Doctor Strange

Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange is a fictional character in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He was created by artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 in July 1963. Doctor Strange is known as the Sorcerer Supreme, meaning he protects the Earth from magical dangers.

Strange starts as a very smart and confident neurosurgeon. However, he is hurt in a car accident that damages the nerves in his hands. This makes it impossible for him to work as a surgeon. Unable to accept this, he travels the world looking for ways to heal himself. His journey leads him to meet the Ancient One, who becomes his teacher in the mystical arts.

Under the Ancient One’s guidance, Strange learns powerful magic and gains special items, such as the Eye of Agamotto and the Cloak of Levitation. He lives in a special house called the Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, where he works with his friend Wong to keep the world safe. Over the years, Doctor Strange has also appeared in movies, first played by Peter Hooten in a 1978 television film and later by Benedict Cumberbatch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Publication history

Creation

Artist Steve Ditko and writer Stan Lee created the character. Ditko first shared the idea with Lee. They decided to name him Dr. Strange, though they almost called him Mr. Strange.

Early years

Dr. Strange first appeared in Strange Tales #110 in July 1963. The stories had magical items like the "Eye of Agamotto" and the "Wand of Watoomb". The stories featured strange and surreal worlds, which many people liked. The tales mixed ideas from different cultures and myths.

Later, more artists worked on the stories, making them more complex. Dr. Strange traveled to strange places and fought cosmic battles. He appeared in many comic series, solving mystical problems and facing magical enemies.

Fictional character biography

Dr. Stephen Strange is a very smart doctor who was born in Philadelphia and grew up in New York City. He went to medical school at Columbia University and became very good at surgery, but he only treated patients who could pay a lot of money.

One day, Dr. Strange had an accident while driving too fast that hurt the bones in his hands. This made it impossible for him to perform surgery anymore. He tried many treatments to fix his hands but failed and lost all his money. Dr. Strange then heard about a wise person called the Ancient One who lived in the Himalayas and could heal anyone. Even though he didn’t believe in magic, Dr. Strange went to find the Ancient One.

The Ancient One didn’t want to help Dr. Strange at first because he was too proud. But when Dr. Strange stopped a bad person named Baron Mordo from hurting the Ancient One, he showed he had a good heart. The Ancient One then agreed to teach Dr. Strange special magic skills. After learning these skills, Dr. Strange returned to New York City to live in a special house called the Sanctum Sanctorum in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, with his friend Wong.

Later, Dr. Strange had to face many magical enemies, including a powerful ruler named Dormammu from another world called the "Dark Dimension". With help from a young girl named Clea, Dr. Strange stopped Dormammu’s plan to take over Earth.

Powers and abilities

Doctor Strange is a sorcerer who gets his powers from mystical beings such as Agamotto, Cyttorak, Ikonn, Oshtur, Raggadorr, and Watoomb. These beings give him energy for spells. He uses special items like the Cloak of Levitation to fly, the Eye of Agamotto to block bad magic, the Book of the Vishanti for knowledge of good magic, and the Orb of Agamotto to see magic happening anywhere in the world.

Besides magic, Doctor Strange knows many fighting styles like judo and can create magical weapons like swords. Before becoming a sorcerer, he was a skilled doctor, though an accident made it hard for him to use his hands. He is known as the greatest magician in the universe and protects the world from magical threats.

Sorcerer Supreme

Doctor Strange is often shown as the Sorcerer Supreme, a special role for a magic user who protects Earth and the universe from magical dangers. The Sorcerer Supreme also makes sure that other dimensions, like the Dark Dimension, do not mix with our own world.

Before Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme was a wise person from Tibet called the Ancient One. After the Ancient One passed away, Strange took over this important job. In one story, a character named Doctor Doom took the role from Strange for a short time. In the future, a hero named the Scarlet Witch will become the Sorcerer Supreme.

