Untold Tales of Spider-Man: Strange Encounter #1
At the Chicago Museum of Antiquities, a pair of crooks have broken in and while they are trying to figure out what to take, one of them is enthralled by a mystical item known as the Lantern of Lantarr and is compelled to take it. The removal of the Lantern sets off a warning within the Orb of Agamotto, drawing the interest of Doctor Strange. As he tries to track the stolen artifact’s travel, Strange detects that someone is using a spell in an attempt to mask it. Asking his assistant Wong to watch over his body, Doctor Strange sends his astral form to the Himalayan Mountains to meet with his master, the Ancient One. The Ancient One is also unable to track the Lantern but assures Stephen that he will receive help in his quest to recover the ancient artifact.
At that moment, back in New York City, Spider-Man webs up a gang of thugs who are trying to force a bodega to pay them protection money. Realizing that he’s running late as his lunch break at school is over. As he frantically swings back to school, Spider-Man reminds himself why he fights crime, as his inaction led to the death of his Uncle Ben.[1] As he changes back into his school clothes, Peter Parker thinks of all the different menaces he has faced as Spider-Man.[2] As it turns out, this is the last class before spring break. After classes, Liz Allen tries to see what Peter is up to and he tells her he is busy. After going home for dinner, Peter goes to the Daily Bugle, where Betty Brant is still jealous that Liz Allan is paying attention to Peter. That’s when J. Jonah Jameson comes out and tells Parker to get lost because he has no assignments for him. Angered by this rejection, Peter goes out as Spider-Man to find some news photos for Jameson. He happens upon the two thieves who robbed the museum in Chicago attacking a woman in an alley. Spider-Man sets up his camera and goes to save her. He’s caught off guard when they use the Lantern of Lantarr’s to fire mystical blasts at the wall-crawler. With their kidnapping busted, the pair then use the Lantern to teleport away.
Later, when Peter sells the photos to J. Jonah Jameson, the newspaper publisher is happy to get them. That’s when Betty asks Peter to do something the next day. Peter wants to look for the crooks as Spider-Man and tries to come up with an excuse. Betty takes this to mean Peter has plans for some other girl for Spring Break and becomes upset. The next day, while on patrol, Peter is approached by Doctor Strange who has come to enlist Spider-Man’s help to recover the Lantern of Lantarr. Able to sense that Spider-Man has been in contact with the lantern, Strange casts a spell on him that will make his spider-sense be able to track the mystical artifact. Strange tells the web-slinger that once he finds the Lantern of Lantarr he need only think about Doctor Strange and he’ll come. This spell will also make his astral form visible to Spider-Man and anyone around him. Meanwhile, the two goons who have the Lantern of Lantaar return to their master, Baron Mordo. He is furious that they failed to kidnap a suitable sacrifice due to Spider-Man’s meddling. He tells them to go back out and find someone new and then goes back to commune with his own master — something called the Great Engima — who promises Mordo untold power if he provides a worthy sacrifice.
The following morning, Peter Parker is woken up after a fruitless search the night before. In the light of day, Peter has time to think about his encounter with Doctor Strange and finds himself not believing any of his talk about magic and wonders what he was thinking.[4] His thoughts are interrupted when he runs into Flash Thompson and his other classmates. As they tease him, Peter is mortified when J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant also arrive, investigating the kidnappings in this part of town. Betty is instantly upset that Peter appears to be hanging out with Liz Allan instead of her and his attempts to convince her of the truth fall on deaf ears. Suddenly, Peter’s spider-sense goes off telling him that the Lantern is nearby. Rushing to a nearby alley, Peter is followed by Jameson, Betty, and his classmates. They interrupt the two crooks they decide to take all the intruders prisoner. Using the Lantern, the two crooks transport Peter and the others to a mystical dimension. There Peter, frantically sends out a mental call to Doctor Strange, worrying that he might not be hearing it. When salvation doesn’t arrive, Peter pretends to be driven man and flees the immediate area in order to change into Spider-Man. Meanwhile, Jameson and the others are taken to the place where the other kidnap victims are located. They are then greeted by Baron Mordo who explains that they are all going to be sacrificed to his master.
Spider-Man arrives to fight Baron Mordo but he uses his spell to transform his two minions into monsters to defend him. While Spider-Man fights these creatures, Doctor Strange arrives in his astral form to help. Matching his magics against those of foe, Mordo realizes he is outmatched and escapes through a portal to his master. He discovers that the “Great Enigma” is actually the dread Dormammu. Dormammu isn’t interested in Mordo’s excuses and ejects him from his realm. Back at the scene of the battle, Spider-Man knocks out the two transformed crooks, shattering the Lantern of Lantaar in the process. As Spider-Man and Strange lead the prisoners back to Earth, even J. Jonah Jameson admits that Spider-Man is a hero. Once they are back in New York, Spider-Man notices that everyone is very shaken from the experience and asks Doctor Strange to cast a spell to make them forget, even if it means Jameson forgetting Spider-Man’s previous heroics. As Strange casts his spell of forgetfulness, Spider-Man abruptly departs before Doctor Strange can end the spell on him but it will soon fade anyway.[5] Strange then departs to cast the necessary spells to turn the two crooks back into human form.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo, Dormammu, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Aunt May, Jason Ionello, Ancient One, Wong, Anna Watson, Mary Jane Watson
Continuity Notes
You remember poor murdered Uncle Ben? If you don’t go and ready Amazing Fantasy #15.
This story takes place early on in Spider-Man’s career, so the fights he references are all the first time he faced many of these foes. These enemies are: The Vulture (Amazing Spider-Man #2), Doctor Octopus (Amazing Spider-Man #3), Sandman (Amazing Spider-Man #4), Scorcher (Untold Tales of Spider-Man #1), Electro (Amazing Spider-Man #9), Commanda (Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9), the Green Goblin (Amazing Spider-Man #14), and Hawkeye (Untold Tales of Spider-Man #17).
Betty started getting jealous of Liz Allan in Untold Tales of Spider-Man #10.
Peter recounts how he was tricked by Mysterio’s seemingly magical feats that turned out to be nothing more than special effects. That was in Amazing Spider-Man #13.
Doctor Strange’s comments about the spell that makes his astral form visible to Spider-Man and his friends is inserted here to explain how Peter Parker and his classmates are later able to see Doctor Strange’s astral form in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. Typically, humans without mystical awareness cannot see Doctor Strange’s astral form.
