Doctor Strange

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This is an article on the Marvel comics superhero Dr. Strange. For the Batman villain, see Hugo Strange.

For other uses, see Strange (disambiguation).

Doctor Strange
Dr. Strange Art by Aaron Lopresti.
Publisher Marvel Comics First appearance Strange Tales # 110 (July 1963) Created by Stan Lee Steve Ditko
Characteristics Alter ego Dr. Stephen Strange Affiliations New Avengers Illuminati Defenders Nightstalkers Midnight Sons Notable aliases Stephen Sanders; Red Rajah; Captain Universe; "Shuma Gorath" "Shiva the Destroyer" "One who lives in whispers" Abilities Genius level intellect and world-renowned neurosurgeon. Possesses the Soul Gem High level magic & cosmic energy wielder generating a near infinite amount of effects including: Teleportation, Illusion generation, Astral projection, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Molecular control, Immortality.

Doctor Strange is a fictional character, a comic book sorcerer and superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963). Additionally, the name had been used for a different Marvel character two months earlier.

Dr. Stephen Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe, responsible for defending it from mystic threats. He is a master of the mystic arts, using his abilities to battle evil magicians and other supernatural villains. He is also often consulted by other superheroes on supernatural matters.

Contents 1 Publication history 2 Fictional character biography 2.1 Silver Age Strange 2.2 Death of the Ancient One 2.3 Defenders and Nightstalkers 2.4 Civil War 3 Powers and abilities 4 Spell manifestations 5 Character as deus ex machina 6 Major villains 7 Major supporting characters and allies 8 Doctor Strange as supporting character 9 Other versions 9.1 Ultimate Doctor Strange 9.2 Doctor Strange in other continuities 10 In other media 10.1 Live-action 10.2 Animation 10.3 Video games 10.4 Other 11 Previous Doctor Strange 12 Bibliography 12.1 Series and miniseries 12.2 One-shots and graphic novels 13 See also 14 Footnotes 15 References 16 External links

[edit] Publication history

After debuting in Strange Tales #110 and returning in the next issue, the nine- to 10-page feature "Dr. Strange" skipped two issues and then returned permanently with #114 (Nov. 1963). Steve Ditko's surrealistic mystical landscapes and increasingly head-trippy visuals helped make the feature a favorite of 1960s college students, according to contemporaneous accounts. Ditko, as co-plotter and later sole plotter, in the "Marvel Method", would eventually take Strange into ever-more-abstract realms that nonetheless remained well-grounded thanks to Stan Lee's reliably humanistic, adventure/soap opera dialog. Doctor Strange shared the "split book" Strange Tales with solo adventures of Fantastic Four member the Human Torch (whose feature had begun in issue #101), and, beginning with #135, with its replacement feature, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D..

While Lee and Ditko themselves interacted less and less as each went their different creative ways, Doctor Strange's storyline culminates with what historians consider one of modern comics' great moments: the introduction, in issue #146 (July 1966), of Ditko's grand and enduring conception of Eternity, the personification of the universe, depicted as a majestic silhouette whose outlines are filled with the cosmos. It was a groundbreaking creation at a time long before such cosmic conceits were commonplace, and Ditko's final bow on the feature.

"Doctor Strange" continued to the end of the book's run, when the "Fury" feature was spun off into its own title and Strange Tales was renamed Doctor Strange with issue #169 (June 1968). Note: This is the title as given in the book's postal indicia; Dr. Strange's various series, confusingly, have changed their cover-logo titles much more so than most series. See the Bibliography for details.

Doctor Strange's first namesake comic book, written by Roy Thomas with art by penciler Gene Colan, lasted only until issue #183, by which point Strange was given a new civilian identity as "Dr. Stephen Sanders" as well as a full-face cowl in an effort to more resemble a Marvel superhero and help low sales. The look was short-lived and subsequently abandoned.

Strange's next series began in the 1970s showcase title Marvel Premiere, continuing into a solo book generally titled as Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts (the original 1968 comic had also used that subtitle for a time, though not in the indicia). An acclaimed early arc by writer Steve Englehart and penciller/co-plotter Frank Brunner, featured the death of Strange's mentor, the Ancient One, followed by a storyline in which Strange witnessed the Creation, or re-creation, of the universe. Reflecting that era's trend toward "cosmic" characters and stories — a trend ironically begun in the Lee-Ditko '60s stories — this turn away from more traditionally occult, supernatural stories helped propel the soon-to-be-spun-off series through 81 issues, under various teams.

