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Strange Tales #144, Story B

Where Man Hath Never Trod!

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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Strange Tales #144	Reading order	Strange Tales #145
Strange Tales #144	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #145

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…

Strange Tales #143, Story B

With None Beside Me!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: January 11, 1966
Cover: April 1966
12 cents
Edited and rehashed by: Stan Lee
Written and rewritten by: Roy Thomas
Plotted and drawn by: Steve Ditko
Lettered and blotted by: Artie Simek
10 pages

Previous	#481	Next
Strange Tales #143	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #75, Story B
Strange Tales #143	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #144

And just like that, Stan Lee is not writing this series any more. He’s been the credited writer since the beginning, and isn’t quite done as the regular writer. But he’s off for the next half dozen issues or so. Last issue was his final collaboration with Ditko on the character of Dr. Strange. Maybe for the best as they no longer get along by this point.

Roy Thomas is Marvel’s young writer that Lee will increasingly be leaning on to take the burden of scripting some of these titles. He’s now the regular scripter on Sgt. Fury, but is only on Dr. Strange for the next two issues.

Either way, this is really Ditko’s comic. Whoever is scripting is just there for finishing touches.

We’re kind of maybe still in the middle of the Eternity Saga. Mordo defeated. Dormammu humbled. That woman missing. The Ancient One off searching for her. Mordo’s minions causing trouble. Dr. Strange with his hands and face bound, and his amulet and cloak stolen.

In this issue, Strange defeats the disciples and recovers his amulet and cloak.

Notably, we still don’t get the name for either disciple. The man will eventually be named Kaecilius, and he’ll be the main villain in the first Dr. Strange film, played by Mads Mikkelsen.

The woman will be known as Adria. It will be 16 years before either shows up again.

Strange Tales #141, Story B

Let There Be Victory!

Featuring: Dr. Strange
Release: November 11, 1965
Cover: February 1966
12 cents
Dialogue and captions: Stan Lee
Plot and artwork: Steve Ditko
Lettering and more lettering: Artie Simek
10 pages

Previous	#428	Next
Strange Tales #141	Reading order	Avengers #21
Strange Tales #141	Strange Tales	Strange Tales #142

…I must destroy him! And destroy him I shall!! For I am truly– the Dread Dormammu!!

Chapter 12. Dr. Strange had defeated and humiliated Mordo, so Dormammu challenged Strange directly to a duel of honor for the fate of Earth. They fought using “pincers of power”. Dr. Strange was on the edge of victory when the treacherous Mordo intervened and struck a cowardly blow, leaving Dr. Strange defeated.

And so we continue the Eternity Saga.

Notice the plotting credit for Ditko. He’s plotted every Dr. Strange story.

Generally these stories have really been 9 pages, with the opening splash page serving as a sort of cover for the issue, since the actual issue covers always go to Nick Fury. However, this time Ditko seems to need all 10 pages, so a lot of plot is covered on the opening splash page.

Dormammu banishes Mordo for daring to presume he needed help. That’s the end of that partnership and Mordo’s last bow for this story.

Then Dormammu gallingly still tries to claim his prize despite clearly cheating.