Every Official Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Comics History

There have been well over 20 Sorcerer Supremes mentioned or appearing in Marvel Comics, although only six of them have been active since Marvel began storylines using the character in 1963. The first appearance of Marvel Comics’ official Sorcerer Supreme was in Strange Tales #110 in 1963, when Doctor Strange made his Marvel debut. He held the title longer than anyone in the Marvel Comics era of the universe, but there were many, many sorcerers who held the title before him. He is also not the Sorcerer Supreme of Marvel right now, as the Scarlet Witch holds that title.

Here is a look at every Sorcerer Supreme named in Marvel Comics over the years, in chronological order.

10) Agamotto

The first-ever known Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Comics was Agamotto, whose name is known thanks to the Eye of Agamotto and Orb of Agamotto that the Sorcerer Supreme uses to this day. Agamotto also created the Book of the Vishanti. He was born before the Elder Gods were expelled from Earth (and one parent was an Elder God) and was the active Sorcerer Supreme in 1,000,000 BC. He ended up as one of the few mortal sorcerers to become a higher being, and when he died, he helped form the Vishanti. It is unclear how long he held the title because not much is known about the reigns of those who followed.

9) Generational Sorcerer Supremes, Pre-Marvel

There were several Sorcerer Supremes after Agamotto that were mentioned in Marvel Comics, and sometimes shown in short flashback scenes to the history of magic. These include: Zherad-Na, Shamhat Saraswati of Akah Ma’at, Ayesha the Rain Queen of Balobedu, Hermes Trismegistus, Aged Genghis, Zoroaster, Semiramis, King Solomon, Balkis, The Triumvirate, Caius of Lacedemons, Zhang Jiao, Murkfoot, Kushala the Demon Rider, and Nina the Conjuror. Most of these never appeared in any story, and many were just listed in a history book shown in the comics.

8) Merlin

One of the older Sorcerer Supremes who deserves to be mentioned is Merlin. This is the same Merlin as the one from the Arthurian legends, and he served in that role around 500 CE. He debuted before Marvel Comics in Young Allies #11 in 1943, but his identity as a Sorcerer Supreme wasn’t set in stone until years later in Marvel. His feats were mostly as a sorcerer, not as the Sorcerer Supreme, as he advised King Arthur, helped create the Black Knight armor, and even formed the Captain Britain Corps. He eventually moved to Otherworld and became the Omniversal Guardian for a time.

7) Sir Isaac Newton

Just like with Merlin, Sir Isaac Newton was another historical figure who was the Sorcerer Supreme on Earth at one time. Of course, this is based on the real Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time. In Marvel Comics, he was not only a brilliant scientist, but he also dabbled in the mystic arts. He served in that position in the 1700s as a member of the Brotherhood of the Shield. He held the position when everyone believed the Ancient One had died, and he was even powerful enough to take control of the Mindless One known as the Mindful One to use as his servant.

6) Yao, the Ancient One

The first active Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Comics debuted in Strange Tales #110 in 1963, and this was Yao, the Ancient One. He was named the Sorcerer Supreme when the sentient embodiment of the universe, Eternity, named him to the position and awarded him the Amulet of Agamotto. This was around the 1450s, and while others held the title when everyone thought he was dead, he returned and was still the Sorcerer Supreme in the 1960s. That is when he trained Doctor Strange to replace him, and when Yao transcended, Strange earned the role.

5) Doctor Strange

The Sorcerer Supreme that most fans got to know best was Doctor Strange because he held the role for over five decades of comic books. He earned the role from the Ancient One, and he lost it more than once, only to get it back for various reasons. While he is not the Sorcerer Supreme right now, that is because Doctor Doom tricked him, and by the time Doom fell in defeat, he wasn’t available to take it back. However, even though he is not the Sorcerer Supreme, there might not be a sorcerer in Marvel Comics more powerful than him when he is at his best.

4) Doctor Voodoo

Doctor Voodoo was someone who took over as the Sorcerer Supreme when Doctor Strange was found unworthy of the title. While he initially rejected his mystic traditions of Haiti, he ended up finally giving in and using his powers as a necromancer to help protect innocent people. When the Vishanti named Brother Voodoo the Sorcerer Supreme, he joined the Avengers and eventually sacrificed himself to stop Agamotto from hurting the world. When Strange got the role back, Voodoo ended up helping train the next generation of mystics at Strange Academy.

3) Clea

Clea is one of the most powerful Sorcerer Supremes of all time because she is the Sorcerer Supreme of the Dark Dimension, and her power equals that of anyone who held the title on Earth. However, Clea was a rare person who held the title on Earth and in another dimension after the death of Doctor Strange. She even took the last name “Strange” to honor Doctor Strange. She even strangely fused with Strange to create an even more powerful Sorcerer Supreme, and when they finally proved to Death that Doctor Strange deserved to live, he ended up resurrected, and Clea gave him the role back.

2) Doctor Doom

The worst thing that Doctor Strange did was to give Doctor Doom the Sorcerer Supreme role and what came with it. This happened in the event series where Varnae possessed Blade and began an all-out attack on the world. Doom convinced Strange to give him the power, and he would return it when he saved the world. He helped save the world, but then he said he would keep the power because he still needed to do more to save it completely, a devious loophole. Doom used this power to conquer the world in One World Under Doom, and he held it until Doom sacrificed himself to save Valeria Richards.

1) Scarlet Witch

After Doctor Doom died, the Cape of Levitation and the Eye of Agamotto sought a new Sorcerer Supreme. They chose Wanda Maximoff, which angered the Vishanti. However, as powerful as Scarlet Witch has always been, she stood up to the Vishanti and refused to let it go. Even with them sending Agatha Harkness after her, Wanda fought back, and she is still holding the title of Sorcerer Supreme to this day. Knowing Wanda, this likely won’t work out well, but for now, she is the Sorcerer Supreme in Marvel Comics.

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