With the release of the Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare graphic novel from Abrams ComicArts. We are delighted to be joined by author Kevin J. Anderson. Kevin J. Anderson is the author of more than 50 bestsellers. Kevin is the co-author of the Dune prequel series with Brian Herbert. The Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare graphic novel features art by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín.
Hi Kevin, it’s so great to have you here with us again.
What is it about Doctor Strange that made you want to write the character?
I have fond memories of reading Dr Strange comics when I was a kid, and I always loved the surreal, cosmic magic of the character as opposed to more “standard” superheroes. When I had the possibility of doing a full no-holds-barred story, I jumped at the chance.
Can you tell us about the origins of Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare?
I have always been a big fan of the Lovecraftian mythos, and I loved the idea of pitting Dr Strange against a nightmarish Lovecraftian threat. I started from there, with crazy tentacled creatures appearing in Manhattan, demons invading dreams, and reality being twisted. Dr. Strange was a natural.
What made Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín the right artists for Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare?
Abrams started with wanting to do another project with me and Raul and Patricia, since we had worked so well together on the three bestselling and award-winning Dune graphic novels. An action superhero story was very different from a sweeping and political Dune story, but they were up to the challenge and delivered wonderful art.
Can you tell us about how you approached Stephen Strange?
I liked the dichotomy of the character who is the Sorcerer Supreme with tremendous powers, yet his personal mandate is to keep people safe and happy in their normal lives, preferably unaware of the cosmic threats pummeling Manhattan every day…but Stephen Strange stops them. He is a man who can’t let himself be “normal” while the rest of the world is under terrible threat.
What can you tell us about the world in which Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare is set?
Well, there’s the normal world of course that is suddenly under threat, but much more interesting is the sequence of odd unrealities, the various planes on which he has to fight to save our realities. In particular, the Nightmare realm. And our old friend…
What can you tell us about Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare?
I really loved exploring the world of Stephen Strange and all the layers of reality he experiences. And Marvel let me spend a lot of time with a beloved Dr. Strange villain…as well as a very exciting and obscure Dr Strange villain created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, and never used again! Maybe we will bring him back into the big Strange storyline.
Any message for the ComicBuzz readers?
Man, without you readers, then writers like me wouldn’t get to do the coolest job in the world. Thanks for following my work and letting me have so much fun telling stories.
We would like to say a big thank you to Kevin for chatting with us, and we wish him the best of luck with Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare.
