Read the comic book Doctor Strange volume 1. Doctor Strange comics. Endless Crusade

Hero Characteristics

Real name: Dr. Stefan "Steve" Vincent Strange
Nicknames: Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts, Master of Dark Magic, Doctor Stefan Sanders, Captain Universe, Sorcerer Supreme, Red Rajah
Personality: Well known
Universe: Earth-616 (Mainstream)
Floor: Male
Position: Good
Height: 189 cm (6\'2\" ft)
Weight: 82 kg (180 lb)
Eye Color: Grey
Hair color: Black with gray
Relatives: Eugene Strange (father, deceased), Beverly Strange (mother, deceased), Victor Strange (brother, possibly deceased), Donna Strange (sister, deceased), Clea (wife), Umar (wife's mother), Orini (wife's father), Dormammu (wife's uncle)
Group affiliation: New Avengers, formerly Defenders, Illuminati, Midnight Sons, Secret Defenders
Friends: Wong, Eternity, Rintrah, Silver Surfer, Topaz, Doctor Voodoo, Hellstrom, Psylocke, The Elder, Adam Warlock, Professor X, Namor, Black Bolt, Luke Cage, Johnny Blaze, Sentry, Iron Man, Jennifer Kale, Wiccan, Captain America, Blade, Beast, Black Cat
Enemies: Dormammu, Mephisto, Umar, Nightmare, Shuma-Gorath, Baron Mordo, Jandorf, Lilith, Asmodeus, Zom, Hulk, Dracula, Sattanish, Loki, Thanos, Madmen, The Hood, Doctor Doom, Galactus
Date of Birth: November 1930
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Citizenship: USA
Family status: Married, separated

Just as time flows, imitating the sands. Like the winds of amazing Watumba. Let the veil be lifted and the demons fall...

Start

Stephen Strange was born in 1930 to Eugene and Beverly Strange. When the future wizard was two years old, his sister Donna was born, and after some time Stefan's brother Victor was born. As a child, Donna suffered serious trauma, and the future magician had to take care of her. It was then that Stefan realized that he wanted to become a doctor and help people. Strange thought that, having received necessary knowledge, he will be able to cure any person. That is why, after graduating from school, Stefan entered medical school located in New York. When Strange was nineteen years old, he and his sister went swimming in the river. While swimming, Donna suffered a cramp and, despite her brother's best efforts, she drowned. On this day, Stefan stopped being an idealist and realized that no matter how hard he tried, all people still could not be saved.

Strange graduated from medical school and, thanks to his talent, within 5 years he became a famous neurosurgeon. However, fast career and easy fame made Stephen arrogant. When Strange was 30 years old, his mother died. Having suffered a bereavement, the neurosurgeon became even more callous and insensitive. Stefan spoke rudely and disrespectfully to his patients. The exception was Madeleine Revell, a UN translator who was saved by Strange. After a short affair, Stefan proposed marriage to Madeline, but she refused due to his terrible character. Two years after Strange's mother died, his father Eugene became seriously ill and died. Stefan, heartbroken, did not attend his father's funeral. The next day Victor came to him. A conflict arose between the brothers, as a result of which Strange Jr. was forced to leave. On the way home, Victor was hit by a car and died. Feeling guilty for his brother's death, Stefan froze his body, hoping that one day he would be able to bring Victor back to life.

New life

In 1963, Strange was involved in a car accident that left his hands severely mangled. The doctors did everything they could, but the nerve endings could not be restored. Realizing that Stefan would no longer be able to work as a neurosurgeon, his colleagues offered Strange a position as an assistant or consultant at the clinic. But the future wizard was too proud to agree. Stefan began traveling around the world in search of treatment, spending his savings in the process. When Strange's money ran out, he was forced to perform various illegal surgeries. One day the future wizard heard about a Tibetan wizard named Ancient One who could restore his hands. Then Stefan spent his last savings to buy a ticket to Tibet. Having found the Old One, Strange asked the magician to heal his hands. However, the wizard refused to comply with Stefan's request and invited him to study magic, but the former neurosurgeon refused. Strange was about to leave when suddenly a snowstorm began and he was forced to stay. While in the temple, Stefan saw that the Elder's student Baron Mordo had summoned skeletons and was about to kill his teacher. Strange tried to warn the wizard, but Mordo used a spell to stop him. Fortunately, the Elder knew about his student’s plan and easily defeated the skeletons. Then Mordo was forced to flee. After the battle, Stefan was fascinated by all the magic he saw. Strange changed his mind and agreed to study magic in order to be able to resist Mordo in the future.

The Elder knew that Stefan was destined to become the Supreme Sorcerer long before they met. That's why he didn't train Damen Hellstrom when he asked him to. The Elder had been looking for a receiver for a long time, which Strange became. As he studied, Stefan discovered the remarkable magical abilities given to him at birth. Strange learned to control these powers and use them as weapons. He also gained the ability to call upon the power of the Principalities - powerful beings such as Dormammu, Satannish and Vishanti who reside in their own worlds. A few years later, the Elder gave Stefan a test that he himself passed 600 years ago. The magician confronted Strange with Death itself. A battle ensued between them, during which Stefan, at the cost of incredible efforts, emerged victorious. As a reward, the wizard received immortality and a special ankh-shaped mark on his forehead, which appears at the moment when Strange is in serious danger. As a student of the Elder, Stefan more than once helped other wizards around the world. Among them were Lord Julian Phyffe and Sir Clive Bentley from Great Britain, Cardinal Alfeo Spinosa and Count Tancredo Carezzi from Italy, Omar Karindu , Rama Kaliph and Turhan Barim from Central Asia, Wai Chee Yee and Sen-Yu from Asia, Aleister Kane, Kenneth Ward and Frank Brukner from America. Strange also made many superhero allies, including Black Fox. However, there were also people who questioned Stefan's talent, such as Immortalis and Terror.

The Return and Life of a Superhero

In 1970, after seven years of study, Strange returned to New York. He became a consultant on mystical phenomena and created his new sanctuary in Greenwich Village. Stefan also acquired an assistant named Wong, who was the last of the dynasty that served the Elder. After returning, Strange began to fight demonic creatures such as Bottle Imp and KHL?G. At the same time, the wizard first encountered Nightmare, a villain who fed on people's bad dreams. Gradually, Stefan became a fairly well-known magician, and the official authorities began to turn to him for help.

