THE TONGUES OF MEN AND ANGELS (1986-1987)

Previous challenges to Doctor Strange for the title of 'Sorcerer Supreme' have come from Earth or other dimensions. This time, he faces a challenger from beyond the stars.

This story introduces Rintrah and Enitharmon to Strange's cast and sends him into a much darker direction...

Title Jump: With the cancellation of Doctor Strange bi-monthly ongoing series, his story continued in the Strange Tales anthology title, sharing half of each issue the Cloak & Dagger.

• Doctor Strange #79-81
• Strange Tales #1[2/2]-3[1/2]

Doctor Strange #79
The magic-wielding Urthona of the planet Gevaltu selects a demonic champion, sending them to Earth to kill Doctor Strange so that he can take his place. While Strange fights the demon on the streets of New York City, Urthona uses Topaz - who's still suffering mentally from her time in Hell - to bridge the gap to Earth and attack Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. Distracted by the attack on his home, Strange is skewered by the demon's weapon, but manages to astrally project from his body and take possession of Morgana Blessing. He uses her body to fight the demonic champion, but is ultimately forced to use black magic to summon Satannish and offer him the champion,which he accepts. Urthona transports Strange's Sanctum to Gevaltu.

Doctor Strange #80
Urthona takes Wong and Sara Wolfe captive on Gevaltu. The extradimensional sorcerer Enitharmon the Weaver sends his young disciple, Rintrah, to assist Doctor Strange. Strange is busy magically assisting the surgeon who is removing the weapon that impaled him in order to save his life. Valkyrie attempts to claim him Strange, but he successfully fights foe his life...

Doctor Strange #81
Doctor Strange borrows Kurrgo's spaceship from Mister Fantastic and arrives on Gevaltu with Rintrah. Though Urthona has managed to steal many powerful magical items from the Sanctum Sanctorum, he's soon defeated by Strange, Rintrah and the restored Topaz. Strange delivers the final blow when he magically destroys all of his talismans to guarantee Urthona's defeat. In doing so, he unleashes a thousand darknesses those items have kept at bay for millennia...

Strange Tales #1[2/2]
Returning home, Topaz heals Wong's injuries, but senses a great darkness in Doctor Strange. She realises part of it is caused by his inability to accept his feelings for Clea of the Dark Dimension. Across the world, the forces once held at by by the talismans begin to emerge and cause chaos...

Strange Tales #2[2/2]
Topaz summons Clea rom the Dark Dimension, but Strange is unwilling to give in to his feelings and rejects her once more in favour of freeing a man from demonic possession. But Strange is unable to save the man and has to kill him in order to defeat the demon.

Strange Tales #3[2/2]
With the blood of an innocent on his hands, Doctor Strange loses more control over his abilities and finds himself the target of Khat demons who try to coax him into using dark magic. Strange leaves his Sanctum Sanctorum and casts a spell that makes the world believe he died in battle against the Beyonder (during SECRET WARS II). Now he's free to heal the damage done to the world without endangering his friends or Clea any further...

Strange Tales #4-12 (1987-1988) 

Doctor Strange continues to fight the unleashed forces of chaos; Valkyrie claims another man's soul instead of Strange's; Strange becomes the disciple of the dark sorcerer Klatuu; the Khat returns; Strange steals Victoria Bentley's magical abilities.

Strange Tales #13-14 (1988) 

Strange destroys Shuma-Gorath to restore the balance of magic on Earth, but at great cost to himself during SECRET WARS III.

Strange Tales #15-17 (1988) 

Enitharmon returns to restore Doctor Strange's abilities to wield white magic; Strange is reunited with Wong and Sara Wolfe when he returns home, having set himself back on the right path; Rintrah returns home with Enitharmon.

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #1-3 (1988) 

Earth's heroes hold a funeral for Doctor Strange; Doctor Strange marries Clea; Morgana Blessing returns.

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #5-7 (1989) 

Enitharmon sends Rintrah back to Doctor Strange to become his disciple instead; the talismans that were apparently destroyed in the battle with Urthona are revealed to have actually been teleported away by Agamotto; the talisman's are returned to Strange's care.

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #9 (1989) 

The world learns Doctor Strange is still alive; Agamotto steals the Darkhold back from Urthona.

Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #48 (1992) 

Strange and Clea become separated again when Clea is forced to return to the Dark Dimension during WAR OF THE SEVEN SPHERES.

Doctor Strange #51 (1993) 

Rintrah's initial period as Strange's disciple ends during A NIGHTMARE ON BLEECKER STREET.

Doctor Strange #57 (1993) 

Doctor Strange returns to Gevaltu to oppose Urthona when he obtains enough magical power to proclaim himself King of Gevaltu; Strange transports Urthona to another realm, freeing Gevaltu from his tyranny.