The following contains major spoilers for Doctor Strange #17, on sale July 3 from Marvel Comics.
The fate of the world has just been left in the hands of one of the Sorcerer Supreme's closest allies, or rather his undead canine companion.
Doctor Strange #17 brings readers to the depth of the Crypt of Shadows, the ethereal realm that lies behind the mirrors of the Sorcerer Supreme's Sanctum Sanctorum. There, Baron Mordo toils away at a spell that will both ensure his freedom and, much to his chagrin, clear the way for them to save Doctor Strange. Unsurprisingly, Mordo alone is not enough to carry out the necessary incantation, leaving the rest of the spell up to none other than Doctor Strange's ghost dog - Bats.
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Doctor Strange #17
- Written by JED MACKAY
- Art by PASQUAL FERRY
- Colors by HEATHER MOORE
- Letters by VC's CORY PETIT
- Main cover art by ALEX ROSS
- Variant covers by GIUSEPPE CAMUNCOLI, JEAN-FRANCOIS BEAULIEU, LEE GARBETT and DEAN WHITE
Introduced in the pages of 2017's Doctor Strange #381 by Donny Cates and Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Bats was an ordinary basset hound who ended up in a shelter after his longtime owner suffered a devastating heart attack. Eventually, Bats made his way into the arms of Doctor Strange, who was then reeling from losing his mantle of Sorcerer Supreme to the Trickster God Loki. Tragically, Bats' own heart gave out during a battle between Strange and Loki, bringing their bout to a somber conclusion.
After Bats' death, Strange presented his body to the fabled Asgardian tree Yggdrasill. Surprisingly, this proved to be a fitting offering to the ancient powers held within, and soon enough Bats bounded back into Strange's life in the form of a ghost. Since then, Bats has played key roles in numerous storylines, including the fight against the demon Blackheart alongside the other animal heroes of 2023's Marvel Unleashed by Kyle Starks, Jesús Hervás, and Yen Nitro.
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Doctor Strange #17 is on sale July 3 from Marvel Comics.