Strange Tales #115

(December 1963)

The Sandman Strikes! (Table of Contents: 1)

Human Torch / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited) (co-plot, script); Dick Ayers (credited) (co-plot, un-credited)

Pencils

Dick Ayers (credited)

Inks

Dick Ayers (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Artie Simek (credited as Art Simek)

Job Number

X-472

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Sandman [Flint Marko]; Mister Fantastic [Reed Richards]; Spider-Man [Peter Parker] (flashback, cameo)

Synopsis

The Human Torch fights and defeats Spider-Man’s old enemy Sandman.

Reprints

• in Le Monstre de Frankenstein (Editions Héritage, 1973 series) #7
• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #18 (January 1969)
• in I Fantastici Quattro (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #14 (5 Ottobre 1971)
• in Nova (Editions Lug, 1978 series) #82 (5 novembre 1984)
• in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 ([October] 2003) [black & white]
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 ([September] 2006)
• in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2014 series) #1 (2014)
• in The Human Torch & The Thing: Strange Tales - The Complete Collection (Marvel, 2018 series) (2018)

Indexer Notes

Job number revealed on original art. Info per Nick Caputo.

This story takes place after Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #20 (November 1963). This is the second appearance of Sandman; he last appeared in Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel, 1963 series) #4 (September 1963); he next appears in Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964). This is the first time that Sandman, originally Spider-Man's foe, fought the Torch. He would eventually team-up with two other Torch villains, Wizard & Paste-Pot Pete, to form the Frightful Four in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #36 (March 1965). Torch & Spidey last crossed paths in Strange Tales Annual (Marvel, 1962 series) #2 (1963); they would do so again the very next month in Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel, 1963 series) #8 (January 1964).

Another Marvel Masterpiece (Table of Contents: 2)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Script

Stan Lee

Pencils

Jack Kirby

Inks

George Roussos

Colors

?

Letters

Artie Simek; typeset

Synopsis

Promo of Sgt. Fury (Marvel, 1963 series) #4 (November 1963) includes cover repro. Printed between the pages of the Human Torch story.

Zero of Time (Table of Contents: 3)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

[9689]

Genre

science fiction

Characters

John Pearson; Prof. Thomas Benton; Father Time

Synopsis

A scientist's machine transports him and a reporter outside of time and into the realm of Father Time.

Reprints

• from Adventures into Weird Worlds (Marvel, 1952 series) #7 (June 1952)

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration.

The Origin of Dr. Strange (Table of Contents: 4)

Doctor Strange / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (credited) (co-plot, script); Steve Ditko (co-plot, uncredited)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (credited)

Inks

Steve Ditko (credited)

Colors

Stan Goldberg ?

Letters

Sam Rosen (credited as S. Rosen)

Job Number

X-473?

Genre

superhero; fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange] (origin); Ancient One [Yao]; Baron Mordo [Karl Amadeus Mordo] (origin)

Synopsis

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.

