Strange Tales #126
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeStrange Tales #126 is one of the most consequential single issues of Marvel's Silver Age, introducing two characters whose influence on Doctor Strange mythology proved permanent and wide-ranging: Dormammu, the inter-dimensional tyrant of the Dark Dimension who became Strange's defining arch-nemesis, and Clea, the white-haired sorceress who would evolve from a nameless supporting figure into Strange's wife and eventually his successor as Sorcerer Supreme. The issue also marks the pivotal moment when Lee and Ditko shifted Doctor Strange away from episodic 'one-off' mystical threats and into sustained, cosmological storytelling — a narrative model that directly seeded the legendary Eternity Saga beginning just a few issues later. Both characters made their live-action MCU debuts decades on, confirming that the creative choices made in this single 10-page back-up story continue to shape Marvel's biggest multimedia franchise.
In "Pawns of the Deadly Duo!", Dr. Strange is summoned to the Ancient One’s side as the elder sorcerer warns of the looming threat from Dormammu, who seeks to invade Earth. With his mentor too frail to confront the dark lord, Strange must journey into Dormammu’s dimension, facing peril at every turn—only to be watched and ultimately guided by a mysterious girl who reveals the true scale of the danger. Written by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with art by Ditko and colors by Stan Goldberg, this landmark issue features a cover by Jack Kirby and Chic Stone, capturing the eerie intensity of a battle that will decide the fate of two worlds.
In "Pawns of the Deadly Duo!" from Strange Tales #126, the Mad Thinker enlists the reluctant Puppet Master to attack the Fantastic Four, using mind-control to turn Ben Grimm against Johnny Storm mid-flight. When the sight of Johnny plummeting triggers Ben’s humanity, he breaks free and rescues his teammate, leading to a desperate fight that ends with Reed devising a psychic defense using a specially designed helmet.
In "The Domain of the Dread Dormammu!" from Strange Tales #126, Dr. Strange is summoned to the Ancient One’s side just as the ancient sorcerer warns of the looming threat from Dormammu, the Dread Lord of the Dark Dimension. Forced to journey into Dormammu’s realm to confront the menace, Strange navigates a landscape of surreal dangers, watched closely by a mysterious girl who eventually reveals herself to caution him about the entity’s true power. As the confrontation reaches its peak, Strange stands firm—refusing to let Dormammu harm the Ancient One, and daring him to face the sorcerer himself.
ComicBooks.com Value
Show all 22 grades ▾
This exact issue on ebay
CGC 8 ▾ $899–$921 2 listings
CGC 7.5 ▾ $471–$595 3 listings
CGC 7 ▾ $400–$450 2 listings
CGC 6.5 ▾ $196–$205 3 listings
CGC 5.5 ▾ $135–$255 4 listings
CGC 5 ▾ $157–$215 2 listings
CGC 4.5 ▾ $150–$519 3 listings
CGC 4 ▾ $99.99–$250 7 listings
CGC 3 ▾ $128–$130 2 listings
CGC 2.5 ▾ $105–$150 2 listings
Raw — VG+ ▾ $98–$210 3 listings
Raw — VG ▾ $77–$325 16 listings
Raw — GOOD ▾ $49.99–$120 4 listings
Raw / ungraded ▾ $40–$270 25 listings
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales was conceived and primarily driven by Steve Ditko, who brought the character to Stan Lee as a fully plotted idea; Lee scripted the dialogue while Ditko co-plotted and drew every page using the 'Marvel Method.' By issue #126, Ditko had been developing Doctor Strange's increasingly surreal dimensional landscape for over a year — Strange Tales #110 through #125 had established the character via largely self-contained encounters — and the introduction of Dormammu represented a conscious escalation toward a recurring, mythologically rich antagonist. The story was colored by Stan Goldberg and lettered by Artie Simek; Jack Kirby, who was providing the Human Torch lead stories during this period, supplied the cover. The Human Torch front story, 'Pawns of the Deadly Duo,' was written by Lee with art by Dick Ayers and Paul Reinman, featuring the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Dormammu, the extra-dimensional demonic tyrant who rules the Dark Dimension, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko (November 1964).
- First appearance of Clea — listed as an unnamed 'beautiful white-haired girl' in this issue — who later became Doctor Strange's disciple, wife, and his third successor as Sorcerer Supreme.
- First appearance of the Dark Dimension as a fully realized setting in Marvel Comics.
- The Doctor Strange story is titled 'The Domain of the Dread Dormammu!'; it is part one of a two-part arc concluded in Strange Tales #127.
- The issue is a split book: the lead story, 'Pawns of the Deadly Duo!', features the Human Torch and the Thing battling the Puppet Master and the Mad Thinker, written by Stan Lee with art by Dick Ayers and Paul Reinman.
- Cover art by Jack Kirby; the Doctor Strange back-up was co-plotted and illustrated by Steve Ditko, scripted by Stan Lee, colored by Stan Goldberg, and lettered by Artie Simek.
- 'The Domain of the Dread Dormammu!' was reprinted in the 1976 Simon & Schuster collection Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of Marvel Comics Villains and in the Pocket Books volume Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts.
- Dormammu made his MCU live-action debut in the 2016 film Doctor Strange (performed via motion capture by Benedict Cumberbatch); Clea made her MCU debut — portrayed by Charlize Theron — in the mid-credits scene of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).
Full credits
Reprints
Reprinted in Mystic #47 (1964), Los 4 Fantásticos #51 (1965), Terrific! #14 (1967), Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #17 (1968), I Fantastici Quattro #27 (1972), The Avengers #14 (1973), Eclipso #43 (1974), Doctor Strange #3 (1974), Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains #[nn] (1976), Bring on the Bad Guys: Origins of the Marvel Comics Villains #[nn] (1976), Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts #[1] (1978), Capitaine America #92/93 (1979), Strange Spécial Origines #172 (1984), Marvel Masterworks #23 (1992), Essential Doctor Strange #1 (2001), Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange #1 (2003), Essential Human Torch #1 (2003), Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko #[nn] (2005), Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange #2 (2005), Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch #2 (2009), Coleccionable Marvel Héroes #8 (2010), Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange #1 (2010), Marvel Série II #6 (2012), Marvel Famous Firsts: 75th Anniversary Masterworks Slipcase Set #5 (2014) + 10 more
Key issues in Strange Tales
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.