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Strange Tales #139, Story B

Beware…! Dormammu is Watching!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: September 9, 1965
Cover: December 1965
12 cents
Script by sterling Stan Lee
Art by stalwart Steve Ditko
Lettering by stoical Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #139	Reading order	Strange Tales #140
Strange Tales #139	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #140

Where they employ power, you must employ wisdom– the wisdom of the just, the righteous, the fearless!

Dormammu is plainly the “big bad” of this series. Mordo is the lieutenant. It’s time for the big confrontation with Mordo.

I really appreciate what Ditko is doing with Strange’s fists on that opening page. He does the best things with fingers.

Mordo is supplied by near limitless power. But he lacks the wits and will of Dr. Stephen Strange.

And so the final battle begins.

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: August 10, 1965
Cover: November 1965
12 cents
Written and edited by incredible: Stan Lee
Plotted and illustrated by invincible: Steve Ditko
Lettered and bordered by indelible: Sam Rosen
10 pages

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Strange Tales #138	Reading order	Strange Tales #139
Strange Tales #138	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #139

I am Eternity!

This is part 9 of a 17-part saga. We’re halfway there. This midpoint issue is also the turning point issue. Dr. Strange has spent most of the saga on the run, and then on the run while also searching for Eternity.

The reason this saga is one of my favorite Marvel stories largely comes down to this being one of my favorite Marvel comics. And that mostly comes down to two great pages. Let’s give them some attention.

Start with page 2.

Strange Tales #136, Story B

What Lurks Beneath the Mask?

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: June 8, 1965
Cover: September 1965
12 cents
Edited and written by mystical, magical Stan Lee
Plotted and illustrated by weird, wondrous Steve Ditko
Lettered and bordered by loveable, laughable Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #135, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #137
Strange Tales #136	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #137

Demons of Darkness, at my command transport me to the hidden land!

Dr. Strange is still searching for Eternity. Last issue was something of a misstep along the way. He sought answers from a once-loyal servant of the Ancient One only to find betrayal and a trap. This will have a similar flavor. He’ll seek out another wise mystic and again get led astray.

While these are in a sense interludes, I appreciate that it’s not easy to find Eternity. Dr. Strange is somewhat fumbling in his quest. He doesn’t know where to go and keeps taking wrong turns.

Mordo remains in pursuit this whole time, grown more desperate since Dr. Strange seeks Eternity. Mordo doesn’t understand the word. But Dormammu knows exactly what it means and fears Dr. Strange learning the secret. This increases the excitement for the search.

As he searches, our insight into this world grows. We meet a woman whose life he once saved. We meet another unnamed mystic. We see Rama Kaliph has been rendered comatose by Mordo, and only Mordo’s defeat will save him.

Strange Tales #135, Story B

Eternity Beckons!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: May 4, 1965
Cover: August 1965
12 cents
Written and edited by Marvel’s mystical madman: Stan Lee
Plotted and illustrated by fandom’s favorite fiend: Steve Ditko
Lettered and bordered by comicdom’s cuddlesome conjurer: Sam Rosen
10 pages

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Strange Tales #134, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #136, Story B
Strange Tales #135	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #136

By the Seven Rings of Raggadorr… By Cyttorak’s Crimson Bands! I send thee through the unseen door… go thou where my spell commands!

This is a big issue for Strange Tales, as Nick Fury takes over the lead feature. This was the issue that introduced SHIELD and Hydra. But in the backup feature, Dr. Strange’s saga is still barreling along. Anybody picking up the title for the first time to check out the new Nick Fury stories will find themselves smack in the middle of a long Dr. Strange story.

Notice Ditko gets credited with the plotting. He’s plotted every Dr. Strange story, but now he’s getting credit. Proper credit is at the heart of his conflicts with Stan Lee.

We enter into a new status quo for the story. Mordo continues his pursuit of Strange, but Strange is no longer just on the run. He has a goal now, to find Eternity.

He seeks out a former disciple of the Ancient One, Sir Baskerville.

Strange Tales #134, Story B

Earth Be My Battleground

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: April 8, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Written by Marvel’s own living legend, Stan Lee
Illustrated by Marvel’s own unsung genius, Steve Ditko
Lettered by Marvel’s own beaming pixie, Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #133, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #135, Story B
Strange Tales #134	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #135

This is the final issue of Strange Tales to feature Ben and Johnny. We read their finale over a year ago, but are long delayed in finishing the comic.

With the end of the Human Torch/Thing and Giant-Man/Wasp series, Marvel basically stopped putting out bad superhero books. They aren’t all great. Hulk is flailing a bit without Ditko. Colan’s Namor is off to a rocky start. Iron Man hasn’t quite found his footing, but is much improved. And Ayers isn’t delivering on Sgt. Fury the way Kirby did, and I anyway think the best of Ayers’ work is mostly behind us on the series. But they’re all at least decent now. And the best of them–Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and Fantastic Four–are getting even better.

We get some progress in our big arc, and we’ll have some pedantic questions.

Let’s start with the progress. Dr. Strange at last learns that Ancient One has been occasionally awakening to say “Eternity”, and agrees to uncover the secret. That quest should occupy him for a few issues.

Mordo and his wraiths find Dr. Strange again, and again Dr. Strange is basically helpless against Dormammu’s power.

