Saturday, February 14, 2009

St. Valentine's Day Special Edition 02009:
STRANGE LOVES
- or -
Doc gets some STRANGE!

Today's entry, in honor of "St. Valentine's Day" we'll be taking a look at the romantic side of the Sorcerer Supreme.

You might want to cue up some proper mood music.
To help you out, feel free to download FREE (and legally) an MP3 of "Let's Get It On!" by Marvin Gaye.*

My sexy gift - to YOU!

* (Sorry - free download was only available for a limited time)
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Now, by the Valentines of the Vishanti... we'll begin...

Not now Wong... not now.

I present to you the many loves of Stephen Strange and their histories in order of their appearances IN HIS LIFE (not in publication history):

(Click images to better feel the love.)
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"ALICE BLUE-GOWN"

When Stephen was attending college, he was awkward around women, and fell in love with a girl that he would watch on campus from afar. He never had the nerve to ask her name or to approach her in any way, but he made up a name for her; Alice Blue-Gown (due to the blue dress that she wore on that time he first saw her). Long afterward, when he was forced to destroy and/or absorb all the ancient evils that he had released (including destroying SHUMA-GORATH - again and then having to cut off his own head) and became a dark god, he was in dire need of someone to "ground" him in the here and now and bring him "back down to earth".
His new master; Kaluu and Enitharmon the Weaver (master to Rintrah, and mystical weaver of wonders) used the memory of his strongest Earthly love to pull him back from the abyss. This love was his unrequited feelings for the mysterious "ALICE".
It just goes to show... you never forget your first love.
(1st and only appearance Strange Tales v2 # 16)

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MARTHA
Martha was a grad-student advisor for the young Stephen Strange when he was but a med student.
Their relationship grew from one of mentor/mentee to one of lovers.
However, as serious as their love affair was, eventually Martha left Stephen for another man.
She married, had children, eventually developing ovarian cancer – and died.

 (1st appearance [love affair shown in flashback] - Defenders v4 # 4)

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MARJORIE BRINK

She and Strange had a torrid romance, while they were both in Med school. After he graduated, they did not meet again for many years. Discovering that she seemed to have developed immortality, she eventually became a librarian, thinking that it afforded her a better chance of not standing out. Dr. Strange transported them both in time, to a possible future, where they met a version of herself, alive hundreds of years from now. Together they then saved the Earth from the "Demon Sun".
(1st appearance—Marvel Comics Presents #61)

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MADELEINE de St. GERMAINE (nee Revell)

While Strange was a resident in a NYC hospital, Madeleine was a translator for the UN. She was rushed in from an emergency and he saved her life. They later formed a romantic relationship and he proposed marriage. She turned him down because she saw that he was becoming harsh and greedy. She later married someone else. Many years later, when Strange was a sorcerer, she helped him to combat against Mordo & Azreal and their goal to open the 7 gates of chaos. It was her "death" that pushed Strange to the point where he was able to defeat Mordo and help close the gates - thus bringing her (and all the others who were sacrificed) back to life.
(appearances in Dr Strange v2 # 39, 40, 41 & Man-Thing v2 # 4)


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KIMBERLY

One in a string of hot, rich women that Stephen used to wine, dine and bed during his arrogant surgeon years.
(appearances: Strange Tales v2 # 16 in sorcery-induced flashback & Doctor Strange v3 # 11 & 45 - in flashback)

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NURSE WILLIAMS and another unnamed beauty.
These are but a few in a long list of one-night-stands and short-lived flings, with Nurses and others (like Kimberly - above) with whom the eminent surgeon, Stephen Strange, would spend his nights.

