Earth's Mightiest Annotations
By Sean McQuaid

DOMINATION FACTOR: AVENGERS # 1.2
November, 1999
"The Praxis Agenda"
By Jerry Ordway with Dennis Janke (inker), Tom Smith (colorist), John Costanza (letterer), Tom Brevoort (editor), Bob Harras (editor supreme) and Dan Jurgens (co-conspirator).

Avengers Assembled:
Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch & Vision [II] (as active members). Goliath, Wasp, Hawkeye and Quicksilver appear in Scarlet Witch's journey into the past.

Other Characters:
Edwin Jarvis, The Harbingers of the Everlasting Winter, Nora Queen, Loki (disguised as Lester), various Praxis employees and Doctor Strange. In addition, a shopkeeper named Mort, a barber named Danny, Magneto and the Toad appear in the Avengers' journeys into the past. Human Torch [II] appears in video footage along with Praxis agents.

Note:
This mini-series is produced in conjunction with a DOMINATION FACTOR: FANTASTIC FOUR companion mini-series that chronicles the Fantastic Four's role in this story.

PAGE ONE
The FANTASTIC FOUR are a celebrated family of super-powered adventurers and explorers who are among the Avengers’ oldest and most valued allies. The group usually consists of its four founders--Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch (Johnny Storm) and The Thing--though they have employed occasional substitute members during the absence of one or more founders. Two such substitute members, She-Hulk and Crystal, have also served as Avengers; as well, three of the core FF members--Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman and the Thing--have even briefly served as members of the Avengers during leaves of absence from their own team. The Fantastic Four currently appear in their own ongoing series. They are the only modern super-team that predates the Avengers.

The Avengers' currently active membership includes Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Vision [II], Firestar & Justice, plus unofficial associate Wonder Man (a former longtime member of the team who has recently renewed his association with the group but has not renewed his actual membership yet).

PAGE TWELVE
As mentioned earlier, Justice, Firestar and Wonder Man are the current Avengers affiliates absent from this adventure.

PAGE FOURTEEN
DOCTOR STRANGE was originally medical doctor Stephen Vincent Strange, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon who cared more about his salary than the welfare of his patients. When a car accident damaged the nerves in Strange's hands to the extent that he could no longer perform delicate surgery, Strange became despondent. He was offered prestigious consulting assignments and various other medical opportunities, but his pride kept him from accepting anything less than his former surgical position. Pouring all his time and money into quack doctors and attempted cures for his condition, Strange soon became a penniless drunk. He found new hope, however, in rumours of a Tibetan mystic known as the Ancient One, a sorcerer who could supposedly cure any physical ailment.

Strange went to Tibet and found the Ancient One's palace in the Himalayas, but the Ancient One said he could not help Strange unless the doctor proved himself worthy. Still not fully convinced of the Ancient One's power, the embittered Strange scoffed at the Ancient One's words; however, Strange remained at the palace since bad weather made it impossible to leave. While there, Strange discovered that the Ancient One's disciple, Mordo, was plotting against his master. When Strange tried to warn the Ancient One, Mordo used his sorcery to prevent Strange from telling what he knew. As a result of these events, Strange now truly believed in magic; he also realized for the first time that there was evil in the world, evil that had to be battled. With these thoughts in mind, the newly enlightened Strange decided that the only way to battle Mordo would be to learn sorcery, so he made a sincere offer to become the Ancient One's pupil and learn the ways of magic. With those words, the Ancient One released Strange from Mordo's spell, and revealed that he knew of Mordo's treachery all along. The Ancient One had seen the potential for goodness and great mystical power in Strange, and had given Strange a chance to find these things in himself. Mordo was expelled from the Ancient One's service, and Strange took his place as the Ancient One's disciple.

