Kamar-Taj
Encyclopedia
Kamar-Taj is a fictional location in the Marvel Universe
. It first appeared in Strange Tales
#110 (Jul 1963) and was created by Stan Lee
and Dick Ayers
Kamar-Taj is a tiny hidden land in the Himalayan Mountains
, in the land now known as Tibet
. It is the homeland of Doctor Strange
's mentor, the Ancient One
, and the evil sorcerer Kaluu. Wong
also stems from a family of monks living in Kamar-Taj.
Over 500 years ago, the man who would one day become the Ancient One
was born in Kamar-Taj. With his friend Kaluu, he discovered the power of magic but the two friends disagreed on how to use it to protect their village. Kaluu sought to conquer neighboring villages and build a large empire. The two cast a spell eliminating sickness, disease and age from Kamar-Taj and shortly afterwards Kaluu was crowned king by the villagers under Kaluu's mind-control spell. The Ancient One tried to stop Kaluu and in their battle the village of Kamar-Taj was wiped out. Kaluu was banished to an alternate dimension. The Ancient One left Kamar-Taj and traveled the Earth for centuries, battling evil creatures, gaining the Amulet of Agamotto
and the Book of the Vishanti
.
He finally settled down in the Himalaya Mountains near Kamar-Taj, building a palace as his home with an order of monks to protect and assist him. In a tournament organized by the sorcerer Aged Genghis
, the Ancient One won the title of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme
. He took a student, who would one day become Mister Jip
, but banned him from his home when he found out the student had been studying the forbidden books to increase his own power.
Feeling himself getting older and weaker, the Ancient One set out to find a student. He taught such beings as Doctor Druid
and Baron Mordo
but found his true apprentice in Stephen Strange
, claiming that this boy would become the new Sorcerer Supreme. Mordo began to plot against Strange, though the Ancient One kept protecting him. Mordo soon left the palace and Stephen became the Ancient One's successor as Doctor Strange. The Ancient One would often assist Stephen, until Shuma-Gorath
killed the Ancient One's physical body.
Kamar-Taj still today remains the site of the Ancient One's palace.
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
. It first appeared in Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
#110 (Jul 1963) and was created by Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and Dick Ayers
Dick Ayers
Richard "Dick" Ayers is an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of Jack Kirby's inkers during the late-1950s and 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comics, including on some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four, and as the signature...
Kamar-Taj is a tiny hidden land in the Himalayan Mountains
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, in the land now known as Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
. It is the homeland of 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 ....
's mentor, the Ancient One
Ancient One
The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:...
, and the evil sorcerer Kaluu. Wong
Wong (comics)
Wong is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the sidekick and manservant of Doctor Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme of Earth. Wong was first mentioned in the comic Strange Tales #110 and first appeared in Strange Tales #147. In the 2006 miniseries Dr. Strange: the Oath, it was revealed...
also stems from a family of monks living in Kamar-Taj.
Over 500 years ago, the man who would one day become the Ancient One
Ancient One
The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:...
was born in Kamar-Taj. With his friend Kaluu, he discovered the power of magic but the two friends disagreed on how to use it to protect their village. Kaluu sought to conquer neighboring villages and build a large empire. The two cast a spell eliminating sickness, disease and age from Kamar-Taj and shortly afterwards Kaluu was crowned king by the villagers under Kaluu's mind-control spell. The Ancient One tried to stop Kaluu and in their battle the village of Kamar-Taj was wiped out. Kaluu was banished to an alternate dimension. The Ancient One left Kamar-Taj and traveled the Earth for centuries, battling evil creatures, gaining the Amulet of Agamotto
Eye of Agamotto
The Eye of Agamotto is a fictional mystical item in the Marvel Comics universe. The artist Steve Ditko, drew inspiration from the real world charm called 'The All Seeing Eye of the Buddha', known among Buddhists as "The Amulet of Snail Martyrs", a Nepali symbol meant to protect its wearer against...
and the Book of the Vishanti
Book of the Vishanti
The Book of the Vishanti is a fictional grimoire appearing in Marvel Comics, most closely associated with the character of Doctor Strange. It first appeared in Strange Tales #116 and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It is the greatest known source of "white" magical knowledge on the...
.
He finally settled down in the Himalaya Mountains near Kamar-Taj, building a palace as his home with an order of monks to protect and assist him. In a tournament organized by the sorcerer Aged Genghis
Aged Genghis
Aged Genghis is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe who first appeared in Strange Tales #136.-Fictional character biography:...
, the Ancient One won the title of Earth's Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme
Sorcerer Supreme or Sorceress Supreme is a title granted in the fictional Marvel Universe to the "practitioner of the mystic or magic arts who has greater skills than all others or commands a greater portion of the ambient magical energies than any other organism on a given world or dimension". By...
. He took a student, who would one day become Mister Jip
Mister Jip
Mister Jip is an evil fictional character belonging to the Marvel Comics universe, possessing a grotesque appearance and various mystical powers...
, but banned him from his home when he found out the student had been studying the forbidden books to increase his own power.
Feeling himself getting older and weaker, the Ancient One set out to find a student. He taught such beings as Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid
Doctor Druid, also known as Doctor Droom and Druid, is a fictional character, a supernatural monster-hunter in the Marvel Comics universe....
and Baron Mordo
Baron Mordo
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange...
but found his true apprentice in Stephen 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 ....
, claiming that this boy would become the new Sorcerer Supreme. Mordo began to plot against Strange, though the Ancient One kept protecting him. Mordo soon left the palace and Stephen became the Ancient One's successor as Doctor Strange. The Ancient One would often assist Stephen, until Shuma-Gorath
Shuma-Gorath
Shuma-Gorath is a fictional character created by Robert E. Howard, best known for his later interpretations as a demonic enemy of Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics publications. He is also well known for being an unconventional playable character in the Marvel Super Heroes and Marvel vs. Capcom video...
killed the Ancient One's physical body.
Kamar-Taj still today remains the site of the Ancient One's palace.