For quite some time, Doctor Strange tried to stay away from other superheroes until Loki tricked the wizard into attacking his brother Thor. Ultimately, the villain's plan was discovered, and Stefan then teamed up with Odinson to confront the villain. Strange later encountered Mordo again, who this time kidnapped a group of people and locked them in another dimension. Then the wizard teamed up with Spider-Man, and together they saved the prisoners. However, what Parker and Strange saw in another dimension shocked them so much that Peter asked Stefan to erase all memories of this event. However, the magician and Spider-Man became friends and helped each other more than once. After some time, Dormammu, sensing that his archenemy the Elder had weakened, decided to challenge Strange. The villain transferred the magician to his dimension, where they were supposed to compete in a magical duel. Dormammu hoped that by defeating Stefan, he would be able to take over the Earth. Meanwhile, Strange, stranded in his enemy's world, met a young wizard named Clea, who was actually Dormammu's niece. Subsequently, a romantic relationship will begin between them. The magician tried to dissuade Stefan from fighting her uncle, because if Dormammu died, the barrier protecting the dimension would be destroyed, and then their universe could be taken over by the Mindless Ones. However, Strange had no intention of backing down. The wizard entered into battle with Dormammu and was defeated. But, since Uncle Clay lost a lot of strength during the battle, the Mad Men broke the barrier and invaded the dimension. To save Dormammu's universe, Stefan transferred his power to him. Having received Strange's power, Uncle Clay defeated the Madmen. In gratitude for his help, Dormammu released Stefan and abandoned the plan to conquer the Earth, but subsequently the wizard and Uncle Clay would fight each other more than once. Returning home, Strange teamed up with other heroes to confront Sundown. Over time, Stefan became quite famous among superheroes, so many famous teams, such as the Fantastic Four, X-Men and Avengers, repeatedly turned to him for help in consulting on mystical phenomena. A few months after the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, Strange was reunited with Clay and the lovers began to live together.

After some time, Asmodeus locked Stefan's spirit in another dimension, and he moved into his body and tried to kill the Old One. According to metaphysical law, Strange could not appear on Earth in his previous appearance, so the wizard took the new kind- a man with a mask on his face. Returning back, Stefan defeated Asmodeus. After the battle, Strange wanted to keep his new appearance in order to remain incognito, so for some time the magician continued to fight evil in the form of a man with a mask, until Nightmare accidentally revealed his secret. Then Eternity, as a thank you for the help Strange once provided her, helped the wizard regain his anonymity. She transferred all people's knowledge about Stephen Strange to Stephen Sanders. As a result, the former neurosurgeon turned into an unknown person, and Sanders instantly became a celebrity, taking away Strange's fame. Later, the Undying Ones, a group of demons who ruled the Earth thousands of years ago, tried to take over the planet. Then Stefan bewitched Namor and Hulk and with their help stopped the invasion of the villains.

After the battle, Strange was very concerned that he was using other heroes for his own purposes. Stefan decided to end his superhero career and returned to his former clinic, where he began working as a consultant. However, Strange's vacation did not last long. A few weeks later, Mordo attacked Stefan, and he was forced to become a wizard again. During this time, the Elder broke the Eternity spell and restored Strange to his former glory. Later, the Earth was again attacked by Nameless One, the leader of the Immortals. To stop the demon, Stefan teamed up with Namor and the Hulk (this time with the voluntary consent of the heroes). After some time, the Silver Surfer joined this trio, forming a new group, the Defenders, which periodically gathered to repel the next threat approaching the Earth.

Illuminati

Shortly after the Scrull-Kree War, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt, Professor X, Mister Fantastic, Iron Man, and Namor formed a team called the Illuminati. The group met only a few times and only to discuss issues of primary importance. Unlike other heroes, Stefan was present at all team meetings, giving advice and sharing his experience gained over decades of fighting demons. Soon the Illuminati launched a daring attack on the Skrull planet: Strange teleported the heroes directly to the emperor's ship. The Illuminati have stated that they will not allow Earth to be used as a battlefield between alien races. However, it was not possible to resolve the conflict peacefully. Then Black Bolt, with the destructive power of his voice, caused a huge explosion on the ship. The Illuminati attempted to leave the planet but were captured. Later, Tony Stark managed to escape, but the Skrulls still received a DNA sample of all the Illuminati and Iron Man's armor. Thus, the team not only accelerated the process of invading Earth, but also provided the aliens with forces for this.

Supreme Mage

Some time later, Strange and the Elder were attacked by Shuma-Gorath, a demon who ruled the Earth several thousand years ago, but was banished during the Hyborean era. The villain was planning to return to the world using the mind of Stefan's teacher. When Shuma-Gorath captured the consciousness of the Elder, the magician asked Strange to kill him. Obeying the orders of his teacher, Stefan took the wizard's life. Having died, the spirit of the Old One was reunited with Eternity, and Strange inherited the mantle of his teacher, becoming the Sorcerer Supreme. From now on, Stefan received new abilities and became the protector of the universe. Then Strange decided to use the spells of the Book of the Vishanti to revive Victor. However, Stefan mixed up the spells and made his brother a vampire. Thinking the magic didn't work, Strange left Victor in the freezer. After this, Stefan returned to the Defenders team, which changed its composition several times over the next few months. This group included Valkyrie, Brunnhilde, Nighthawk, Hellcat, Hellstrom. For Strange, working in a team was not easy, but the camaraderie, coupled with the love of Clay, saved Stefan from loneliness forever.

After some time, a group of wizards called upon the Creators, who subdued the spirit of the Elder. Controlled by the villain, Strange's teacher took the mantle from his student and stripped him of the title of Sorcerer Supreme. Then Stefan entered into battle with the Creator, during which the wizard freed the Elder. Having woken up, Strange's teacher returned him the title of Supreme Sorcerer. Later, a group of mysterious aliens called the Tribunals convinced the four members of the Defenders that their alliance would lead to colossal destruction in the universe. As it turned out later, the aliens lied, but the heroes still decided to separate. Some time later, Strange, wanting to defeat Dracula, joined a group of vampire hunters. With the help of the Darkhold, Stefan obtained the famous Montesi Formula, a spell that destroyed vampires. Strange used this weapon and killed all the bloodsuckers on Earth. Only the wizard's brother managed to survive, since Victor was under the protection of the Vishanti book. Meanwhile, Clea returned to the dark dimension to organize a rebellion against Umar, who was actually her mother. Eventually, Dormammu's niece overthrew the ruler and, with Strange's support, took the throne. From now on, Clea ruled the dark dimension, and Strange was forced to return to Earth. The lovers parted ways.

Returning home, Stefan was attacked by the alien Arthona. During the battle, Strange destroyed all his talismans, artifacts and magic books so that the foreigner would not get them. After the relics were destroyed, the barriers between the worlds weakened, and hordes of magical creatures, once defeated by magicians, moved to Earth. At this time, Stefan was joined by the young wizard Rintrah and the dark magician Kaluu. Together the sorcerers were able to defeat the invaders. With Strange weakened after losing his relics, Kaluu offered to train the Sorcerer Supreme in dark magic. Stefan was not enthusiastic about this idea, but still agreed. This knowledge was useful to Strange during the battle with Shuma-Gorath, who captured the wizard’s mind. Dark magic helped Stefan summon a demonic god who destroyed the villain, but along with the criminal, he also killed Strange. Then Kaluu helped the Supreme Sorcerer to be reborn. After the battle, Stefan went to the dark dimension, where he married Klea, and together they began to live on Earth. Strange also took Rintrah as his apprentice, and with the advent of the Eye of Agamotto, all the destroyed relics were restored.

Stefan later assisted the X-Men in their fight against the Sorceress Supreme Margali Szardos. The magician, deciding that her adopted son Nightcrawler had killed a man, separated Kurt's soul from his body. Then Strange, along with the X-Men, went to the Hellish Dimension of Margali, where he managed to prove Wagner’s innocence and returned his soul to Earth. However, Stefan also learned from Szardos that he was not the first owner of the Eye of Agamotto, and far from the last. After some time, Victor finally turned into a vampire. At this time, the sorceress Marie LaVeau found him and they began to work together. Marie tried to force Stefan to cancel the Montesi formula. However, Strange instead tore out the page of the Book of the Vishanti containing the spell that turned his brother into a vampire and teleported it to another dimension. Then Lavore used Victor to revive the rest of the bloodsuckers.