In time, Strange became a master of the mystic arts and returned to his native America, setting up shop in Greenwich Village. The general public believes Strange to be nothing more than an eccentric occult authority, but in truth he wages a constant battle against the various supernatural forces that threaten Earth and its people. When the Ancient One later died in battle with the demon Shuma-Gorath, Strange inherited his mantle as Earth's Sorcerer Supreme, the planet's leading magician and our dimensional plane's chief mystical gaurdian.

Strange is a largely solitary figure, but he has also made many friends and allies over the years. These include his former manservant Wong, and disciples such as his lover Clea and the late Rintrah. Though his powers make him a superhero of sorts, Strange associates with non-mystical superheroes relatively infrequently since he prefers to concentrate his attention on supernatural threats; however, he is a founding member and longtime leader of the Defenders, an informal super-team who band together when necesary or desired. The Defenders do not officially exist and have drifted apart in recent years, but Strange and his fellow Defenders continue to reunite on occasion, and he regards the core members of the team as close friends and valued allies (notably Sub-Mariner, Hulk [II], Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, Nighthawk [II], Luke Cage, Red Guardian [III], Hellcat, Devil-Slayer, Gargoyle [II] & Beast). Strange also occasionally works alongside other non-mystical heroes, such as the Avengers, but the Defenders are his only close friends and allies outside of supernatural circles.

Strange's many mystically empowered allies include Topaz, the modern-day Black Knight, the late Victoria Bentley, Brother Voodoo, Scarlet Witch, Jennifer Kale, Shaman, Agatha Harkness, Black Crow, John Blaze, Ghost Rider [VI] and the late Doctor Druid. Druid was a lesser-known, less powerful mystic who had been empowered by the Ancient One as a trial run for the empowerment of Doctor Strange. Druid battled evil in relative obscurity for decades, later becoming an ally to heroes such as Doctor Strange and, briefly, a member of the Avengers. When Strange organized and then abandoned a more loose-knit version of the Defenders known as the Secret Defenders, he manipulated Druid into taking his place as the group's leader. That team soon disbanded, and an embittered Druid then embarked on an obsessive quest to increase his mystical power, a quest that culminated in his own death.

Strange has no true superhuman powers since all human beings have the potential to manipulate magical energy, but he was born with a great talent for sorcery and has become one of the most powerful and versatile sorcerers in Earth's history through years of training, discipline, accumulated knowledge and personal enlightenment. Mystical powers stem from three main sources: personal powers derived from developing one's own psychic potential, powers derived from tapping into the universe's ambient mystical energy, and powers derived from tapping into extradimensional power sources, usually by invoking extradimensional beings or objects in the recitation of a spell.

Strange's personal powers include mesmerism, illusion-casting and telepathy (he can reach any mind on Earth as long as he knows the person's location, and he can also contact multiple minds at any given time). His most exotic personal power is astral projection, the ability to expel his consciousness from his body in an invisible, intangible "astral form" that can traverse the world unbound by the laws of physics. Strange's astral form is invisible, intangible and immune to both conventional physical injury and all but the strongest mystical assaults; however, while in astral form he can only manifest mentally powered abilities such as telepathy and psychokinesis. While Strange is in astral form, his physical body falls into a death-like trance state. If Strange's physical body were slain while he was in astral form, or if he remained in astral form for too long, he could be trapped in astral form permanently.

Strange can tap into the universe's ambient mystical energy for effects such as energy bolts, force shields, conjuration of small objects, exotic illumination, the transformation of an object's shape (a spell that usually lasts only as long as Strange wills it to do so) and teleportation. Teleportation of himself and others is a very mentally taxing and mystically draining feat, so Strange tries to employ this ability infrequently. Oddly, Strange usually finds interdimensional teleportation easier than teleporting between two locations in the same dimension. The most difficult and dangerous teleportation feat of all is to mystically teleport through time, though Strange has managed to do this on occasion.