(Doctor Strange; Sorcerer Supreme # 45)

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VICTORIA BENTLEY

The daughter of Sir Clive Bentley - a friend of Dr Strange. After Strange was tricked by Mordo into a trap, Strange called her via mental telepathy to come to his aid. While she fell in love with him nearly instantly, Strange never reciprocated in any other manner but a deep personal and professional friendship and respect. He had sensed her latent mystical abilities but told her that she wasn't yet ready to study the mystic arts. She would later be pulled into another other-dimensional altercation - this time dealing with Yandroth, and Strange came to her aid. However, she noticed how Strange felt towards Clea and felt unworthy of his love. She would, for many years, pine for Stephen Strange and would time and again be spurned - or worse, her feelings unrecognized and ignored by Strange. Eventually she would let go her feelings for him and fell in love with his friend; Dane Whitman; the Black Knight. Dane was also a bit ambivalent about her for a time. At one time, while Doctor Strange was utilizing Dark Magicks to battle against the many evils that he had unwittingly released upon the world, he was forced to find more sources of magical energies. Sensing her power and thoughts of love for him, Doctor Strange was forced to betray her love and siphon all of her mystical energies into himself.
Much later, he was able to apologize for this betrayal, returning her original mystic abilities - plus additional power levels as well - and she forgave him. Later still, she accompanied him and the Black Knight on a quest, and was witness to the passing of the Ebony Blade to the Knight's squire, who would become the entity BLOODWRAITH. Tragically, she was stabbed by the ebony blade and her soul was absorbed into the cursed sword. As far as my research shows, her soul is still in the blade.
(First appearance; Strange Tales v1 # 114.)

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CLEA
The daughter of Orini & Umar, neice to the Dread Dormammu, Clea aided Doctor Strange on what was his most dangerous early missions; to beat back Dormammu from invading Earth. She was banished by Dormammu once he discovered that she had betrayed him to the earth sorcerer, and it took many months for Doctor Strange to find her and secure her release. She went to live with him, so that he could protect her from future attacks by Dormammu, and to teach her to strengthen her mystical abilities. They instantly fell in love with one another, and they lived - somewhat happily - for many years in the Sanctum. She would always feel a bit dejected and ill-used whenever Strange would treat her like a child to be protected while he would go off on missions, and eventually, this plus her discovery that another woman loved him MORE than she did, would lead to her leaving him to go aid her dimension in a war against Umar.

(First appearance; Strange Tales # 126)

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MAYA's spell of lust"
This doesn't really count as "loves", but certainly fills the "lust" & "sex" quotient of the "holiday". Strange was involved in a massive orgy of lust as he split himself into a hundred of himself, and each of his duplicates bed female Hindu statues that had come to life by a spell of the goddess; Maya. He dispersed the spell, but not until after the orgy had been completed and all participants were sleeping.

(Marvel Graphic Novel # 23 : "Into Shamballa")

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MORGANNA BLESSING

A writer, who stumbled into Strange's life by being a witness to his foiling a robbery while in his Astral Form, Morganna was found to have a mystical bond with Strange that led back Centuries of past lives. It was the fact that she had met Strange - and fell deeply in love with him, back in the earliest of these lifetimes - in Ancient Egypt - that led to her love of him being literally AGELESS.

 A love as old as time.
From Doctor Strange; Master of the Mystic Arts # 53

This was the eternal love that Clea sensed and one of the reasons that Clea left Strange. So that he could pursue this love. Eventually, after Doc forced the world to think that he was dead in order to pursue ancient evils that he needed to combat, Morganna wrote a tell-all book about him. After his "return to life", and discovery of this book, their relationship ended. Clea had also returned to his life as well.
Morganna would then fall in love with Strange's younger brother; Victor - who had inadvertently been transformed into a vampire years before by Strange; a novice-sorcerer at the time. However, she would later try to put a stake through his heart because of his escalating blood-lust. Vincent would soon be killed (again - for good) by his taking his own life, rather than seeing Morganna be hurt.
(First appeared Doctor Strange v2 # 48. Appeared often thru to Sorcerer Supreme # 56.)

