Auctions: comic books in 'Marvel Legacy Numbering: Doctor Strange'

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 76 CBCS 2.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #22-1A209AC-018

Prototype issue (Human Torch). Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers. "I Am Dragoom! The Flaming Invader!", pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers; A flaming alien monster terrorizes Earth; A movie director fools him by using special effects to fake the arrival of police from Vulcan in pursuit of the monster, frightening him away. "The Pact" text story. "Beware!! The Ghosts Surround Me!!", art by Don Heck; A fugitive hides in an abandoned house, but aliens from another dimension appear to him; They cannot hurt him, but instead they phase him into an immaterial state and leave him there forever. "The Dummy and Me!", art by Paul Reinman; Some gangsters come for a ventriloquist who has unpaid gambling debts; They corner him in the alley and shoot him. "I Found the Mad Universe!", art by Steve Ditko; A scientist uses a powerful new microscope to discover an entire world existing at the sub-atomic level; He is horrified to find that this world, Earth, is just as barbaric and violent as his own. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 115 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white

Label #1362288007

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Steve Ditko. Dr. Strange's 4th appearance finally provides his origin in "The Origin of Dr. Strange," script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Steve Ditko (co-plot, un-credited), art by Steve Ditko; Dr. Stephen Strange, a top neurosurgeon, damages his hands in an accident and seeks out a mystic for help; He saves the seer from his treacherous student, becoming his pupil and finding a new purpose; First mentions of Dormammu and the All-Seeing Agamotto (though no actual appearances). Baron Mordo appearance. Second appearance (and brief origin) of the Sandman in "The Sandman Strikes!", script by Stan Lee (co-plot, script) and Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited), art by Dick Ayers; The Human Torch fights and defeats Spider-Mans old enemy Sandman. "Zero of Time" text story. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 136 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4419733009

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko (bottom tier), inks by Mike Esposito and Steve Ditko (bottom tier). "Find Fury or Die!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and John Severin, inks by John Severin; HYDRA agents tail Fury intent on finding SHIELD's HQ, but Fury is aware he's being followed. HYDRA Section Leader B, a "Hydra-Hunter," runs the mission and hands over his hood to the Imperial Hydra so he will have no place to hide should he fail; When a few HYDRA agents show up at the barber shop which is the secret entrance to SHIELD's HQ, they're captured and hypnotized into believing the HQ is located in a warehouse blocks away. "What Lurks Beneath the Mask?", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; Dormammu imprisons Clea, telling her she will witness Strange's defeat. Mordo tells Dormammu that Strange is searching for "Eternity" and is puzzled by the dark lord's violent reaction; Strange continues his search, going from one mystic to another with no results, until The Aged Genghis tells him only he and The Ancient One know the secret; He gives him a scroll, which leads Strange to a being imprisoned in another dimension; a trap he barely escapes. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 138 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4064961007

Cover pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by John Severin. "Sometimes the Good Guys Lose!", script by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (co-plot), pencils by Jack Kirby (layouts) and John Severin, inks by John Severin; Aboard SHIELD's Intercontinental Ballistic Plane Fury uses the Televiewer Tube to locate the Betraton Bomb launch site; It is destroyed but the bomb was already launched; Agent G unsuccessfully implores her father, Imperial Hydra to come to his senses; He sends HYDRA's Fox Division to deliver his terms to every nation on Earth; Tony Stark prepares to show Fury the Braino-Saur,a new weapon when HYDRA agents capture him. "If Eternity Should Fail!", script by Steve Ditko (plot) and Stan Lee (dialogue), art by Steve Ditko; In another dimension that defies description, Dr. Strange comes face-to-face with Eternity, who learns that Strange is indeed worthy of The Ancient One's trust; He knows that if Mordo & Dormammu are not stopped, all mankind will be in jeopardy; But after all Strange has been through, Eternity tells him he already has the power he needs; First appearance of Eternity; Appearance by Clea. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 157 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white to white

Slab: Scuffing to inner well of case

Label #3774617005

Cover art by Jim Steranko. Nick Fury stars in "Crisis!", script and art by Jim Steranko; Strucker announces that the impregnable dome over Hydra Island will keep them safe from the "Death Spore" plague, and plans to use Fury's body as the basis for an army of HYDRA androids to "police" the world, once he's dead from the Alpha Ray beam; But Fury escapes!; As SHIELD searches the Heli-Carrier for the bomb with no result, Fury, "playing it by ear", takes on one group of HYDRA thugs after another, until Strucker faces him one-on-one. "The End of the Ancient One!", script by Stan Lee and Marie Severin (co-plot), pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Herb Trimpe; In order to pass his powers onto his disciple, The Ancient One allows Zom to defeat him; Before Strange's eyes, his mentor is fused with one of the giant rocks at Stonehenge, but not before he utters a warning; A battle ensues; First appearance of the Living Tribunal. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 158 CGC 8.0