Through 1987-88, the character returned in Strange Tales Vol. 2, #1-19, appearing in 11-page stories in this "split book" shared with the feature Cloak and Dagger. This was followed by Strange's third solo title, generally listed as Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme, which lasted 90 issues from 1988-96. Doctor Strange also appeared in various miniseries and two graphic novels, and had major recurring roles both in the 1970s feature and later comic book The Defenders and the 1990s comic book Nightstalkers.

[edit] Fictional character biography

Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange is born on November 18, 1930^[1] in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A few months later, the Stranges move to a farm in Nebraska where Stephen is brought up alongside his brother Victor and sister Donna.

Stephen becomes an accomplished, but arrogant, surgeon until he suffers subtle, though profound, neurological damage in an automobile accident in 1963. His hands in particular are no longer able to make the precise, fine movements necessary for surgery, although their overall mobility remains. Unable to continue his profession and too proud to accept subordinate medical assignments, he becomes unemployed and destitute. Learning of a hermit called the Ancient One who might possibly cure him, the desperate Strange ventures to the man's isolated Himalayan abode and asks him for aid. The Ancient One instead offers to take Strange on as an apprentice in the mystic arts. Strange refuses, but cannot leave immediately due to a sudden blizzard.

While staying for the duration of the storm, Strange witnesses the Ancient One's apprentice, Baron Mordo, secretly attack the teacher with mystically summoned skeletons, which the old man easily dispells. Strange, his skepticism eroding, confronts Mordo about the treachery but Mordo responds with restraining spells that keep Strange from warning the Ancient One or attacking Mordo physically. Amazed by these displays of magic, alarmed by Mordo, but frustrated by the mystic restraints, Strange undergoes a change of heart. Deciding that the only way to stop Mordo is to learn magic himself in order to challenge Mordo on his terms, Strange accepts the Ancient One's offer. Pleased by Strange's acceptance for unselfish reasons, the Ancient One removes the mystic restraints, explaining that he is well aware of Mordo's treachery but prefers to keep Mordo close by in order to control and possibly change him. Strange studies magic under the Ancient One for seven years and returns to the United States in the 1970s.

[edit] Silver Age Strange

Based in his "sanctum sanctorum" mansion in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, Strange uses his new abilities to fight such mystic enemies as recurring nemesis Mordo; the flame-headed otherdimensional ruler Dormammu (and his sister Umar), with whom he clashes often; and Strange's first recorded foe upon returning to America, Nightmare. He also gains a valuable ally in Wong, a loyal servant who is part of a line trained to serve the current Sorcerer Supreme.

Doctor Strange encounters such cosmic beings as the Living Tribunal, and the personification of the universe itself, Eternity, as well as numerous superheroes and even, at one Times Square New Year's celebration, longtime family friend and author Tom Wolfe (who allowed his likeness to be used in Doctor Strange Vol. #180, May 1969). On one journey to Dormammu's realm, Strange meets and eventually falls in love with Clea, the tyrant's human-appearing niece.

When the demon Asmodeus briefly impersonates him, Strange dons a superheroic-looking full-face cowl and a "secret identity" as Dr. Stephen Sanders from vol. 1, #177 through the final issue, #183 (Feb.-Nov. 1969).

[edit] Death of the Ancient One

When the demonic entity Shuma-Gorath (first mentioned in Marvel Premiere #5, Nov. 1972) tries to cross into the Earth's dimension from within the mind of the Ancient One (#9, July 1973), Strange is forced to sacrifice his mentor in order to save humanity's collective soul (#10, Sept. 1973). After his mentor's death — in which the Ancient One becomes "one with the universe" and a lingering presence — Strange inherits the mantle and power of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth's plane.

After taking his lover Clea as his disciple (Marvel Premiere #12, Nov. 1973), one of his first tasks as Sorcerer Supreme is to confront Death. After proving himself worthy, Strange is granted the immortality befitting his new role. As Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange is near ageless and immune to dying from natural causes. His predecessor, the Ancient One, had lived for over five centuries.

The Ancient One, much later, fought Dr. Strange in the five-issue miniseries X-Statix Presents: Dead Girl (March-July 2006). He was depicted as having been condemned to Hell, without a Marvel Universe-continuity explanation.

[edit] Defenders and Nightstalkers

Also during this time Doctor Strange gathers the anti-heroes the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Silver Surfer to form the sporadically summoned superhero "non-team", the Defenders.