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Dr. SUSAN MONTGOMERY

Susan was ship's doctor aboard a cruise ship that DOC & Dane Whitman (aka; the Black Knight) used to get from the UK to the USA. She fell for Doc, but an attack by Umar cuts short any possible "love boat" romance. He's still seeing Morganna at this time anyway, and would soon hook back up with Clea in the Dark Dimension.
(First and only appearance: Doctor Strange v2 # 69)

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CLEA

When Clea left Strange, it was because she felt that Morganna Blessing had loved Stephen far more than she herself did, and wished Stephen to experience that, seemingly eternal, love.
Clea left Earth and proceeded to lead the rebellion within the Dark Dimension in battle against her mother; UMAR, who had taken over the throne in DORMAMMU's absence.
Umar had proven to be a tyrant as well, and had continually assumed Strange to be behind the rebellion, thus attacking him in seeming retaliation. This caused Strange to eventually venture to the Dark Dimension (in disguise) to aid Clea in her battle; a journey he had, at first, been unable to do, and then continually put off, because his feelings for Clea and her leaving were too raw. They met (in this scene) and together overthrew Umar from the throne, placing Clea as the rightful monarch of her home dimension.
This role would often come between them, time and again.
(scene from Doctor Strange v2 # 71)

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MEPHISTA

Daughter of Mephisto. Was tasked with destroying Strange, but instead wished him for her consort.
(First appeared in his life Doctor Strange v3 # 6. After being defeated, returned in # 30 )

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SALOME'

The ancient sorceress - and long-ago holder of the title; Sorceress Supreme - held a long-standing lust for Doctor Strange and used her magical "dance" to bind his soul to her for many YEARS - without his knowledge. Oftentimes performing her elemental magic which could only be performed while they were copulating (mentioned, but never shown - obviously). When she eventually made her power-play to regain her standing as Sorceress Supreme, she used her power over Strange to paralyze him and cause his magic to go awry. He eventually was able to control his mystical attraction for her and was able to defeat her - sending her back to parts unknown.
(Appeared in his life in Marvel Comics Presents #146 and from # 60 of Doctor Strange v3.)

---

CLEA

Clea returned to Stephen's life now and again, but never for very long. Despite their being "married" via "The 2 rings that are One", she would eventually leave him again to go back to fight for the Dark Dimension, which was once again threatened by Dormammu.
(Clea would return to Earth multiple times. Due to their being "married", often spending long weeks living in the Sanctum: Strange Tales v2 # 1, Dr. Strange Sorcerer Supreme # 2, and other occasions in that same series, - up until # 78. We'll look at one of those in a moment.)

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SISTER NIL

One of the "Lilin"; the demonic children of Lilith, "mother of demons", Sister Nil was basically Marvel's answer to the DC/Vertigo character "DEATH of the Endless". A black-garbed, pale skinned, immortal succubus whose touch and/or kiss was death. She was sent to destroy Dr. Strange and the Midnight Sons (Strange's occult team at the time), but after being captured by Strange became fascinated with Stephen and lived with him, as a willing prisoner, in his underground "Forge" beneath the "Tempo" building. She loved him deeply and would have done anything for him, as he taught her about life and the world. She felt jealousy over his feelings with Clea during her last visit to see him. She had been guarding the body of Victoria Montesei, who had nearly given birth to the demon; Chthon. Sister Nil was almost bequeathed the role of "Nightmare", but Strange intervened. She was last seen residing in the mystic "Forge". While at the time she wasn't deemed ready to go out into the world, we can only imagine that by now, she may be anywhere. Strange granted her some slight freedoms when he noticed that she had changed during her captivity and was now a good person.
(Appearances in many of the final issues of the "Sorcerer Supreme" run. Starting with issue # 60 and going right up to the very end of that series.)

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CLEA
Months after her last departure, Clea would visit Strange to see if they both felt anything, and to ask for his aid in her new war. He was unable to go to her aid at the time, and they parted slightly estranged. She was soon in a relationship with a native of the Dark Dimension; Nobel. But when Nobel lie, mortally wounded during a battle with Dormammu, Doctor Strange sent one of his "Strangers" - a split persona of his named "STRANGE" to aid her. "STRANGE" merged with Nobel and was transformed into a new entity named; PARADOX. It seemed as if Clea and Paradox were an item all thru her new war with Dormammu.

