Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: February 10, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Edited with percipacity by: Stan Lee
Written with precocity by: Roy Thomas
Plotted and illustrated with profundity by: Steve Ditko
Lettered with the windows closed by: Artie Simek
10 pages
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How dare you make a request of the great Tazza! In the name of Satannish the Supreme, you shall join the other unmoving forms in my hallowed halls…
We are in what I see as the spinning-the-wheels phase. We had an extremely tense and fast-paced adventure that took us from issues 130-141. Then it slowed down. Mordo was defeated. Dormammu was humbled. Loose plot threads included servants of Mordo’s to deal with, and this woman who had helped Strange, who was now a prisoner of Dormammu. We’ve spent the last couple issues dealing with Mordo’s servants and now we’ll go look for this unnamed woman.
Dormammu was beaten with yet another vow to not move against Strange. But there’s a loophole if you read the fine print. Dormammu agreed not to attack Strange on Earth. But if the good Doctor travels to another dimension…
We meet Asti, who has planted a trap for Dr. Strange and lured him to Tazza’s realm on the Edges of Infinity. Tazza and Strange will fight. They’ve both been manipulated by Dormammu and Asti.
They battle. Tazza assumes a variety of monstrous shapes and Dr. Strange uses his magic and some trickery to win the day. Soon enough Dr. Strange realizes his answers won’t be found here.
So this does tie into the larger Dormammu saga.
But see how it’s spinning its wheels. Dr. Strange is looking for this girl. He finds a clue she might be in this dimension, but it’s a red herring. So he’s no closer to finding her. Ditko can continue one-off plots like this until he’s ready to end the story and quit the company.
Letter writer Bruce T. notices how short a shrift Strange gets, never being featured on the cover.
Invocations:
- By the Vipers of Valtorr
- The Eternal Vishanti do ever protect me!
- May the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth defend me!
- “May the Omnipotent Oshtur protect thee!” — King
- “In the name of Satannish the Supreme…” — Tazza
- “My the Ominpotent Oshtur guide thee always” — a prisoner
The first new one in a while! Courtesy of Roy Thomas. Satannish sounds very satanish.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 56/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
Characters:
- Dormammu
- Woman from Dark Dimension
- Dr. Strange
- Ancient One
- Asti, the All-Seeing
- King of strange dimension
- Tazza
Story notes:
- Begins with recap of the ending of ST#141, though Stan seems unsure of the issue.
- Ancient One seeks the woman.
- Asti an ominiscient mercenary of Dormammu’s
- Asti reports Ancient One near appointed place, the reaches of Cosmic Infinity, and can ready their trap for Dr. Strange
- Dr. Strange follows Ancient One to another universe.
- Ruler of dimension detects a magic spell on the outer edge of Infinity which must have been cast by Dormammu.
- King warns Strange not to go, for none have returned.
- Tazza is sole inhabitant of Twilight Realm on the Edges of Infinity.
- Dormmamu tricks Tazza into thinking Dr. Strange comes to destroy him.
- Asti had placed the signs of Dormammu’s magic.
- Tazza’s defeated enemies are frozen and immobile for all time in the Hall of Heroes.
- Tazza assumes the form of a flying scavenger to seek Dr. Stange.
- Tazza attacks in the form of a Samandra.
- Cloak of Levitation blocks beast’s advances.
- Tazza transforms into many-armed monster that can counter Strange’s spells.
- Dr. Strange uses Amulet to magnify mental energy.
- Dr. Strange makes prisoners move and makes it seem as if they are awake.
- Tazza knows nothing of the female.
- Dr. Strange releases Tazza’s prisoners.
| Previous | #508 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Strange Tales #144 | Reading order | Strange Tales #145 |
| Strange Tales #144 | Strange Tales | Strange Tales #145 |
