Doc Strange
Encyclopedia
Doc Strange is a fictional character
, a comic book
superhero
who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1 (Better Publications (also called Nedor Comics
) 1940). The character was revived and renamed 'Tom Strange' in the modern age in Tom Strong
#11 (published by America's Best Comics) by Alan Moore
and Chris Sprouse
.
operating in the United States
. He operated under the name 'Dr. Strange', later 'Doc Strange' during the Golden Age of Comic Books
. He had no secret identity
.
The character debuted in 1940, a scientist who developed a serum called Alosun, which is described in the comics as a distillate of sun atoms. Ingestion of this serum gives him superhuman strength, the ability to fly, and invulnerability.
Doc Strange was assisted by Virginia Thompson, his girlfriend. In Thrilling Comics #24, he gained teen sidekick named Mike. He wore the same costume as Doc Strange, along with a green cape. Though he was non-powered during the earlier adventures, he gained the same powers as Doc Strange.
Doc Strange appeared in the following titles in the Golden Age:
as part of the Vault Heroes, a group of Golden Age superheroes who volunteered to have themselves cryogenically
frozen following World War II
, so that they could be revived should the world need them. He died shortly after being unfrozen, making the heroes realize that the cryogenic process did not work perfectly on everyone.
AC Comics went on to reprint many of his Golden Age adventures in various anthologies.
, were revived by Alan Moore
in his series Tom Strong
. This revival set the characters on a parallel world
called Terra Obscura
, which was also the title of the resulting mini-series.
His character was renamed 'Tom Strange', presumably to set him apart from the Marvel Comics
sorcerer Doctor Strange
and Batman
villain Hugo Strange
, and to present him as a Terra Obscura version of Tom Strong.
In Tom Strong #11, Moore and co-creator Chris Sprouse
more fully introduce the idea of Terra Obscura being a parallel Earth, "but in our own dimension. In our own galaxy
". Tom Strong himself had found it while traveling space alone. He theorizes that the duplicate Earth (and duplicate solar system) "must be due to some near-inconceivable fluke of mathematics, of statistical probability".
In this issue, Tom Strange is revealed to have run across the Milky Way
for 30 years to reach Strong for help in stopping an alien menace which killed or imprisoned most of the science-heroes of Terra Obscura. It is judged Strange had set off on his task soon after Tom had left. The leaping from world to world temporarily drives Strange mad, and he battles Tom before being subdued and sleeping for about a fortnight. Once he awakens, he is of a much more calmer mind. The two set off back home in Tom's new ship, Tom shows Strange an array of comic books, produced on his earth, which matches the history and events on Strange's Earth.
Tom helps Strange revive his surviving allies, who have been trapped in time by the alien menace for the thirty years, unaware and unaging. With the contents of a lab hidden deep in the inverted city of 'Invertica', the assembled superheroes manage to neutralize the alien menace.
He is described by Strong as the most powerful being he's ever met, and in a different league from Strong entirely.
He operates with the modern incarnation of SMASH
.
and Blue Beetle
to save Diana Masters (Miss Masque
) from an attack by futuristic soldiers. It's revealed in flashbacks that he is one of the scientists that were part of creating the original Golden Age
heroes of World War II
, under the direction of Archibald Masters (American Crusader
) He developed a chemical called Alosun for the superhero project, but inspired by the heroes that they were creating, he tried it on himself first.
-like leaps), superhuman strength, and surviving indefinitely in the vacuum of space (without air or water), and has invulnerability to re-entry, extreme impacts (falling to Earth from space) and bullets. He is also a brilliant scientist.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #1 (Better Publications (also called Nedor Comics
Nedor Comics
Nedor Publishing was a comic book imprint of publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics...
) 1940). The character was revived and renamed 'Tom Strange' in the modern age in Tom Strong
Tom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
#11 (published by America's Best Comics) by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Chris Sprouse
Chris Sprouse
Chris Sprouse is an American comic book artist.-Biography:Chris Sprouse was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. At the age of 3 he moved with his family to New Delhi, India where he first discovered comics as he was unable to play outside due to the dangerous amount of snakes in the house yard...
.
Character history
His civilian identity is Doctor Thomas Hugo Strange, a scientistScientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
operating in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He operated under the name 'Dr. Strange', later 'Doc Strange' during the Golden Age of Comic Books
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. He had no secret identity
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
.
The character debuted in 1940, a scientist who developed a serum called Alosun, which is described in the comics as a distillate of sun atoms. Ingestion of this serum gives him superhuman strength, the ability to fly, and invulnerability.
Doc Strange was assisted by Virginia Thompson, his girlfriend. In Thrilling Comics #24, he gained teen sidekick named Mike. He wore the same costume as Doc Strange, along with a green cape. Though he was non-powered during the earlier adventures, he gained the same powers as Doc Strange.
