Invoke The Planes of Pohldahk At Your Own Risk

 

Mid-1984 saw the first volume of Doctor Strange arguably at the height of its acclaim and pivoting toward a new chapter in its run, with writer Roger Stern continuing in the series after taking a two-issue break (which, for a bimonthly comic, worked out to four months) following an ambitious storyline which saw the eradication of all vampires from the Earth. Joining Stern again would be artist Paul Smith, who contributed a one-shot issue previously profiled in the PPC and who would remain with the writer (with the exception of a single issue in October) until they would both depart the book near the end of '85. Leading off their collaboration was what appeared to be an understated story involving a man who wanted to stake his own claim as a practitioner of the mystic arts--but as we'll see, the danger he posed went beyond the threat he represented to the Sorcerer Supreme.

As both the issue cover and the splash page imply, our pretender, Kerwin Havelock, has happened upon a way to increase both his standing and his fortunes, by making appearances in order to arouse the curiosity of potential patrons and entice them to attend seminars which would line his pockets and help spread his reputation through word of mouth. One such appearance is attended by two people of note: magnate Henry Farrington, who has fallen for Havelock's swindle hook, line and sinker... and writer Morgana Blessing, whose interest in Havelock is professional but whose connection to an actual sorcerer will prove to be prudent as we go behind the scenes and learn the extent of Havelock's "skill."

In meeting with Havelock, Strange learns there's a little more to Havelock's background than meets the eye--information appropriately revealed by the Eye of Agamotto, which reveals how he came to learn the names that he casually invokes in his act but which have alarmed Strange to the extent of finding it necessary to intervene. But Strange would have needed eyes in the back of his head to guard against Freddy, the "cynical businessman" in Havelock's stage act who prevents Strange from getting very far with his plan.

Fortunately, Strange regains consciousness in time to fend off these men with his skills as a martial artist; but the concussion he now has prevents anything further on his part other than a timely escape from their clutches using his cloak of levitation, after which he barely makes it back to his sanctum.

Still in no shape to act decisively against Havelock, Strange nevertheless realizes he must confront him once more before the man has a chance to invoke disaster with his careless incantations. And so he and Morgana attend Havelock's seminar at Farrington's country estate in Connecticut, where Strange, in mystic disguise, must push aside his health concerns and act to preserve the lives of the attendees, as well as countless others.

The gateway is then sealed--leaving only a kneeling, sobbing Havelock, whose state of shock and horror is mirrored in the faces of the attendees who have been exposed to a sampling of the terrors that await beyond our own dimension. Their plight can be mystically remedied by the only authentic sorcerer in their midst--but the charlatan whose ignorance set all of this in motion is not so lucky.

To date, we haven't seen any further activity from Kerwin Havelock, which would imply that this experience stuck with him. Yet, given the loose similarities between Havelock and another careless practitioner of the mystic arts, Cyrus Black, as well as their link to Nightmare (albeit Havelock's being a more informal one), it wouldn't be surprising if Nightmare himself took notice of this man and gave Havelock the choice of becoming part of his plans, or remaining trapped in his own living nightmare.