Doctor Strange is having a moment in the with a dark version of the Sorcerer Supreme appearing in a recent episode of What If...?, and major live-action appearances are due in the next few months. Some of his upcoming movies could be inspired by some of the best comics featuring Doctor Strange from the 1970s.

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Doctor Strange first appeared in Strange Tales #110 in 1963, but the 70s are the decade in which the character truly comes into his own, with contributions from major creators like Steve Ditko. Not only does he finally get his own dedicated solo comic book, many of the elements of his lore that the MCU will build on begin to take shape.

Doctor Strange #10

Doctor Strange fights Baron Mordo in Marvel Comics.

Doctor Strange's domain is magic, but his adventures often bleed over into the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe, as was the case in issue #10 of the 1974 volume of Doctor Strange.

This issue is a great encapsulation of Strange and this era, as he fights Nightmare over his former colleague and enemy Baron Mordo, who at the time Strange is trying to rehabilitate. Not only that, it features an appearance by Eternity, perhaps the most powerful cosmic being in Marvel Comics, a character certain to make an appearance in the MCU at some point.

Doctor Strange #34

Doctor Strange fights Cyrus Black in Marvel Comics.

Nightmare, one of Doctor Strange's most powerful villains, returns in issue #34 of the series. Nightmare drags Strange into his nightmare realm and kicks off one of the biggest battles between the two enemies.

Nightmare mostly fights through a proxy, Cyrus Black, a magician who Nightmare is manipulating. Black has the potential to appear in the MCU in the future, but the main attraction here is the mystical battle of the wills, with amazing art by Tom Sutton, who worked on many of the Strange comics in the late 70s.

Doctor Strange #32

Doctor Strange sees Dream Weaver in his crystal ball in Marvel Comics.

The Dream Weaver is another potential Doctor Strange villain who could appear in the MCU, and she makes her first appearance in issue #32 in 1978. Written by Roger Stern and drawn by Alan Kupperberg, the story is a great showcase for a number of villains of the Sorcerer Supreme and a jumping-on point for readers.

Thanks to the machinations of the Dream Weaver, notable Strange enemies appear like The Dweller In Darkness, who appeared in Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings, as well as Nightmare, D'Spayre, and others.

Doctor Strange Annual #1

Doctor Strange fights to save Clea in Marvel Comics.

The first-ever annual featuring Doctor Strange is a major battle between the Sorcerer Supreme and Lectra, Empress of the Phaseworld, over Strange's lover, Clea. It's a great early example of Strange's ability to travel to other mystical planes, which has become a prominent feature of modern comics and the MCU.

The issue features a fantastic cover by artist Dave Cockrum, who not only drew some of the best X-Men issues of the 1970s, but also co-created a number of those characters, including Nightcrawler, Storm, and Colossus.

Marvel Feature #1

The Defenders rush into battle in Marvel Comics.

Marvel Feature #1 from 1971 is a major comic for Doctor Strange and for Marvel Comics history. This issue sees Strange bringing together Namor and the Hulk to form The Defenders, a superhero team that remains a major part of the comics and has appeared in the Netflix MCU suite of series in a different form.

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Written by Roy Thomas, one of the best Spider-Man writers ever, and drawn by legendary comics artist Ross Andru, it's a fantastic issue that shows Strange as the leader he is in the comics and could very well be in the MCU in the absence of Iron Man.

Tomb Of Dracula #44

Doctor Strange fights Dracula in Marvel Comics.

Doctor Strange's battles often take him into the realm of the supernatural and Tomb Of Dracula #44 is the first part of a major battle with Dracula. Given that Blade is coming to the MCU, Dracula could be as well and this battle could easily appear in live-action.

Blade features in the comic, in which Wong is bitten by Dracula, and Doctor Strange has to save him any way he can. Written by Marv Wolfman, behind some of the best DC Comics storylines of the 80s like Crisis On Infinite Earths, the story ends on a big cliffhanger.

Doctor Strange #14

Doctor Strange's astral form attacks Dracula in Marvel Comics.

Doctor Strange #14 is the conclusion of the storyline with Dracula and is essential for fans of the story. Dracula feeds on Doctor Strange, and Strange gets around becoming a vampire servant completely by projecting his astral form.

The story, written by Steve Englehart, who is one of the best Avengers writers of all time, wraps things up with what appears to be the death of the Prince of Darkness. It's a fun story that allows Strange to become a vampire in body while his astral form scrambles to find a way out of a disintegrating situation.

Marvel Premiere #10

Shuma-Gorath fights Doctor Strange in Marvel Comics.

Marvel Premiere #10 is a major comic in Doctor Strange lore and potentially the future of the MCU since it features the first appearance of Shuma-Gorath. Shuma-Gorath is a massive, ancient tentacled monster with enormous power, and may have already appeared in the MCU thanks to the What If..? animated series.

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It's possible that the tentacled monster viewed on a number of occasions in the series is Shuma-Gorath. This first appearance of his in the comic books showcases how great of a challenge Shuma-Gorath is, an entity who can bend reality to his will and make life very hard for Doctor Strange.

The Defenders #4

Valkyrie joins the Defenders in Marvel Comics.

Doctor Strange would prove his value as a leader as The Defenders got their own ongoing monthly series. Issue #4 is key for the first appearance of Valkyrie, and establishing that Strange has a special talent for locating and drafting heroes to his cause.

Doctor Strange expands the roster in this book and goes on to do so in the comics into the present day. He is instrumental in assembling various forms of the Defenders, the Illuminati, and more. With Valkyrie already in the MCU, she could feature in a future live-action Defenders team.

Marvel Premiere #14

Doctor Strange standing on a cosmic mass on a comic cover

Marvel Premiere #14 is a great issue and one with intriguing possibilities for the MCU. The story revolves around Doctor Strange's battle with the supervillain Sise-Neg and involves somewhat the lore of King Arthur and Camelot.

The Arthurian connection is interesting because of the Captain Britain Corps, the multiversal defense force in the comics. Captain Carter in What If..? is a clear stand-in for Captain Britain, and could be the instigator of the MCU version of the Corps. It could be Doctor Strange is also involved in the formation of the Corps in the MCU.

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