The most interesting thing about Dr. Strange’s origin is the fact that the character had been around a half a year before they got around to telling it. And it doesn’t even make the cover of the comic!
The Torch tale is the lead in. Reed Richards says everyone else on the team is too busy, so Human Torch has to go after Sandman, who just broke out of jail. There’s a recap of his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #4, and an explanation of how he escaped.
Like nobody could have seen that coming? But in the days before the The Raft or Project Pegasus, it makes sense that the criminal justice system would not be equipped to hold criminals. (Although with guys like Tony Stark and Reed Richards around, it’s odd that there’s no mention of any effort to create a containment system.). Once out, he attacks Spider-Man…Only it’s Human Torch!
To neutralize Torch’s powers, Sandman runs through sprinklers (yes, it was that easy back then).
But the water also makes him unable to disperse his molecules (because he’s mud), so it ends with hand-to-hand combat. And we learn that Johnny Storm’s powers include super-strength.
Is that still part of his power set? I don’t recall ever seeing it before, but it does explain quite a bit. Like how he can take punches that would kill normal people.
The real Spidey appears at the very end, and he’s feeling some rivalry with Torch. Which is silly.
And now, the main event. A haughty surgeon…
…gets into a car accident and can’t use his hands…
…He seeks out The Ancient One, has some rivalry with Baron Mordo (and we see the first mention of Dormammu!)…
And so he eventually becomes the Master of the Mystic Arts.
Stan Lee with Dick Ayers (Torch, C+) and Steve Ditko (Strange, B)