In a 1982-83 arc (Doctor Strange Vol. 2, #56-62), Strange successfully invokes the "Montesi Formula" that eliminates all vampires in the Marvel Universe. Though this is considered permanent at the time, in the early 1990s Strange finds it necessary to organize, in Defenders fashion, a group of vampire hunters dubbed the Nightstalkers — Frank Drake, Blade and the vampiric private detective Hannibal King. The three are told they have been brought together to fend off supernatural threats, and only later learn it is in fact to prepare for the weakening of the Montesi Formula and the expected return of Dracula. By the time vampires do indeed come back, throughout various Marvel occult comics in the mid-1990s, Strange has been temporarily usurped as Sorcerer Supreme by the demonic Salome.

His position restored shortly afterward, Strange, by the mid-2000s, serves chiefly as a supporting character to whom Marvel superheroes might turn for matters concerning magic and the supernatural. Other times, he directly intervenes in crises. In one instance, S.H.I.E.L.D. psionic personnel are hunting the Dire Wraiths with help of Rom the Spaceknight, but are being easily killed by the enemy's wizards. Strange appears of his own accord to give the psionic personnel improved resistance to the attacks.

[edit] Civil War

It is revealed that Doctor Strange has been a member of the Illuminati, a secret alliance of several prominent superheroes, since just after the Kree-Skrull War.^[2] In the final known meeting of the group, Strange vehemently opposes the proposed Superhuman Registration Act, and informs Iron Man and Mister Fantastic that they are never to call on him again. Some time later,^[3] Wong tells Hank Pym and the Wasp that Strange has no intention of supporting the Act and is in seclusion in the Arctic. The government declares Dr. Strange exempt from registration. He is then seen in the North Pole, fasting and meditating for an outcome that will benefit mankind and spill the least amount of blood. During his meditation, he speaks with Uatu the Watcher about the eve of the final battle between the superheroes led by Iron Man and the superheroes led by Captain America.^[4]

Following the Civil War, Doctor Strange joins the New Avengers.^[5] He houses the New Avengers in his Sanctum Sanctorum under the guise of a Starbucks under construction.^[6]

[edit] Powers and abilities

Dr. Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth's Universe. He has unparalleled mastery of the mystic arts, which he uses to defend this reality from otherworldly threats. His primary magical patrons are a group of entities known as "the Vishanti", a trinity of godly beings comprised of Agamotto, Hoggoth and Oshtur. Although he has, on rare occasions, called upon the power of the demon Dormammu, he no longer does so due to fighting Dormammu in his dark dimension early in his career as Sorcerer Supreme. Stephen Strange also holds an M.D. in neurosurgery, although his ability to perform such delicate tasks has been compromised due to his accident. He is also an accomplished martial artist.

Dr. Strange's powers are all mystical but take several forms. Main manifestations include:

• Personal abilities — As a result of his mystic training, Doctor Strange is capable of a great many abilities such as astral projection, telepathy, hypnotism, and several others. These are put in a separate category because he seems to perform these functions as a telepath would, not needing to manipulate magic to do it. These abilities can be amplified by mystic energy (as against Moondragon) or the Eye of Agamotto (done countless times) to afford Strange powerful psychic abilities.

• Universal sources — By manipulating the ambient mystical energy of this universe, Dr. Strange can perform a great many functions. Commonly this is seen as energy bolts that range from low power to planet destroying, transmutation, telekinesis, teleportation, protective shields, etc. He can also use this mystical energy to cast spells of a near infinite variety. These spells seem to be quicker to perform but lesser in power than spells using divine energy. Dr Strange has also been shown to amass as much wealth/gold as he desires using magic, he has done this to pay off debts he owes.

• Divine sources — Dr. Strange can channel energy from countless nigh-omnipotent mystical and non-mystical beings in countless dimensions to empower his spells. This can take the form of standard spells ("Crimson Bands of Cyttorak") or just stating what he wants to occur and channeling some being to make it happen. It is unknown at this time what debt, if any, he incurs by invoking the powers that be. There is no quid pro quo, though some entities will feel he is obliged to heed their call when they need help in their conflicts as did the Vishanti.

• By sheer force of will, Dr. Strange can "take" the power of another entity. This does not require the use of a spell. He used this ability against Captain Universe in the Guardians Of The Galaxy run as well as against Arioch and Shuma-Gorath during the Strange Tales Volume 2 run. Dr. Strange's ability to do this is a testament to his incredible willpower and strength of mind. This is considered black magic and as such, he rarely employs this. Also, when taking the powers of celestial entities, he absorbs their mind and assumes their duties and roles in the dimension in which they exist. If his will falters, he can lose all sense of self.

