Doctor Strange Classics Starring Doctor Strange #3
In "What Lurks Beneath the Mask?", Doctor Strange ventures into the deepest recesses of The Ancient One’s mind in a desperate quest to uncover the secret of Eternity, facing surreal trials and psychic dangers along the way. Written by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee, with art by Ditko, this 1984 classic sees Strange confront the limits of his own perception—only to emerge with a spell so powerful it opens a portal in the Himalayas, where he vanishes into the unknown. The cover by John Byrne and Al Milgrom captures the moment just before the door to another realm appears, with Mordo arriving too late to stop it.
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Desperate to learn the secret of "Eternity", Dr. Strange probes the unconscious mind of The Ancient One, meeting one deadly trap after another, until at last, he reaches the mind of his beloved Master, and convinces him of his identity and good intentions. After recovering, Strange departs, and high atop a Himalayan peak, recites "one of the most potent spells of all time". When he's finished, his amulet floats into the air, expands in size, and a doorway opens-- thru which Strange steps. Seconds after the amulet vanishes, Mordo appears, just barely too late to catch up with his mortal enemy.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).