Paper: Off white

Label #3774617006

Cover pencils by Marie Severin. Nick Fury stars in "Final Encounter!", script and art by Jim Steranko; The battle between Fury & Strucker rages until Fury manages to remove his Satan glove; Minutes later, as HYDRA thugs enter the room, they discover 2 Strucker's! One of them is revealed to be wearing a mask, panics, and is incinerated in an Alpha-Particle Reactor Cube; The other orders Laura put aboard the Dyna-Soar and takes off from Hydra Island, despite the imminent detonation of The Death Spore bomb. "The Sands of Death," script by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin (co-plot), pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Herb Trimpe; The Living Tribunal decrees that because Doctor Strange has unleashed a menace to the cosmos Earth must be destroyed; Before he recites the Incantation of Oblivion he recounts events leading up to his decision, agreed upon by his 3 faces of Equity, Revenge & Necessity; Doctor Strange challenges the Tribunal to let him deal with the menace, having defeated the forces of darkness in the past. Strange is granted a reprieve for as long as it takes the Sands of Death to run out of a mystic Hourglass resting in the middle of Stonehenge; Cameos by Dormammu and Umar. Letter to the editor from comics writer Bill Mantlo. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Strange Tales (1951-1976 1st Series) 158 VG- 3.5

Water spotting.

Cover pencils by Marie Severin. Nick Fury stars in "Final Encounter!", script and art by Jim Steranko; The battle between Fury & Strucker rages until Fury manages to remove his Satan glove; Minutes later, as HYDRA thugs enter the room, they discover 2 Strucker's! One of them is revealed to be wearing a mask, panics, and is incinerated in an Alpha-Particle Reactor Cube; The other orders Laura put aboard the Dyna-Soar and takes off from Hydra Island, despite the imminent detonation of The Death Spore bomb. "The Sands of Death," script by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin (co-plot), pencils by Marie Severin, inks by Herb Trimpe; The Living Tribunal decrees that because Doctor Strange has unleashed a menace to the cosmos Earth must be destroyed; Before he recites the Incantation of Oblivion he recounts events leading up to his decision, agreed upon by his 3 faces of Equity, Revenge & Necessity; Doctor Strange challenges the Tribunal to let him deal with the menace, having defeated the forces of darkness in the past. Strange is granted a reprieve for as long as it takes the Sands of Death to run out of a mystic Hourglass resting in the middle of Stonehenge; Cameos by Dormammu and Umar. Letter to the editor from comics writer Bill Mantlo. Merry Marvel Marching Society info and coupon. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.12.

Doctor Strange (1968 1st Series) 169 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4389004006

Doctor Strange stories continued from Strange Tales. 1st Doctor Strange in his own title. Cover art by Dan Adkins. The Coming of... Dr. Strange, script by Roy Thomas, art by Dan Adkins; Origin of Dr. Strange retold; Stephen Strange seeks out the Ancient One in Himalayas in hope of a cure for his damaged nerves; He discovers that Baron Mordo, a pupil of the Ancient One, is plotting to kill his teacher; Strange warns the Ancient One and then asks to study the mystic arts. House ad for Amazing Spider-Man #61 and Thor #152. Letter to the editor from comics historian George Olshevski. 36 pgs. $0.12. Cover price $0.12.

Doctor Strange (1968 1st Series) 173 CGC 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0148406004

Cover art by Dan Adkins. While a World Waits!, script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Tom Palmer; Umar frees Strange, via suggestion from Clea and Victoria Bentley; Dormammu defeated by his own vow never to enter the Earth dimension; curse returns him to the Dark Dimension; Dr. Benton, former medical colleague, offers consultant position to Strange. Cover price $0.12.

Doctor Strange (1974 2nd Series) 15 CBCS 8.5

Paper: White

Label #21-2792844-012

Cover pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Tom Palmer. Where There's Smoke..., script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Tom Palmer; James Mandarin desperately slits own throat at Strange's doorstep; wants Strange to be his guru, but is rejected. Strange tells of recreation of Earth to Lord Phyffe, Rama Kaliph, & Clea; Clea freaks; Mandarin is possessed by Satan, & Satan abducts them. Cover price $0.25.

Doctor Strange (2015 5th Series) 1A CGC 9.8 Bachalo

Paper: White

Label #3825649023

Written by Jason Aaron. Art and Cover by Chris Bachalo. Who do you call when things are coming out of your dreams and trying to kill you? Or when your daughter is cursing in Latin and walking like a spider? Or when your dog keeps screaming at you to strangle your neighbors? Doctor Strange, of course. He's the only person standing between us and the forces of darkness, but has he been paying his tab? Every act of magic has a cost and Jason Aaron (THOR, ORIGINAL SIN) and Chris Bachalo (UNCANNY X-MEN) are going to put Stephen Strange through hell to even the scales. 36 pages, full color. Rated T+ Cover price $4.99.