Issue(s): Marvel Super Heroes #14 (Dr. Strange story only)
Cover Date: Jul 93 / Summer 93
Title: "The education of Augustyne Phyffe"
Credits:
Roy Thomas & Jean-Marc Lofficier - Writer
Greg LaRocque - Penciler
Jerry Acerno & Vincent Colletta - Inker
Dan Cuddy - Assistant Editor
Rob Tokar - Editor

Review/plot:
I was a little surprised by Greg LaRocque getting penciling credit on this issue since he wasn't at Marvel at a time that Roy Thomas & Jean-Marc Lofficier were writing. Part of what misled me is that Thomas and Lofficier are fully credited as the writers. But as noted on the Appendix (hat tip to Michael in the comments for pointing it out), this story was actually based on a plot by an unknown writer. Thomas and Lofficier scripted the story so that it would be a continuation from the one in Marvel Super Heroes #12, retroactively making the main character Augustyne Phyffe (who was invented for the newly imagined versions of these two issues).

In the previous story, Dr. Strange helped Augustyne Phyffe, son of the deceased Lord Julian Phyffe, deal with an orphium addiction. Augustyne has subsequently decided to forgo mystical training and has been trying to become a "trendy artist" instead.

Unfortunately, his mystical powers seem to be activating anyway, and Augustyne (seemingly) has accidentally killed some of his friends.

It's always kind of bittersweet when you kill your friends by summoning creatures that make the bad ghosts in Casper The Friendly Ghost look scary. Like, sorry i killed you guys, but you have to admit that was hilarious!

Anyway, Augustyne agrees to train under Strange to get his powers under control. And he's surprisingly adept at it. He has raw power. But Strange is worried about his attitude.

By the way, this is probably a coincidence, but it's said that Augustyne's grandfather defeated the Cult of the Crimson Dawn.

Crimson Dawn happens to be the name of a pocket dimension that Psylocke (and other X-characters) gets mixed up in.

Anyway, a spell that Strange has Augustyne practicing with seems to go wrong, and a demon named Dyskor gets summoned. Dyskor says he used to work for Augustyne's father.

Augustyne hesitates to send it away, so Dr. Strange does. The demon comes back to solicit Augustyne again later.

It turns out that Dyskor is lying. Augustyne's father declined to work with him. And it's Dyskor, not Augustyne, who summoned the wraiths that killed Augustyne's friends. So Dr. Strange battles Dyskor, telling Augustyne to flee. And he does. Later, Augustyne tells Strange that he wants him to cast the Spell of Annulment on him, to remove his powers. Strange reluctantly agrees. And that's the end of that.

Roy Thomas manages to sneak in one last "they also serve... who only stand and wait" on his way out (see here for some more examples).

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This follows the story from Marvel Super Heroes #12, which is said to have happened "recently". But enough time should have passed for Augustyne to try his hand at becoming a "trendy artist".

Iron Man and Speedball stories are covered in separate entries.

References:

• Strange helped Augustyne Phyffe put his life in order in Marvel Super Heroes #12.
  
• Dr. Strange's origin is from Strange Tales #115.
  
• Augustyne's father was shown to be an evil wizard in Doctor Strange #38-40.
  
• Strange is recognized by a police officer from when he appeared on Hour Thirteen in Doctor Strange #11.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? Y (inventory story)

My Reprint: N/A

According to the Marvel Appendix, the Augustyne Phyffe stories were reworked inventory stories from the early 1980s. They were two completely separate stories- there was no Augustyne Phyffe. And the editors had Thomas and Lofficer script them and Lofficer came up with the idea to link the stories by making them both about Augustyne Phyffe:
http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/augphyffe.htm

Nice LaRocque pencils. Vince Colletta's inks are very recognizable in places - reminds me of Superman Family's art. But I am bit surprised to see him work for Marvel at this late date.

Actually, checking Wikipedia, he died in 1991. This story must have been one of his last few works.

The fact that inventory stories like this look and read better than the average 90s fare speaks volumes as to why 80s readers left comics in droves around this era.

Thanks Michael. Interesting story behind the story.

I wonder how many other of these inventory stories had an uncredited plotter.

"By the way, this is probably a coincidence, but it's said that Augustyne's grandfather defeated the Cult of the Crimson Dawn."

Oooh, good catch, fnord. I expect that if Mark Gruenwald was still alive, or if Kurt Busiek was still at Marvel, sooner or later one of them would have written a story exploring this throw-away line, and linking it to the characters from the Crimson Dawn stories that ran in the various X-Men titles.