Random Happenstance

I thought I had read all of the original series, but maybe not? Well, that just means there's a couple surprises out there still. Like today's book! From 1979, What If? #18, "What if Dr. Strange were a disciple of Dormammu?" Written by Peter Gillis, pencils by Tom Sutton, inks by Bruce Patterson.

This ties into Strange's origin, with a very effective twist: when Strange was at the Ancient One's, Dormammu suggests to his disciple Baron Mordo befriend Strange. Mordo tells him the Ancient One is senile, and would go on and on about being worthy and never fix his hands. That...that's not inaccurate, really. Mordo cures Strange, who returns to surgery, and being a dick. Found guilty of malpractice, Strange rails against his accusers; and Mordo approaches him again, suggesting he didn't become a doctor to help people, but to have power. And he could get him some real power...

While Strange enters Dormammu's service and begins to learn magic, including freeing and hooking up with Umar; the Ancient One approaches Dr. Doom about the disciple opening. Even fixing Doom's face, it's no sale. Still, the Ancient One gathers earth's mightiest white magicians, including Dr. Druid and Agatha Harkness. (That would've been about it then; no Scarlet Witch, Shaman, Brother Voodoo, etc.) He also has the Eye of Agamotto, even if he can't really use it: the Ancient One had used it as a gateway to Eternity, but wasn't found worthy, and was told to keep the Eye for his successor. Druid thinks the Eye is their only hope, and another of the magicians, the senile Genghis, had a scroll detailing the spell.

After killing Mordo, Strange follows his spectral minions to the Ancient One, but Druid and Genghis use the Eye, which creates a vortex that sucks in Genghis and Strange. Genghis is gone, but Strange is brought before Eternity, who gives him the brushoff. Furious, Strange demands more power from Dormammu, who is not willing to support that vendetta. The Ancient One sends Strange the Eye, who plans to attack Eternity, and also realizes Dormammu is afraid of the Eye. Strange and Dormammu both plan to kill the other, while Umar plans to rule after they destroy each other. Wearing his traditional comic outfit, Strange attacks the Ancient One again, but this time sees his goodness, which he can't stand. He then tells Dormammu he's taking the fight to Eternity, but Dormammu was ready, and uses Strange as a lens to attack Eternity. Torn between the two, Strange chooses the good, and is returned to earth, to finally be the Ancient One's disciple. Now with knowledge of white and black magic, Strange would go on to become perhaps an even stronger Sorcerer Supreme. With a not-as-good green-and-yellow color scheme, but still.

Umar kind of falls out of this toward the end, but I suppose they don't have to tie every loose end up. Still, I wonder if the improved Strange still saw her...