10 Jaw-Dropping Comics Cancelled Before They Were Published

8. Untitled Doctor Strange Project

Here's an intriguing matchup for you: Harlan Ellison and John Romita Jr. on Doctor Strange. Ellison is one of the most widely known high achievers in classic science fiction and he writes with a furious passion whether working on his own science-fiction stories or others' intellectual properties. He had worked on several Marvel projects before, albeit briefly: Daredevil, Hulk, Avengers. Originally conceived as a Silver Surfer story, this tale would have involved Dr. Strange going inside his most hated nemesis, Dormammu, to perform his strangest surgery ever. Because even though Dormammu is a tyrant, the ecosystem of the netherworld can't get along without him. Although Ellison and Romita Jr. were both raring to go on the project, announcing it at conventions a bit prematurely, Marvel ultimately passed for unknown reasons. How Regrettable Is Its Loss? Strongly. Ellison and Dr. Strange both have an especially strong appeal to hippie sensibilities, and seeing Ellison apply his emotional style of writing to outright mysticism would've been a rare treat. Plus, John Romita, Jr. knows his way around a pen. (JRJR finally rendered Dr. Strange in a Spider-Man guest appearance above.)