Beware The Return of... Mordo! (Or not.)

Even though I recall my first Dr. Strange story, it would be awhile before I would flip through the character's debut appearance in 1963. As with other Marvel characters that I became exposed to, I had to work my way backwards, piecemeal, in order to become more familiar with Strange, steadily closing in on learning more about the man who was originally known as the Master of Black Magic, and, as a result, finding myself drawn more (at least in the beginning) to the less rigid, more human Stephen Strange who later emerged in other stories besides his own. That's not to say I didn't really care for Strange during his time as the Ancient One's disciple; in fact I find the dichotomy between the two versions of Strange interesting, albeit likely not intended to be scrutinized too closely. I wonder if Stephen Strange would even recognize himself in his more exotic, stern appearance and manner back in the day.

By the time we first meet Strange in print, he'd been in that role for some time, establishing a reputation as a mystic master in his own right and having made his fair share of enemies in the process. Primary among those, Baron Mordo, was someone I first read of in Strange's origin story, a man who surreptitiously plotted against the Ancient One and paid a price for it by being rejected as his successor in favor of Strange. But to readers of Strange Tales in August of 1963, their first exposure to Mordo was just after Strange was introduced in the comic and had successfully prevailed in his first adventure. All we know of Mordo at that point is that he and Strange were once pupils of the Ancient One and have since become rivals (in Mordo's eyes) for "the secrets of black magic"--thus making Mordo the perfect arch-enemy, having been attacking both Strange and the Ancient One openly. And in his latest scheme, he seeks to attain by force what he could not accomplish through subterfuge.

In this second Dr. Strange story, artist Steve Ditko has deviated little from his preference to feature Strange in "action" in his astral form--which almost seems like Strange is operating with one hand tied behind his back, given what we know of his later proficiency in casting spells in his physical form. Here, however, Mordo as well restricts himself to that form, once Strange discovers his treachery in dealing with the Ancient One--and while the story plays out well enough, what follows isn't exactly an epic confrontation on the part of either character, with most of the tension confined to airing old grievances.

As for the battle's resolution, Ditko once more makes use of Strange's "magic amulet," his only method of visible sorcery to date (and falling short in terms of the "omnipotent" sorcerer that the story's narrative makes him out to be); and though it puts Strange at a disadvantage, Mordo's posturing in his claims of being the stronger of the two result in a stalemate and leaves the door open for him to strike again. (Though in all honesty that doesn't seem like much to look forward to.)

It takes a couple of issues before Strange returns in another story, but it looks like Ditko and writer Stan Lee have used the time to give him something of an upgrade, visually--while Mordo gets a little omnipotence of his own to throw around. (At times, Mr. Lee, you remind me of the words of wisdom imparted to Vizzini by Inigo Montoya.)

This would be our first look at Victoria Bentley, who would go on to appear in several Doctor Strange stories as well as establish ties with Dane Whitman, the Black Knight. Here she becomes involved when her deceased father is used to bait a trap for Strange--which would trigger an opportunity for Strange to prove his worth as a sorcerer on his own merits by turning down his master's offer for assistance, a notable step toward the development of this character.

Though the fact that Strange then turns around and summons assistance from someone else to get him out of Mordo's trap, while preening about his own sorcery saving the day, seems rather self-deluding.

In the end, the final battle between Strange and Mordo is as anti-climactic as it gets, and does nothing to establish either Mordo's threat potential any more than it already was, or Strange's potential as a sorcerer.

Curiously enough, Mordo's strengths as a villain only become apparent in the next tale, a story where we travel back to the very beginning and come to learn how Strange found his true vocation following the accident which robbed him of the use of his surgeon's hands. In that story, a despondent Strange arrives at the Ancient One's temple to find Mordo already in the position of student to the Ancient One, and more than that:  Mordo wishes to kill his master and replace him, something that Strange, as skeptical and dubious as he is of the Ancient One's powers, finds that he cannot stomach. The story is one-sided in Mordo's favor, since Strange of course poses no danger to Mordo other than his threat to expose him; but Mordo covers that base skillfully, and with more than a little satisfaction.

Yet Strange, in his wish to help, knows of only one workaround to Mordo's curse, an option which he was hesitant to accept when the Ancient One broached the subject but now returns to seek with a mixture of sincerity and resolve, traits which the Ancient One had been hoping to see in this man.

In effect, Strange has done an end run around Mordo's ambitions and effectively positioned himself as the Ancient One's "bodyguard" for however long Mordo is allowed to remain at the temple. We're left to hope that Strange is a quick study--because for all intents and purposes, Mordo now has two obstacles to eliminate on his path to mystic supremacy.