Sure she's more than Nightcrawler's sister-slash-girlfriend, but still.

I also wish I had the previous issue handy, but we make do. From 1983, Doctor Strange #58, "...At Loose Ends!" Written by Roger Stern, pencils by Dan Green, inks by Terry Austin.

This was wrapping up, to some degree, some old plotlines and starting a new one; as Strange's astral form solves a mystery from previous issues: who had spread the word that Clea had left Strange without an apprentice? That was due to the Aged Genghis, although it wasn't done with malice, just senility. Advanced senility. Somehow, despite Strange's master being known as the Ancient One, the Aged Genghis may have been older and quite possibly pre-dated dirt. As seen this issue, he was unable to even feed himself anymore, which wasn't because he was infirm--he was--but he was a cosmic level of scatterbrained. Still, he had been able to sense Strange no longer had an apprentice, so he sent some would-be followers to go bug Strange, since apprentices, who needs that nonsense? Not him! Now, where were my apprentices...lazy bastards, never around when they're needed...

Only a couple of wannabes actually had power, though: Jimaine Szardos, better known as Amanda Sefton; and her mother Margali. Jimaine had tried for the apprenticeship, whether or not Strange intended to offer it to anyone; then Margali had attacked Strange for denying Jimaine. Strange freed Margali from a wand that seemed to be controlling her, returning her to a plain, aged woman; as opposed to the weird horns she often had, and she seemed contrite and glad to be free...which might have been an act. Her mystic power was from something called "the Winding Way," and seemed to involve ups and downs, and possibly mood swings. (Amanda also usually dressed more modernly than she does here; but I liked her kinda generic but still sexy sorceress outfit the previous issue.)

Strange gets Jimaine and Margali on their way back to Europe, then checks the Orb of Agamotto to make sure the reality was doing OK: it was, but what of the Dark Dimension? Should he check that out, or is that too stalker-y...? Strange wisely knows he can't, because that might tip off Umar, and ruin Clea's rebellion against her. After a sparring session with Wong, Strange's business manager, Sara Wolfe, has something for him: her friend Douglas Royce had been killed, seemingly reduced to ashes; and so far Strange hadn't been able to figure out how or why. Sara had received a letter from Douglas's lawyer, asking her to meet at Douglas's apartment--in the the Dakota Apartments, which is creepy enough--and after dark, for, um, reasons. It seems legit, but Strange still agrees to go with her, cancelling a date with his current girlfriend, Morgana.

Three seconds after meeting the lawyer, Strange knows something is up, and shines the Eye of Agamotto on him, revealing he had no shadow. (Ever? Or just under that light?) The lawyer throws a desk at Strange, but is then wrapped up by Strange's magic, and burned by the light again. (Strange should get a free shot at anyone that calls him "Mr. Wizard"!) But, upon further examination, Strange realizes there was no reason for the fight, and the 'lawyer' gives up his real name: Hannibal King, private detective...and vampire. He was also working the case of Douglas's murder, which probably tied into the resurrection of none other than Dracula... 

Man, Doctor Strange was bi-monthly back then, and this storyline ran until #62: this issue was on the racks just after New Year's 1983 and you would've had to wait until August for the conclusion! That probably wasn't uncommon, but still feels like a long wait.