Marvel 1975.08 - Doctor Strange #9

Doctor Strange #9

Title: Consummation

Writer: Steve Englehart

Artist: Gene Colan

Villain: Umar, Dormammu, Orini

Regulars: Clea, Wong

Doctor Strange has faced Dormammu several times since he first appeared as an adversary in Strange Tales #126, but this is the most exciting and most decisive battle ever. Maybe "exciting" is the wrong word. The victory isn't won by flashy power blasts, but by intriguing mystical chants. Steve Englehart has woven a tale more deeply based in mysticism than the tales by any other author of Doctor Strange stories.

Let's get something out of the way first. We already knew that Orini is Clea's father, but in this comic we find out that Clea is her mother. It's also stated that Umar has a human mother. This was denied in the post-canon age.

Dormammu climbs onto the surface of the Earth, going on a rampage. He tries to expel Umar into a prison in another dimension, but she retaliates by taking his power.

Orini arrives, looking for Dormammu. Umar tells him that she's now his only Mistress. She orders him to kill Clea, but Doctor Strange fights to defend her. He traps Orini in the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, and then he passes all his power to Clea once more. She uses this power to free Mother Nature from her imprisonment at the hands of Umar. Doctor Strange takes back his power and frees Dormammu. Umar shrinks in size and power, but Dormammu offers no reward.

Mother Nature returns and tells Dormammu that after bearing him in her womb she knows him as he truly is. She says she will unite all of nature, every living thing, in the fight against Dormammu. That includes the person holding the comic in his hand and reading about the battle.

The forces of nature pound Dormammu until he fades away. Not permanently, of course. We read in Doctor Strange #7 that Dormammu can never die as long as he has worshippers.

Doctor Strange frees Orini. He carries Umar back to the Dark Dimension, telling Doctor Strange that nothing has changed. Dormammu and Umar will return.

Everyone has felt the battle. Even the comic book's reader has felt the battle, but when he puts the comic down the feeling will fade. For me that's a reason to read this epic battle again and again.