Strange Tales 1951 #124 - 7.0 - $40.00

Trying to tell Johnny that Paste-Pot Pete was paroled (for helping The Avengers), Ben & Johnny get into a brawl. Tired of being thought of as a clown, Pete completely redesigns his costume, then takes on The Thing while he's flying his part of the Fantasti-Car. As he's about to go help Ben, Johnny's told by Doris that if he leaves in the middle of their date, he needn't bother returning. After a fierce battle, Ben & Johnny triumph, and after an "explanation," Doris forgives Johnny.

Sensing sorcery, Strange finds a woman wandering the streets under a spell. After guiding her to his house, he consults his mentor. Strange travels into the past, though he's warned that if the candle employed in the spell expires he will be trapped there forever. In Ancient Egypt, he battles a wizard, Zota, and removes his power. Returning to the present the candle flickers out, but Strange uses the light from his amulet to guide him, barely making it back. Strange reveals the woman is Cleopatra, sent to the future when she scorned Zota. He sends her back to her waiting Mark Antony.

Includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. Is the third issue without text pages. On-sale date from 1964 Periodicals, Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

• Paste-Pot Pete!; The Lady from Nowhere! - The Doctor Strange portion of the cover consists of two images taken from the interior story by Ditko and Roussos, per Rob Allen, via the GCD Errors list, August 2009.
• Paste-Pot Pete - This is the third appearance of Paste-Pot Pete; he last appears in the Avengers (Marvel, 1963 series) #6 (July 1964)?where he was incorrectly drawn as The Wizard?he next appears in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #36 (March 1965). Stan announces that due to popular demand, Johnny and Ben will co-star in every issue from now on.
• The Lady from Nowhere! - Zota's "impulse transmitter" (magic mirror), through which Strange arrives and leaves in Ancient Egypt, is strikingly similar to one used in the Doctor Who story, "The Pyramids Of Mars" (1975).
• Two More Triumphs for Marvel..! - promos for Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964) and Marvel Tales Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964) include cover repros. Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.
• Two More Triumphs for Marvel..! - promos for Daredevil (Marvel, 1964 series) #3 (August 1964) and Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #30 (September 1964)include cover repros. Printed after the Dr. Strange story.