Infinity Gauntlet and subsequent events

After some time, Clea and Stefan returned to the dark dimension to repel the attack of Umar and Dormammu, who sought to seize the throne. The heroes entered into a battle, during which Strange's beloved was defeated and returned to Earth. While Clea was looking for allies in the fight against Umar, Stefan, along with other heroes, fought Thanos, who had acquired the Infinity Gauntlet. During the battle, the villain destroyed half of the universe before he was defeated. The heroes then used the Gauntlet to restore what Thanos had destroyed. After returning to Earth, Strange was attacked by Ian McNee, who had been studying magic for 10 years. Later, the wizard Nicodemus entered the fight for the title of Supreme Mage. The villain attacked Stefan and overpowered him. However, having received the power of the Supreme Mage, Nicodemus was unable to control it and died. Strange also joined the Midnight Sons team, which in addition to the wizard included Morbius, Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch) and Johnny Blaze. Together the heroes fought Zarathos and Lilith. At the same time, Stefan taught witchcraft to Augustine Phyffe, who subsequently decided to quit his career as a wizard.

Infinity War

During the Infinity War, Strange, along with Namor, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer, fought Shanzar, the Sorcerer Supreme from another dimension. Meanwhile, the Principalities of the various worlds summoned their servants to begin the War of the Seven Spheres, which was to last five thousand years. When Vishanti asked Stefan to join him, the wizard refused, unwilling to relinquish his duties as the Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth. From now on, Strange stopped using the powers of the Principalites, because he was not confident that he could control their increased power. This decision significantly reduced the wizard's power. Stefan was later attacked by Dormammu, who, with the support of his niece, deposed Umar and once again became the ruler of the dark dimension. Then Strange teamed up with the Hulk, Silver Surfer, and Ghost Rider, and together they defeated the villain. However, Dormammu was still the ruler of the dark dimension, so Clea remained behind to prepare a new uprising. Soon Strange created the Secret Defenders team, which helped the wizard ensure the safety of the Earth. After some time, Stefan asked the Immortalis to cure his brother, but they were never able to find a cure. Rintrah was later killed while trying to destroy the dangerous talisman. Then Strange placed his body in the freezer in the hope that the wizard would one day be reborn. After this, Stefan began to train Kyllian Kell, heir to the ancient Celtic cult of wizards.

Endless Crusade

Later, the Goddess chose 33 heroes who, in her opinion, were the most worthy, and began her Endless Crusade against evil. Strange was also among the chosen ones. The Goddess hypnotized the High Sorcerer and forced Stefan to serve her. While Strange's physical form was subservient to the Deity, the astral form of the former neurosurgeon watched over his brother-turned-villain named Khiron. Freed from the influence of the Goddess, Stefan again encountered Arton, who had become much stronger after the War of the Seven Spheres. After some time, Keill, thanks to the talisman, found himself in another dimension. When Strange found him and suggested he go back, former student The High Magician refused, preferring to stay with a girl named Iskelior. At that moment, Lilith destroyed the mystical barrier and began her invasion of Earth. Keill then went to seal the passage, and Stefan returned to Earth to confront the mother of demons. Teaming up with the Midnight Sons, Strange was attacked by Morbius. While the Supreme Sorcerer was fighting the vampire, Wonga's beloved Imei died at the hands of Sister Nil. Ultimately, the heroes defeated the demons and forced them to flee to another dimension. After the battle, Wong, blaming Stefan for the death of his beloved, left Strange. At the same time, Keill was rescued by Modred the Mystic and returned to Earth in the form of Wildpride, seeking revenge on his former teacher for leaving him in another dimension.

After some time, Stefan joined the group of heroes opposing Mys-Tech, and became one of the six beings who stabilized the alternative reality created by the Un-Earth group. Later, Strange again had to defend his mantle of the Sorcerer Supreme. This time his opponent was Salome, a member of the Blood race and the first Sorceress Supreme of the Earth. Having entered into battle with Stefan, the criminal easily defeated the weakened wizard and took the mantle from him. Unable to fight Salom, Strange teleported to a small dimension along with Sister Neal, whom the former neurosurgeon had made his assistant. While in another world, Stefan sent two people to Earth who were magical copies of the wizard himself. The first was Vincent Stevens, who became a businessman and developed techno-magic, and the second was Strange, a masked superhero who fought villains with the Sons of Midnight and collected artifacts for Stefan. Strange also left the Secret Defenders team, handing over leadership to Doctor Druid. While the clones were on Earth, trying to prepare their creator to fight Salome, Stefan again began to comprehend the basics of witchcraft, since this was precisely his weak point. After some time, Steven and Strange rebelled against Strange and entered into a battle with him, during which Vincent was defeated, and the masked superhero fled to the dark dimension, where he joined the rebellion and took on a new name, Paradox. Meanwhile, Salome hired Wong and ordered him to kill Stefan, after telling him that his beloved's soul had been absorbed by Xaos. Confronted with his former assistant, Strange transported him to the afterlife, where he allowed the unfortunate man to say goodbye to Imey, thereby proving the sorceress’s lie. Then Wong returned to Stefan again, however, this time as a partner. After some time, Strange defeated Salome and returned the mantle of the Supreme Sorcerer.

After the battle, Stefan began to track down and dismantle the illegal operations of his clone Stevenson, until he was summoned by the Vishanti, who once again invited the wizard to take part in the War of the Seven Spheres. Wanting to regain the power of the Principalites, Strange agreed and fought the Trinity of Ashes for the next five thousand years. Returning home, Stefan discovered that only a few months had passed on Earth during his absence. Ultimately, all of Strange's memories of the War of the Seven Spheres were erased, and he regained his Principalite powers.

Order

Some time later, Stefan was again attacked by Dormammu, who this time used the mutant Jonathon White and the ally of the Sorcerer Supreme Topaz. In the end, Strange defeated Uncle Clay and rescued Topaz from the villain's clutches. Stefan later encountered his old enemy, a techno-mage named Yandroth, who was carrying out orders from Gaea. To stop the villain, the wizard teamed up with Namor, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer. Ultimately, Strange managed to defeat Jandorf, but the techno-mage was not going to give up. Using magic, he managed to ensure that Stefan, Namor, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer would gather whenever the Earth was in danger, regardless of what they were doing at the time. Under the influence of the curse, the heroes began to go crazy, trying to take control of all people in order to ensure the complete safety of the planet. Then many heroes, including Clay, opposed Strange, Namor, Hulk and Silver Surfer. The energy spent during the superhero battle transferred to Jandorf, making him even more powerful. Using new powers, the techno-mage was going to take over the Earth. However, Jandorf's plans were not destined to come true. To destroy the techno-mage's spell, Strange promised to serve his mistress Gaea. After listening to Stefan, Mother Earth lifted the curse. But having freed himself from the spell, Strange not only did not begin to serve Gaia, but also entered into a battle with Yandorf, as a result of which the villain was defeated and went to prison.