When Strange invokes the names and aspects of various extradimensional beings and objects of power through his spells and incantations, he can use these extradimensional power sources for very specific effects without depleting his own personal power supply. Some of his more frequently employed extradimensional powers include the Flames of the Faltine, the Shades of the Seraphim, the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak and the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth.

In addition to his vast mystical abilities, Strange is well versed in various Oriental martial arts and has extensive medical knowledge.

Strange's Greenwich Village sanctum is filled with mystical objects and books collected by himself and his mentor, the Ancient One. Strange's more noteworthy accessories include the Greater Book of the Vishanti, his cloak of levitation, The Eye of Agamotto and the Orb of Agamotto. The Book of the Vishanti is an ancient tome filled with obscure arcane knowledge. Strange's cloak of levitation, created by Enitharmon the Weaver, allows Strange to levitate and fly while he is wearing it; the cloak is psychically linked to Strange, and will respond to his commands even when he is not wearing it. The cloak can levitate and fly on its own, and can also lift aloft other masses in addition to Strange when necessary. The Eye of Agamotto and Orb of Agamotto are empowered by the mysterious extradimensional entity Agamotto. The Eye is an amulet that Strange usually wears at his throat; it can project a physically blinding, mystically overpowering "all-revealing light" that enables Strange to penetrate disguises, invoke images of the recent past and track both physical and mystical beings by their psychic or magical emissions. Strange can also probe minds more easily and thoroughly by using the amulet, which opens to reveal the image of a golden eye during this process (hence the amulet's name). The Eye can also serve as a gateway to other dimensions. Like the cloak, the Eye is psychically linked to Strange and responds to his mental commands. An astral facsimile of the Eye even appears on Strange's astral form, though its powers are far more limited than those of the actual amulet.

Doctor Strange first appeared in STRANGE TALES [v1] # 110. He became an ongoing feature in STRANGE TALES thereafter, and the series was eventually retitled DOCTOR STRANGE as of issue 169. The series ended with issue 183, but two subsequent revivals of his ongoing series lasted 81 and 90 issues, respectively. A revival of STRANGE TALES featuring Doctor Strange and Cloak & Dagger lasted 19 issues. More recently, Strange has been confined to occasional guest appearances, one-shots and limited series.

Strange's Avengers appearances include AVENGERS ANNUAL # 2; AVENGERS [v1] # 60-61, 115-118, 157 & 168; AVENGERS ANNUAL # 8 & 11; AVENGERS [v1] # 234 & 240-242; AVENGERS: EMPEROR DOOM; WEST COAST AVENGERS [v2] # 20 & 22-23; AVENGERS ANNUAL # 19; AVENGERS [v1] # 331-333; and AVENGERS WEST COAST # 78-79. Details of those appearances are as follows...

Avengers Annual # 2
(alternate universe Doctor Strange subdued by alternate universe Avengers as part of Scarlet Centurion's plot to conquer that alternate reality)

Avengers [v1] # 60
(attended wedding of Yellowjacket & Wasp at Avengers Mansion; also in attendance were Hawkeye, Black Panther, Vision [II], Captain America, Invisible Girl, Crystal, Edwin Jarvis, Black Knight [III], Iron Man, Nick Fury, Spider-Man, Daredevil, Mister Fantastic, Human Torch [II], Thing, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel [III], Beast & Marvel Girl)

Avengers [v1] # 61
(teamed with Black Knight [III], Hawkeye, Vision [II] & Black Panther to oppose the Sons of Satannish and protect Earth from Surtur & Ymir)

Avengers [v1] # 115-118 & Defenders # 7-11
(alongside Defenders [Sub-Mariner, Hulk , Silver Surfer, Valkyrie & Hawkeye], sought cure for petrified Black Knight [III]; alongside Defenders, manipulated into seeking the Evil Eye by Loki and Dormammu as a supposed cure for Black Knight [III] and battling the similarly manipulated Avengers [Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Swordsman, Black Panther, Vision & Mantis]; alongside Defenders and Avengers, saved Earth from Dormammu and Loki; alongside Defenders, discovered that Black Knight's spirit had journeyed through time to the Crusades and was residing contentedly in an ancestor's body)

