Doc has a lot of appearances in other magazines at the end of 1976. It's difficult to properly order them. As there are lots of guest appearances between his last solo issue and the next one and this sort of fits between them, I'll go over it now instead of having to churn through endless other books first.
This is Doc's first Annual and his first solo story of extended length. Doc won't get another annual until the 90s and for the entire run of this series, there are no issues greater than the standard page count (18, 17 or 22 pages). Here, series writer Marv Wolfman teams up with co-plotter and penciler P. Craig Russell for an absolutely gorgeous work of art. This is a visually stunning work. Mr. Russell apparently liked it so much he redid the whole thing in the late 90s and released it with the title "What Is It That Disturbs You, Stephen?"
Doc is searching for Clea after she went missing at the end of issue #20. Marv and Craig have him do lots of self-recrimination as he looks for the love of his life.
We get a look at Mr. Russell's interpretation of the Sanctum Sanctorum. It's very Addams Family.
Doc then reminisces about a recent talk with Clea. I'm guessing this was before he was removed from the Sorcerer Supreme office.
This is fairly consistent with recent issues so kudos to Marv and Craig for doing your homework! Doc loafs around a bit and then gets a message, surprisingly from his dead mentor.
The old dude has give Doc an apparent clue to Clea's whereabouts and he sets of for his destination immediately. We next get a full page about the journey and Doc philosophizing. It's really lovely.
Doc arrives at the temple and is met by the head priest in charge. The priest has been expecting Doc, but not because the Ancient One told him to go there. The priest shows him that all the other priests have been murdered with only Sargor, keeper of the books of continuous writing and head head priest spared. Doc says he'll go to the book of continuous writing to find out what happened by Sargor informs him that the writing stopped when the priests died. Doc insists on seeing the books anyway and we are treated to a journey through the Temple of Man as Doc indulges in his inner monologue.
As the pair travel through the temple Doc tells Sargor that he's looking for Clea and wonders if the Ancient One knew of the priest massacre. Could the events be linked?
The trio arrive at the destination and Doc starts to peruse the book of knowledge just as he fends off an assassination attempt by Sargor.
Doc turns his All-Purpose Amulet on Sargor who tells him that Clea has been taken to someplace called Phaseworld. Sargor ain't saying any more so Doc uses his amulet to open a gateway to this place he's never heard of and knows nothing about. The amulet behaves like it did in Strange Tales #138, growing giant and forming a portal, but this time, Doc appears to keep it with him as the complete amulet is around his neck when he enters Phaseworld. Doc hears his name being called in a creepy looking word balloon and ground rises up to wrap around him. While trapped, Doc is face-to-face with Lectra, Empress of Phaseworld.
Doc sends his cloak of levitation to wrap around Lectra and distract her so he can free himself. Lectra isn't that easy to distract. Lectra and Doc trade mystical blows. She keeps calling Doc Sorcerer Supreme so she must not be up on the news from Earth. Lectra is challenging, but Doc manages to free himself.
The battle continues and the pair prove they are about equal in sorcery.
But Lectra controls the world and sets it upon Doc. Doc manages to conjure a shield that cuts off her control. Lectra ends the battle and admits she conjured the image of the Ancient One to lure Doc here. Then she threatens Clea who has appeared out of nowhere.
Doc is convinced and agrees to go with Lectra to her island of Allandra. They're going by boat!
Along the way a giant sea-dragon appears. Doc is ready to blast it away, but Lectra lets him know that it is guiding their way. Also, it's name is Brotan. Finally, they arrive at Allandra.
Despite claims of warriors, festivities and parades, Allandra is dying and empty.
Lectra finally reveals why she lured Doc here. She want's the two of them to get married! She and a sorcerer supreme would be an unbeatable combination. Doc informs her that he's not so supreme anymore and Lectra is pretty much like "Oh crap! All my plans down the drain!"
Lectra admits that Phaseworld is dying and she wanted Doc to save it but only a sorcerer supreme could have done that. Lectra explains that Phaseworld is dying because of her "evil" sister Phaydra who is stealing the world's essence and wants to destroy some kooky soul mirror that contains the sisters' essences. Doc wants to meet Phaydra and in a marvelous coincidence, she appears behind him.
Phaydra says nothing and instead heads over to a swan that wasn't visible before just now. The bird then speaks and gives the whole game away.
The sisters fight and Doc lashes out to stop it. Phaydra moves over to Doc so he can protect her and the swan morphs into a man.
The swan/man, now given the name Tempus tells Doc that Lectra never abducted Clea. She was just an image conjured to force Doc into obedience. Lectra flings a magic bolt at Tempus. He deflects it and it destroys the soul mirror.
Lectra dies. Doc attempts to save Phaseword from inside the shattered mirror, but fails. Phaydra dies in Tempus' arms. Tempus will die next as Phaseworld quickly crumbles. Doc attempts to find his way home.
Visually, this is gorgeous. A Doc story has never looked so good. The story is kooky, a bit disjointed and not overly original. It feels derived from Strange Tales #133 where Doc winds up battling Shazana and restoring the good sister to the throne. We have the rival sisters, one good and one evil. We get the addition of a romance and a far less happy ending. It is really a downer.
So the art is a 10+, but the story is pretty middling. I think a pair like Marv and Craig could have done better. I think Craig really wanted some sort of fairy tale, but gave it a Grimm ending. It's still a joy to read because it's a feast for the eyes.
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