Doc Strange appeared in the following titles in the Golden Age:
- America's Best Comics #1–23, 27
- Thrilling Comics #1–64
AC Comics
He was briefly revived on the pages of FemforceFemforce
Femforce is a comic book published by AC Comics that began publication in 1985, detailing the adventures of the titular team: the "Federal Emergency Missions Force" or "Femforce", some of them original creations, while others originated in the 1940s and 50s, lapsing into public domain by the time...
as part of the Vault Heroes, a group of Golden Age superheroes who volunteered to have themselves cryogenically
Cryogenics
In physics, cryogenics is the study of the production of very low temperature and the behavior of materials at those temperatures. A person who studies elements under extremely cold temperature is called a cryogenicist. Rather than the relative temperature scales of Celsius and Fahrenheit,...
frozen following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, so that they could be revived should the world need them. He died shortly after being unfrozen, making the heroes realize that the cryogenic process did not work perfectly on everyone.
AC Comics went on to reprint many of his Golden Age adventures in various anthologies.
America's Best Comics
Doc Strange, along with other heroes from Nedor ComicsNedor Comics
Nedor Publishing was a comic book imprint of publisher Ned Pines, who also published pulp magazines under a variety of company names that he also used for the comics...
, were revived by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
in his series Tom Strong
Tom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
. This revival set the characters on a parallel world
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
called Terra Obscura
Terra Obscura
Terra Obscura is a 2003 comic book miniseries spun off from Alan Moore's Tom Strong series. The stories are written by Peter Hogan, and drawn by Yanick Paquette and Karl Story with additional flashback sequences drawn by Eric Theriault. Each story is co-plotted by Alan Moore and Peter Hogan...
, which was also the title of the resulting mini-series.
His character was renamed 'Tom Strange', presumably to set him apart from the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
sorcerer Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
villain Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange
Professor Hugo Strange is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, as an adversary of Batman. He first appeared in Detective Comics #36 , and is one of Batman's first recurring villains, preceding the Joker and Catwoman by several months...
, and to present him as a Terra Obscura version of Tom Strong.
In Tom Strong #11, Moore and co-creator Chris Sprouse
Chris Sprouse
Chris Sprouse is an American comic book artist.-Biography:Chris Sprouse was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. At the age of 3 he moved with his family to New Delhi, India where he first discovered comics as he was unable to play outside due to the dangerous amount of snakes in the house yard...
more fully introduce the idea of Terra Obscura being a parallel Earth, "but in our own dimension. In our own galaxy
Galaxy
A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system that consists of stars and stellar remnants, an interstellar medium of gas and dust, and an important but poorly understood component tentatively dubbed dark matter. The word galaxy is derived from the Greek galaxias , literally "milky", a...
". Tom Strong himself had found it while traveling space alone. He theorizes that the duplicate Earth (and duplicate solar system) "must be due to some near-inconceivable fluke of mathematics, of statistical probability".
In this issue, Tom Strange is revealed to have run across the Milky Way
Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that contains the Solar System. This name derives from its appearance as a dim un-resolved "milky" glowing band arching across the night sky...
for 30 years to reach Strong for help in stopping an alien menace which killed or imprisoned most of the science-heroes of Terra Obscura. It is judged Strange had set off on his task soon after Tom had left. The leaping from world to world temporarily drives Strange mad, and he battles Tom before being subdued and sleeping for about a fortnight. Once he awakens, he is of a much more calmer mind. The two set off back home in Tom's new ship, Tom shows Strange an array of comic books, produced on his earth, which matches the history and events on Strange's Earth.
Tom helps Strange revive his surviving allies, who have been trapped in time by the alien menace for the thirty years, unaware and unaging. With the contents of a lab hidden deep in the inverted city of 'Invertica', the assembled superheroes manage to neutralize the alien menace.
He is described by Strong as the most powerful being he's ever met, and in a different league from Strong entirely.
He operates with the modern incarnation of SMASH
SMASH (comics)
The Society of Modern American Science Heroes, or SMASH, is a team of fictional superheroes whose adventures are published by America's Best Comics and take place on the parallel world of Terra Obscura.- History :...
.
Heroes, inc.
Doc Strange appears in the webcomic Heroes,inc. along with a Golden Age Captain FutureCaptain Future (Nedor Comics)
Captain Future is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Startling Comics #1 from Nedor Comics.-Publishing history:...
and Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
to save Diana Masters (Miss Masque
Miss Masque
Miss Masque is a fictional masked crime-fighter. She originally appeared in comic books published by Nedor Comics, and was later revived by AC Comics, America's Best Comics, and Dynamite Entertainment.-Nedor Comics:...
) from an attack by futuristic soldiers. It's revealed in flashbacks that he is one of the scientists that were part of creating the original Golden Age
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
heroes of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, under the direction of Archibald Masters (American Crusader
American Crusader
The American Crusader is a fictional character, a superhero who originally appeared in Thrilling Comics #19 . The character was revived in the Modern Age in Femforce #59, by AC Comics, and in Tom Strong #11, by Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse.-Character history:His secret identity is Professor...
) He developed a chemical called Alosun for the superhero project, but inspired by the heroes that they were creating, he tried it on himself first.
Powers and abilities
Tom Strange is capable of flight (or at least vast Golden Age SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
-like leaps), superhuman strength, and surviving indefinitely in the vacuum of space (without air or water), and has invulnerability to re-entry, extreme impacts (falling to Earth from space) and bullets. He is also a brilliant scientist.