(Dr. Strange; Sorcerer Supreme # 67)


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"JASMINE" and "BELLE"

Two call-girls who were hired by one of Doc's "Strangers" (his mystically conjured alternate personalities); "Vincent Stevens". The two dressed as nurses and were hired to "play doctor" with him. When Doc took over "Stevens' " operation of the Tempo building, these two were released from their "positions" and given REAL jobs within the company.
(appeared in Doctor Strange v3 # 78)

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AMANDA PAYNE

A normal human woman, and single mother of a young daughter, who now lives in the old house that Stephen once lived in as a youngster. He went back to his old town to track down some mystery dealing with his family and Mordo, and met Amanda. The two had a very brief, yet strong, physical relationship, until he was forced to leave her after a battle with Mordo put her and her daughter at risk.
(She was first introduced in Doctor Strange v3 # 86)

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CLEA

Clea once again appeared in the life of Stephen Strange during the "ORDER" storyline in the Busiek/Larsen Defenders/Order miniseries. Clea had been called upon as a female analog of DOC, in order to counterbalance the spell that was causing the Defenders to go rogue.
She also mentions the many losses that the war in the Dark Dimension had claimed, and in the background was the cloak worn by "STRANGE/PARADOX", seemingly suggesting that he was destroyed in the war. We never see Clea linked with Doctor Strange after this series, although it was alluded to that he and the rest of the Defenders would aid her in her war against Dormammu, and then that she would leave him again to rule the Dark Dimension. Those events have yet to be shown.
(The Order # 3 - 6)

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DEAD GIRL

A member of the mutant team "X-StatiX", Dead Girl became infatuated with Strange during a mission to defeat the "Pitiful One". Doc, being a little more eclectic in nature at the time, found her to be enticing as well. Sadly, their love wasn't meant to be - for now - and they parted as very good friends.

(appearance in his life: Dead-Girl miniseries # 1-5)

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MS. MARVEL
During a battle with the mystic, Warren Traveller, Doc and Ms. Marvel shared a "moment" when they pooled their powers together to fight off the villain who had stolen Strange's "Wand of Watoomb" (that's the name of the mystic artifact, not a euphamism). The two were in close contact and a definite "spark" was evidenced. Nothing came of it, but there was a definite flirting attraction.
(Hey. Maybe that was the "real" reason that Ms. Marvel kept letting the New Avengers go free after the Civil War.)

(Ms. Marvel v2 # 4 & 5)

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CLEA

It was sometime between Sister Nil and Night Nurse that Clea left Strange for the 3rd time. Although, whatever the term of this relationship, when it resumed and what it entailed have not been revealed. It may just have been that they got back together briefly, rekindled their relationship and then discovered that "you can't go home again".
(as mentioned in ILLUMINATI # 4)

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NIGHT NURSE

After being shot by an intruder with a mystical handgun, Doc was brought to Night Nurse's clinic by Wong, in order to save his life. After Night Nurse patched Stephen up, they sought to find the villain behind the scheme - which also entailed the theft of a magical elixir that was a cure for cancer. Stephen & the Nurse became romantically involved and were a couple up until Strange left to renew his mystical pledge - as seen in New Avengers Annual # 2.
After Strange vanished to pursue whatever new direction his life must take, he did stand by the side of Night Nurse on at least one other occasion; Marvel Divas miniseries (# 2 of 4).
Stephen Strange aided Night Nurse in the diagnostic examination of the breast cancer in the mutant heroine, Firestar. Whether Strange and the Nurse were still a romantic couple at this time - or if he was merely helping a friend in need - is unknown.
(This instance is related below under the heading of "FIRESTAR", since that mutant heroine made a passing comment about Strange's attractiveness.)
(appeared in his life: Doctor Strange: The Oath # 1-5, several issues of New Avengers and Marvel Divas # 2).

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MARTHA
(RESURRECTED)
While meditating in front of an arcane mechanism called the Concordance Engine, Doctor Strange’s mind drifted back to a previous love he used to know, Martha; his old grad-student advisor (as seen near the top of this list). His desires activated the Concordance Engine which brought her back to life – as she was when Stephen Strange knew her as a young adult.
The two enjoyed a whirlwind revival of their love affair, until a menacing evil, young magician conspired to make public the knowledge of her whereabouts. Knowing that it must be for the best, Martha departed for places unknown, leaving Strange again.