Avengers [v1] # 157
(appears in flashback to events circa Defenders # 10)

Avengers [v1] # 168
(sensed cosmic forces at play during Korvac's murder of Starhawk)

Avengers Annual # 8
(helped Avengers find former Squadron Sinister members whom he had rendered amnesiac to eliminate their threat)

Avengers Annual # 11
(cameo appearance in flashback to Defenders' dealings with Nebulon)

Avengers [v1] # 234
(appears in flashback during account of Scarlet Witch's life story)

Avengers [v1] # 240-242
(alongside Hank Pym, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Tigra, She-Hulk, Captain Marvel [II], Shroud & Magnus, rescued original Spider-Woman's spirit from Morgan Le Fay and restored Spider-Woman to life, though apparently at the cost of her superhuman powers)

Avengers: Emperor Doom
(cameo appearance as one of billions mind-controlled by Doctor Doom and the Purple Man before the Avengers freed Earth from Doom's control)

West Coast Avengers [v2] # 20
(crossed paths with time-traveling Avengers while in 18th century)

West Coast Avengers [v2] 22-23
(unwittingly aided by time-traveling Avengers during visit to ancient Egypt; secretly aided unwitting Fantastic Four in their initial defeat of Rama-Tut; returned to the 20th century, unaware of the the Avengers' role in his Egyptian adventures)

Avengers Annual # 19
(appears in flashback to the events of the Acts of Vengeance crisis)

Avengers [v1] # 331
(advised Avengers on how to deal with the Tetrarchs of Entropy)

Avengers [v1] # 332-333
(attended grand opening of new Avengers headquarters)

Avengers West Coast # 78-79
(aided Avengers against Satannish & the Night Shift)

The Cask of Ancient Winters, the mystical box mentioned here, was stored at Avengers Mansion by Thor in AVENGERS [v3] # 5. When opened, the cask unleashes potentially limitless snow, ice and cold. On one occasion when the cask was opened, the Avengers coped with its effects in AVENGERS [v1] # 249 and WEST COAST AVENGERS [v1] # 3.

PAGE SEVENTEEN
Tony has been sent back to a time in his life somewhere between IRON MAN [v1] # 167 & 182, when he became a homeless drunk after various misfortunes led him to start drinking again; while he was boozing, his friend Jim Rhodes took over the Iron Man identity at Tony's behest, and Stark's businss rival Obadiah Stane (who had secretly helped to engineer Stark's breakdown) took advantage of Stark's drinking binge to orchestrate a hostile takeover of Stark's company and a freeze on Stark's assets. Stark eventually regained his sobriety, recovered his fortune and resumed his role as Iron Man, but not before spending some long, hard days and nights as a penniless street person.

PAGE EIGHTEEN
Leader of the celebrated Howling Commandos military unit during World War II, NICK FURY became the longtime director of the international intelligence agency SHIELD decades later, kept young by his ingestion of the experimental Infinity Formula. He has encountered the Avengers as an ally or an adversary (usually the former) many times over the years, and Avengers who have worked as SHIELD operatives include Captain America, Black Widow, Falcon, Mockingbird and Quasar. As Tony Stark, Iron Man was one of the principal financiers and founders of SHIELD in its early years, and Stark supplied much of the organization's high technology. Nick Fury first appeared in SGT. FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS # 1. He was introduced into contemporary Marvel continuity in FANTASTIC FOUR [v1] # 21, and became the director of SHIELD in STRANGE TALES [v1] # 135.

