Doctor Strange #1

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The table includes 9 guide observations and 0 catalog references. These are reference values, not guaranteed sale proceeds.

Graded population

CGC records 3,942 graded copies for Doctor Strange #1 (1974). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

Through an Orb Darkly

Within the Sanctum Sanctorum, Clea shows Doctor Strange the most awesome of the forbidden rituals she has recently learned by summoning a rabbit from within a top hat. His recent heavy mood lightened by her trick, Strange and Clea enjoy some intimate time together before Strange asks Wong to prepare the Mists of Morpheus so that he can sleep. Once the two men have left the room, Clea talks to the rabbit, unaware that Silver Dagger, who believes Strange to be a demon in need of destruction, is lurking just outside the window. In order to gain entry to the mansion without triggering its defenses, Silver Dagger casts an enchantment that passes through the window and strikes the rabbit, causing it to enlarge to giant size. Terrified by the change, the rabbit smashes through the window to escape. Since Clea believes that her spell was responsible, she is not on her guard and so Silver Dagger is able to take her by surprise and mesmerize her. Wong arrives and attacks the intruder but Silver Dagger defeats him with a single blow, and then turns his attention to the Eye of Agamotto. Upon being touched by unfamiliar fingers, the amulet emits a mystical bolt in an attempt to warn its master but Silver Dagger conjures the Fangs of Farallah to stop it. Undetected, Silver Dagger sneaks up behind the sleeping Strange and hurls his mystical dagger at his back, inflicting a mortal wound. Silver Dagger takes both the amulet and Clea with him when he leaves.

An hour later, Wong revives and finds that Strange is still alive. However, Strange states that the wound from the enchanted knife has mortally wounded him and asks Wong to bring him the Eye of Agamotto and Clea because both will be needed to maintain his life. When Wong reveals that the intruder has stolen both of them, Strange is forced to turn to the Orb of Agamotto instead. After casting a spell of stasis that prevents him from getting worse, Strange uses the Orb to seek Clea and observes her being tortured by Silver Dagger in his effort to save her soul. As Silver Dagger detects that Strange is watching, the image of his face transforms into that of a skull and then tentacles reach out of the Orb, grab Strange and pull him into the Orb. Strange realizes that, since the Orb's power stems from necromancy, it was Death that has seized him. Finding himself seemingly alive and no longer injured, Strange realizes that he has been changed and soon meets a giant talking caterpillar smoking a hookah while seated on giant mushroom. The caterpillar claims to be real within a world where nothing is real and tells Strange that he won't be able to get out but Strange rejects that idea so the caterpillar changes form and attacks him. The two then have a brief battle during which the creature reveals that Strange's use of the Orb to stave off his fast-approaching real death had opened himself too completely to unreality, allowing it to capture him. Once the battle ends, the caterpillar tells Strange that, if he's determined to try to check out, then he might as well head for the center of the Orb because everything comes together there, maybe even an egress. The caterpillar warns Strange that, even if he does get out, he will find himself back where he started, minutes away from death by stabbing, and suggests that he stay there in unreality. As Strange flies off, stating that he would rather die than become something that he is not, the caterpillar watches him go, laughing as he slowly fades away until he's totally gone.

Creative credits

Writers: Steve Englehart, Frank Brunner

Interior art: Frank Brunner

Color: Glynis Wein

Cover art: Frank Brunner, Gaspar Saladino

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

GCD: 27472

PANEL PROFITS: 2400826