raggador – Coke ⊕ Comics

Strange Tales #150, Story B

The Conquest of Kaluu!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: August 9, 1966
Cover: November 1966
12 cents
Gloriously edited by Stan Lee
Graniloquently scripted by Roy Thomas
Gorgeously drawn by Wild Bill Everett
Grudgingly lettered by Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #149, Story B	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #81
Strange Tales #150	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #151

It is the Sacred Griffin– the beast appointed by the priests of the Babylonian god Marduk to stand eternal vigil over the mystic text! It has ever been written in the Words of Flame that he who defeats the fearsome sentinel… is the destined possessor of the book!

Dr. Strange gets the cover again. Seems like he and Nick Fury will be trading off who gets featured.

We’re skipping the Nick Fury half of this comic to finish off the Kaluu arc.

O’Neill had been the writer for the last few issues, but Thomas fills in for this one. His scripting is described as “graniloquent”. Looks like Stan will return to the title next issue.

As you can see from the list down the page, Thomas is all in on the invocations.

So far, the Kaluu story has been terrible. Will Thomas turn it around?

Four issues into the battle, and Dr. Strange and Kaluu still haven’t met. So if we get that far, it will be a step up.

We’d heard Ancient One whine for several issues now about how powerful Kaluu is. But now Kaluu seems to fear that he will lose if his foes get any time to plan.

Strange Tales #149, Story B

If Kaluu Should Triumph…

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: July 7, 1966
Cover: October 1966
12 cents
Editing: Stan Lee
Writing: Dennis O’Neil
Art: Bill Everett
Lettering: Sam Rosen
Technical advice: The Forbush Family Ghost
10 pages

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Strange Tales #149	Reading order	Strange Tales #150, Story B
Strange Tales #149	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #150

“I dunno if he’s breaking any laws, but it won’t hurt to question him!”
“Yeah… chances are he’s not exactly a member of the Chamber of Commerce, dressed in those duds!”

On the first page, we learn Kaluu has spent 500 years in a nameless dimension. Last issue, the dimension was named Raggador, sometimes spelled “Raggadorr”.

Meanwhile, we have some very confusing word balloons. Who is speaking in that middle balloon? It seems to connect to both Dr. Strange and Ancient One’s balloons. Are they speaking in unison?

What is up with the Ancient One and the flying carpet. He seems to be passing through it. It seems to be intentional. He’s drawn with only his torso sticking out of the carpet for the rest of the comic, but they don’t explain why.

Strange Tales #148, Story B

The Origin of the Ancient One!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: June 9, 1966
Cover: September 1966
12 cents
Magical editing by Stan Lee
Mystic script by Denny O’Neil
Mysterious art by Bill Everett
Makeshift lettering by Artie Simek
10 pages

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Strange Tales #148	Reading order	Strange Tales #149
Strange Tales #148	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #149

“…he will be punished for whatever dark deeds he has committed! I, Dr. Strange, vow it!”
“Enough! Your babbling is that of a callow schoolboy, Disciple!”

Finally, Dr. Strange is starting to get the cover slot sometimes.

You can see my own copy of the cover has seen better days.

For this issue, O’Neil copies the structure of X-Men #12. That structure didn’t work then and this won’t either.

In the X-Men story, Juggernaut is attacking the X-Men, but rather than prepare, Professor X insists the X-Men must first know his entire life story, instead of just telling them the relevant bits.

Same idea here. Kaluu has just attacked and stolen the Book of the Vishanti. The Ancient One will keep stressing how urgently they must stop him. But first he thinks he needs to tell Dr. Strange his entire life story.

Strange Tales #128, Story B

The Demon’s Disciple!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: October 8, 1864
Cover: January 1965
12 cents
Written by: Stan Lee– unchallenged master of the dramatic word!
Drawn by: Steve Ditko– unquestioned innovator of the occult illustration!
Lettered by: Artie Simek– unabashed purveyor of the captivating caption!
10 pages

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Strange Tales #128	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #61
Strange Tales #128	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #129

Dr. Strange gets more cover real estate than usual.

Recall that after last issue’s epic battle with Dormammu, Dr. Strange was rewarded with a more powerful amulet and a new cape. The narrator here notes the amulet and new powers of levitation. This seems to imply the cape itself bestows the power of levitation. Dr. Strange confirms this at the end of the story.

A man comes to Dr. Strange seeking help. He had become the disciple of a magician known as the Demon and wishes to leave the Demon’s service. The Demon summons him back before Dr. Strange can help.