In 1989, Roger Stern and Mike Mignola created an epic, standalone tale called DOCTOR STRANGE & DOCTOR DOOM: TRIUMPH AND TORMENT. The graphic novel kicked off with an appearance by old school Strange character The Aged Genghis concerned about Doom—Doctor Doom that is.

Aged Genghis remembered the time that Victor Von Doom came to his cave searching for guidance in the mystic arts. The mage sent him along to a group of remote monks who he soon overtook and used to create his iconic armor, including the mask which he put on his face before it had fully cooled.

Back in the present, Aged Genghis announced a magical competition of sorts to all of the world’s most prominent sorcerers, including Doctors Strange and Doom. The old one channeled Hoggoth, Oshtur, and Agamotto to create a shell around himself that the attendees tried to get through. The winner officially received the title of Sorcerer Supreme.

Strange and Doom remained at the end of the contest with Stephen winning and Doom avoiding the gods’ attacks. Aged Genghis then explained that, as the winner and Sorcerer Supreme, Strange owed runner-up Doom a boon. The despot knew exactly what that would be: help in saving his mother’s soul from the demon Mephisto.

Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment (1989)

• Published: July 01, 1989
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: June 27, 2016
• Writer: Roger Stern
• Penciller: Mike Mignola
• Cover Artist: Mike Mignola

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Before venturing to the location of their prize, the two headed to Latveria where Strange saw that the people seemed to love their ruler. He also learned that, many years ago, Cynthia Von Doom made a deal with a devil to help her Gypsy clan gain power in Latveria. She perished before seeing the fruits of her labor, but her son eventually picked up the idea and took power.

After Victor amassed a different kind of power, that of magical training and education with Strange in the role of professor, the duo traveled to Mephisto’s realm. Amidst strange visions that recounted some of Stephen’s own history, potential betrayal, and a mother’s rebuke, the pair still figured out a way to beat the devil at his own game, but not necessarily walk away with a pure victory.

Over the years, Doom continued to study the mystic arts himself, using them to battle the Fantastic Four, Black Panther, and the forces of Hell to the point where Strange worried that the Latverian leader might actually be selected as the next Sorcerer Supreme when he gave up the responsibilities.

Opening the Book of Vishanti

The Aged Genghis first appeared way back in 1965’s STRANGE TALES #136. In that story by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and Artie Simek, Stephen searched the globe looking for help with an Eternity problem. In turning to Aged Genghis he commented that the ancient mage had been driven mad by his long years of existence. As a counterpoint, Aged Genghis claimed to know everything and provided the Master of the Mystic Arts with a scroll that helped him on his journey. Far from a regular player, Aged Genghis only popped up a few times between this issue and TRIUMPH AND TORMENT, specifically in the second DOCTOR STRANGE volume.

Mr. Immortal, founding member of the Great Lakes Avengers, has the uncanny ability to resurrect and recover from any mortal injury. Over the years, he’s perished more times than we can count. But we’ve collected some of his most important—or, in some cases, most ridiculous—deaths to catch you up as Craig Hollis returns from the grave once again in GREAT LAKES AVENGERS #3, out December 14!

Birth of a Hero
Craig Hollis’ mother died giving birth to him. Her final wish? That the cosmic entity Deathurge look after her son. The living embodiment of humanity’s self-destructive urges, Deathurge guides Hollis through life, until he discovers his latent power of self-resurrection. Craig decides to use his ability to become the hero Mr. Immortal.

A Strong Beginning
During Craig’s first attempt to stop a crime, he’s shot and killed. In the time it takes him to recover and resurrect, the criminal escapes. He decides then that Mr. Immortal will need a team around him if he wants to succeed. So, naturally, he places a personal ad and soon the Great Lakes Avengers are founded.

New Love
Craig eventually falls in love with another member of the GLA, the being known as Dinah Soar. She uses her empathic powers to calm Craig when he revives, soothing his usual state of stress and rage upon coming back to life. However, in the team’s battle against Maelstrom, Mr. Immortal dies and as Dinah helps him recover, she’s killed by an energy blast from their enemy.

