Strange Tales #159
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeStrange Tales #159 packs two landmark debuts into a single 1967 Silver Age issue: on the spy side, it introduces Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, a character whose combination of judo-throwing competence and moral complexity made her one of Marvel's most enduring espionage figures — one who has evolved, decades later, into a prominent presence in the MCU as portrayed by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. On the mystical side, the Doctor Strange feature continues the Living Tribunal story arc, carrying forward a cameo appearance by that cosmic entity just one issue after his debut in #157–158, helping to establish the multiversal hierarchy that would become a cornerstone of Marvel cosmology. The issue also marks Jim Steranko's first time drawing Captain America, a creative pairing that would bear further fruit in his landmark Captain America #110, 111, and 113.
In "Spy School," Doctor Strange returns to find his Sanctum magically erased—only Wong, barely escaped, can explain the devastation: Umar’s spell of vanishment has taken it. With the Crystal of Agamotto, Strange detects a hidden network of mystics plotting to free a long-imprisoned power, and though he strikes down their leader, he realizes too late that they’ve unleashed Baron Mordo, his most bitter foe. Written by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin, with art by Marie Severin and inks by Herb Trimpe, this 1967 Marvel classic features a cover by Jim Steranko, John Romita, and Marie Severin, blending supernatural intrigue with a chilling twist of betrayal.
This exact issue on ebay
CGC 9.2 ▾ $680–$2,500 4 listings
CGC 9 ▾ $495–$525 2 listings
CGC 8 ▾ $175–$210 2 listings
CGC 7.5 ▾ $130–$250 2 listings
CGC 7 ▾ $120–$155 3 listings
CGC 6.5 ▾ $99.99–$111 3 listings
CGC 5.5 ▾ $65–$115 5 listings
CGC 5 ▾ $29.99–$120 2 listings
Raw — VF ▾ $140–$500 5 listings
Raw — FN/VF ▾ $49.95–$90 2 listings
Raw — FN ▾ $35–$78 9 listings
Raw — VG ▾ $23.96–$69.95 10 listings
Raw — GOOD ▾ $19.99–$45 4 listings
Raw / ungraded ▾ $7.99–$300 30 listings
More listings for this title
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 Nick Fury half of the issue — titled 'Spy School' — was written, penciled, and inked entirely by Jim Steranko, who was then reshaping the S.H.I.E.L.D. feature with his cinematic, pop-art–inflected approach to sequential storytelling. The Doctor Strange backup, 'The Evil That Men Do...,' was scripted by Roy Thomas from a co-plot by Marie Severin, with Severin on pencils and Herb Trimpe on inks, placing it within a nine-part Living Tribunal story arc. Notably, the published cover differs from Steranko's original art: research documented in the GCD's error list confirms that the figure of Captain America on the cover was redrawn by John Romita Sr., with possible additional alterations by Marie Severin.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine ('Val'), created by Jim Steranko; she debuts as a S.H.I.E.L.D. trainee who physically floors Nick Fury with a judo throw after he dismisses female agents — a defining character moment replicated in later adaptations.
- First appearance of Sidney 'The Gaff' Levine, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s tech expert, also created by Steranko and a recurring supporting character throughout the spy series.
- First appearance of Clay Quartermain (unnamed in this issue), another long-running S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, also introduced here per the Marvel Database.
- This is Jim Steranko's first depiction of Captain America, who appears in a sparring exhibition against Nick Fury for S.H.I.E.L.D. recruits — Steranko would later write and draw Cap in his own title with issues #110, #111, and #113.
- The Doctor Strange story is part 2 of a nine-part Living Tribunal arc (the Tribunal appears in cameo); the arc began in #157, where the character first debuted, created by Stan Lee and Marie Severin.
- The Nick Fury story also features the first appearance of Fury's personal apartment, establishing domestic characterization for the S.H.I.E.L.D. director.
- The cover was altered from Steranko's original: John Romita Sr. redrew the Captain America figure, a fact confirmed by comparison with the original art published in the Steranko Nick Fury Artist's Edition.
- The issue has been reprinted extensively, including in Marvel Masterworks: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol. 2 (2009), S.H.I.E.L.D. by Steranko: The Complete Collection (2013), the S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete Collection Omnibus (2015), and the Doctor Strange Epic Collection: I, Dormammu (2023).
Cast · 19 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Strange returns home to find his Sanctum gone! Wong, who barely escaped its destruction, recounts how Umar used a spell of vanishment. Strange dispels her enchantment and his house returns. Using the Crystal of Agamotto he senses evil mystic powers around the world. Casting a spell he discovers a group of mystics, banded together, working to free an imprisoned mystic to lead them. Strange strikes down the most powerful of the group, but is too late, they have freed Baron Mordo, his most hated enemy, knowing it will be impossible to convince him to join forces to save the Earth!
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
Key issues in Strange Tales
Variants (1)
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.