Doctor Strange's Next Appearance Is A Rematch 62 Years In The Making (Exclusive)

Doctor Strange will soon fight a foe he has not seen in 62 years, and ScreenRant is pleased to bring fans a first look.

Doctor Strange’s next appearance will be a rematch 62 years in the making, and ScreenRant has an exclusive first look. As the Sorcerer Supreme, Doctor Strange has many powerful adversaries, including the dread Dormammu and Baron Mordo. These foes have taken Strange down to the wire many times, but the good Doctor always finds a way to send them packing.

Doctor Strange’s first appearance in Strange Tales #110 kicked off the magical side of the modern Marvel Universe. His earliest adventures by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko laid down magic’s ground rules, and introduced characters beyond Doctor Strange that would shape it even further. Other sorcerers, such as Clea and Doctor Voodoo would debut in time, as would a number of villains who test Strange’s mettle. His very first story saw Doctor Strange take on the lord of dreams: Nightmare, who would become one of the Sorcerer Supreme’s worst foes.

Nightmare is all powerful, and shown to be in the same league as Galactus and the Celestials. He rules over his domain and seeks to spread his evil further. If not for Doctor Strange, Nightmare would have succeeded. Now, Nightmare has returned, and this time there may be no stopping him. However, before Strange can get to Nightmare, he must face down an opponent not seen since 1964.

Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare Will Be the Good Doctor's Biggest Fight Yet

Doctor Strange Will Fight a Foe Not Seen in 62 Years

ScreenRant is proud to offer a first look at Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare, from Marvel Arts, an imprint of Abrams Comic Arts. The gorgeous hardcover book will be written by acclaimed novelist Kevin J. Anderson and drawn by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martin, who illustrated Abrams’ Dune graphic novels. Marvel Arts provided ScreenRant with a synopsis for Endless Nightmare, shared here:

When Stephen Strange encounters a mysterious patient at his hospital who won’t stop raving about how life is “nothing but the dream of a sleeping god,” the rest of the world is suddenly struck with insomnia. In order to prevent chaos from unfolding as the people around him become more and more desperate for sleep, Doctor Strange must embark into the mind of the madman who seems to have heralded this disaster, taking a psychedelic trip into the Nightmare Realm.

In addition, Marvel Arts has shared a handful of preview pages from the book.

While all signs point to Nightmare being the architect behind the insomnia plague sweeping the world, Anderson dropped a major bombshell regarding Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare. In a press release from Marvel Arts, Anderson was quoted as saying:

I brought in an important and popular villain in the Dr. Strange universe, as well as another villain who has never appeared since Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created him in 1964’s Dr. Strange #122. It was amazing to play in this universe.

Anderson did not reveal the identity of Endless Nightmare’s other villain, leaving fans guessing until the book’s release.

However, Anderson did provide a clue as to the mystery villain’s identity. In 1964’s Strange Tales #122, Doctor Strange encounters a sinister-looking specter who can seemingly neutralize his powers. Strange tries to fight back but is overpowered, and the entity encases him. The cloaked stranger, who never gives his name, then sends Doctor Strange to the Nightmare Realm, and into the clutches of his old enemy. This character is then never seen again. It is likely this ghostly apparition is the villain Anderson alluded to.

Endless Nightmare Will Be the Fight of Doctor Strange's Long Career

Regardless of who Endless Nightmare’s villain is, it will be the fight of Doctor Strange’s life. Nightmare is one of the Sorcerer Supreme’s most powerful foes. He alone is a big enough problem for Doctor Strange, but now another villain is being thrown into the mix, ratcheting up the chaos factor even more. While Doctor Strange has defeated Nightmare in combat many times, this new, unknown foe is a wild card. He was able to curb Doctor Strange’s powers, something not easily done. This stranger has one over on Stephen, making rematch important, even after 62 years.

Doctor Strange: Endless Nightmare is on sale September 8 from Marvel Arts!