 (Defenders v4 # 4)

However, in a temporally paradoxical turn of events, Doctor Strange later had to go back in time to prevent his ever gaining the Concordance Engine (as its usage and tampering by the Defenders caused a race of "Death Celestials" to locate our Earth), and as a result, none of the events in this Defenders volume ever occurred.
Martha died in this now-dead-end reality, a victim of the Death Celestial.
And in the newly restored-via-time-paradox reality, she was never resurrected in the first place.

(Defenders v4 # 12)

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There have been a few other little "flirtations", "flings" and "attractions" here and there, and I'll present a few:

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There has been some confusion about SARA WOLFE. However, it's plainly evident in the comic history that she was never really into DOC in that manner.
While she was his neighbor, in Greenwich Village, they met due to a sorcerous disturbance, wherein Doc aided her. He then hired her to be his business secretary. She DID fall in love with WONG, but their relationship was not to be since he was pledged to another, by his family when he was a young boy. He was to go thru with his arranged marriage to his betrothed; IMEI, and Sara had no choice but to accept this turn of events. Sara fell "in love" with Baron Mordo for awhile. IMEI later died, of course, but by then Sara was nowhere to be found in Doc's cast of supporting characters.

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I DO recall one instance where two heroines were looking at Doctor Strange and ONE of them admitted that she found him to be VERY attractive.
The other said he was a little too much a "daddy-figure" and the first said that she liked that.
I THINK it was SPIDER-WOMAN II to the WASP in an issue of Avengers West Coast or an Annual (or some kind of INFINITY GAUNTLET crossover).
Not 100% sure where, but that sort of casual notation of attraction occurred every so often.
But I DO recall reading it, and it has stuck in my brain all this time.
I just wish I could remember where.

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One odd, one-sided "love" was from the "GUARDIAN of the QUADRIVERSE".
A beautiful woman, who had been born and lived her entire life as a silent guardian of all-there-is, she fell in love with Strange when he rescued her from her fate.

From Dr. Strange; Master of the Mystic Arts # 23

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Many have thought that the time where Amora, the ENCHANTRESS, (in disguise,) once tried to lure Doc via her feminine wiles was an authentic attempt at sexxin' him up.

However, from Doctor Strange; Sorcerer Supreme # 12, this was merely one of the "Acts of Vengeance" attempts (wherein villains would attempt to destroy heroes whom they were not necessarily acquainted - the gist of it was mixing up the combatants would throw the heroes off their "A"-game, leading to many dead heroes). Strange knew of her duplicity and was setting her up for a fall. Clea joining him in the last stage of the battle surely put the Enchantress and her helpmate; the EXECUTIONER to an end.

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There was ALSO a woman who was friends with TOPAZ, who mentioned that she thought DOC was "dreamy" and she thought that TOPAZ was "seeing him". That was not the case, as Topaz was truly just a very good friend and student of Strange. They were never romantically involved.

This exchange took place in FLIGHT OF BONES # 1.

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Another strange "one-night-stand"; LILA GREEN A business associate of Vincent Stevens', she and Doc had a date/ business evening of drinks and some very passionate kissing, as Strange discovered her body had been invaded by a hive entity, and that only by working his magic thru the physical contact of their kiss, could he rescue her.
She was left physically spent from the experience. It was never romantic on Strange's end of things. Just business.

(appeared in Doctor Strange v3 # 77, 78)

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And, of course, there was the "dream sequence" wherein the BEYONDER offers each of the Illuminati their heart's desire and DOC is shown waking up in bed with CLEA & SCARLET WITCH.
(Note: Check the night-stand next to the darker haired woman. That's Wanda's headdress. Just in case you doubted me on this.)
So... maybe DOC subconsciously has a little something for Wanda, but nothing has ever been dealt with in the "reality" of the 616 universe

(As seen in ILLUMINATI # 3)

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FIRESTAR

Much like that earlier mentioned instance where a heroine secretly thought Strange was "hunky", a more recent instance manifested along similar lines.

