Dr.
Strange
Dr.
Strange
Real Name: Dr. Stephen Vincent Strange
First Appearance: Strange Tales I #110 (1963)
Once a skilled surgeon, Dr. Strange's life was changed forever by an automobile accident which resulted in irreparable nerve damage in his wrists. Convinced that a cure to his wounds existed somewhere, Strange eventually sought out the Ancient One in the Himalayas. It was there that instead of healing his wounds that Strange healed his soul. Studying under the Ancient One, Doctor Strange swore to protect the Earth from all threats arcane and mystic. As Strange asserted himself as this realm's master of the mystic arts, it came time for him to select a pupil to study under him. When news of this reached Latveria, Doom briefly considered it but decided otherwise because Latveria was still in the process of recovering from the rule of Zorba. Strange's earliest encounter with Doctor Doom was during the Infinity Gauntlet crisis. After detecting various transmissions, Doom traced their destination to Strange's home. Upon arriving there, Doom forcibly tried to extract from him information on the mass disappearances occurring throughout the world. Doom ultimately joined Strange and others under Adam Warlock's leadership to combat the wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos of Titan. After the heroes defeat at the hands of Thanos, Strange traveled with Dr. Druid in order to restore Doom who had been petrified during the first assault. In order to reverse his condition, the two sorcerers returned Doom to the place of his "birth," the home of the Monks of Doom. There Strange observed as Doom was immersed in the flames that first cast his armor. The process however released a Shadow Doom, one that represented all of Doom's repressed urges and feelings. Although the Shadow Doom claimed to be all that was good in Doom, it fought Strange and Druid in order to maintain its existence and destroy the "evil" Doom. The real Doom finally emerged from the flames and joined them in defeating the Shadow Doom and uniting him once again with his corporeal self. In the presence of Strange and Druid, Doom admitted to losing control in the previous battle against Thanos and saluted Strange. Later Doom accompanied Strange in the second assault after Nebula wrested control of the Infinity Gauntlet. At the end of the conflict, all was restored to normal and Doom was left with only a flickering memory of what transpired.
The next time the two men met, both were summoned by the Aged Ghengis to compete against Earth's mightiest sorcerers for the title of Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. While Strange won the contest and the title, he was required to grant a boon to the next best contender. That sorcerer was none other than Doom. Although reluctant to aid a renown villain, Doom's request was nothing villainous. For years Doom had strove to free his mother's eternal soul from the grasp of Mephisto. Each time he failed. Doom asked Strange to aid him in his quest to free his mother. Agreeing to offer his help, the two traveled into hell itself and managed to accomplish their goal. However for Doom the price proved high. In order to free and purify his mother's soul he forced her to disown him.
Over the proceeding years Strange and
Doom rarely crossed paths. Finally, in the aftermath of the Siege of Darkness, in
which Dr. Strange was separated into three different personas, the grim facet
known as Strange seemingly battled Doom over the Oculus Oroboros. However at the
culmination of the battle it was revealed that Doom was nothing but a Virtual
Doomsman under the control of Nathanial Richards. Sometime later, a reunified
Dr. Strange had another near encounter with Doom. Sensing a great disturbance in
time, Strange enlisted the aid of the Thing to defeat Doom, who had traveled
from the year 2099 in order to provide his people with an immunity to a toxin
that would exterminate them.
Despite the great service and boon that the sorcerer had given him, Doom's cordial treatment of the sorcerer changed for the worse. After making a pact with three netherworld demons, Doom ambushed Strange by surprise and captured his physical form to prevent him from interfering with his mystical onslaught upon the Fantastic Four. Strange then assisted Reed Richards via astral form and provided him with a means to defeat Doom. Strange presumably freed himself of his demonic captors once Doom was defeated.
DOOM ENCOUNTERS:
Doctor Strange v1 #57 / Fantastic Four v1 #258 Doom is informed that Dr. Strange is without a disciple.
Infinity Gauntlet #2-6
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #32 Minor appearance, Doom is in the background having a drink
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #34 Strange battles Shadow Doom
Doctor Strange and Dr. Doom: Triumph and Torment Strange aids Doom in saving mother's soul
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #62 Battles Doombot over Oculus Oroboros
Doom 2099 #40 Strange senses the disturbance in time
Doom 2099 #42 Enlists the Thing to combat Doom 2099
Fantastic Four v3 #69 FF try to enlist Strange's aid but don't realize that Doom has captured him
Fantastic Four v3 #500 Strange contacts and aids Reed Richards