Nick Fury's Avengers appearances include AVENGERS [v1] # 32, 38 & 39; AVENGERS ANNUAL # 1-2 (2 features the Fury of an alternate reality); AVENGERS [v1] # 57, 59, 60, 63, 72, 92, 94-98, 103, 106, 118, 167, 173, 198-199, 231 & 245; AVENGERS ANNUAL # 12; WEST COAST AVENGERS [v2] # 11 & 27; AVENGERS [v1] # 332, 333, 337, 368, 369 & 385; AVENGERS [v2] # 1-3 & 5-12 (featuring the Fury of an alternate reality); and AVENGERS FOREVER # 7 (featuring a Space Phantom disguised as Fury).

The samaritan reminds Tony of Nick Fury since Fury is often unshaven (Fury and the samaritan mention shaving) and usually wears an eyepatch (a look echoed by the samaritan wearing sunglasses with only one lens).

PAGE NINETEEN
For years, the secret entrance to SHIELD's New York City headquarters was concealed inside a barber shop. The Daily Bugle is a sensational New York newspaper published by J. Jonah Jameson, who is obsessed with the costumed adventurer Spider-Man and is determined to tarnish Spider-Man's reputation. In fact, Jameson is almost single-handedly for Spider-Man getting more bad press than virtually any other veteran superheroic adventurer. Jameson and the Bugle first appeared in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN [v1] # 1.

PAGES TWENTY through TWENTY-TWO
This is a revisitation of events from AVENGERS [v1] # 49, when Magneto manipulated mutant twin siblings Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into briefly rejoining his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. At the time, the active Avengers included Goliath (Hank Pym, who is mistakenly depicted in his second Goliath outfit instead of his original Goliath costume), Wasp, Hawkeye (in the streamlined "classic" version of his original costume), Quicksilver (in his green original outfit) and Scarlet Witch (also wearing a version of her original outfit).

MAGNETO (Erik Magnus Lehnsherr) is an infamous mutant terrorist with vast powers over electromagnetic energy. His goal, to ensure the security of the mutant race, is a noble one, and he has even made attempts at reformation in the past, but his repeated willingness to justify almost any action in pursuit of his goals has made him one of the most feared villains in the world. Though the mutant X-Men are his usual adversaries and occasional allies, Magneto has also encountered the Avengers several times over the years, due in part to his strained relationship with his estranged children, Avengers members Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. Magneto first appeared in X-MEN [v1] # 1. His Avengers appearances include AVENGERS [v1] # 47-49, 53 & 110-111; the AVENGERS: EMPEROR DOOM graphic novel (cameo); X-MEN vs. AVENGERS # 1-4; AVENGERS [v1] # 312-313 and AVENGERS WEST COAST # 53-57 & 60.

The TOAD (Mortimer Toynbee) is a misshapen mutant misfit who possesses slightly superhuman strength, most especially in his legs, which enable him to leap to amazing heights. He can also secrete various sticky resins which can serve as adhesives, poisons or hypnotic drugs. Abandoned by his parents at an early age and mocked by his peers while growing up, Toynbee developed a pathetically subservient personality which made him fanatically loyal and obedient toward anyone he regarded as a friend. When the mutant terrorist Magneto recruited Toynbee into his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and dubbed him the Toad, Toynbee became Magneto's most trusted--and most abused--henchman, regarding Magneto as a sort of surrogate father figure. During his time with the Brotherhood, the Toad fell in love with fellow member the Scarlet Witch; but though she was kind to him, she did not share his feelings.

The original Brotherhood broke up during an ecounter with the enigmatic alien Stranger, who turned Mastermind (another Brotherhood member) to stone and exiled Magneto & Toad to an alien world. The remaining Brotherhood members, twin siblings Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, had always been reluctant criminals who served Magneto out of a mixture of fear and a sense of obligation--so once he was gone, they gave up crime and became members of the Avengers. The Toad, meanwhile, was abandoned on the Stranger's planet by an escaping Magneto, an incident which may have begun to erode Toad fanatical loyalty to his master; however, when Magneto escaped a second time after being reimprisoned on the Stranger's world, he took the Toad back to Earth with him. The damage to their relationship had been done, though, and Magneto's abusive ways soon spurred the Toad to lash out, abandoning Magneto to die in the aftermath of an unsuccessful clash with the Avengers and the X-Men. Magneto later turned up alive, but never renewed his connection with the Toad.