After the battle, Stefan decided to leave the superhero community for a while and made Topaz his new student. Later, the power of the Kale family Book of Shadows freed Hellphyr, a monster who hunted wizards. Then Topaz teamed up with Jennifer Kale, Satan, and defeated the demon. After the battle, Strange's student decided to leave her teacher. Some time later, Stefan hired a new assistant, a mutant named Dead Girl, who helped the wizard investigate Pitiful One. At the same time, Strange encountered the Elder, who had been sent to Hell for abusing his power. Stefan easily defeated the teacher and showed mercy to him. Later, a romance began between the Sorcerer Supreme and Dead Girl. At the same time, Wong began to become interested in Strange's health and in particular his memory lapses.

Civil War and the New Avengers

Some time later, at the next meeting of the Illuminati, Iron Man asked to approve the Superhero Registration Act. In response to this, Stephen said that he considered this law disgusting, since it was simply a way to instill fear and ignorance into the hearts of people. When the Civil War began to gain momentum, Strange decided not to choose sides, since each team had his friends, and besides, the role of the Sorcerer Supreme did not involve participation in the life of superheroes. Therefore, Stefan teleported to the Arctic, where for 40 days he meditated and prayed that as little blood as possible would be shed in this war. Subsequently, the Supreme Mage will regret his decision more than once. After the end of the superhero confrontation, Strange received immunity and exemption from registration.

After the Civil War, Stefan housed the New Avengers, considered traitors, in his sanctuary. The magician repeatedly helped them in the fight against the Mighty Avengers, Elektra, Maya Lopez, and saved them from the Ultron-virus. Spider-Man later asked Strange to cure Aunt May, but the wizard was unable to help Parker. In parallel, Stefan continued to carry out the duties of the Sorcerer Supreme, preventing the death of Eternity along with the Fantastic Four.

World War Hulk

Later, the Illuminati, concerned about the destruction caused by the Hulk, tricked Bruce into exiling him into space. For some time nothing was heard from Banner until he returned to Earth to take revenge for the destruction of the planet Sakaar. Then Iron Man suggested that Doctor Strange use magic to move the Hulk back into space. However, Stefan refused, since Bruce could return to Earth again after teleportation. Instead, the Sorcerer Supreme suggested that Stark ask the New Avengers to help evacuate the population of New York to avoid further casualties. Tony happily agreed. At the same time, Strange invaded the Hulk's mind and tried to convince him that the Illuminati did not plant a bomb on his ship that destroyed Sakaar. He also reminded Bruce of their friendship and how they fought together. Under pressure from Stefan, Banner took on his human form, however, upon seeing the Supreme Sorcerer, the scientist again turned into the Hulk and entered into a battle with him, during which the wizard’s hands were seriously damaged. Having lost most of his powers, Stefan took a desperate step - he summoned Zom and absorbed his soul, becoming a half-demon with clubs instead of hands. However, the power of this magical creature was so great that Strange lost control of himself and was defeated. After the battle, the Hulk put the Disk of Obedience on Stefan and sent him to the gladiator arena located in Madison Square Garden, where the Sorcerer Supreme fought the rest of the defeated heroes, and in particular Black Bolt, until the wizard was freed by the Sentry.

Secret Invasion

Some time later, Iron Man, having discovered the corpse of Skrull Elektra, gathered the Illuminati to discuss the threat of invasion. However, during the meeting, Black Bolt unexpectedly transformed into a Skrull and attacked the team, but was killed by Namor. Realizing that the invasion had already begun, the Illuminati stopped trusting each other and went their separate ways. The team never met again. Stefan later began to study light magic again, feeling guilty for using a huge amount of dark magic during the summoning of Zom. Some time later, a villain named Hood attacked Strange's sanctuary, forcing the wizard to use dark magic again. During the battle, Stefan received very serious wounds and for some time completely lost his powers. Therefore, after the fight, the wizard left his abode to recover and think about his future role as the Supreme Mage. Strange soon returned to Greenwich Village to fight the creatures that had escaped from the Dream Realm. However, having not fully recovered from his wounds, Stefan was unable to fight the monsters. Then Hellstrom came to the aid of the Supreme Mage, who incinerated the monsters with his hellish fire.

Fall of the Sorcerer Supreme

Strange, along with the rest of the Defenders, later encountered Mordo, who this time teamed up with Terrax, Tiger Shark and Red Hulk. Also drawn into this battle were Two of the Elders of the Universe named Collector and Grandmaster. During the battle, Stefan saved Clea, but was himself killed by the Red Hulk. Subsequently, Galactus defeated Thunderbolt Ross, and the Collector revived all those who fell in this battle, including the Supreme Sorcerer. Some time later, Thor asked Strange to restore the hammer Mjolnir. Then Strange, using magic, returned Odinson his magical weapon. Stefan soon failed in his duties as the Supreme Sorcerer and was stripped of his title. From now on, he stopped wearing the Cloak of Levitation and no longer used the Eye of Agamotto. Then Strange began to look for the wizard who was destined to become the new Supreme Sorcerer of the Earth, in the hope that he would be a worthy person. Stefan first went to Wiccan, where he was attacked by the Hood, who was acting on Dormammu's orders. Strange then teleported himself and his ally to the New Avengers and asked for their help. Following the light of the Eye of Agamotto, the heroes traveled to New Orleans to stop the Hood from killing Hellstrom, who was a contender for the role of Sorcerer Supreme. Arriving at the indicated location, the allies entered into battle with Dormammu until Doctor Voodoo, the new Supreme Mage of the Earth, appeared. Using artifacts that previously belonged to Stefan, the wizard easily defeated Dormammu and the Hood. Even without his relics, Strange managed to retain magical power, although it was much less than his previous one. But the soul of the former neurosurgeon was calm: he had finally found a worthy successor. After the battle with the Hood and Dormammu, Stefan invited Voodoo to become his mentor in order to help the wizard more effectively manage the abilities of the Supreme Sorcerer. Jericho happily agreed.

Dark Dominion

During the Dark Reign, Iron Man, trying to hide information about superheroes from Norman Osborn, erased his memory and fell into a coma after a battle with the villain. Then Stark's allies asked Strange to help them restore Tony. Stefan, having entered the consciousness of Iron Man, managed to regain his memory and restore his thought processes. While Strange was treating Stark, Ghost, a villain who was going to kill Tony, snuck up on him. However, Stefan, returning back, entered into a fight with the criminal, but was wounded. At that moment, Iron Man woke up and, using his inventions, teleported the Ghost. When Norman Osborn attacked Asgard, Steve Rogers invited Strange to join the New Avengers. Stefan happily agreed.

Age of Heroes

After some time, Damon, possessed by a demon, called Strange and told him that cracks had appeared in their dimension, thanks to which fiends of Hell were breaking through to Earth. When Stefan asked how demons were able to enter their world, Hellstrom replied, "By controlling the minds of other heroes." Having said this, the Son of Satan attacked Doctor Strange and took over his mind. After the battle, the possessed teleported to Doctor Wood and demanded that he give up the Eye of Agamoto. In an attempt to save the artifact, Jericho teleported it to Luke Cage. Then the possessed went to him. Realizing that they could not defeat Luke, the demons captured the consciousness of Cage himself. Meanwhile, Wolverine freed Hellstrom and Strange from the demons, but due to the damage caused, the heroes lost consciousness. Waking up, Stefan healed Damon and the trio went to help Luke. However, the demon managed to capture the mind of Iron Fist, having previously given him the Eye of Agamoto. Then Doctor Voodoo, wanting to defeat the fiend of Hell, used a special spell, the energy of which was absorbed by the demon and with its help he opened a huge portal. At that moment, the sky was swaddled with red clouds, and hordes of the fiends of Hell appeared from the portal. The heroes fought desperately against them, but their strength was not enough, and they were forced to retreat to Doctor Voodoo's hideout to consider further actions.