Strange Tales #133, Story B

A Nameless Land, A Nameless Time!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: March 11, 1965
Cover: June 1965
12 cents
Strange is this script by: Stan Lee!
Awesome is this art by: Steve Ditko!
Lilting is this lettering by: S. Rosen!
10 pages

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Strange Tales #132, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #134, Story B
Strange Tales #133	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #134

For I have truly gained the greatest power of all… that which is the fountainhead of all other power… I have gained the gift of knowledge!

Dormammu and Mordo have teamed up. The Ancient One is comatose. He keeps ominously referring to Eternity. Last issue ended with Dormammu possessing Mordo to destroy Dr. Strange, and Dr. Strange died.

I expect this to be a short issue.

Wait. Maybe I should read the first panel better. Dormammu claims Dr. Strange still lives. Strange summoned all his remaining power to transport himself to another dimension.

I’ve claimed repeatedly this is a great story arc. I think there’s some excellent melodrama throughout and some cool ideas coming, but it’s also a perfect showcase for what Ditko’s Dr. Strange is best known for: these bizarre almost formless dimensions that defy description or visualization, yet somehow rendered on our page.

More than that, what Ditko seems to be depicting in these first three panels is the transition from one strange dimension to another.

Strange Tales #132, Story B

Face-To-Face At Last with Baron Mordo!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: February 11, 1965
Cover: May 1965
12 cents
Though there be many writers, none but Stan Lee could have penned this tale!
Though there be many artists, none but Steve Ditko could have drawn this tale!
Though there be many letterers, none but Artie Simek was available when we needed him!
10 pages

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Strange Tales #131, Story B	Reading order	Strange Tales #133, Story B
Strange Tales #132	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #133

Eternity! If only Strange could know of– Eternity!

Again, the splash page serves as the cover.

Again, I love the noirish atmosphere of rain-soaked desperation that Ditko creates. This is a man on the run, who feels the whole world closing in.

Oh, Stan. Stan, Stan, Stan. Four issues ago Dr. Strange encountered a minor sorcerer he knew as the Demon. Ditko has plainly brought back the same character. Certainly, Dr. Strange would remember this person. Yet he gives no hint or reference to the fact that he and this guy just fought. Who was supposed to have renounced the mystic arts at Strange’s command. But who apparently got a better offer from Mordo. Strange mentions none of this, perhaps because Stan doesn’t recognize the guy. And we’re pretty near the point where Steve stopped speaking to Stan, which doesn’t help.

Strange Tales #127, Story B

Duel with the Dread Dormammu!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: September 8, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Story by: Stan Lee, master of macabre menace
Art by: Steve Ditko, weaver of wondrous witchraft
Lettered by: S. Rosen, sultan of speedball sorcery
10 pages

Previous	#263	Next
Strange Tales #127	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #19
Strange Tales #127	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #128

Last issue saw the build-up to Dr. Strange’s fight with Dormammu. It established pretty clearly that Dormammu is one of the most powerful beings in the universe, on a level we can’t even comprehend. Dr. Strange has no chance against Dormammu. Last issue was quite clear on that, but then cut off just as they were about to battle.

The promised battle does not immediately commence. Dormammu gives Strange a chance to reconsider first, as this would be more slaughter than battle.

The girl from last issue finds Dr. Strange again, this time to show him the moral complexity of the situation. Dormammu poses a threat to Earth; that is why Dr. Strange must stop him. But Dormammu also rules his realm. Early indications are that he’s something of a tyrant, imprisoning people who question him or fail him.

He may be a tyrant; he may be evil; he may be about to destroy our world… but he’s also the only force standing between his subjects and the Mindless Ones. Whatever else he may be, he keeps his people safe. Even if Dr. Strange somehow succeeded in defeating Dormammu, the mystic shields sustained by Dormammu’s will would break, allowing the Mindless Ones to enter the Dark Realm, where they would proceed to kill all the inhabitants. Quite the moral quandary.

Strange Tales #126, Story B

The Domain of the Dread Dormammu!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: August 11, 1964
Cover: November 1964
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee Prince of Prestidigitators!
Illustrated by: Steve Ditko Lord of Legerdemain!
Lettered by: Art Simek Nabob of Necromancy!
10 pages

Previous	#261	Next
Strange Tales #126	Reading order	Strange Tales #127
Strange Tales #126	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #127

The last few issues of Dr. Strange have essentially been filler. Forgettable stories, with Ditko not even supplying his own finishes on the art. I begged your indulgence, promising they had something good in the works. They did. This is it.

Lee and Ditko’s work on Dr. Strange is recognized as one of the best runs of comic books ever. For the next 20 issues, we’ll see why.

Generally speaking, Ditko does the heavy lifting on this series. But, assuming all the narration is attributable to Stan, he does his share here with some evocative prose.

There is a world half-hidden between the real and the imaginary!

A world in which the impossible is believable, and the incredible is commonplace…

Dr. Strange enters the Realm of Darkness, ruled by the Dread Dormammu. Dormmamu is a powerful sorcerer the Ancient One himself had once fought and been unable to defeat. Now, Dormammu plans to expand his domain and conquer Earth. Only Dr. Strange can stop him.

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