Doctor Strange - Becoming The Sorcerer Supreme
By 1972, Doctor Strange had had a somewhat chequered history. Created by Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Strange Tales #110 in 1963. Strange Tales was an anthology title at the time, featuring two separate stories, and Doctor Strange became a regular feature alongside, first, the solo adventures of the Human Torch, then Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD. In 1968, Marvel's owner, Martin Goodman, secured a better distribution deal for the company which allowed them to publish more comics. So Doctor Strange and Nick Fury both got their own titles, the latter starting with a new #1, and Doctor Strange continuing the numbering from Strange Tales with #169. Unfortunately, due to low sales, the book was cancelled in 1969 with #183. The writer at that time, Roy Thomas, was fond of the character and included him in, first, The Sub-mariner #22, then Hulk #126, gradually assembling a mismatched team of superheroes. They debuted as The Defenders in Marvel Feature #1 in 1971, graduating to their own...