After some time, the clouds cleared and the Iron Fist appeared. Rand struck Strange and demanded that he tell the truth about who actually owned the Eye of Agamoto. Stefan told Iron Fist that he had been deceived. At that moment, Agamoto himself appeared and seized control of the minds of all the heroes except Strange. Then Doctor Voodoo managed to free the captives and drove away the invader. Realizing that Agamoto would return, Jericho challenged him. Doctor Voodoo absorbed the powers of all the wizards and headed towards the invader, but was stopped by Wolverine. Logan said that he himself would fight Agamoto. Doctor Voodoo agreed and transferred the power to Wolverine. Logan traveled to Agamoto's dimension and fought him, but lost. Seeing this, Daniel (the ghost of Jericho's brother) tried to help Wolverine, but he himself fell into the invader's trap. Then Doctor Voodoo rushed to help his brother. Hellstrom tried to stop Jericho, but Damon was thwarted by Strange. Jericho, teleporting Logan and Daniel back, sacrificed himself to destroy Agamoto. After the battle, Daniel possessed Cage's body and attacked Stefan, accusing him of killing his brother. Well, Doctor Voodoo has fallen, so it is still a mystery who will become the next Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth.

Powers

The Greatest Sorcerer (Formerly): Doctor Strange is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Earth, he was one of the most powerful beings in the universe and his level of magic was unmatched at the time. Stefan uses magic to primarily protect his world from otherworldly threats. However, after using massive amounts of dark magic and damaging his hands during a battle with the Hulk, Strange lost his title. Like other good wizards, Stefan draws his powers from three main sources:

Own powers: These abilities depend on the innate qualities of the wizard and on his skills acquired during training in magic. Strange equally combines both excellent natural abilities and many years of magical practice. These forces can have several incarnations:

Astral projection (travelling to the astral plane): The essence of astral projection is the separation of the spiritual body from the physical body, which is capable of traveling in space. This effect is achieved through dreams or meditation. While moving to the astral plane, Stefan is not limited by physical laws; he does not need to eat, drink, or breathe. Strange's spirit is invisible, but if the wizard wishes, he can still be seen. Stefan's astral form can move at any speed he wishes. The wizard's spirit is also not vulnerable to conventional weapons; only powerful spells can damage it. But meanwhile, Strange's physical form is still vulnerable to both weapons and magic. After 24 hours, the magician's astral form must return to its physical form, otherwise his body will die and his soul will remain locked in the spirit world.
Telepathy: Stefan is able to transmit and read people's thoughts at a distance without any communication.
Hypnosis: Strange has the skills of hypnosis.
Illusionist: Stefan is capable of creating illusions.
Immortality: Like his teacher, Strange passed the test, defeating Death and gaining immortality. Stephen's immortality lies in the fact that he will never die of old age or disease. His death can only come from a wound inflicted by the enemy. Strange also has an ankh-shaped mark on his forehead, which appears when he is in mortal danger.

These abilities are categorized as own strength, because they do not require the use of magic to activate them, however they can be enhanced using magic or various artifacts such as the Eye of Agamotto.

Powers of the Universe: Stefan is able to control the mystical energy of the universe and, with the help of spells, transform it for his own purposes. This ability has several incarnations:

Magic lightning: Using the mystical energy of the universe, Strange can create energy lightning. The power of these lightning ranges from insignificant, which is able to leave the enemy unconscious, and to simply enormous, capable of destroying entire planets.
Transformation: Stefan is able to transform some objects into others, changing not only them appearance, but also properties. So one day he created a large number of gold to pay off debts.
Telekinesis: Strange can control objects from a distance using magic.
Teleportation: Stefan is able to instantly move in space.
Magic Shield: Strange can create a magical shield that protects him from enemy attacks.
Moving between worlds: Stefan is able to instantly move from one world to another.
Invisibility: Strange can become invisible using magic.
Minor molecular control: Stefan is able to control molecules in small quantities. Thanks to this, he can change his clothes.

Powers of the Gods: Strange can call upon the energy of magical and non-magical beings known as Principalites, thereby increasing his power many times over. This ability is activated through a special spell. It is still not known exactly what forces the Principalites to share their power and whether there is some kind of agreement between them and the wizard. However, using the example of the War of the Seven Spheres, it can be assumed that the magician is obliged to fulfill the requirements of the creatures he summons. This ability also gave rise to the phrase: "Doctor Strange is only as strong as the Gods he calls upon." Stefan basically calls upon the power of the Vishanti trinity - Hoggoth, Oshtur, Agamotto; Octessence - a group of 8 creatures including Balthakk, Cyttorak, Farallah, Ikonn, Krakkan, Raggadorr, Valtorr and Watoomb. , as well as other Principalites who are indebted to Strange (Dormammu, Satannish).

Although Stefan is a White Mage, in case of emergency he also uses destructive and particularly dark magic.

Dark magic: Dark magic allows Strange to absorb the power of powerful beings with sheer force of desire, without using any spells. This can be extremely useful when a magician, for some reason, cannot practice magic. However, just using this magic requires the sorcerer to have incredible willpower and a huge store of knowledge. At the same time, by absorbing the power of creatures, the wizard also takes away their intelligence and responsibilities in the universe. In addition, if the sorcerer's will begins to weaken, he may lose control over himself. That is why Stefan tries to use dark magic only in extreme cases.

Destructive Magic: At one point in his life, Strange used destructive magic, which he studied from the book of the Vishanti. Its essence was that Stefan, with the help of magic, could force all the planets to line up in one line. But since the power of this magic was limited, Strange decided not to use it anymore.

Capabilities

Professional surgeon: Stefan is a gifted surgeon who short time managed to become one of the best in his profession. Strange's main specialization is neurosurgery (a branch of surgery that deals with the surgical treatment of diseases of the nervous system). After Stefan was in a car accident and injured his hands, he was unable to continue his professional career. However, Strange is still capable of serving as a surgeon's assistant or mentor.

Expert in the field of occultism and magic: For seven years, Stefan studied the occult and magic under the guidance of the Elder. Returning to New York, Strange continued to educate himself.

Master of hand-to-hand combat: Stefan trained in hand-to-hand combat from the monks of Kamar Taj. These skills have more than once helped the wizard in cases when he could not use magic. Strange also taught hand-to-hand combat to his students.

Weaknesses

Stefan's power is less effective against highly educated people, although this is against the laws of the Marvel Universe, as the comics have repeatedly stated that magic is stronger than science.

Strange's power lies primarily in his spells and artifacts, therefore, if Stefan for some reason cannot cast a spell or his relics were stolen, he weakens significantly, even to the point of complete loss of strength.