In MARVEL DIVAS # 2 (of 4), Angelica Jones, the mutant known as FIRESTAR visits the office of the NIGHT NURSE to ascertain if her fears of contracting cancer are true or not.
The physician who examines her is none other than NIGHT NURSE's (possibly former) boyfriend; DR. STEPHEN STRANGE, very recently divested on his title of "Sorcerer Supreme".

Dr. McDreamy

Angelica thinks to herself "Dr. McDreamy. Paging Dr. McDreamy" (referencing actor Patrick Galen Dempsey, known for his role as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd ["McDreamy"], a "heartthrob" Doctor from the popular medical drama TV show; Grey's Anatomy).

Strange can not excise the cancer via magic (especially as his "powers" are at their lowest ebb), and he refers her to Dr. Henry Pym for further study.

Obviously, there's nothing more here than an innocent flirty thought. It might also fall under the realm of patients who fall in love with their doctors, simply because of the empowered role that the physician plays during a vulnerable point in the patient's life.

Still, it counts enough to be worthy of a mention here.

*UPDATE*

Angelica Jones aka ; FIRESTAR outright states to her friends
(Monica Rambeau aka; Photon, Felicia Hardy aka; Black Cat and Patsy Walker aka; Hellcat)
that she wants to buy a "thank you" gift for Dr. Strange for helping her with her treatments.
Felicia Hardy calls her out on having a crush on Doc - stating that even she knows Doc is a "total fox", and Angelica admits her infatuation, asking if the other girls think she has a shot with him.
Monica tells her that if Doc isn't smart enough to recognize a good thing when he sees it then he wouldn't be good enough for her. To aid in Angelica's chances, however, Patsy Walker suggests buying a flimsy nightgown that is hanging in the store window, and that "showing up wearing that little number would be the gift of the century".
 
This scene takes place in the Marvel Digital Holiday Exclusive for 2009.
*click to make readable in size*

On a personal note; I am unsure if Firestar is even 20 years old (Marvel time), and such an implied coupling between her and a (MUCH) older Stephen Strange is probably not the sort of thing her friends should be encouraging. Especially since she is drawn in this story as looking like an under-age, freckle-faced girl. Just sayin'. But hey... maybe Marvel is looking to make Doc the Hugh Hefner of the M.U.)

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CASEY KINMONT

This next entry isn't really much of a "love", (at least not on the part of Dr. Strange) but, much like the above case with FIRESTAR, it is a showing of affection and possible infatuation.

In the mini-series "STRANGE" v2, after relinquishing the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme, Dr. Strange wonders around the world doing what he can to re-establish himself with "good" magic.
In one of these sojourns he meets up with a young girl, who he finds has a natural affinity for sorcery.
After teaching her a few basic spells, he eventually takes her under his wing as his latest apprentice.


Unfortunately, circumstances spiral out of their control and she loses her soul to a demon.
Before Strange can get it back, he is forced to stitch together the fabric of reality and leaves Casey to guard his physical form.

During this brief lull, Casey has a one-way conversation with Doc's empty vessel, and there she leans in and gently kisses him, thanking him for being a good teacher and treating her as an adult.

"To sir... with love."

While not an actual "love" it shows that even in a platonic "teacher" role, Doc is charming and warm enough to elicit affection from usually angsty (and legal-age) young ladies.

Doc's enemy, Silver Dagger takes this opportunity to attack, and Casey protects Doc - to the seeming mortal wounding of herself.
After defeating Silver Dagger, Strange journeys into dimensions unknown to rescue her soul, and possibly restore her to life.
To date, that quest seems to have ended in failure, for no further mention of it or Casey have been made.

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LOA
While not a sexual encounter - or even an outright admission of affection, Doctor Strange comments to Namor that he "likes" Namor's newest protege'; LOA.
While he most likely meant it as an innocent comment (since she referenced the Necronomicon), Lyra; the Savage She-Hulk, twisted the meaning to be more salacious. LOA is less-than-thrilled with the idea.

