Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #6
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeDoctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #6 is the debut issue of Mephista, the demonic daughter of Mephisto, a character who went on to become a recurring antagonist — and, uniquely, a complicated romantic foil — for Strange across decades of stories, eventually resurfacing under the alias Jezebel in the 2010s. The issue also delivers the first appearance of Sara Krowler, Baron Mordo's mother, whose arranged marriage and murder of her husband Nikolai are revealed in a backup story that functions as a genuine origin for Mordo, finally excavating the family history that had defined Marvel's premiere sorcerous villain since Strange Tales. Together, those two debuts make this the single densest issue for new-character introductions in the entire 'Sorcerer Supreme' run. As the second chapter of the 'Faust Gambit!' arc, it also crystallizes the governing conceit Roy Thomas built his tenure around: Mordo's reckless double-dealing — selling his soul to both Mephisto and Satannish simultaneously — as a modern Faustian bargain with compounding supernatural consequences.
In "The Faust Gambit Part II: Demonic Re-Possession," Doctor Strange faces a chilling supernatural threat as the marriage of Sara Krowler to Nikolai Mordo becomes a pivotal step in a dark ritual orchestrated by her father, Viscount Heinrich Krowler. Written by Roy Thomas and R. J. M. Lofficier and brought to life with moody intensity by Tom Sutton’s art and Christie Scheele’s colors, this 1989 Marvel classic deepens the stakes of mystical conflict with a plot rooted in sacrifice, legacy, and forbidden magic. The cover by Butch Guice captures the tension with a haunting, dramatic portrait that perfectly frames the story’s escalating dread.
In "The Faust Gambit Part II: Demonic Re-Possession," Doctor Strange finds himself caught between the treacherous promises of Baron Mordo and the hungry ambitions of Satannish and Mephisto, as the Sons of Satannish close in. Forced to confront the escalating demonic threat, Strange must venture into the hidden depths of Agamotto's realm—where ancient magic and unseen dangers await.
In "The Book of the Vishanti," Jo and Nikolai Mordo are drawn into a dangerous web when Jo’s father, Viscount Heinrich Krowler, arranges her marriage to Nikolai for a dark ritual. The story unfolds with a chilling urgency as ancient magic and personal sacrifice collide, setting a course that will test loyalty, identity, and the true cost of power.
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Roy Thomas returned to Marvel from DC in the late 1980s and, as he later described in print, was offered the relaunched Doctor Strange title partly because Jackson Guice's grounded, realism-adjacent art inspired Thomas to write Strange with more human wit than previous runs had allowed. Thomas and his wife Dann Thomas took over with issue #5, making #6 only their second outing on the series; the 'Faust Gambit!' arc (issues #5–8) was their immediate statement of intent. The issue carries two distinct stories: the main 'Faust Gambit' chapter scripted by Roy and Dann Thomas with Guice on pencils and José Marzan Jr. on inks, and a 'Book of the Vishanti' backup written by Roy Thomas and R.J.M. Lofficier with art by Tom Sutton — the backup format allowing the creative team to expand Mordo's family backstory while the main plot escalated its demonic stakes. Editors Ralph Macchio and Marc Siry shepherded the issue under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Mephista (Earth-616), the demonic daughter of Mephisto, who later renamed herself Jezebel in X-Factor Vol. 3 #233 (2012).
- First appearance of Sara Krowler, the mother of Baron Mordo, revealed in the 'Book of the Vishanti' backup story; her arranged marriage to Nikolai Mordo and role in his murder form the backbone of Mordo's origin.
- First appearance (and death) of Baron Nikolai Mordo, Karl Mordo's father, also in the backup story.
- The issue is Part 2 of the four-part 'Faust Gambit!' arc (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #5–8), written by Roy Thomas and Dann Thomas with pencils by Jackson Guice.
- The central plot engine is Baron Mordo having sold his soul to both Mephisto and Satannish simultaneously, forcing Doctor Strange to contend with both Hell-Lords — and Mephista — at once, with Satannish's Sons also appearing.
- A two-story format is used: the main 'Faust Gambit' chapter (Thomas/Thomas/Guice/Marzan) and the 'Book of the Vishanti' backup (Roy Thomas/R.J.M. Lofficier/Tom Sutton), the latter used to deliver Mordo's extended family backstory.
- Cover art is by Jackson Guice; the issue was edited by Ralph Macchio and Marc Siry under editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco, with a cover date of August 1989 and an on-sale date of April 25, 1989.
- The Marvel Database records two reprints of this issue.
Cast · 14 characters
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Reprints
↩ Reprints Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #7 (1989)
Reprinted in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #5 (1989), Un Récit Complet Marvel #27 (1990), Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme Omnibus #1 (2017), Doctor Strange Epic Collection #8 (2019)
Key issues in Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme
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