The Marvel Universe canon suggests that virtually every human is capable of learning and harnessing magic — considered simply another form of energy within continuity — through training; however, each person has a different potential.

Strange's own power is often amplified by the numerous magical artifacts that are in his possession or by artifacts that he uses in the course of his adventures. The two artifacts he carries with him at all times are the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation:

• The Eye of Agamotto (which resides within the Amulet of Agamotto worn at Dr. Strange's throat) is a powerful and valued artifact that has many functions. Using the Eye, Strange can see through any lie, deception or illusion, send the eye out at lightspeed to intercept and absorb a near infinite amount of any type of energy and free others that are trapped in their own illusions. It is often used to amplify his mind's eye, giving psychic abilities that rival the most powerful of telepaths. It is also often used to play back an area's past events and open dimensional portals. When used offensively, most beings can hardly withstand its light; due to its lethal effect, it is often used as a weapon of last resort.

• The Cloak of Levitation allows him to fly, and responds to his thoughts. Strange has used it many times as a "third set of hands" to attack a foe when his own body has been incapacitated. The Cloak is nearly indestructible, often escaping damage during even the most violent confrontations.

It has been nearly destroyed on 3 separate instances, however.

The first (in Strange Tales -1st series- # 157) was during a battle with the entity Zom at Stonehenge. Strange was able to reconstruct it in a display of power to prove to The Living Tribunal that Strange was worthy to set right the cosmic events recently unleashed.

The second occurrence (in Doctor Strange -second series- # 77) was during a battle with a minor demon KHAT while Strange was in the slow decline of his white magical powers. After this instance, the cloak had to be repaired by Enitharmon the Weaver who was the former master to Strange's 2nd apprentice, Rintrah. Oddly, the damage to the Cloak on this occasion wasn't as severe as the previous one, but, unlike last time, Strange was unable to repair it himself. Whether this was due to the lessening of Strange's magical abilities at the time or more severe damage to the Cloak's mystical enchantments was never fully answered.

The third instance is a bit more convoluted. During his attempt to garner a new power-base for himself, after foregoing the powers and protections of the Vishanti, Strange went underground to create his new power forge, and when he was finished he was rejuvenated, younger-looking and wearing a new costume (including a mystical black body suit) and he had transformed the Cloak into something more resembling a Kimono or robe (Doctor Strange - 3rd series # 76), however, soon he was drafted into the War of the Seven Spheres by the Vishanti. After battling for a nearly a millennium in another dimension, Strange was returned to Earth (at a time mere months from when he was spirited away) a tattered shambles (Doctor Strange - 3rd series # 80). His magical abilities depleted and his new Robe/Cloak shredded. He soon incorporated elements of the cloak (the gold trim, mostly) into what would be called the "Overcoat of Levitation"; a red trench-coat with the Cloak's gold trim along the collar. However, soon enough, the usage of that overcoat was discontinued and the traditional Cloak was returned once more. It was never told how this came to pass.

Other artifacts include the Orb of Agamotto, which he uses daily to monitor the surrounding dimensions for trouble; the Wand of Watoomb, which amplifies his power; and the Book of the Vishanti, which contains some of the multiverse's most powerful and secret spells and counter-spells. He owns countless other artifacts he can bring out in times of need. As a result of being a member of the Illuminati, he has also come into possession of the "Soul" gem of the Infinity Gauntlet.

For a brief period, research from the Vishanti library led Strange to tap into "catastrophe magic" by invoking a syzygy of all the planets, but this source of magic was limited and he ceased using it specifically as a source of his power.

The mansion where Dr. Strange lives, his Sanctum Sanctorum, is located at 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, New York, which in this universe was the actual address of the apartment building in which the series writer at that time actually lived. Strange has imbued the mansion with several spells (mostly protective, some pro-active). (In the comic, "Steven Sanders" was shown reading a telegram addressed to him there.)

