Characters & first appearances
What is the first appearance of Doctor Strange?
Published Sep 14, 2026 · Updated Sep 14, 2026 · 1 min read
Short answerDoctor Strange first appeared in Strange Tales #110, cover-dated July 1963, in a five-page backup story by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. The story also introduced Nightmare and the Ancient One. The feature grew into a full series within Strange Tales; the title was renamed Doctor Strange with issue #169 in June 1968.
The debut
Doctor Strange arrived quietly: five pages at the back of a Human Torch anthology, without a cover mention. Ditko designed the character and the dream dimensions that made the strip famous; Lee's dialogue supplied the incantations. Strange's origin was not told until Strange Tales #115 (December 1963).
Early Doctor Strange keys
| Issue | Cover date | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Strange Tales #110 | July 1963 | First Doctor Strange, Nightmare, the Ancient One |
| Strange Tales #111 | August 1963 | First Baron Mordo |
| Strange Tales #114 | November 1963 | Captain America try-out story (an impostor), testing demand before Avengers #4 |
| Strange Tales #115 | December 1963 | Origin of Doctor Strange |
| Strange Tales #126 | November 1964 | First Dormammu and Clea |
| Strange Tales #135 | August 1965 | Nick Fury joins the title: first S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra |
Collecting Strange Tales #110
Because Strange is only a backup, the issue was overlooked for decades and was a modest key until the 2016 film. It is now a significant Silver Age book, with the same scarcity in high grade as other 1963 Marvels. A CBCS 5.0 copy is in the store, as is Strange Tales #135.
See the Doctor Strange character page and Strange Tales #135 and the first S.H.I.E.L.D..
Written by the Rare Comics Collectors grading team. Spotted an error or have a question this guide does not answer? Tell us.
