Commander Wade (Dark Dimension; Clea & Nobel foe)

wade_commander-darkdim-full wade_commander-darkdim-face COMMANDER WADE

Real Name: Presumably Wade

Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Dark Dimension)

Occupation: Aide to Dormammu

Group Membership: Dormammu's minions

Affiliations: Dormammu (at least formerly, see comments)

Enemies: Dark Dimension rebels (notably Clea and Nobel), Dormammu

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

wade_commander-darkdim-fullishprof

wade_commander-darkdim-despined

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
presumably perished in the Sarebbe Wastelands of the Dark Dimension

First Appearance: Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73 (January, 1995)

Powers/Abilities: It is unrevealed whether Wade had any special abilities, notably whether his spine was uniquely detachable and intended to be used as a weapon or whether Dormammu simply tore out his spine and then used it as a weapon.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6')
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 300 lbs., assuming human density)
Eyes: Unrevealed (mostly closed, and seen only from a distance)
Hair: Bald, but with a dark mustache

History:
wade_commander-darkdim-spinenobel (Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73 (fb) - BTS) - As Nobel championed a treaty, Clea reluctantly set up a meeting with Dormammu, to be mediated by the Mori in the Sarebbe Wastelands.

Although Dormammu had no lost love for Clea or her parents, his aide, Commander Wade, advised him that it did not matter what he liked, presumably as he needed to consider an alliance to maintain his position of power, etc.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73) - Dormammu and his agents, including Commander Wade, arrived and entered the Mori's magical dampening field shortly after Clea and her band of rebels, and they were similarly stripped of magic.

After Dormammu acknowledged that they must unite against their many enemies and they both prepared to sign, Clea asked her "partner" how she knew he would not stab her in the back. Indignant at Clea considering herself an equal partner, Dormammu then retrieved his hidden weapon, the spine which he tore out of Wade.
wade_commander-darkdim-corpse

    Noting that he never turned his back nor took partners, he hurled the spine at Clea, but Nobel dove in the way to protect her and was impaled through the right side of the chest.

    Mortally wounded, Nobel told Clea that she was right and that he had no contingency plan for bio-engineered weapons. Collapsing, he told her to please accept his resignation.

    As Dormammu ordered the death of these "arrogant figureheads," Wade almost certainly perished from having his spine torn out and being left to bleed out on the desert ground.

(Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73 - BTS) - Observing that negotiations had concluded, the Mori fled into the sand. Although his own power was still affected by the fading anti-magic field, Dormammu summoned Mindless Ones from below the ground and ordered them to exterminate the rebels.

    Also still affected by the anti-magic field, Clea ordered that they would hide Nobel in the rocks and seek out higher ground. When a young female rebel advised her that there were only six of them still on their feet, Clea considered silently that they would die.

Comments: Created by David Quinn and Mark Tenney

Nobel was subsequently saved when Dr. Strange sent his aetheric creation Strange to aid Clea and her rebellion, and Strange merged with Nobel to become Paradox.

    I would assume that Wade was chosen to accompany Dormammu so that he would have an option of killing Clea despite not having access to his magical powers. However, we don't know whether Wade's spine was a special weapon, or whether Dormammu just planned to use him thusly.
    It is also unrevealed whether Wade knew that Dormammu planned to use him thusly. He seemed surprised when Dormammu tore out of spine, but that could have easily been an expression of agony, whether he had been forewarned of the action or not.
    Maybe Dormammu sacrificed Wade spitefully for giving him advice that he did not like.

This profile was completed 12/07/2025, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25^th anniversary 's celebratory event.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Commander Wade should be distinguished from:

WADE, BARNABY - powerful telepath, drugged by Yellow Claw into serving him, rescued by Jimmy Woo--Yellow Claw#4/4
WADE, DARNELL - see DARKVEIL--Iceman IV#4
WADE, JOE - see SCARLET SPIDER. Former FBI agent, infiltrated Dr. Octopus (Carolyn Trainer)'s gang, mutated by her--Amazing Scarlet Spider#1
WADE, JOSHUA - NYPD, investigated the Gotham Game Club--Incredible Hulk Annual#9
WADE WILSON - see T-RAY. Alias adopted by Deadpool--Deadpool III#1
WADE ?? - called Paige Angel radio show--Daredevil I#359
other Wade or Commander characters, groups, items, events, races or places...

images: (without ads)
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73, pg. 15, panel 5 (full, tiny);
       pg. 16, panel 5 (face);
       pg. 17, panel 2 (mostly full profile);
       pg. 18, panel 3 (Dormammu tearing spine out of Wade);
          panel 5 (Dormammu throwing Wade's spine at Clea);
          panel 7 (spine impaling Nobel);
       pg. 19, panel 3 (apparent corpse)

Appearances:
Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme#73 (January, 1995) - David Quinn (writer), Mark Tenney (penciler), Andrew Pepoy (inker), Evan Skolnick (editor)

First posted: 09/15/2026
Last updated: 12/07/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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