Great Lakes Avengers #3 cover by Will Robson

The Urge to Die
Craig becomes inconsolable, and attempts to kill himself a number of times, to no avail. Soon after, when Deathurge appears as a squirrel to take Monkey Joe to the afterlife, Craig traps him and the cosmic rodent reveals his destiny: to live to the end of the universe and learn the grand secret that only then will come to light.

Defeating Maelstrom
Craig leads the team against Maelstrom, and upon learning their enemy has worked with Deathurge, he preys on the suicidal tendencies that come with that. Mr. Immortal convinces the villain that leaving himself alone in the universe is an awful plan, and coaxes him into a shared suicide. After they both shoot themselves, Craig recovers in time to shut off Maelstrom’s machine and save the universe.

Death by Deadpool
Outside of these greatly affecting deaths, Mr. Immortal has died a number of times. In fact, he’s been killed no less than three times just by Deadpool. He was holding a bandolier of grenades when the merc hit detonate, he was straight-up shot and killed, and Deadpool even decapitated him once. Needless to say, the two aren’t exactly friends.

Crushing
Some of Craig’s worst deaths have come at the hands of villains wielding some weight with their powers. He got squished like a bug by Terminus in battle alongside the GLA, and he found himself crushed between two walls when fighting him alongside the Thunderbolts. Hollis has since become slightly averse to fighting giant and/or gravity-controlling villains.

See if Mr. Immortal survives GREAT LAKES AVENGERS #3 by Zac Gorman and Will Robson on December 14!

In SPIDER-WOMAN #14 on December 7, our titular hero will lock proverbial horns with the manic orange garbed cackler known as Hobgoblin. After seemingly blowing up Jessica’s friend and partner Porcupine on a New York City rooftop, he has more than proven his evil in one act.

However, Hobby—Roderick Kingsley under the mask—has long demonstrated he and “decent human being” never belong in the same sentence. If you don’t believe us, well, check out the list we put together below. The worst actions of Hobgoblin will certainly persuade you to side with us.

You Wanna Be the King, Gotta Blackmail the Princes
In addition to stealing Norman Osborn’s Goblin gear, Roderick also secured several of the Green Goblin’s personal files. Using those ill-gotten gains, he sought to blackmail the likes of J. Jonah Jameson. Only Kingpin’s intervention saved Spider-Man from Hobby killing the Webhead, and making Spidey have to get help from Fisk might be even worse a crime than blackmail.

Using a Patsy
Reporter Ned Leeds—through a mix of ambition, gumption, and journalistic skill—got closer than anyone to unraveling the mystery of Hobgoblin’s identity. Unfortunately, his work did not go unnoticed by Roderick. The villain kidnapped Leeds and brainwashed the investigative journalist into believing himself to be Hobgoblin.

Disposing of a Patsy
Repeated brainwashing taking their toll left Leeds increasingly erratic, slowly destroying his career and his marriage. Sensing his tool may be at the end of its usefulness, Kingsley leaked Leeds’ identity to the underworld and sent him off to Berlin, Germany, unpowered, to meet his demise at the hands of Foreigner.

Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #276

• Published: May 10, 1986
• Added to Marvel Unlimited: April 30, 2014
• Writer: Tom DeFalco
• Penciller: Ron Frenz
• Cover Artist: Tom Morgan

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Handles Criticism Poorly
In the midst of using Leeds, Kingsley further muddied the waters of his true identity by framing Flash Thompson in the press after the #1 Spider-Man fan had the nerve to bad mouth Hobby. While not an event with a horrible fallout, that kind of thin skinned reactivity to critics cannot be anything but a really bad look for anyone, even a super villain.

Join the Dark Parade!
In general, joining with Mephisto to accomplish anything cannot not be considered anything but “bad behavior.” He may not be the devil of the Marvel Universe but he remains one of the most prominent demons, certainly. Add in that Hobgoblin joins not just with Mephisto but 98 other super villains and their mission revolves around stealing the Beyonder’s power? We’re talking really bad behavior.

Rent Your Super Suits Here
Content to let Phil Urich play the role of Hobgoblin, Kingsley decided to return to his business roots, renting out costumes and identities to various criminals, allowing even more super villain crime to occur with people far less experienced and in control perpetrating it.

Can Jessica Drew gain revenge on The Hobgoblin? Find out December 7 in SPIDER-WOMAN #14 by Dennis Hopeless and Veronica Fish!