It is also worth remembering that physiologically Strange is an ordinary person. His main difference from other people is that Stefan will never die of old age or illness. But at the same time, Strange is made of flesh and blood, so he can be wounded and even killed by any weapon.

Equipment

To enhance his magical powers, Stefan uses all kinds of artifacts.

Eye of Agamotto: This relic represents the third eye of Agamotto, placed in an amulet. Initially, this artifact was guarded by Eternity, until one of the worthy wizards got hold of it. The Eye of Agamotto has enormous power and provides its owner with great opportunities.

Feeling lie: The eye allows the wizard to detect lies and deception.
Energy absorption: The artifact is capable of absorbing huge amounts of energy of any type, transferring it to its owner.
Enhanced Telepathy: The Eye of Agamotto significantly enhances the brain waves of its owner, allowing him to compete with the most powerful telepaths in the world.
Enhanced telekinesis: The eye enhances the magician's telekenesis, giving him the ability to lift objects weighing hundreds of tons.
Vision of the past: The relic allows the wizard to see the past.
Travel between worlds: The Eye of Agamotto allows its owner to open portals to other worlds.
Light Emission: The eye is capable of emitting a bright light that weakens evil magical creatures such as demons, evil spirits who have risen from the dead, and even people who practice dark magic. The light also allows Stefan to see illusions.
Feeling of magic: The Eye of Agamotto allows the owner to sense magical energy from a distance.
Magic Shield: The eye significantly enhances Strange's magical shield.
Magic lightning: The Eye of Agamotto can transform accumulated energy into magical lightning.
Protection System: Only a good wizard can control the eye; in the hands of a dark magician, this artifact is useless.

Levitation Robe: Stefan has had two robes throughout his history: a blue one, which he gave to Rintrah, and a red one. The mantle provides its owner with the following abilities:

Telepathic control: The robe obeys the mental commands of its owner, even if he is not wearing it. Thus, this artifact is capable of seizing and binding his enemy, upon the orders of a wizard.
Flight: The mantle allows Strange to fly at a speed of 40.5 km/h (25 mph). However, to control the flight, you need to have a small supply of magical energy.
Transformation: The mantle can change its color and shape.
Protection: The mantle is very resistant to damage and protects its owner. However, throughout Stefan's history, this artifact was destroyed at least three times.

Yellow belt: Strange wears a yellow sash tied around his waist. This artifact is capable of extending its length 10 times.

Ball of Agamotto: The Ball of Agamotto was located in Stefan's sanctuary, in a room called the Chamber of Shadows. This artifact is a transparent sphere located in a special box resting on three legs. It is assumed that the Ball was created by Agamatto himself, and it is somehow mystically connected with its creator. Most often, this artifact is used to see the future, however, looking at it, you can also see the danger approaching Earth or any other world. The ball can also transport a person or group of people to the world of Agamotto.

Wand of Watumba: The Wand of Watoomb is a 30 centimeter long staff with carved demon heads on both sides. Once upon a time, this artifact was divided into two parts, but later restored by the servants of Dormammu. Main strength rod is that it is capable of collecting the energy of the universe into huge quantities and convert it to:

Magic attacks: A kind of analogue of magical lightning.
Magic Shields: Significantly increases the shield created by Stefan.
Portals: The rod allows its owner to open portals to other worlds.
Predictive pools: With the help of the Wand, the wizard can create special pools that show the future.
Spell Boosts: The wand increases the power of any spell cast by the wizard.
Treatments: The artifact is able to heal its owner from any wounds.

Vishanti Book: The Book of the Vishanti was created by the Vishanti trio as a counterweight to the Book of the Darkhold. This artifact contains an endless number of pages on which are written secret spells of white magic, many of which have monstrous powers. Long ago, the book was lost until the Elder defeated the griffin and returned it. This artifact's spells can never be used offensively, only defensively. Externally, the relic looks like an ancient book with the Vishanti seal on it.

Hands of Death: Hands of the Dead is a powerful artifact created fifteen centuries ago. They allow Strange and his allies to instantly travel through time and space. Hands also enable their owner to be in several places at once. Stefan used this artifact to help Spider-Man during One More Day.

Mighty Dream Explorer: The powerful Atlantean Dreamwave allows Strange to enter the dreams of others. Stefan used it to enter Blaise's nightmares.

Darkhold: The Darkhold is a book written by the Elder God Chthon. It contains powerful dark magic spells. While reading this artifact, Chton's servants appear and offer the wizard to sell his soul, so few are able to use it without succumbing to the temptation of the Elder God's henchmen.

Book of Demonicus: Strange used the Book of Demonicus to gain information about Avarrish.

Book of Eibon: During the Hyborian era, approximately 750,200 years ago, there lived a great wizard named Eibon. This magician transferred all his knowledge to paper to pass it on to his descendants. This is how the Book of Eibon appeared. Over the next millennia, this artifact managed to be in the hands of both wizards and collectors. Ultimately, the book was acquired by the Eldest and subsequently given to Stefan.

Bom'galiath's Brazier: This artifact allowed Strange to send Eric Masterson to Mephisto's Hell.

Tom Oshtura: The Tome of Oshtur is a collection of lost spells written by Oshtur himself.

Seraphim Serum: The Serum of the Seraphim is a universal elixir that can heal any magical or non-magical wounds. It is also sometimes called the most powerful medicine known to magicians. Seraphim's serum is stored in small containers that hold several hundred grams of this elixir. One capsule of this artifact can cure all wounds and make a person completely healthy.

Watumba Scrolls: Scrolls of Watoomb - a manuscript written by Watoomb himself in ancient times. This artifact provides complete and safe control over the Winds of Watoomb, and also increases the strength of its owner.

Ring of the Elder: The Ring of the Ancient One allows Stefan, while in astral form, to do everything he can do in the real world, as well as take on the appearance of his mentor.

Cadavus Crystal: The Crystal of Kadavus is a fist-sized diamond stone shaped like a skull. If during a full moon you expose this artifact to the moonlight and cast a spell, it will concentrate the energy of several dimensions and transfer it to its owner, thereby completely restoring his strength. The Cadavus Crystal was used to restore the Rod of Watumba.

Eye of Zarthr: The Eye of Zartra is a gem separated by Namor from the Sword of Kamuu and given to Strange as a symbol of friendship. Combined with a sword, this artifact makes its owner invulnerable to magic.

Cosmos Cauldron: The Cauldron of the Cosmos was located in the Meditation Chamber of Stephen's Sanctuary. This artifact allows Strange to peer into the mysteries of the universe and see the future.

Eye of Oroboros: The Eye of Oroboros (Oculus Oroboros) is the most powerful energy absorber in the universe. For centuries it was hidden from wizards and protected by a spell until archaeologists accidentally discovered it.

Gaia particle: Gaea shard is a crystal containing a particle of the power of the Elder Goddess Gaia. Stefan used this artifact during the battle with the Immortal.

Vishanti Hand: Hand of the Vishanti is a stone shaped like a hand. This artifact facilitates the transition to the astral plane and helps to find a certain spirit, as well as the way back to your body. The Vishanti Hand was used by Spider-Man during his search for Shade's spirit.

Dragon tooth: Dragonfang is a sword carved from a dragon's fang by a wizard named Kahji-Da. This artifact was acquired by the Elder, and after his death it passed to Strange. A dragon tooth is capable of destroying any magical shield, and upon contact with an enemy’s blood, it drains his magical energy.

