WhileDoctor Strangedid not have the flashiest of introductions, he heralded the beginning of an entirely new corner of the Marvel Universe. Doctor Strange’s earliest stories laid down the Marvel Universe’s rules of magic and established its major players. Later stories saw Strange ascend to thehighly-esteemed role of Sorcerer Supreme.
Just like any other character with a 60-plus-year history, Doctor Strange’s lore is dense, and knowing what exactly to read can be daunting. Many top-flight creators have left their mark on Doctor Strange since his introduction inStrange Tales#110.What follows are ten essential Doctor Strange stories that all true fans should read.
10Doctor Strange’s Origin Was Worth the Wait
“The Origin of Doctor Strange” fromStrange Tales#115
Doctor Strange quietly entered the Marvel Universe, fully-formed. That is, he did not receive an origin in his first appearance. When fans first met Doctor Strange, he was already known in some circles. In fact, people frequently sought him out for help. Fans curious about whereDoctor Strange came fromhad to wait a few months to find out.
It turned out to be worth the wait. In just nine pages, fans saw Doctor Strange transform from an arrogant, jaded surgeon to unhoused drifter to selfless sorcerer. This story was later used in the MCU for Strange’s origin. It also mirrors that of another Marvel icon who debuted around the same time: Iron Man.
9Clea (and Dorammu’s) First Appearance Rocked Doctor Strange’s World
Doctor Strange’s first year quickly established his rogue’s gallery. Heavy hitters such as Nightmare and Baron Mordo took Doctor Strange down to the wire multiple times. Yet they failed to prepare Strange for his first showdown with the dread Dormmamu. Mentioned for nearly a year before debuting, Dormammu would become one of Strange’s biggest villains.
Yet there was a silver lining to this story: Doctor Strange met the love of his life: Clea. Dorammu’s niece, Clea, rebelled against her family. She would become one of Doctor Strange’s earliest disciples in addition to being his lover. Clea ultimately proved to be a formidable magic user, climbing to the position of Sorcerer Supreme after Strange’s death.
8The Eternity Saga Took Steve Ditko to Dazzling (and Psychedelic) New Heights
The Eternity Saga, fromStrange Tales#130-146,Amazing Spider-Man Annual#2
The Eternity Sagawas an early Doctor Strange epic that introduced one of the Marvel Universe’s most powerful characters: Eternity. The literal embodiment of all that is. Eternity was unlike anything else seen in comics until that point.The Eternity Sagaspellbound fans for over a year in the pages ofStrange Tales.
The Eternity Sagawas also a showcase for Doctor Strange’s co-creator, Steve Ditko. After making a name for himself in the horror comics published right before the dawn of the Marvel Universe, Ditko worked his magic on superheroes such as Doctor Strange and Spider-Man.The Eternity Sagaconcludes with the first meeting between Ditko’s two creations.
7Doctor Strange’s Fight With Dracula Nearly Cost Him His Life
Doctor Strange Vs. Dracula, fromTomb of Dracula#14 andDoctor Strange#14
Doctor Strange’s first meeting with Dracula established the Lord of Vampires as a Marvel heavy hitter. Thanks to the oppressive Comics Code Authority, vampires were absent from the Marvel Universe’s beginnings. They arrived inTomb of Dracula#1, and a little over a year later, they encountered Doctor Strange, nearly defeating the Sorcerer Supreme.
Vampires, and Dracula in particular, would plague Doctor Strange for many years to come. After nearly being turned into a vampire himself during their first fight, Doctor Strange would years later cast the Montessi Formula to purge them from Earth. Ironically, Doctor Strange would also be the instrument of the vampire’s eventual return.
6Don’t Pay the FerrymanClosed Out An Era in Doctor Strange’s Life
Don’t Pay the Ferryman,fromDoctor Strange(volume 2): #75-81
Doctor Strange has had several different ongoing books since 1964, and his second came to a stunning conclusion in theDon’t Pay the Ferrymanstoryline. Beginning with the fallout from Mephisto’s death,Don’t Pay the Ferrymansaw Doctor Strange reunited with former Defender teammate Topaz. Freed from imprisonment after Mephisto’s death, Topaz played a major role in the series’ conclusion.