Reprints

• in Doktor Strange der Magier (BSV - Williams, 1975 series) #7
• in Marvel Tales Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #2 (1965)
• in Terrific! (IPC, 1967 series) #1 (15 April 1967) [retitled]
• in The Avengers (Marvel UK, 1973 series) #1 (September 22, 1973) [black & white]
• in Marvel Premiere (Marvel, 1972 series) #11 (October 1973)
which is reprinted
• in Le Fils de Satan (Arédit-Artima, 1975 series) #7 (2ème trimestre 1977) [[N&B et remonté [B&W and reframed]]
• in L'Incroyable Hulk (Editions Héritage, 1968 series) #76/77 ([décembre 1977]) [N&B [B&W]]
• in Marvel. Официальная коллекция комиксов (Ашет Коллекция [Hachette], 2014 series) #118 - Доктор Стрэндж: Разделенная Реальность
• in Origins of Marvel Comics (Simon and Schuster, 1974 series) (1974)
• in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #[1] (June 1978)
• in Strange Spécial Origines (Editions Lug, 1981 series) #139 (5 juillet 1981)
• in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #137 (March 1982)
• in O Espectacular Homem-Aranha (Distri Editora, 1983 series) #1 (Fevereiro/1983)
• in Σπάιντερ Μαν [Spider-Man] (Kabanas Hellas, 1977 series) #167 (Ιούλιος 1984)
• in The Marvel Saga the Official History of the Marvel Universe (Marvel, 1985 series) #10 (September 1986) [excerpt]
which is reprinted
• in Marvel Saga (SatellitFörlaget, 1988 series) #10
• in Essential Marvel Saga (Marvel, 2008 series) #1 (2008)
• in Heróis da TV (Editora Abril, 1979 series) #100 (outubro 1987) [recolorida, sem a primeira página]
• in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #23 ([December] 1992)
which is reprinted
• in Marvel Milestone Edition: Doktor Strange (Panini Deutschland, 2000 series) #1 ([Oktober] 2000)
• in Spider-Man Classics (Marvel, 1993 series) #1 (April 1993)
• in Marvel Limited: Fantastic Firsts (Marvel, 1994 series) (May 1994)
• in Marvel Milestone Edition: Strange Tales #110 (Marvel, 1995 series) (April 1995)
• in Origins of Marvel Comics Revised Edition (Marvel, 1997 series) (September 1997)
• in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]
• in Fantastic Firsts (Marvel, 2002 series) (January 2002)
• in Marvel : Les origines (Panini France, 2002 series) #1 (décembre 2002), #1 (décembre 2002) [page 1 partially]
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 ([September] 2003)
• in Strange Tales Vol. 1 Nos. 110, 111, 114 & 115 [Marvel Legends Reprint] (Marvel, 2004 series) (November 2004)
• in Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko (Marvel, 2005 series) (2005)
• in Marvel 70th Anniversary Collection (Marvel, 2009 series) (July 2009)
• in Coleccionable Marvel Héroes (Panini España, 2010 series) #8 - Doctor Extraño: El Juramento (Noviembre 2010)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2010 series) #1 ([December] 2010)
• in Marvel Série II (Levoir, 2012 series) #6 - Dr. Estranho: O Juramento
• in Marvel Famous Firsts: 75th Anniversary Masterworks Slipcase Set (Marvel, 2014 series) #5 - Doctor Strange
• in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 [Third Edition] (2015)
• in Doctor Strange Omnibus (Marvel, 2016 series) #1 (2016)
• in Marvel's Doctor Strange Prelude (Marvel, 2016 series) (2016)
• in Marvel Classic (Panini France, 2015 series) #7 (octobre 2016)
• in Doctor Strange: The Oath (Marvel, 2016 series) (2016)
• in Doctor Strange: Mystic Apprentice (Marvel, 2016 series) #1 ([December] 2016)
• in Doctor Strange Epic Collection (Marvel, 2016 series) #1 - Master of the Mystic Arts (2018)
• in Marvel Visionaries: Steve Ditko (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
• in Ditko Is... Strange King-Size (Marvel, 2020 series) (2020)
• in Mighty Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2021 series) #1 - The World Beyond (2021)

Indexer Notes

This is the first mention of Dormammu. The Ancient One's home is said here to be in India, this is later changed to Tibet.

Stan Lee says they forgot to tell Strange's origin before this. Judging by the evolution of the artwork, it appears this was at least the ninth episode drawn! In all other episodes up to issue #120 (May 1964), Strange resembes Vincent Price; in this and later ones, he resembles Ronald Colman. Certain plot elements are somewhat similar to those in the Frank Capra film, Lost Horizon (1937).

Stan Goldberg credit removed due to lack of attribution. (20/03/2010)

Another Marvel Masterpiece (Table of Contents: 5)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Script

Stan Lee

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Colors

?

Letters

Artie Simek; typeset

Indexer Notes

Promo of Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel, 1963 series) #7 (December 1963) includes cover repro. Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.