With Doctor Strange making his way to the movie screen, it's time to look back and take notice of other magicians in the Marvel Universe. One in particular is this week's Z-Lister Doctor Druid!
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1961's "Amazing Adventures #1" this character was originally known as Doctor Droom, a master of the mystic arts who's day job was being a psychologist named Doctor Anthony Ludgate Druid. After his first appearance the character was left ignored until Lee and Kirby created Doctor Strange in 1963, Stan Lee remembered created "a magician character" and essentially built Doctor Strange off the foundation of Doctor Drood. In 1970, Marvel ran a reprint series called "Weird Wonder Tales" and Doctor Drood was reintroduced as Doctor Druid so he wouldn't be confused with Doctor Doom, who had amassed a popularity by then.
Not much is know about his youth, but Anthony Ludgate Druid was once an American psychologist who's abilities included mere hypnosis and psychoanalysis. One day, Druid helped in the mental aid of a Tibetan lama and discovered the lama was actually The Ancient One, a powerful magician who trained Doctor Strange, Baron Mordo, and other mystics. In return for his help and loyalty, The Ancient One trained Druid in magic, occultism and even telepathy, he also selected Druid to be the next in line for the role of Sorcerer Supreme if Doctor Strange ever failed.
Doctor Druid's first major inclusion was when he helped The Avengers defeat his own ancestor Amergin The Druid. He later helped again by defeating The Masters of Evil from the inside. This gained him a spot on the team, however he would be later possessed by a villain named Terminatrix and was disgraced for his involuntary betrayal of the team. He got his second shot when he eventually became the leader of The Secret Defenders, but was-yet again-mind controlled by the demon Slorith. After the Secret Defenders defeated Druid and Slorith, Druid faked his death and vanished, only to return with a costume more resembling druids in fiction and simply referring to himself as "Druid". Third strike however, as Druid's anger drove him insane and caused him to attack heroes, leading to his death at the hands of Daimon Hellstorm, The Son of Satan.
Doctor Druid remained dead until quiet recently when he resurfaced in Weirdworld. Weirdworld is an alternate dimension closely connected to Earth, one point of access is the Bermuda Triangle. The best description of Weirdworld I've heard is "imagine a place where all forgotten rules, misplaced objects, and obsolete relics fall between the cracks and into one place". It's a world of magic, medieval themes, and otherworldly creatures. Druid's soul wandered to this realm and received a body, but he can only remain alive within this realm. Druid now runs his own portion of Weirdworld by-ironically-using mind control on it's people.
In an odd way, I really like Doctor Druid. I get that he's a pretty standard character-at least from the beginning-but I find it interesting that this character was the original magician of Marvel and when Doctor Strange was more popular Druid became an afterthought and later on a fall-from-grace villain. Usually when Marvel needs a magician character besides Doctor Strange they go for this guy named Brother Voodoo, so that just buries Druid further down the hole. I guess it's just the specifics I like, he's more of a traditional druid than a magician which is cool because magical characters have always more commonly been one note in their themes. Both Marvel and DC only have a handful of magic heroes so I'm interested to see if this magic character will be given more attention especially with Weirdworld being a stronger element of the current Marvel Universe, and with a current Doctor Strange event premiering the death of magic itself he could be of some use. Maybe a Doctor Strange film sequel? Yet again I'll hope too far for a character who is otherwise a blueprint. Well, a blueprint that turned into a pop-up book.
Thank you for reading!
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