(Fear Itself : The Deep # 2)


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MOLLY

In a totally uncharacteristic portrayal of Stephen Strange, in issue # 1 of DEFENDERS (vol 4) writer Matt Fraction has Stephen bed a college grad-student who came to him seeking help with her thesis on "magical buildings".
Bad form, Stephen.


But, she also points out in a morning-after accusation that no matter how much he may be able to help her, Stephen Strange's taking advantage of this young, eager "groupie" has hurt her far more.


Oddly enough, Strange then allows himself to ruminate upon the dalliance as something both moreso and less-than anything more than just a night of sex.

"What he wanted most wasn't on the menu"

In one narrative breath, Stephen Strange admits to a deep longing for the girl, the admission that she was "just" a girl (and thus, a toss-away hook-up), and the admission that perhaps his indiscretion was due to the deep human fear of dying alone.

NONE of this makes any sense to anyone who has read the character for more than a few issues (of non-Bendis-era stories).
I did write a post about this scene which can be found [HERE].

Molly returns in Defenders v4 # 4 to set up a love-triangle of sorts between Doc, herself and Strange's resurrected old lover; Martha (see 2 entries above).

Molly aids Strange in getting Martha to safety after a rival magician threatens her safety.
In the end, Molly and Stephen part as strained friends - but lovers no more.
(Review of Defenders v4 # 4 can be found [HERE])

Eventually, in the 12th (and final) issue of the series, Doctor Strange (due to the nature of a cancelled book that has plot holed and dandling plot-lines as well as an in-story dilemma) needs to go back in time to rectify it all. Whilst back in time, actually the very day he beds Molly, he gives his then-self an astral nudge to console her and they go out for a coffee in a diner (presumably to continue their relationship somewhat - instead of the "wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am" affair it was).

(1st appearance—DEFENDERS vol 4 # 1, returning in DEFENDERS v4 # 4 and consoled in DEFENDERS v4 # 12)

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A BEVVY of HIPPIE CHICKS

Well, it would seem that Doc got over Molly pretty quick, and she must have left a taste in his mouth for sweet, young, wine-drinking nymphs, because in DEADPOOL (NOW) # 2 we see Deadpool interrupting some sort of hang-out session with AT LEAST FOUR young ladies.

Even figuring that WONG would get a piece of his own, that leaves three for Doc.
OK, maybe Willie Nelson wants one too, still... Doc must get the lion's share, right?

Now, I'm not quite sure why Willie Nelson is there.
Oh... yes I am.
Willie is Doc's "medicinal marijuana" provider.
(Deadpool "NOW" # 2)

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Doctor Strange has been shown some real-world loving from a few of the world's sexiest women as well.


MADONNA
(circa 1981) gives Doc a proxy kiss (via issue # 45)

Image from "MadonnaShots"

Cover to Doctor Strange # 45
image from Grand Comicbook Database

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MEGAN FOX
having some "alone-time" with DOC (while reading Doctor Strange #51)

ROLLING STONE (Issue 1088. October 1, 2009)
Photo-spread [HERE] - Image [HERE]
Doctor Strange # 51 image
cover image from the
Grand Comicbook Database


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At THIS juncture in Strange's life, he seems to be without any "significant other".
However, knowing the cyclical nature of comics, and how many times she's returned to his life...
I don't think it will be all that long before we see a scene like this again:



*NOTE: This post is just a slightly altered (and always updated) recycling of an older entry that I had posted (a year ago) on the Defenders Message Board.
It was written as a series of bullet points, and not intended as an actual "blog post".
That is the reason for it's often textbook-like manner of language and hasty style of writing.

But, the love is still there.

8 comments:

Howard Hallis said...

You forgot about that one drunken night with Rintrah and Wong...

OK maybe that's wishful thinking!

Stephen Strange is indeed a player.

I hate to bring up the shiteous JMS mini series "Strange", but didn't the Doc of that universe get together with Clea-lookalike twins before his skiing accident? (It pains me to remember it, but THAT part was all right.)

Great post once again Sanctum!

~P~ said...

