This certainly didn’t seem like the case with BKV’s The Oath, but it’s a POV thing.

1) “Dr Strange is House with wizards”. This is cool, except House is rubbish. I loved the show but after a dozen episodes, whenever House said, “Egad! I’ve solved it!” (in my head he says “Egad”) I’d look at the clock. If there was more than ten minutes left, I’d shake my head and say, “No, old bean. You haven’t.” (for some reason, I’m terrifically British in my memory.) But I get the principle. The principle of “Strange as House” is really good. I’m just being nitpicky.

2) To continue the nitpicking – I don’t like the name Zzzax. It’s like those alien names with seventeen apostrophes, “ZOMG! It’s the Yul’g'f’n'a’r”’r!” I think you can do better.

But other than that… you sir, would have my $2.99 (or whatever comics cost these days).

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb10/invisiblemoosenz/okaysothiswouldjustrock.jpg

Zenrage, do you not know that there were several decades worth of perfectly good Dr. Strange stories already in the can, before anybody started talking about this big deus ex machina problem?

But I’m also saying that when Magic is explained or limited, then it ultimately loses part of its Magic, or at the very least, its mystique.

Dan: By the pure fantastic nature of comics, Aunt May could stop time by punching it hard enough (According to the Marvel RPG, she could kill Galactus with a butter knife). But magic lends itself to lazy writing more so than any other comic book ability because of its undefinable nature.

Unlike every single other thing in comics?

Can’t the Hulk stop time, by like, punching it really hard?

But, honestly, you’re arguing semantics. Do you really think that in the Marvel Universe “science” has any less a vague definition or any more limitations than “magic?” Because I don’t think I’ve seen a law of physics that Tony Stark or Hank Pym haven’t happily violated. The mere existence of the term “super science” in the 616 suggests otherwise.

And while we’re on the subject of semantics, I know part of my reaction to your argument is that “deus ex machina” is a loaded term. Yes, it’s a legitimate dramatic term, and it might even sort of fit for some Dr. Strange stories, but in the modern conception it means “lazy writing,” and it seems like you’re trying to frame the argument such that any comic book about a magic user is going to be bad BECAUSE of the use of magic. That may not be what you’re saying, but that’s what I’m hearing.

I’ve read stories where Strange has limitations, either through his access to magic, or because the consequences of using some types of magics are too great to reasonably contemplate. Isn’t that where the drama lies? And you’re cheating a bit there with “Iron Man without his armor” or “Batman without his fighting ability” (or Punisher without his guns, or Superman without his powers, or whatever). Cause I’ve read stories like that, just like I’ve read stories where Strange has lost his powers, and they still find a way to win, because they’re heroes.

Finally, let me explain my Eric Clapton, because I got so wrapped up in the punchline I don’t think I explained it well. Eric Clapton can do anything with a guitar. With a few esoteric motions of his fingers (see what I did there?) he can make you dance or yell, he can make your blood pump or your tears flow. He can do all sorts of things with different tunings, or foot pedals or whammy bars, but no matter how awesome he is (and he’s pretty awesome) he’s still limited by the tools and abilities he has access to. He might be able to make his guitar sound like vaguely like a human voice but he can’t make his guitar recite a Shakespearean sonnet. However, he’s so talented and creative he can make you feel the same way and get the same idea of that sonnet across through his music. And he can do so many things that you don’t expect you might think his abilities are without limit.

And Strange without his magic is EC without a guitar. He can still write music, or sing or tell stories of hanging out with the Beatles, just like Strange knows kung-fu, and is a brain surgeon, and has a life time of experience working with supervillians. And, yep, I’m pretty sure that’s entertaining and I’d be willing to pay for that.

Doctor Strange is the Iron Man of the Mystical realm. Without his “armor”, Doctor Strange is just a guy, who as you say, who knows how to use the craft. Just like Tony Stark is, without his armor. But the difference is, Tony Stark’s armor is a construction of science, engineering and technology and as such holds inherent limitations. Doctor Strange’s magical abilities do not.

Doctor Strange’s abilities are purely Deus Ex Machina and no different than the joints of Ghost Rider or the energy blasts of Spawn or the fiery breath of the Demon. The significant difference is, and the point I’ve been making over and over again, is that while an individual weapon that is powered by magic has limits (an amulet of fire would rarely emit a freezing blast), wielding magic, by its own vague definition, has no limits.

Having a character wield magic would be like saying Tony Stark wields Science and then allowing this vague definition of Science to include all branches of Science including the superscientific abilities of Galactus, Thanos and so on.

The Deus Ex Machina involved has less to do with how the character interacts with people (and thus relating to its audience) than it does with the limitations of the tools at its disposal.

Magic has no limitations and as such, Deus Ex Machina is only an inevitability. Sure you can remove the magic from Doctor Strange and eliminate the certainty of DEM, but then you’d have all the excitement of Tony Stark without the Iron Man armor or Batman without his belt, car or gadgets or fighting abilities.

Or to use your musical reference, John, Doctor Strange without his magic would be Eric Clapton reading his lyrics in a straight monotone voice. Sure the audience could still relate to it, but its not very entertaining and barely worht the price of admission, now is it?

They helped him when Doctor Strange was on the run from a Dormammu-backed Baron Mordo, IIRC, in one of the all-time classic Strange arcs.

Blah.