After leaving Magneto, Toad spent some time in the company of fellow Brotherhood defectors Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch as a nomadic wanderer. When all three were captured by the otherdimensional warlord Arkon and subsequently freed by the Avengers, the Toad opted to remain on Arkon's world, Polemachus. During his time there, the Toad studied the exotic technology of Polemachus and used it to return to the Stranger's world, where he mastered much of the Stranger's technology. The Toad hoped to use these alien technologies to become a powerful man, imagining that this might finally win him the affections of the Scarlet Witch; but by the time he was ready to return to Earth, he learned that the Scarlet Witch had married the Vision in his absence. Furious, the Toad attacked the Avengers in search of the Scarlet Witch and was defeated, seriously injuring the Wasp in the process.

In the years that followed, Toad tried unsuccessfully to find a new niche in life. After failing as a hired assassin, he became an amusement park manager with the financial assistance of his old foe the Angel until the park was driven out of business by Doctor Doom. This left Toad suicidal until he was befriended by the costumed hero Spider-Man. Fanatically devoted to Spider-Man as he had been to Magneto, Toad tried unsuccessfully to convince Spider-Man to take him on as a partner; however, Toad settled for a partnership with fellow amateur adventurers and Spider-Man groupies Frog-Man [II] and Spider-Kid, forming a crimefighting trio called the Misfits.

Despite the support of the Misfits and the advice of his psychiatrist, Toad could not shake his obsession with the Scarlet Witch, which eventually led him back into criminal activity. Using his advanced technology to construct robots, battle armor and other weapons, Toad tried repeatedly to abduct the Scarlet Witch, battling Quicksilver, Vision, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch. During the last of these kidnapping attempts, the Scarlet Witch was eight months pregnant, and the Toad was so repulsed by her condition that he fled without her despite the fact that no one had succeeded in defeating him on this occasion.

Tired of being ridiculed and rejected, the Toad decided to rededicate himself to becoming a major super-criminal. He enjoyed some success for a time as the cunning and ruthless leader of a new Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but this group soon disbanded without amounting to much of anything. Since then, the Toad has resumed the life of a misfit wanderer seeking acceptance.

The Toad first appeared in X-MEN [v1] # 4. His Avengers appearances include...

Avengers [v1] # 16, 111, 185 & 234 and Avengers [v3] # 10
(various appearances in flashbacks to the Scarlet Witch's past)

Avengers [v1] # 47-49
(returned to Earth alongside Magneto; as henchman of Magneto, helped abduct Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch and manipulate them into briefly rejoining the Brotherhood; as henchman of Magneto, invaded United Nations assembly and battled Avengers; escaped alongside Magneto, Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch)

Avengers [v1] # 53
(battled X-Men and Avengers as henchman of Magneto; abandoned Magneto to die during the destruction of his isand base; began nomadic wanderings in the company of Quicksilver & Scarlet WItch)

Avengers [v1] # 75-76
(alongside Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch, abducted by Arkon and freed by Avengers; parted company with Quicksilver & Scarlet Witch)

Avengers [v1] # 137-139
(posing as the Stranger, used advanced technology to attack the Avengers in search of the Scarlet Witch; seriously injured the Wasp; exposed, defeated and apprehended by Avengers)

Avengers [v1] # 182
(mystical duplicates of the Toad, Princess Python and Nighthawk conjured to battle the Avengers by Django Maximoff)

Avengers [v1] # 400
(mystical duplicates of the Toad and many other villains conjured by Loki to attack the Avengers)

Hank Pym, Wasp, Hawkeye and Quicksilver are all described in more detail in past editions of the EMA annotations.