Doctor Strange by Paul Smith Artist’s Edition releases in August 2026 from Skybound, in partnership with Scott Dunbier’s Act 4 Publishing, part of a multi-book deal with Marvel Comics.
The deluxe 12” x 17” hardcover will spotlight Paul Smith’s Doctor Strange run in all its true-to-size glory, featuring the original artwork scanned directly from the artist’s pages.
Paul Smith became the regular artist on Doctor Strange starting with issue #56, cover dated December 1982, but left after just two issues so that he could work on The Uncanny X-Men; returning as the regular artist on the series from #65 to #73, drawing seven of those issues.
The 192-page collection includes Smith’s complete work from Doctor Strange #65, #69, #70, and #72 — all penciled and inked by the legendary artist — along with over 40 pages of extras, rare covers, and a ten-page Daredevil story from Marvel Fanfare #1 published in 1982, Smith’s first Marvel work.
“Paul Smith, at this point in his career, was doing some of his best Marvel art ever,” said Scott Dunbier. “His delicate linework is truly a treat to behold – just gorgeous.”
“This Artist’s Edition is a stellar showcase of his linework and imagination,” added Nachie Marsham, Senior Editor.
Each Artist’s Edition serves as a museum-quality reproduction – every blue pencil line, ink wash, and gradient preserved in rich colour scans printed at the same size Smith drew them – the closest fans can get to standing at the artist’s own drawing board.
Paul Smith began his comics career in the first issue of Marvel Fanfare and graduated to the main X-Men artist soon after. Besides the X-Men and Doctor Strange, he also drew Nexus, and The Golden Age. His creator-owned comic Leave It to Chance was created with noted comics writer James Robinson.
The Doctor Strange by Paul Smith Artist’s Edition joins a powerhouse lineup from Skybound and Act 4’s Artist’s Edition program, which includes the already-published The Amazing Spider-Man By Steve Ditko and Wally Wood’s EC stories, and upcoming releases spotlighting the art of Jim Aparo, J. Scott Campbell, Darwyn Cooke, Steve Ditko, Mike Mignola, George Pérez, and Wally Wood.
This new Artist’s Edition highlighting the art of Paul Smith follows on the heels of IDW’s Paul Smith’s Uncanny X-Men Artist’s Edition, published in January.
Act 4 Publishing is the fourth act in Scott Dunbier’s career. It began when he was an art dealer in the 1980s and 1990s, selling a myriad of classic pages and covers by some of the art forms most incredible talents, as well as representing some of the greatest modern masters. After this, he joined WildStorm Productions, which later became a part of DC Comics, serving as special projects editor, editor-in chief; then, in 2008, joined IDW Publishing as special projects editor, eventually becoming vice president, creating the Artist’s Edition format at IDW, of which he produced approximately 90 different versions of the award-winning and unwieldy behemoths.
In 2024, together with his wife Amanda, Scott launched his own company, Act 4 Publishing. Under this banner, he will continue to produce a variety of collections and comics.
“Some will be familiar to you while others will be brand new,” says Scott. “But all, we hope, will be tied together by a sense of quality, and love and respect, for the sequential art form.”
• Doctor Strange by Paul Smith Artist’s Edition
ISBN: 978-1534335349 | SRP: $150 | In comic shops 12th August 2026 | Bookshops 25th August 2026 | Act 4 Publishing | Skybound
• Paul Smith is online at paulmartinsmith.com
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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