Transhypnosis Stone: The Jewel of Transhypnosis is capable of teleporting its owner to any dimension, as well as turning any imaginary substance into reality.

Kartkuti: Kartkuthi is a book of spells belonging to Stefan. With her help, Wong freed Strange when the wizard's astral form was locked by the mystical sword of the Hand.

All-Seeing Oracle Shell: The Iris of the All-Seeing Oracle is an artifact located in Stefan's sanctuary and is shaped like a mirror. With the help of this relic, people and things lost in other dimensions can be found, as well as the future can be seen. Strange uses the All-Seeing Oracle Shell when he cannot use the Ball of Agamotto.

Oracle of Agomotto: The Oracle of Agamotto is an artifact used by Stefan after the Ball of Agamotto was destroyed.

Ball Snnnr: Orb of Snnnr - an artifact with which Stange communicated with the Wretched.

Elixir of Octida: Octid's Elixir is a powerful medicine that can heal any earthly disease. This artifact was stolen by Stefan from Octid to cure Wong's brain cancer.

Scroll of Eternity: Scroll of Eternity is an artifact containing a spell that teleports its owner directly to Eternity. However, if you make even the slightest mistake while casting a spell, the gates will open for demons from the Realm of Eternal Madness.

Sword of Perfect Shadow: Sword of the Ultimate Shadow is an artifact located in Stefan's Shrine. This sword is capable of causing great pain to the astral form of a wizard. The power of this artifact is so great that even magic shields cannot block its blows. The Sword of Perfect Shadow was used by Strange's evil counterpart during Infinity War.

Star of Capistan: The Star of Capistan is the largest ruby on the planet. This artifact is alive and has a will of its own. The Star of Capistan at one time captured Stefan's consciousness and inclined him to the dark side.

Purple Stone: The Purple Gem is one of the many magical stones of the Purple Dimension of Aggamon. This artifact gives its owner the ability to teleport and trap his enemies in the Violet Dimension. The Purple Stone is also capable of enhancing other relics such as the Eye of Agamotto. Strange once said that this artifact contains enormous power, which manifests itself when you call upon the power of Aggamon.

David's Staff: Staff of David - an artifact used by Stefan during the battle with Vandor.

Spell Talisman: The Talisman of Abraxas is an amulet that Strange gave to Namor to mitigate the change in his appearance.

Doctor Strange - The Oath Doctor Strange - Flight of Bones #1

Comics about Doctor Strange

The Marvel Universe is full of interesting and outstanding characters. However, not all of them are familiar to a wide range of fans. One of them can be considered Doctor Strange, who will be discussed further.

Doctor Strange - publication history

Doctor Stephen Strange first appeared in the pages of Marvel's Strange Tales comics in 1963. The character was created by screenwriter Stan Lee and comic book artist Steve Ditko. As it later became known, the hero was invented as part of the expansion of the comic book universe.
Later, the doctor’s personality aroused the interest of both creators and readers, so soon the new character became firmly established in the series of graphic novels and became one of its most significant participants. Subsequently, the Strange Tales comic book series was transformed into a full-fledged story and became known as Doctor Strange.

In the 70s of the last century, independent Marvel comics Doctor Strange stopped appearing, and the character began to appear sporadically only in some issues. So, together with the Conductor and the Hulk, Strange joined a team called the “Defenders”. However, a few years later the hero returns as part of the Doctor Strange: Master of Magical Arts series and after that participates in the events of many other comic book series. If you are interested in Doctor Strange, you can read comics in Russian directly on this site.

Doctor Strange (full name Stephen Vincent Strange), when he was a simple man, had outstanding abilities as a neurosurgeon, which brought him a lot of money and fame. However, as often happens in such cases, along with wealth and influence, pride, an arrogant disposition and a tendency to excessive libations crept into the hero’s soul. After another party, a doctor who has had too much alcohol gets into a car accident in which his wife dies, and he himself receives serious injuries to both hands, associated with loss of nerve sensitivity.

His career as a doctor is over and, being in severe depression, the hero goes in search of a doctor who can restore his talents. Years of wandering lead him to the slopes of the Tibetan mountains, where, after meeting the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange, a comic about which you can read on this site, receives supernatural powers.

At first, the doctor refuses the offer to comprehend the magical sciences and practically leaves the refuge of the great magician, but, passing by one of the premises, he stumbles upon Baron Mordo. This student planned to kill his mentor and Strange decides to warn the magician. When he witnesses the true power that can be achieved with the help of magic, he himself asks to become a student and the Supreme Magician gives his consent. This is how the hero's journey begins.

After some time, the doctor receives the title of Supreme Mage of the Earth and in the company faithful assistant named Vaughn returns to New York, where he becomes the leader of the fight against dark forces of all stripes. At first, Doctor Strange, as befits a true hero, worked alone, but after some time circumstances force him to enter into an alliance with other heroic individuals.
The doctor’s prerogative will remain the fight against otherworldly entities and the protection of the earth from the magical interventions of villains.

Powers and abilities

Doctor Strange's supernatural abilities are quite powerful. He draws his strength from various otherworldly entities, such as Hoggoth, Ashtur and Agamotto. In addition, the hero owns magical artifacts, which also have remarkable power. For example, the Cloak of Levitation allows you to move through the air.

Among the doctor’s abilities there is also movement between worlds, which is associated with a change in the flow of time. For example, a doctor spent several thousand years in one of the worlds, while only a few months passed on earth.

The Doctor is not only a powerful magician, but also knows martial arts, which makes him a truly powerful defender. As one of the characters in the Eternity comics stated, “Strange is stronger than any other humanoid,” and this is far from a lot.

It is interesting to mention that a kind of final exam for Doctor Strange was a fight with death, from which he emerged victorious. At the same time, he acquired the ability to practically stop his aging.

Despite the fact that magical powers were unable to restore the sensitivity of the doctor’s hands, he still remains a brilliant doctor and often acts as a consultant. Superhero activity is a rather traumatic profession, so he has a place to apply his knowledge. Doctor Strange comics in Russian are a great opportunity to get to know the character in more detail and join a huge universe filled with exciting events.

The popularity of comic books among Western audiences led to the belief that films based on graphic novels would also be a significant success. This calculation turned out to be correct, and, thanks to the film adaptation, the number of fans of the superhero genre increased manifold.
The release of a full-length film about the adventures of Doctor Strange became a matter of time, and now, at the end of 2016, the film of the same name will appear on cinema screens around the world. Doctor Strange 2016 is preparing for viewers Marvel company Studios and the film will become the 14th within the so-called Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Scott Darickson is appointed as the director of the film, Jon Spaihts as the screenwriter, and the main role will be played by Benedict Capberbatch, known for his participation in the series about Sherlock Holmes.

Full filming of the film began in 2015 and took place in Nepal, the UK and the USA. The film Doctor Strange, whose release date is set for October 28 for the territory of the Russian Federation, promises to be an epic spectacle in its scale. Both fans and those who are just encountering the genre for the first time will be able to evaluate what will happen.

Steve Behling

Doctor Strange

CHAPTER FIRST

How did I get here?