Enemies

Doctor Strange has fought many tough enemies. Some of his famous foes are:

• Aggamon – The ruler of the Purple Dimension.
• Baron Mordo – An evil wizard and former student of the Ancient One.
• D'Spayre – A demon who feeds on fear.
• Dagoth – A sea demon and child of Dagon.
• Dormammu – The ruler of the Dark Dimension.
• Dweller-in-Darkness – A demon who spreads fear.
• Enchantress – An Asgardian sorceress Doctor Strange met during the "Acts of Vengeance" story.
• Kaecilius – An evil wizard who works for Baron Mordo.
• Kaluu – A very old wizard and former classmate of the Ancient One.
• Mindless Ones – Soldiers from the Dark Dimension who serve Dormammu.
• Mister Rasputin – A sorcerer who claims to be related to Grigori Rasputin.
• Necromancer – A version of Doctor Strange from another Earth.
• Nightmare – The ruler of the Dream Dimension.
• Paradox – A being Doctor Strange made to stand in for him.
• Satannish – A demon from another dimension.
• Shanzar – The supreme sorcerer of the Strange Matter Dimension, who once controlled Hulk.
• Shazana - A sorceress and queen from another dimension.
• Shuma-Gorath – An ancient being from Earth's early history.
• Silver Dagger – A sorcerer with strong religious beliefs.
• Sons of Satannish – A group that worships Satannish.
• Stygyro - A magician from the 1600s.
• Tiboro – A human-like being who says he is from the Sixth Dimension.
• Umar – A resident of the Dark Dimension and the sister of Dormammu.
• Undying Ones – Demons from another world with many magical powers.
• Yandroth – A supreme scientist from the planet Yann.

Cultural impact and legacy

Steve Ditko's artwork for Doctor Strange is very important in comic book history. His style was unusual and dreamy, showing strange worlds that looked like dreams. This matched the feelings of many people in the 1960s.

Many places have listed Doctor Strange as one of the best and most powerful characters. He is known as one of the smartest magic users, the best sorcerers, and one of the most powerful heroes in Marvel comics.

Doctor Strange has also influenced other areas. A music group named themselves after him, and he appears in songs by famous bands. He even shows up on the cover of an album by the band Pink Floyd, with an image taken from one of his old comic stories.

Other versions

Two months before Doctor Strange first appeared, another character named Carl Strange was introduced. This Carl Strange was a scientist who got special mental powers after a lightning strike.

In different versions of stories, Doctor Strange looks and acts in many ways. In one world, he works for S.H.I.E.L.D. instead of learning magic. In another, he helps people with special powers. Some stories show him teaching magic instead of learning it. There are even stories where he fights bad guys with teams or lives in futures far from today. Each version shows how Doctor Strange's story can change in new and interesting ways.

Main article: Doctor Strange

In other media

Television

Doctor Strange has been in many TV shows. He was in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends with voice actor John Stephenson, and in Spider-Man: The Animated Series voiced by John Vernon. He also appeared in The Incredible Hulk, The Super Hero Squad Show, and several Disney XD series like Ultimate Spider-Man, Avengers Assemble, and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., with different voice actors including Jack Coleman and Liam O'Brien. In Japan, he was in Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers and Marvel Future Avengers, voiced by Yasunori Masutani in Japanese and Liam O'Brien in English. He also appeared in Spider-Man (2017), Marvel Super Hero Adventures, and X-Men '97.

Film

Doctor Strange was in a 1978 film played by Peter Hooten, where he worked as a psychiatrist. He also appeared in an animated movie called Doctor Strange: The Sorcerer Supreme, voiced by Bryce Johnson. He had a small role in Planet Hulk as part of a group called the Illuminati, and later in Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell, again voiced by Liam O'Brien.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Doctor Strange is played by Benedict Cumberbatch in movies and shows set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He first appeared in the 2016 film Doctor Strange after a car accident gave him special powers. He also appeared in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Different versions of him show up in What If...? and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Video games

Doctor Strange is a character you can play or meet in many video games. He helps Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin and is a playable character in games like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, Marvel Avengers Alliance, and many more, including several Lego games and fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom series. He also appears in Marvel Powers United VR and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, among others.

Miscellaneous

Doctor Strange has been in radio dramas and books, like a WBAI radio drama and a novel titled Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts: Nightmare by William Rotsler. He also had a small appearance in Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher.