Picture this: it's fight night in the multiverse of comic-books and two fighters enter the ring. Both masters of magic. One a sorcerer supreme and master of mystic arts, the other a warlock (who's had some pretty hilarious memes about him), and dabbler of dark arts. Dr. Strange taking on John Constantine. Two enter, only one leaves.
Despite the two being somewhat similar, even considered to be Arroweverse and MCU counterparts, with utilizing magic to solve their problems, the pair have differences the size of skyscrapers. Whether it be in their team-ups, attributes, or power levels, each magician has their own strengths and weakness that allow for the perfect brawl to settle which is superior.
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme
Usually, when one thinks of the laws of magic and who wields what, typically they believe that all forms of magic are the same. For the most part, that's the truth, except for when it comes to the realms of Marvel and DC. That's where the rules of magic become somewhat different.
Being the Sorcerer Supreme grants Doctor Strange incredible powers and essentially makes him the guardian of the human world, protecting it from massive supernatural threats, granting him magical artifacts like his cloak and spells to aid him.
John Constantine: Warlock
Now, just because Constantine has magic like Strange doesn't mean that they're on the same level. Sure, John is a powerful charlatan who can use his magic in many different scenarios but his magic is always a bit different than Strange.
While Strange seems to always have magic on hand, summoning it with the flick of a wrist, Constatine utilizes spells more often than the good doctor like summoning demons with backward spoken spells. Although the magic is similar to Strange's, it's a little more powerful and dangerous as well.
Doctor Strange: Skill
What many readers forget about heroes is that a lot of their powers aren't just from blind luck alone. Some, like Strange, got it based on their skills and time spent studying and preparing. Starting out as a non-believer, Strange slowly worked his way into the world of magic, mastering the craft over the years.
Without that time and effort, Strange wouldn't be as skilled as he is, something in part he attributes to being a brilliant Doctor, a trait that lends to his already impressive array of skills.
John Constantine: Craftiness
While skills are always going to get someone somewhere in a battle of magic, wits are always a welcome advantage for one or the other and Constatine is one of the more crafty wizards out there, a detail audiences may have missed from the film adaptation.
From cheating on deals with Devils to finding loopholes in the simplest to the most extreme of actions and even daring to cheat death itself, Constantine has shown himself to be a crafty wizard, to the extent of it becoming his own skill and not to mention being part of his trademark charm.
Doctor Strange: Defenders
Sometimes one hero just isn't enough. Let's say that the hero in question gets overwhelmed and needs to tag in an ally to aid in the brawl. For fans of the MCU Dr. Strange (who happens to be in a film that still makes no sense), those allies are the Avengers but for comic lovers, some more common allies are the Defenders.
Far different than the Netflix version of The Defenders (that only got one pretty good season), the team consisted of powerhouses like Silver Surfer, the Hulk, and Namor, each of whom could easily back Strange up and turn the tide of battle and give Strange a breather.
John Constantine: Justice League Dark
Of course, while the Sorcerer Supreme's got his own squad of heroes, Constantine can conjure up some backup himself. Although he doesn't have friends in high places like the Avengers, his team comes from lower places, in the form of Justice League Dark.
Although the roster has changed over the years, the team always has powerhouses of heroes with them. From the enchanting magician Zatana to the hulking green behemoth Swamp Thing and even Wonder Woman herself, the JLD could easily take on the Defenders with Constantine in the lead. Heck, maybe even some DCEU characters fit for the team could join him as well.
Doctor Strange: Dormamu
The ends justify the needs, as the old saying goes. Granted, turning to villains for help in a simple brawl isn't exactly the best of needs but it's still needed. If Constantine overwhelmed the Defenders and Strange, Stephen may find himself turning to darker powers.
Dormamu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension, is a malicious force intent on taking over the world. Whatever deal Strange makes with Dormamu, who's film version was just as terrifying as the comics (even if he didn't give good advice like other MCU villains) could turn the tide of the battle easily with his powers or mindless ones, albeit blackening the sorcerer's soul in the process.
John Constantine: Nergal
Even though making a deal with a demon or devil is for most a nuclear option, for Constantine, it's just another day in the office. If the roles were reversed and Constantine was in over his head, the warlock may end up making a deal with the worst kind of demon: Nergal.
Now, Nergal's name may not be as well known as Trigon or Etrigan. Yet, Nergal's an evil demon, to say the least. Not only is he powerful as all get out, but he's quick, sneaky, and intelligent.
Doctor Strange: Protects The World
At the end of the day, in the world of comic books, there's always some kind of threat looming in the background of a massive hero-on-hero brawl. So, whatever that threat may end up being, chances are Strange would be more up to the task than Constantine.
It's not just because of his powers or team-ups. It's because it's what he does. Strange is gifted at saving the world from otherwordly threats. How else could he have become a Defender, Avenger, and Sorcerer Supreme without doing what heroes do?
John Constantine: Save His Own Skin
There's always a scenario no one wants to see in comics. The scenario where the heroes lose. If this shadowy villain manages to outdo the likes of Strange and prepares to end the world, would Constatine aid Strange? Truthfully, probably not.
This isn't to say Constantine isn't a hero. He's helped the JLD and the world on multiple occasions. But at the end of the day, Constatine is always looking out for himself. If his survival comes at the cost of another hero, that's the price he's willing to pay.