Grimlock ♥ Ultra Magnus

I needed some comfort reading, and Marvel comics always does it.   It really helps that Jason Aaron, one of my favorite Marvel writers, penned this issue.   It helps even more that he nails Doctor Strange, whose greatest gift is his compassion in my opinion.   Not many people get how hardwired that is in him, and Aaron does.   It's the small moments that show him to be such a kind soul, and while the focus is on him fighting with magic - meaning the small moments are fewer compared to the action scenes - that's what makes them so much more touching.   Yes, he's the Sorcerer Supreme, and he could focus solely on larger world problems, but no: the loneliness of a man on his birthday captures his attention and demands that he rectify the situation.   

Which makes what Wong has revealed in this issue all that more horrifying.   Wong is Steven Strange's right hand man, the person Strange trusts most in the world, a man who has one job: to keep Strange alive. 

Finding out not only that Wong is keeping such massive secrets, but ones that he knows Strange would never agree with will be crushing.   And there's no way Aaron added in this storyline with the intention that Strange would never find out.   No way. 

It's not that Wong is evil, or malicious.   He  just has one job.   Keeping Strange alive at any means.   Unfortunately, that might mean that some other people suffer.  (Volunteers who have trained for this, but it will still crush Strange knowing that he was the cause of this suffering.)

And the thing is it's the tension that makes me so eager for the next issue: Strange is already coping with so much and I have a feeling that he'll soon find out about what he will consider a betrayal.   (I doubt Wong will, however.   He's simply doing his job.   I can see his point of view, even if I don't agree with what he's done.  If Strange is parted from Wong, will he be able to survive being the Sorcerer Supreme without his trusted right hand?  I have a feeling this series is leading up to that soon.  I'm also wondering if that's why Aaron has introduced Zelma: she could potentially be a replacement.   However, Wong's job requires a lifetime of knowledge that Zelma doesn't have.   I'm not sure this is what's happening, but if it is, I'm a little worried. 

Then again, Aaron has yet to disappoint me, particularly when writing this series.   I'm going to trust that he knows what he's doing, and roll with the potential punches for now.