Doctor Strange (Character)

Real Name: Stephen Vincent Strange

First Appearance: Strange Tales #110 (July 1963)

Powers: Mastery of Mystic Art (used to protect Earth from otherworldly events), Telepathy, Invisibility, and Astral Projection.

Affiliation: Avengers, The Order, The Defenders, Midnight Sons, Illuminati

Enemies: Baron Mordo, Dormammu

Love Interests: Clea, Madeline Revell

Did You Know: Stephen Strange has appeared in live-action movies more than once. In 1976 a movie entitled Doctor Strange was made for television, and most recently, Benedict Cumberbatch brought him to life in Dr. Strange by Marvel Studios.

A Little History

Stephen Strange quickly rose through the ranks and became the world’s foremost neurosurgeon.

As a consequence of his ‘talents,’ he became greedy, brash, cocky, and arrogant. This way of thinking led him to become more interested in money and less interested in the patients that he helped. Worse yet, because Stephen grew up under the pretense that he was the prodigal son of neurosurgery, he became the person in his family with whom no one wanted to associate. Stephen couldn’t even be bothered to go and visit his father, Eugene, as he lay on his deathbed.

As each of us knows, Karma does exist, and unfortunately for Stephen, it got him good.

While out for a drive, Stephen lost control of his car and wound up in an accident. As a result of the accident, Stephen was left as a fragment of the man he once was.  Mentally, he was still a neurosurgeon, but physically, he couldn’t do it. He had lost the ability to control his now, as a result of the accident, shaky hands. Over the next number of years, Stephen spent his entire fortune looking for a way to bring his hands back as they were. In the end, with his money gone, Stephen found himself homeless.

Unbeknownst to him, throughout his entire life, he was constantly watched by a being known as The Ancient One.  The Ancient One saw the potential of Stephen and waited for the perfect day to approach him. In search of a ‘fix’ for his hands, Stephen made his way to Tibet to seek out The Ancient One.

Sadly for Stephen, The Ancient One instructed him that he was unable to help him. He said he didn’t believe that Stephen would use any power given to him for good. Shortly thereafter, Stephen would come to the aid of The Ancient One and foil an attack from a fellow student, Baron Mordo.

Seeing this, The Ancient One takes Stephen under his wing and guides him to learn the Mystic Arts. From this point forward, Stephen would be known as Doctor Strange.