Ah... That Rintrah... horny guy.

As for JMS' "STRANGE" mini...

I didn't use ANYTHING from outside of the "616" proper.

No "What If" stories, or alterniverse stuff.
And, DEFINITELY, absolutely, positively...
no "STRANGE" mini.

If I was going to mention "alterniverse" stuff, Clea cheating on Doc with LOKI (Earth X epic), Doc vanishing and having Clea raise "Jr" (Ultimate Universe) and Tigra being his "familiar", apprentice and sexxy love-kitten (Mangaverse), White Witch's "history" with StrangeFate (Amalgam comics) would have been mentioned (among others).

Then, I'd bring up the MOVIE stuff...
"Morgan Le Fay", the human "Clea Lake", and the girlfriend from the animated film... and...
oh, hell...
It would have gone on forever...

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~P~ said...

Thanks for the head's-up on that, Spam-Bot.

*sheesh*

Hmm... Dr. Strange hasn't ever really shown any proclivities towards interracial romance, has he?

Inter-DIMENSIONAL, yes.
Cross-species, perhaps (of the alien type, not bestiality).

But, inter-racial? I haven't seen it.
I don't think it's something he'd have a problem with though.
Doc is too enlightened for such things as prejudice or bigotry.

As for me, well... if my WIFE doesn't mind me seeing another woman - and race wouldn't be the deciding factor, I'm sure- , then I'm on board!

(yes. I KNOW I could just have deleted the spam-bot comment, but hey. It's more fun this way.)

Anonymous said...

Great site. You really researched well. Only one thing irked me, when you mention Doc's love Madeleine, you keep leaving out her first appearance, when WE all meet her (not when Stephen does of course) and that is in Strange Tales #136 when he floats outside her window and she invites him in to hide from Mordo (who is empowered by Dormammu).

~P~ said...

Alas, Anonymous...
While I am gladdened to read that you enjoy the blog, I must deny the link between Madeleine and the mysterious woman that helps Strange in S.T. 136.

Certainly, they DO bear a very similar likeness to one another (the hair, the glasses, the earrings), and it would seem that PERHAPS, like the mystery woman, Madeleine MAY have some latent mystic ability (which is perhaps why she was kidnapped by Mordo for the "7 Gates of Chaos" - unless it was just her link to Doc)... BUT... there has been NO official link between the two.

In the Issues of Doc's comic, at no time does writer; Chris Claremont, give any mention that this is the woman from S.T. 136. (not in the dialogue nor in an editorial box).

Then, there's also the odd greeting that the mystery woman gives Doc when he is hovering at her window. "YOU - who saved my life many years ago!"

AS opposed to how she and Doc are all lovey-dovey in the later issues - as they were obviously lovers BEFORE his car accident.
Yes, I know, OBVIOUSLY a decade or so and different creative team separate the two appearances, but still... Claremont was a good enough (and anal enough) writer to address and explain that.

Then, there is the nagging sense that i have actually SEEN and READ of a more recent appearance of the mystery woman (complete with editorial box exclaiming that the long-untold mystery was now told). But, alas... I can not recall WHERE!

So, unless you have some proof (a comic quote or interview snippet or something) that helps make your point, I'll have to believe that they are two different people.

(But, trust me... I WANT to believe that they are the same person. It really DOES work. But, I am pretty sure that I saw an appearance of the mystery woman much more recently.)

Thanks for the comment.
Please feel free to comment again (especially if you can shed more light on this situation.)

Anonymous said...

Re-reading stuff. Found one of the references to Dr. Strange being tall, dark handsome father figure: Dr. Strange Sorcerer Supreme #44.

Nova: Hope Strange is ok. He's not bad for someone who's still human. But then, I always did have this thing for tall, dark father figures.

He took note of her rather attractive figure back in #42, but I don't know if that counts.

~P~ said...

Thanks, Anon!

That one slipped by my radar.
(Sadly, it's not the one that I was referring to - where one woman says she's "into father figures", because I definitely remember the other woman giving an "ew" reaction.)

But I WILL add your spotted instance asap.

Thanks again!

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