The Forgotten and Undying Ones: Dr. Strange and Dr. Doom

One of the most widely loved Dr. Strange stories from the 80s is Dr. Strange and Dr. Doom: Triumph and Torment in which Dr. Strange helps Dr. Doom free Momma Doom’s soul from Mephisto, the most commonly used devil of the Marvel universe (though in the Defenders comic, Doc had run ins with actual Satan (Maybe? It’s a confusing story)). Mike Mignola’s pre-Hellboy art (including his depiction of Hell) is the prime reason this is so beloved, but Roger Stern is one of the best Doc writers of the decade. Sometimes when you see lists of great Dr. Strange villains, it’ll include Dr. Doom and Mephisto which is a bit inaccurate (and a bit disrespectful to the magnificent deep bench of rogues that are solely Doc’s): Doc didn’t fight Mephisto all that often (Big M is a Silver Surfer villain far more than a Doc villain), and he had only a few fights with Doom here and there (no more so than the rest of the Marvel Universe) but this one story is so beloved, it alone pushes Mephisto and Doom way up the list.

Honestly, including Doom on a list of Doc villains is just silly since they’re buddies more often than not. See, for example, Secret Wars when those two are essentially ruling all of existence together (until Doom kills him, of course, but Doom is still Doom). The uninitiated may think it odd that Doc would side with an evil dictator, and don’t give me that whole “He didn’t know he was an evil dictator” nonsense. Doc has the Eye of Agamotto, so if anybody knows anything, it’s him. If you want to have a story predicated on people not knowing or not remembering anything, you either make Doc the exception, don’t include Doc, or write Doc as an uncharacteristic idiot (I’m looking at you, House of M). It would be more in keeping with Doc’s character to understand and sympathize with Doom than to be susceptible to mind control. Consider, as another example, Dr. Strange Vol. 3, Number 33: Doc has to resurrect heroes killed in the Infinity Gauntlet, and he chooses Doom. Other heroes might have considered killing Doom a favor Thanos did to the universe and left him dead (they might’ve seen a list of possible resurrections and skipped over Doom’s name for the better of everybody), but Doc literally went to Hell with Doom and saw him at his Momma’s Boy worst, so Doc might always have the softest spot of any hero for everybody else’s otherwise worst enemy.