[edit] Spell manifestations

Dr. Strange often conjures specific magical effects for specific purposes. Among them are:

• Bolts of Bedevilment (as an offensive weapon)
• a Conjurer's Cone (to transport an enemy away to another realm)
• The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak (to bind someone)
• The Flames of the Faltine (as an offensive weapon)
• The Images of Ikonn (to create duplicate images of himself to confuse an enemy)
• The Light of the All-Seeing Eye of Agamotto (to disperse an assailant's spell, or to reveal the truth)
• The Shield of the Seraphim (as a protective barrier)
• The Vapors of Valtorr (as an obscuring fog)
• The Winds of Watoomb (as an offensive weapon)

[edit] Character as deus ex machina

There have been many arguments that Dr. Strange is simply a plot-device.^{[citation needed]} Marvel editor Joe Quesada said:

“

...you can place Dr. Strange in peril but it never really seems like much because at any moment he can cast a spell of crimson bands or what have you and he's out. There are no rules to his universe and from a storytelling perspective that's problematic. When you look at imaginary situations, worlds like the world of Toy Story or even Roger Rabbit have rules of their universe clearly defined. Heck in Roger Rabbit it's very clear how to kill a 'toon, so the viewer gets the feeling that the characters can be placed in peril and have their backs placed against the wall. This is exactly what I'm looking for in regards to our magic characters. Rules that govern them. How do you kill Doctor Strange? How do you hurt him?[7]

”

In the Marvel canon, there are no clearly defined limits of what Dr. Strange can or cannot do. The stories themselves contradict one another: Dr. Strange is shown easily altering memories, or having complete mastery over time by either stopping it all together and rewinding it or traveling into the past in one story, then stating that his magic cannot do so in another instance. In some appearances he can stand against something as powerful as the Infinity Gauntlet, and in others he appears defenseless against simple physical attack by another person. One can argue however that Dr Strange has needed to "recharge" his mystical energy more times than once.

There are two major groups of thought. Some feel that writers need to abandon attempting to treat Stephen as a "conventional hero" and embrace that as Sorcerer Supreme it is only logical that he is a god-like being as he must protect Earth's dimension from countless quasi-omnipotent entities who still dwarf him in power. Others feel that writers should return to the power level of a more Ditko-era Stephen and move away from the cosmic character that Englehart created.

Another source of disgruntlement among fans^{[citation needed]} is that some writers have ignored canonical evidence that Dr. Strange has enchantments that shield his body, and that he virtually does not age, with his predecessor as Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, having lived several centuries.

[edit] Major villains

• Baron Mordo — A dark sorcerer and frequent threat.
• Dormammu — A fallen Faltinian being. When outcast, he chose to take a form of pure mystical energy to maintain most of his Faltine essence. He took over the Dark Dimension from the Mindless Ones and consistently tries to expand into other dimensions through conquest. Dormammu is a being of immense power and one of Strange's most frequent foes.
• Umar — A fallen Faltine. Sister of Dormammu, she choose to take a lesser and more conventionally human physical form in order to experiment with physical pleasures. She is the mother of Clea.
• Nightmare — Ruler of the dream dimension, father of Dreamqueen and inspiration for Gaiman's The Sandman.^{[citation needed]} Though he is a threat to Strange and to humanity, his existence is necessary, since without Nightmare, humanity would go insane. Appeared in Doctor Strange's debut story in Strange Tales #110 (July 1963).
• Shuma-Gorath — A vastly powerful extradimensional being of chaos magic and the ruler of thousands of realms which ruled the Earth ages ago. Unable to be destroyed, its essence is taken on by its supplanter. Shuma-Gorath crossing over into our dimension would be disastrous, and Doctor Strange has been willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop it.
• Death — The personification of Death in Earth's dimension. It was in Doctor Strange's fight against Death that he proved himself worthy to be Sorcerer Supreme. Death has claimed that when Stephen finally fails in his duty she will take him; however, it is more likely that he will become one with Eternity, as have the Sorcerers Supreme before him.
• Satannish — One of the demon rulers of the dead. Strange's duties have occasionally led to conflict with this being.
• Mephisto — One of the demon rulers of the dead, originally introduced as a Silver Surfer foe, but who has since become a major entity in story arcs here and in Daredevil, Ghost Rider and other Marvel series. Strange's duties have occasionally led to conflict with this being.

[edit] Major supporting characters and allies

• Wong - manservant and closest friend
• Agamotto
• The Ancient One - mentor
• Clea - wife
• Eternity
• The Living Tribunal
• Rintrah - former apprentice
• The Vishanti
• Night Nurse
• Victoria Bentley

[edit] Doctor Strange as supporting character

Dr. Strange is often used as the all-in-one solution to the many world-altering events that occur in other characters' comic books. Prominent examples include:

