To me magic has been the wobbly leg of the 3-legged stool that is the Marvel Universe. So when I heard Rick Remender’s plans for Brother Voodoo to replace the Sorcerer Supreme I  had high hopes that he would do what Abnett & Lanning have done for Marvel’s cosmic characters.

Doctor Voodoo Avenger of the Supernatural #1 is a solid start for re-introducing the long lost (and often lampooned) character. The opening scene pits Dr. Voodoo against one of Dr. Strange’s greatest adversaries. In this scene you get a sense of the difference between the good doctors. Where Dr. Strange’s approach was more clinical Dr. Voodoo’s appears to be preventative – confronting the evil before it can act. Put simply – Dr. Voodoo comes off a lot more badass.

While it is too early to tell whether Dr. Voodoo will prevail as the sorcerer supreme, Remender brings in a lot of interesting elements I imagine will be addressed as this series continues.

Art wise Jefte Palo brings a painterly style that resembles John Romita Jr. and Jon J. Muth (of Moonshadow fame). The murky color style courtesy of Jean-Francois Beaulieu sets the mood.

Overall a good start to a new chapter in Marvel’s magic.