PARADOX

Real Name: Paradox

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Dark Dimension) native merged with mystic contruct

Occupation: Freedom fighter

Group Membership: Dark Dimension rebels

Affiliations: Clea, ;
    possibly Kronik

Enemies: Dormammu, Mindless Ones;
    at least formerly Kronik

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Formerly Nobel, Strange (prior to their merging to become Paradox)

Base of Operations: The Dark Dimension

First Appearance:  Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#75 (March, 1995)

Powers/Abilities: Paradox has demonstrated the abilities to fly and project mystic blasts.

    He likely has many of the abilities of Strange, but he has only demonstrated a limited number of abilities in his few appearances.

.

. . History: (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#75) - While attempting to absorb the mystic power of his creation Strange, Dr. Strange ran out of time as Salome'  threatened to destroy Dr. Strange's power source in his Forge Canal.      Needing to confront Salome' immediately and finally appreciating that his errant creation deserved a chance at life, Dr. Strange instead sent Strange to the Dark Dimension where he could be a positive force and help Clea.      Ultimately, Strange merged with the Dark Dimension rebel Nobel, who was dying from wounds at the hands of Dormammu. Nobel's dying form considered that it had died and wondered why it had returned. The merged form replied that it was newly born and because life was meaningless until something or someone gave it meaning to fight for.      After blasting and shattering the axe of Clea's would-be executioner, the combined being noted itself to be a soul who loved and dared anything. As he flew down and picked up Clea, he continued "We...no I...my identity is not important right now! I will find us sanctuary! For now, call me...Paradox, for that it is what I am."      Clea told Paradox that his magic reminded her of her old mentor but that his voice suggested more recent intimacy, and she asked if she could trust him and if he could explain that. As they flew away from the cursing Dormammu, Paradox told her that he was both men she sensed and yet neither, "But what's certain is that I am for you."

. . (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#78) - At Clea's command, Strange joined in her shattering a building that was a magical "hot spot."     As the other rebels prepared to charge in Clea's name, she sensed another magical focus in the area and ordered them to wait. Paradox asked Clea to stay back while he investigated, but she instructed him that while he may be the biggest reason that their rebellion was back on track, she was still the supreme adept, and he should not treat her like a child. He accepted this, telling her that he only wished to protect her.     Locating the magickal power source under the surface in some form of protective bubble, Paradox advised Clea to be on her guard as he extracted it. As he did so, Clea recognized the man as Kronik, the former telepathic advisor to Dormammu. Begging them not to hurt him, Kronik told them that he was ready to defect to their cause and that he could help them immensely.     Clea asked why they should believe him, as they had already been betrayed by Dormammu once in this war. She further asked what he could possibly offer that would make them willing to risk that again. Kronik replied that there was a far greater threat than Dormammu or any of the other would-be rulers of the Dark Dimension.      Kronik elaborated that the mystic fallout of the War of the Seven Spheres did not only set off the anarchic war they still found themselves in, isolating them from other dimensions and other spheres of influence, but that the fallout was also mutating many of their people into bizarre, devolved supermagickal warriors.      These beings, driven mad by the transformation, had gathered together in loose bands and combined their power to lash out at anyone or anything that had crossed their path. Kronik stated that he had been on the verge of learning to telepathically control these creatures when they had laid waste to his home and his family, causing him to hide under the ground.     After Kronik told Clea that if they took him in, he believed he could enlist these creatures to her cause, Strange suggested that it would be safer simply to kill Kronik. Clea considered her options, troubled how a voice that sounded so much like Stephen Strange's was advocating swift and brutal killing.