• In Uncanny X-Men #190-191 (Feb.-March 1985), the wizard Kulan Gath magically transformed New York City into an approximation of his own ancient time. Everyone, save for Strange and a handful of others, forgot who they were and assumed roles appropriate to such a reality. Strange was held prisoner by Kulan Gath, his flesh warped to prevent him speaking aloud or making mystical gestures. The spell was eventually broken and reality was restored by Dr. Strange and Magik.
• In Micronauts #35 (Nov. 1981)^{[citation needed]}, Dr. Strange was instrumental in helping the Micronauts defeat ancient demons from Earth's past. As he kept the demons at bay, Commander Arcturus Rann rushed the Keys to the Enigma Force to the tomb of Prince Wayfinder, the creator of the Microverse. After opening the Tomb, Strange and Rann encountered the Sword in the Star, who merged them into a single entity, Captain Universe, in order to save the rapidly deteriorating Space Wall between Earth and the Microverse.
• In Infinity Gauntlet ^{[issue # needed]}, Dr. Strange recruited the heroes to stop Thanos, was one of the few heroes to survive Thanos' decimation of his opposition, and was responsible for rescuing the few survivors in the final battle against Thanos and Nebula. Strange was one of the few people to remember that these events had occurred.
• In Guardians of the Galaxy ^{[issue # needed]}, Dr. Strange brought Vance Astro back to the 20th Century where Charlie-27 was about to be murdered by a Badoon Captain named L'Matto. The long-standing battle, which was appearing to be in L'Matto's favor, suddenly went in Vance and Charlie's favour when Aleta Ogord became the new Starhawk. With Dr. Strange's help, she defeated the Captain Universe-empowered L'Matto and then exorcised the Uni-Power from L'Matto's body and returned with it to the 20th Century; there, they parted ways with Strange, who returned to his studies, while the Uni-Power headed off to find a new host.
• In House of M #7-8 (Nov.-Dec. 2005), Dr. Strange and Emma Frost prevented the Scarlet Witch from imposing her will on the entire world. Driven insane by her powers, the Witch reverted to the alternate reality she had created but stripped the majority of the world's mutants of their powers. Only a few who were shielded by Dr. Strange's spell and Frost's psychic powers retained their memories of the House of M reality and of what had transpired.
• In The Amazing Spider-Man #500, Dr. Strange appeared during an invasion by Dormammu and the mindless ones on New York City. Reed Richards of The Fantastic Four inadvertently released Dormammu from his "prison" by making a gun to send the mindless ones back to their dimension. Doctor Strange appeared in time to fight Dormammu and, with the help of Spider-Man, Dormammu and the mindless ones were sent back to their dimension.

[edit] Other versions

[edit] Ultimate Doctor Strange

Dr. Stephen Strange has not appeared in the Ultimate Marvel Universe except in flashback, which show him to be the same basic character as the Earth-616 Dr. Strange. In this reality, he married his former student, Clea, and the two of them had a child, Stephen, Jr. He later vanished (according Clea, he suddenly "wasn't there anymore"), and Clea decided to raise Stephen, Jr. away from magic (and to this day, will not discuss it with him).

The younger Strange, as a college student, was approached by the Ultimate version of Wong, who told him about his father and took him on as a student. He supports himself as a new-age guru to the rich, powerful, and famous. He is known to the public as "Dr. Strange," although he does not hold a medical degree or doctorate. He has had several run-ins with Ultimate Spider-Man. In each case, he has bemoaned his lack of knowledge in things mystical and usually only barely saves the day with a last desperate, untried spell. Previews claim this Doctor Strange is a member of Ultimate Daredevil's team fighting against the Kingpin, the Ultimate Knights.

There has been no reference to either Strange as "Sorceror Supreme."

[edit] Doctor Strange in other continuities

• In the Marvel 1602 miniseries, Sir Stephen Strange, the court magician of Queen Elizabeth I, senses that there are unnatural forces at work. He is the replacement in the 1602 universe for John Dee and is married to a version of Clea. Here, he cannot use his 'Astral Projection' (which he refers to as a magic mirror) as well as the modern one could, lacking modern materials, and is often physically drained after it is finished, and lacks memory of what he saw in astral form. Eventually, when Elizabeth is dead, he allows himself to be executed for witchcraft and treason, having gone under a vow of silence while he lived that can be bypassed when he is resurrected.
• In Marvel 2099, the Sorceress Supreme of Earth is a young woman who calls herself "Strange". She secretly shares her body with a monstrous demon.
• In the Amalgam Comics universe Dr Strange was combined with Charles Xavier and Doctor Fate into Dr. Strangefate. As the only character aware of the nature of the Amalgam Universe, he was the chief opponent of Access, who was attempting to separate the DC and Marvel Universes.
• An alternate Dr. Strange helped the Exiles briefly. This character was not a mystic, but instead was still a practicing physician who specialized in superhumans. This version of Doctor Strange was killed by an alternate version of Deadpool.
• In a battle with the Creators and Visimajoris, Dr. Strange (under the influence of an other-worldly minor demon who had inhabited him), in the company of Apalla (a star in humanoid form), destroys the Cosmic Wheel of Change, causing the world to transform into an animal-humanoid version of itself, complete with his counterpart Dr. Stranger Yet. He battles first Stygyro, then the In-Betweener, to set things right again.
• In the MC2 alternate future, Doctor Strange is retired and the title of Sorcerer Supreme has been passed to the younger Doc Magus.
• In the alternate future of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Dr. Strange assumed the title of the Ancient One (previously held by his mentor) and took on a disciple of his own, a Lem named Krugarr. Strange/the Ancient One was eventually killed by Dormammu, who was defeated by the combined efforts of Krugarr, his disciple Talon and the Guardians.
• In the alternate universe of Mutant X, Doctor Strange was the Man-Thing.