Don’t Pay the Ferrymanmay have brought one chapter of Doctor Strange’s life to an end, but it set up his future at the same time. During the story, Strange met Rintrah, who would soon become his student. A revivedStrange Talescomic picked up Strange’s story, and he returned with a new ongoing just two years later.
5Triumph and TormentEstablished Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom’s Rivalry
Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment
Doctor Strange has had many rivals for the title of Sorcerer Supreme, including Baron Mordo, andTriumph and Tormentfirmly establishedDoctor Doom as a candidate as well. Doctor Doom took advantage of a boon granted to him to trick Doctor Strange into helping retrieve his mother’s soul from Mephisto’s clutches.
Since then, Doctor Doom has been a perennial runner-up for the position of Sorcerer Supreme. His wishes came true in the recentOne World Under Doom.Once again, using subterfuge, Doom finally became Sorcerer Supreme. This was a nightmarish thought, andOne World Under Doomshowed why, as he used the power to take over Earth at last.
4Jason Aaron Helped Create the Modern Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange: Way of the Weird,fromDoctor Strange(Volume Four) #1-5
In late 2014, Marvel finally confirmed that Doctor Strange would join the MCU, ending speculation as well as reviving interest in the character. It was only natural that Marvel would give Doctor Strange a new ongoing to capitalize on this new wave of interest in him, and they brought in one of their best writers to do so: Jason Aaron.
Aaron and his artistic collaborators, including Chris Bachalo, wasted no time in setting up Doctor Strange for a modern audience. Aaron and Bachalo got down to the core of Doctor Strange’s character, as well as updating the rules of magic in the Marvel Universe.Way of the Weirdis the foundation for all modern Doctor Strange stories.
3DamnationWas a Doctor Strange-Centric Crossover
Doctor Strange Damnation,fromDoctor Strange: Damnation#1-4 and other Marvel Titles
Doctor Strange had never been at the center of a Marvel crossover event untilDamnation.Written by Donny Cates,Damnationwas set in the wake ofSecret Empire, and saw Strange wage a battle with his arch-rival Mephisto for the souls of the citizens of Las Vegas. The two have sparred in the past, but never were the stakes this high.
The events ofDamnationrocked the Marvel Universe, pulling in characters such as Iron Fist, Ghost Rider and the Scarlet Spider. By centering on Doctor Strange,Damnationproved how integral he had become to the greater Marvel Universe. By resurrecting and rebuilding Las Vegas, it proved his great power as well.
2The Death of Doctor StrangeKicked Off Jed MacKay’s Epic Run
The Death of Doctor Strange,fromThe Death of Doctor Strange#1-5
Jed MacKay, who was a fast-rising superstar at Marvel, kicked off an epic, multi-year run on Doctor Strange in the most bizarre way possible: killing him. One part murder mystery and the other part a deep exploration of the character,The Death of Doctor Strangedemonstrated how much he has grown and progressed.
The Death of Doctor Strangewas also the story of Strange’s supporting cast. Wong played a large role in the series, as did his wife Clea. When death finally claimed Doctor Strange, Clea took the role of Sorcerer Supreme. She then worked tirelessly to bring her husband back to the land of the living.
1General Strange Gave a Chilling Glimpse at What Doctor Strange Could Have Been
General Strange First Appeared inDoctor Strange(Volume 6) #5
General Strange forced Doctor Strange to face the worst of himself. Years earlier, Doctor Strange fought in the War of the Seven Spheres on behalf of his patrons, the Vishanti. The war lasted 5,000 years and took a toll on Strange’s psyche. Over time, his heart hardened, becoming the cruel General Strange, and only the Vishanti were able to stop him.
Years later, this would come back to hauntDoctor Strange, as the General was freed from his prison and came seeking revenge. General Strange nearly made short work of the Sorcerer Supreme, but he rallied his allies, and together they defeated the General. The General renounced his wicked ways, and is now working towards redemption.