. . (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#83 (fb) - BTS) - For weeks, Paradox, Clea and the other Dark Dimension rebels ran across the scarred and barren terrain and around the pits of molten Earth spewing furiously into fire swept skies. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#83) - Paradox and Clea led a last ditch attempt against the Mindless Ones and Dormammu. They channeled the veritable sea of Mindless Ones through the narrow mountain pass where their number could be dealt with one at a time. (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#83 - BTS) - Viewing this remotely, Dr. Strange felt that if Clea didn't receive some much-needed support soon, Dormammu would destroy her. However, to end a threat on Earth, Strange used too much magic and had to sacrifice the portal, preventing him from aiding Clea. (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#8: Paradox entry) - Paradox became one of Clea’s strongest and most loyal supporters, and he remained in the Dark Dimension... (The Order#3 - BTS) - With what appeared to be Paradox's cape hanging on the wall and with Paradox absent from the rebels discussing plans, Clea declined to aid the Defenders, noting that they had faced death there, too, and loss, some losses greater than you can image, heroes fallen...      Hellcat subsequently convinced Clea to aid them by promising that once they had defeated the Order, Dr. Strange and the Defenders would aid them. . .

Comments: Created by David Quinn and Mark Buckingham.

    Paradox had three appearances (not including his handbook profiles), but it seems quite likely that he met his fate in an unrevealed story.
    Dr. Strange stories relatively recently circled back around to the War of the Seven Spheres, so maybe someday the story of Paradox will be told?
    Thanks to DigiCom for pointing out the appearance in the Order#3 that likely indicated that he met his demise.

    Paradox had entries in the Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook and the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#8, which covered his existence as Strange in detail. It also suggested that Strange/Paradox’s status as alleged Progenitor of the Kynd suggests he might one day return to the Earth dimension.

    This profile was completed 09/13/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Paradox should be distinguished from:

• PARADOK - Technet, black + white costume with flare on chest. interdimensional teleporter--Captain Britain II#4
• PARADOX - see DUSK--Marvel Comics Presents#123
  
• PARADOX - cybermorph, artificial intelligence deactivated and reprogrammed into danger room at Massachusetts Academy, inadvertently reactivated by Gaia, deactivated by Synch + Forge--Generation X#47
• PARADOX of Earth-80324 circa 2181 (Mark Esterhase) - gene-spliced with various other alien races, take form/abilities of those other species, later traveled to Earth-616 with Monark Starstalker, fought Contagion by changing form--Marvel Preview#24 Is#7-12
• Mr. PARADOX - Time Variance Authority, clone of Mr. Mobius, ceased to exist when Clockwise blasted him with the Retro-Active Cannon--She-Hulk II#3
• other Paradox characters, groups, items, events, races or places...

Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook (2007) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Sean McQuaid, Stuart Vandal, Michael Hoskin, Eric J. Moreels, Mark O'English, Chad Anderson, Ronald Byrd, Madison Carter, Al Sjoerdsma, Mike Fichera, Anthony Flamini, Chris Biggs, Rich Green, Jacob Rougemont & Eric Englehard (writers), Michael Short (assistant editor), Mark D. Beazley (associate editor), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editors)

The Order#3 (June, 2002) - Jo Duffy & Kurt Burisek (writers), Matt Haley & Luke Ross (pencilers), Dan Panosian (inker), Marc Sumerak (assistant editor), Tom Brevoort (editor)

Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z hardcover#8 (July, 2009) - Jeff Christiansen (head writer/coordinator), Stuart Vandal, Mike Fichera & Madison Carter (coordination assistants), Sean McQuaid, Michael Hoskin, Stuart Vandal, Ronald Byrd, David Wiltfong, Madison Carter, Mike Fichera, Chad Anderson, Chris Biggs, Eric J. Moreels, Mark O'English, Al Sjoerdsma, Jacob Rougemont, Gabriel Shechter, Anthony Flamini, Rich Green, Markus Raymond, Andrew Goletz, Rob London, Mike O'Sullivan & Jeph York (writers), Brian Overton (copy editor), Alex Starbuck (editorial assistant), John Denning & Cory Levine (assistant editors), Mark D. Beazley (editor, special projects), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grunwald (editors)

First posted: 09/04/2026
Last updated: 04/19/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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