[edit] In other media

[edit] Live-action

The TV-movie adaptation Dr. Strange premiered on CBS on Sept. 6, 1978. Written and directed by executive producer Philip DeGuere, it starred Peter Hooten as Dr. Stephen Strange, Clyde Kusatsu as Wong, Jessica Walter as the villainous Morgan LeFay, Eddie Benton (pseudonym of Anne-Marie Martin) as Clea Lake; Philip Sterling as Dr. Frank Taylor; and Sir John Mills as Strange's mentor, Sorcerer Supreme Thomas Lindmer; and Ted Cassidy as the voice of the demon Balzaroth, visually patterned after the comics' Dormammu. Magician Larry Anderson has a cameo appearance.

Produced by Universal Television, it served as the unsuccessful pilot for a series.^[8] Character co-creator Stan Lee disowned this version, feeling it had been played for camp.^[9]

[edit] Animation

• Dr. Strange appeared in the "7 Little Superheroes" episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

• He appeared momentarily in the animated series X-Men, in the second episode of "The Dark Phoenix Saga". A vision of him reacting to the Phoenix appeared, followed by Thor and The Watcher.

• Dr. Strange appeared in the 1996 Spider-Man: The Animated Series episode "Doctor Strange", voiced by John Vernon. Dr. Strange and Wong help Spider-Man rescue Mary Jane from Baron Mordo and Dormammu. After that, Dr. Strange detected the presence of Madame Web.

• The 1997 episode "Mind Over Anti-Matter" of The Incredible Hulk animated series featured Dr. Strange and She-Hulk journeying into the mind of Bruce Banner when he is possessed by an evil force that, possibly the Shadow King or The Adversary. Dr. Strange is voiced by Maurice LaMarche here.

• In the Adult Swim cartoon The Venture Brothers, the character Doctor Byron Orpheus closely resembles and often parodies Dr. Strange, even making his trademark hand gesture.

• According to a two-minute preview on the direct-to-DVD feature Ultimate Avengers 2, Dr. Strange is to star in Marvel's fourth such DVD feature (following two Ultimate Avengers and The Invincible Iron Man), planned for release August 2007.

[edit] Video games

• Doctor Strange acts as Spider-Man's advisor in cutscenes in The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on the Sega Master System.
• Doctor Strange has a cameo in Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems.
• Doctor Strange appears in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance as a playable character. He is voiced by James Horan.

[edit] Other

• Doctor Mordrid (1992), a film starring Jeffrey Combs as the titular hero, was originally developed as a feature film by Full Moon Entertainment about Dr. Strange. However, rights to the character and name were lost, and the movie was reworked.^[10]

• Dr. Strange and the Fantastic Four are mentioned in the song "Superbird" on the album "Electric Music for the Mind and Body," by Country Joe and the Fish (Vanguard VSD 79244; released January 1967).

• Strange is also mentioned in Pink Floyd's song "Cymbaline" on the album More (released July 27, 1968), and in T. Rex's song "Mambo Sun" on the album Electric Warrior (released September 1971).

• Dr. Strange appears on the cover of Pink Floyd's album A Saucerful of Secrets (released June 29, 1968), and on the covers of the Al Stewart albums Past Present and Future (levitating into a dimensional portal) and Modern Times.

• Allusions to Dr. Strange appear in Tom Wolfe's non-fiction book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968). Wolfe himself made a cameo appearance in Dr. Strange Vol. 1, #180 (May 1969).

• In Jean-Luc Godard's film Sympathy for the Devil (1968), the camera pans across a Dr. Strange comic in the leftist bookstore.

