THE GREAT MANYTHE GREAT MANY
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (see comments; race unidentified) magic-user
Occupation: Sorcerer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Dormammu and an
unidentified group of Earth's universe's greatest black magicians
(including Agamotto's former disciple, an unidentified Dire Wraith female);
formerly Agamotto
Enemies: Presumably practitioners of white magic, such as the Vishanti
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed (apparently somewhere in Earth's universe), presumably in a region lacking in light and matter.
First Appearance: Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 (January, 1989)
Powers/Abilities: The Great Many is/are (let's go with are) allegedly one of the greatest practioners of black magic in the universe, although they did not demonstrate any specific
abilities during their limited appearances.
They appear to be some sort of collective being, with unidentified component parts/beings (which appear only as dots) as well as multiple (perhaps 5) colored circles/rings/spheres colored floating within some sort of spherical energy field.
It presumably communicates via telepathy
Height: Unrevealed (it appears to be perhaps 50-100' in diameter)
Weight: Unrevealed (we don't know how much of its form is matter)
Eyes: None
Hair: None
History: The Great Many's origins and true nature are unrevealed.
It presumably significantly predates the rise of humanity (approximately 30,000 BC or so in Reality-616) and may even predate Earth itself (5-6 billion years ago).
(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 (fb) - BTS) - Apparently at some point in the past the Great Many served as a nexus of power, energies it apparently gained after the Kk'kwathi lost them.
(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 (fb) - BTS) - Apparently the Great Many lost that power, and it passed on to the El'an...and then eventually to Earth.
(Dr. Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 (fb)) - Having taken over Dr. Strange's form, Dormammu sent out a mystic summons to all those -- from their hidden lairs among the galaxies -- who might wish to challenge Earth now that its mystic protector was no more (actually, Strange was trapped in a rat's form):
"Now let the new scheme of things be established! Let the winds of change and fires of creation dance to my desire!
Let those I have summoned appear before me!
From your hidden lairs among the galaxies come! Dormammu commands your presence!
Come, ye dark sorcerers from the worlds of infinite space! Come!"
As those summoned arrived, the Great Many asked why they had been summoned, "Want naught to do with ugly stars and matter and light: Why bring from the beautiful true dark?"
Dormammu assured all those present, "...things have changed! That power that was given to mankind -- even as it was given to the Hagathri, the Kk'kwathi, the Great Many, and the El'an before them -- that power has come under my control!"
Dormammu further noted how his power in this dimension was steadily growing and that he would soon destroy the lords of order and bring down the celestials; however, as these beings would know of him before he was ready, he asked these ("the greatest black magicians in the universe") to serve as his lieutenants; in return, they would be enthroned in power for the rest of eternity.
After those present -- presumably including Agamotto's former disciple -- vowed to serve him, he sent them back from whence they had come to await his word, which would come shortly.
(Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 - BTS) - Aided by Topaz, Dr. Strange
defeated Dormammu and reclaimed his body, leaving Dormammu disembodied
and neutralizing his plot.
Comments: Created by Peter Gillis, Richard Case, and Randy Emberlin.
The image to the right shows the various beings summoned by Dormammu (to the left are glimpses of a couple other characters, and more are shown below in the sub-entry for the black magicians.
The character in the bottom left is a Dire Wraith, and the circle with specks located centrally in the upper portion is the Great Many, but the others are not identified.
The blobby form in the bottom right might be the condensed form of Agamotto's former disciple?
We really don't know anything about this character's origins beyond what limited information is given in its few panels.
Dormammu repeatedly notes that he is summoning the greatest black magicians in "this universe" and/or the "from...the galaxies," etc.
It seems clear to me that he is wanting to control Earth's universe and is enlisting beings in and/or from that dimension, rather than extradimensional beings.
Looks like the skyscrapers from which Dormammu summoned the black magicians was the World Trade Center buildings...which would be topical references since -- per the sliding time scale -- those were destroyed before this story took place in Marvel time.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Great Many should be distinguished from:
After Dormammu noted how he was going to claim Earth's power, he clarified that his power in this dimension was steadily growing and that he would soon destroy the lords of order and bring down the celestials.
However, as these beings would know of him before he was ready, he asked these ("the greatest black magicians in the universe") to serve as his lieutenants; in return, they would be enthroned in power for the rest of eternity.
After those present -- presumably including the dire wraith -- vowed to serve him, he sent them back from whence they had come to await his word, which would come shortly.
Aided by Topaz, Dr. Strange defeated Dormammu and reclaimed his body, leaving Dormammu disembodied and neutralizing his plot.
Dormammu summoned the greatest practioners of black magic in the universe to Earth. "Now let the new scheme of things be established! Let the winds of change and fires of creation dance to my desire!
Let those I have summoned appear before me!
From your hidden lairs among the galaxies come! Dormammu commands your presence!
Come, ye dark sorcerers from the worlds of infinite space! Come!"
After Dormammu noted how he was going to claim Earth's power, he clarified that his power in this dimension was steadily growing and that he would soon destroy the lords of order and bring down the celestials.
However, as these beings would know of him before he was ready, he asked these ("the greatest black magicians in the universe") to serve as his lieutenants; in return, they would be enthroned in power for the rest of eternity.
After those present -- presumably including the dire wraith -- vowed to serve him, he sent them back from whence they had come to await his word, which would come shortly.
A vowed to serve him, he sent them back from whence they had come to await his word, which would come shortly.images: (without ads)
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2, pg. 11, panel 2 (arrival of the black magicians);
panel 3 (Great Many approaches the building);
pg. 12, panel 1 (Great Many speaks);
panel 2 (Dire Wraith);
panel 3 (two other unidentified sorcerers);
pg. 13, panel 3 (in scale against skyscrapers);
panel 5 (magicians gathered around Dormammu);
pg. 14, panel 1 (magicians accept Dormammu's offer)
Appearances:
Dr.
Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#2 (January, 1989) - Peter Gillis (writer),
Richard Case (penciler), Randy Emberlin (inker), Carl Potts (editor)
Last updated: 02/26/15
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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