical world and enjoy some awesome comics.
Background reading
Background reading is not essential for reading Jed MacKay’s Doctor Strange run. It’s pretty accessible, not leaning too hard on recent or previous stories. However, the obscure War of the Seven Spheres storyline is pivotal to some stories. It gets mentioned in passing throughout Strange (2022 series) and comes to the forefront in Doctor Strange (2023 series).
Check out the below issues if you want to know more about War of the Seven Spheres. However, it’s not essential reading as MacKay spends time recapping anything you need to know and expanding on it in Doctor Strange (2023 series) #6. These issues are written by Len Kaminski and Geof Isherwood, with the latter responsible for the art.
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988 series) #48
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988 series) #49
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988 series) #57
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme (1988 series) #58
Reading order
Take a look below at the reading order for Jed MacKay’s (and artistic collaborator’s) Doctor Strange run. To make it easy, I have broken it up into the different phases, Death of Doctor Strange event, Strange, and the 2023-2024 ongoing series.
Use this reading order to see how each of these fit with each other along with some notes for context.
Death of Doctor Strange
Jed MacKay starts off his Doctor Strange run by killing the character. This is told through the five-part Death of Doctor Strange limited series with artist Lee Garbett. I have also included the tie-ins for those who want to see how the events ripple through other parts of the Marvel Universe.
Death of Doctor Strange #1
Death of Doctor Strange #2
Death of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1 (Tie-in)
Strange Academy Presents: Death of Doctor Strange #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange #3
Death of Doctor Strange: Spider-Man #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange: White Fox #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange: Blade #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange #4
Death of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight #1 (Tie-in)
Death of Doctor Strange #5
Strange
Strange is the follow-up comic book series to Death of Doctor Strange. It stars Clea, who has taken up the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme on Earth. Marcelo Ferreira is the series’ primary artist, but Lee Garbett fills in for a Wong-centric issue, and Stefano Landini contributes some art to another.
Strange (2022 series) #1
Strange (2022 series) #2
Strange (2022 series) #3
Strange (2022 series) #4
Strange (2022 series) #5
Strange (2022 series) #6
Note: Strange (2022 series) #6 is a Wong-centric issue with art by Lee Garbett.
Strange (2022 series) #7
Strange (2022 series) #8
Strange (2022 series) #9
Strange (2022 series) #10
Doctor Strange ongoing series
Doctor Strange is back! In this series, he and Clea team up to take on several magic threats – including an alternate Doctor Strange. Pasqual Ferry is the primary artist throughout the series, with Andy Macdonald, Juan Gedeon, and Danilo S. Beyruth filling in for a few issues.
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #1
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #2
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #3
Note: Doctor Strange (2023 series) #3 also contains a back-up story featuring a team-up between Doctor Strange and Sister Grimm teaming-upby Amy Chu and T Tokitokoro.
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #4
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #5
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #6
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #7
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #8
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #9
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #10
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #11
Optional: Crypt of Shadows (2023) #1
Note: Crypt of Shadows (2023) #1 is a horror-themed anthology one-shot. MacKay draws from one of the stories featured in it in Doctor Strange (2023 series) #12. However, you can figure things out if you haven’t read it.
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #12
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #13
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #14
Blood Hunt #1
Note: Blood Hunt is a Jed MacKay penned comic book event involving a vampire invasion. While it’s not clear to begin with, the conclusion will become very consequential to this Doctor Strange run beyond the tie-ins.
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #15
Blood Hunt #2
Blood Hunt #3
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #16
Blood Hunt #4
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #17
Note: Doctor Strange (2023 series) #15-17 are Blood Hunt tie-ins.
Blood Hunt #5
Doctor Strange (2023 series) #18
Collected editions
Looking to read Jed MacKay’s Doctor Strange comics in a collected format? Check out the following trade paperbacks to read the whole saga.
Death of Doctor Strange
Collects: Death of Doctor Strange #1-5
Death of Doctor Strange Companion
Collects: Death Of Doctor Strange: Avengers #1, Strange Academy Presents: The Death Of Doctor Strange #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Spider-Man #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: White Fox #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Blade #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: X-Men/Black Knight #1, Death Of Doctor Strange: Bloodstone #1
Strange Volume 1: I Belong to Death
Collects: Strange (2022 series) #1-5
Strange Volume 2: The Doctor Strange of Death
Collects: Strange (2022 series) #6-10
Doctor Strange by Jed Mackay Volume 1: The Life Of Doctor Strange
Collects: Doctor Strange (2023 series) #1-5
Doctor Strange by Jed Mackay Volume 2: The War-Hound Of The Vishanti
Collects: Doctor Strange (2023 series) #6-10
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