• In the Doctor Who Virgin Missing Adventures novel Millennial Rites, a wave of psychic energy engulfs the world. Amongst those affected is "a thoughtful man levitating in a voliminous blue cloak" in a New York brownstone.

• In the movie Spider-Man 2, a Daily Bugle employee suggests "Dr. Strange" as a potential nickname for the main villain, later dubbed Dr. Octopus. Editor J. Jonah Jameson momentarily considers the name before remembering, "It's taken."

[edit] Previous Doctor Strange

Two months before the debut of the sorcerer-hero Doctor Strange, Stan Lee (editor and story-plotter), Robert Bernstein (scripter, under the pseudonym "R. Berns") and Jack Kirby (artist) introduced a criminal scientist and Ph.D. with the same surname. This Dr. Strange was one of Iron Man's earliest antagonists in the story "The Stronghold of Dr. Strange" in Tales of Suspense #41 (May 1963). After gaining mental powers in a freak lightning strike, this Dr. Strange established a force field-protected island base staffed with corrupt scientists and mercenaries. He attempted world domination but was thwarted by Iron Man and by Strange's own estranged daughter, Carla.

This Silver Age story was reprinted in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #4 (Aug. 1966), the hardcover collection Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man from Tales of Suspense Nos. 39-50, and Essential Iron Man Volume 1.

As well, the publisher Nedor Comics featured a character known as Doc Strange in the 1940s.

[edit] Bibliography

Note: The series' subtitles and the varying use of "Doctor" and "Dr.", is per both each series' indicia and their varying cover logos.

[edit] Series and miniseries

• Strange Tales #110-111 & 114-168 (July-Aug. 1963 & Nov. 1963 - May
• Doctor Strange vol. 1, #169-183 (June 1968 - Nov. 1969)

Doctor Strange, also known as Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts #169-175; Dr. Strange #176-181; and Dr. Strange: Master of Black Magic #182-183

• Marvel Premiere #3-14 (July 1973 - March 1974)
• Doctor Strange vol. 2, #1-81 (June 1974 - Feb. 1987)

Dr. Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts #1; Doctor Strange: Master of the Mystic Arts #2-50; and Doctor Strange #51-81 (Note: #30, 34, 36-37, 40, 42-46, 48 missing subtitle)

• Dr. Strange Annual #1 (1976)
• Doctor Strange Classics #1-4 (March-June 1984; reprints only)
• Strange Tales vol. 2, #1-19 (April 1987 - Oct. 1988)
• Doctor Strange vol. 3, #1-90 (Nov. 1988 - June 1996)

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #1-4, and Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #5-90 (Note: Following issue #4, subtitle appears only sporadically)

• Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual #2-3 & Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Annual #4 (1992-1994)
• Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Special (1992)
• Secret Defenders (1993 series) #1-25 (March 1993 - March 1995)
• Doctor Strange: The Flight of Bones #1-4 (Feb.- May 1999)
• Witches #1-4 (Aug.-Nov. 2004)
• Strange #1-6 (Nov. 2004 - July 2005)
• X-Statix Presents Deadgirl #1-#5   (Dec. 2005 - April 2006)
• Doctor Strange: The Oath #1-#5   (Oct. 2006 - March 2007)

[edit] One-shots and graphic novels

• Giant-Size Dr. Strange #1 (1975; reprints only)
• Marvel Graphic Novel #23: Dr. Strange: Into Shambhala (1986 graphic novel)
• Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (1989 graphic novel)
• Doctor Strange & Ghost Rider Special #1 (April 1991; reprints only)
• Spider-Man / Dr. Strange: The Way To Dusty Death (no number; 1992)
• Dr. Strange vs. Dracula #1 (March 1994; reprints only)
• Dr. Strange: What is It that Disturbs You, Stephen? (no number; Oct. 1997)
• Doctor Strange Special Edition #1, also known as Dr. Strange/Silver Dagger Special Edition #1 (March 1983)

[edit] See also

• List of actors who have played superheroes

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• Marvel.com: Dr. Strange
• Marvel Database: Doctor Strange
• The Grand Comics Database
• DocStrange.com
• Dr. Strange: Sanctum Santorum
• Youngquist, Jeff, & Grünwald, Jennifer, eds., Marvel Legacy: The 1960s Handbook (Marvel Publishing, 2006), p. 18 (unnumbered)
• Doctor Strange at the Internet Movie Database

[edit] External links

• Dr. Strange Comics: The Lesser Book of the Vishanti