Issue(s): Doctor Strange #54
Cover Date: Jun 93
Title: "From here... to there... to Eternity!"
Credits:
Roy Thomas - Writer
Frank Lopez - Layouts
Geof Isherwood - Finishes
Joe Andreani - Assistant Editor
Mike Rockwitz - Editor

Review/plot:
This tie-in with Infinity Crusade is actually a prelude, with Dr. Strange sensing the threat about the Goddess.

There is evidence of rescripting in the scan above, with the words "power" and "formidable force" looking like they were hastily added to replace something else.

Sensing that the Goddess has more power than he currently has in his present state, and more power "than any possible Earth-based assemblage of Secret Defenders", he decides to go to the mystical entities for help. He first goes to the Vishanti, who are still battling the Trinity of Ashes as part of the War of the Seven Spheres.

More evidence of rescripting, by someone with the handwriting of a 4 year old, when Strange decides he needs to move on from the Vishanti in order to continue looking for help with the Goddess.

He then fights his way to Eternity. Eternity says that he has no interest in the Goddess' threat (a repeat theme of Infinity Crusade), and Strange immediately challenges Eternity to a fight. And asks only to be taken to the Goddess if he wins. If he loses, Strange says that he'll become a part of Eternity - which, i thought Strange, and everyone in the Marvel universe, already was. Weird on multiple levels (and looks like more rescripting).

Eternity chooses the Ancient One - from a time before Strange was his student - as his champion.

After battling the Ancient One for a while, Strange resolves the fight by draining energy from Eternity and uses it to bring the Ancient One to a point in time after they knew each other.

Since Strange "won" the fight, Eternity allows Dr. Strange to know everything about the Goddess. But then he causes him to forget it all, and sends him home. So this issue had no purpose, even by the normal standards of the pointless Infinity Crusades tie-ins.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: A footnote confirms that this takes place prior to Infinity Crusade #1. The Kyllian back-up from this issue is covered in a separate entry.

References:

• Dr. Strange says that "we have run the Infinity Gauntlet" and "fought in the Infinity War" but he still senses an incompleteness.
  
• Dr. Strange lost his powers after refusing to help the Gods of the Outer Dimensions in Doctor Strange #48-49.
  
• Strange went to Eternity's domain once before, in Strange Tales #138.

Crossover: Infinity Crusade

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A