We all ask ourselves a similar question sooner or later. Usually at this moment we think about the decisions made, about the events that led to one specific, important, significant moment in our life. It’s almost a question of existence: how did it happen that right now we occupy exactly this place in the Universe? You might as well ask yourself, “Why am I here?”

Stephen Strange, asking himself the question: “How did I get here?”, was thinking about something completely different.

What he was really interested in was how he got to Greenwich Village. Well, literally. Because just a second ago he was standing in the middle of an ancient library located in an ancient place called Kamar-Taj, with his much less ancient associates Mordo and Wong.

Strange took a deep breath and looked around. No, there can be no mistake, this is definitely Greenwich Village, a neighborhood in New York. Bleecker Street, to be exact. ("Thank you, road sign".) The conspicuous brown brick residential buildings and coffee shops were familiar to Strange, who had lived for a long time in the city that never sleeps.

This was before Kamar-Taj.

Before the accident.

Maybe you'll move on today after all?

Strange turned around and noticed an old man standing next to him with a cane. The wrinkled little man wrinkled his nose and smacked his lips several times. Only then did Strange realize that he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk, preventing the elderly man from passing.

“I’m sorry,” Strange said, quickly stepping aside, “I’m just trying to collect my thoughts.”

Yes, this happens to me every day,” the old man answered. - Good luck with the circus.

And with these words the elderly man trudged off.

"Circus?" - flashed through Strange's head. Then he remembered, looked at himself and realized what the old man meant. He still wore the blue robe he had received at Kamar-Taj. A blue cassock, a symbol of a true disciple of the Ancient One. His flowing clothes definitely set him apart from other people on the streets of New York - tourists and local hipsters alike. Those around, by the way, actively stared at Strange and his peculiar attire. Peculiar even by New York standards, which already says a lot.

Turning around, Strange saw a three-story brown brick house behind him. Looking up, he noticed a large round window. The window had an elegant, curved pattern. The pattern lined up into a specific symbol, well known to Strange.

Symbol of the Holy of Holies.

Strange rushed towards the building, flew over two steps, threw open the door and jumped inside.

CHAPTER TWO

Doctor Strange would have a hard time distinguishing this day from any other. There was nothing special about him. The doctor was in the operating room at a New York hospital. Washed my hands. Washing my forearms. Just another day, just another operation.

He pulled on his surgical gloves. The stretchy fabric on his right arm made a satisfying click when he let it go. The sound made Strange smile. He looked at himself in the mirror hanging above the sink. What brought him here? What brought him to this moment? Hard work and natural talent. Stephen looked at the gray hair at his temples. AND experience.

“Let’s get started,” he said mentally.

* * *

"Dr. Bruner," Strange greeted through his surgical mask as he entered the operating room.

“Stephen,” Bruner, the anesthesiologist, responded. She stood over the prone man on the table, administering painkillers and monitoring his vital signs on the monitor.

Strange smiled through his mask.

Are you flirting with me, Dr. Bruner?

Strange smiled again, although because of the mask Varma and Bruner would not be able to see his expression. But the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes betrayed his amusement.

Your words hurt me, Dr. Varma! Yesterday you said that my ego could take over the entire hospital, and now it can be shoved into some miserable room?

Strange barely managed to suppress a chuckle; he could practically hear Varma and Bruner rolling their eyes. Did they like him? Definitely. Did he have a huge ego? Undoubtedly.

In the midst of all this friendly squabbling, a curious thing happened.

By then, Strange and his colleagues had begun work. The doctor, with an ego big enough to take up an entire room (and on a good day, the entire hospital), moved his fingers almost unnoticed. Delicately. Like an experienced pianist.

Strange and Varma inserted an endoscope through a small hole drilled in the patient's skull. Through his camera, a different world opened up before Strange - now he could see the man's brain. Moving with the grace and ease trained over the years, Strange guided the endoscope until he saw what he was looking for.

“And here is our tumor friend,” he said. “And like most friends, this one overstayed his welcome and stayed too long.”

Strange used the latest tools. Ultra-modern. The probe had a laser tip, and Stephen dealt with the tumor with incredible precision. The heat charges corroded the cancerous mass. One careful charge. Then another one.

And that’s how,” Strange began, “you save someone’s life before your coffee even gets cold.”

He looked away from the patient and towards the window overlooking the operating room. On the other side of the glass, a group of medical students watched in fascination as Strange, Varma and Bruner performed a miracle. Then the students began to applaud as if they had just witnessed some kind of magic, a clever trick that they could not explain.

Seizing the moment, Strange turned to the students and bowed slightly.

And then the door to the operating room swung open to reveal Dr. Christina Palmer. Christina's robe was stained with blood, and she was clutching a tablet under her arm. Palmer beckoned Strange towards her.

Better get on with it, Steven,” Varma said, instantly appreciating the seriousness of what was happening, “we’ll finish here ourselves.”

Strange nodded and in one smooth movement he was next to Christina. Varma took his place and began stitching the wound.

* * *

What's wrong?

“PRCH,” Christina answered. - Firearm.

Penetrating gunshot wound to the skull.

Exchanging questions and information, the two of them walked along the hospital corridor. Christina handed Strange the tablet, and he flipped through the slides as he walked, studying the data collected there.

“It’s amazing that you kept him alive,” Strange said, shaking his head. Everything was bad. At first glance, nothing could be done here. The patient was not a resident. No chance of survival.

Strange looked at the X-ray data and frowned.

I think I've found the problem, Dr. Palmer. You forgot the bullet in his head.

Christina was about to roll her eyes, but she stopped in time and didn’t take the bait.

It's stuck in the bone marrow. I can't cope without a specialist. But Nick diagnosed brain death.

Nick... Nick diagnosed brain death? - asked Stephen.

Nick is Dr. Nicodemus West, a fellow surgeon of whom Strange did not have a very high opinion. Stephen scrolled through the readings again, then stared at the MRI result. Something was wrong. The picture didn't add up. He looked at Christina. Their gazes met. “Are you thinking the same thing I’m thinking?”

And then they both rushed down the corridor.

* * *

There was a crowd of people in the emergency room. As always, however. It took Strange and Christina some time to reach the patient with the gunshot. Nick West towered over his bed. The dark-haired surgeon was focused - together with several therapists, he was preparing for the next procedure.

Trying to catch his breath, Strange exhaled:

I need equipment for craniotomy in trauma! Right now!

Christina, meanwhile, stared at West and the other doctors.

What are you doing? - she asked.

I remove organs. The guy became a donor,” West said calmly.

I didn't agree to this! - Christina squealed.

West sighed:

And you didn't need to. We have already registered brain death.

Strange pushed his way between West and the other therapists, placing himself between them and the patient. He was silent, but his body language seemed to say: “You’re wrong, West, you’re wrong, as always.”

Prepare him for a suboccipital craniotomy,” Strange ordered.

He was going to pull out the bullet lodged in the patient's head.

West stared at Stephen as if he were crazy.

I'm the doctor on call here, and I won't let you operate on a dead man!

In response, Strange shoved a tablet with an X-ray image displayed on the screen in his face:

What do you see?

“A bullet,” West answered wearily. - Of course, I see the bullet.

Strange shook his head.

No. You see perfect bullet. A perfect bullet that went through the bone,” he began. - It should have been deformed, flattened, but this did not happen.

West looked at Strange blankly.

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