Issue(s): Marvel Premiere #3
Cover Date: Jul 72
Title: "While the world spins mad!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Script
Barry Windsor-Smith - Plot
Barry Windsor-Smith - Penciler
Dan Adkins - Inker

Review/plot:
After two issues, Adam Warlock got his own series so Dr. Strange took over here. And he'll remain here until issue #14 when Iron Fist takes over. I wonder what it was that ensured that Warlock got his own book after two issues but Dr. Strange remained here, not cancelled but also not also graduating to his own book for almost two years (the book was bi-monthly). Strange was also a member of the Defenders at this time, with this book being published a month before the first issue of their series (after graduating from Marvel Feature), which means the character wasn't being neglected at this time.

Whatever the reasoning, we start off with a Barry Windsor-Smith story scripted by Stan Lee.

The plot is simple enough: Dr. Strange gets hit by a truck and while he's passed out he has a nightmare...

...which means he fights Nightmare.

The twist is that in the story we see Dr. Strange avoiding getting hit by the truck by using magic...

...so we're not quite sure what's going on until we reveal that was actually the start of the dream.

Beyond that, it's all about Windsor-Smith's art.

The story ends with a message that a more dangerous foe is waiting in the wings. We'll learn in the next few issues that the threat is Shuma-Gorath, and later issues will confirm that Nightmare was working with him here.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Defenders #6-8 (Doc doesn't appear in #7), which pushes it forward almost a year in publication time. The issue ends with a character lurking about Strange's house, and that will be picked up on directly in the next issue.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Windsor-Smith's version of Nightmare becomes the definitive look for him, lasting for at least a decade.

Barry stated in Comic Book Artist that he wrote this in stream-of-consciousness style, and Stan got it completetly wrong.

This link features a cool chronology of Shuma-Gorath, including scans of their Conan appearance, outside of the scope of fnord's coverage:

http://comicvine.gamespot.com/shuma-gorath/4005-14000/forums/shuma-gorath-chronology-753568/

The plot of this instalment is similar to STRANGE TALES #122's.

Presently GCD credits Windsor-Smith with plotting for this Dr. Strange story, and only credits Lee for dialogue. https://www.comics.org/issue/25280/ This is consistent with Lee's preference for working in the "Marvel method."