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Umar (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Umar is a fictional character
who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics
multiverse
. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu
. Umar is commonly a foe of Doctor Strange
as well as the mother of his wife, Clea
.
' Strange Tales
#150, in a Doctor Strange
story written by Roy Thomas
, and illustrated by Bill Everett
under the editorial eye of Stan Lee
. In the final panel of the previous month's Strange Tales #149 (written by Denny O'Neil), however, her debut appearance was foreshadowed under a different name.
The cover of #150, however, ran the teaser "Exit Kaluu... enter Umar!" with her initial rendering. Appearing within on the final (tenth) page, Umar then spends most of issue #151 as a narrative tool, recapping the events which occurred during her banishment, for the benefit of the returning and new reader alike.
. The Mindless Ones were a horde of soulless brutes that exist simply to destroy anything that lies in their path. The Mhuruuks were beaten back by the onslaught and many were slain, including Olnar. Dormammu and Umar then slew or exiled any wizards that might oppose them. Then they barred the Mindless Ones behind a great mystical barrier.
This battle weakened Umar, and she became subordinate to her brother. Dormammu ascended the throne as regent and ruler of the Dark Dimension. He reassumed his Faltinian form of flame, but Umar chose to remain in her human form.
. This experience changed Umar, and she now was no longer able to return to her Faltinian form.
Her inability to transform angered Umar, and in her frustration she lashed out at Dormammu. Now far stronger than Umar, Dormammu banished her to one of the subjugated pocket dimensions of the Dark Dimension.
, and then Doctor Strange
. Eventually Dormammu was defeated, and the spell banishing Umar was broken. Umar was able to stop the invasion of the Dark Dimension by the Mindless Ones
, and became ruler of the Dark Dimension. Despite having been banished by him, Umar sought to avenge her brother on Strange. She held Clea hostage in the Dark Dimension, to lure Strange back in. When she first fought Strange, she was the more powerful, but then the entity called Sayge
showed Umar an image of Umar's original Faltinian visage. This sight drove Umar almost to madness, and she traveled to Earth to destroy it in revenge. There, she battled the Ancient One. Strange defeated her by summoning another monster; Zom, forcing her to flee. Umar later freed Doctor Strange, enabling him to defeat Dormammu.
Umar attacked Doctor Strange and Clea on Earth, and transported the essence of Dormammu to Earth's core, where he reformed. With Orini, Umar defeated Doctor Strange on Dormammu's behalf. With Dormammu, Umar battled the Scarlet Witch
, Vision
, and Agatha Harkness
. Umar's seduction of Orini resulting in the birth of Clea was then recounted. Umar stole Dormammu's power, using it to battle Doctor Strange and Clea. Umar was defeated when Gaea caused Dormammu's power to return to him. Umar later battled Thor
in an attempt to disrupt a chess match between Odin and Dormammu.
Umar later intervened in Doctor Strange's battle with a deranged Black Knight
. She conjured a sea serpent and water elementals to attack Doctor Strange and the Black Knight on Earth. Umar's origin was finally recounted, and the secret of Clea's parentage was finally revealed to Clea and Doctor Strange. Umar was then deposed as ruler of the Dark Dimension by Clea, and with Orini, Umar was banished to an alien dimension by Doctor Strange and Clea.
Dormammu returned to overthrow Clea, and freed Umar from banishment. Clea and Doctor Strange escaped Dormammu, but met with Umar, who wanted to kill Doctor Strange. Umar noticed that her spell was also affecting Clea. Clea revealed that they had been married and that there now was a mystical link between them. Umar stopped her attack and admitted to Clea that she was unable to kill her own daughter. She assisted Strange and Clea in overthrowing Dormammu. Umar tricked her brother by suggesting that they divide the rulership over the Dark Dimension into two parts. Dormammu agreed and Umar banished him to his part: the domain of the Mindless Ones. Umar made peace with Strange and Clea and would now rule the Dark Dimension with Baron Mordo
at her side. Clea returned to Earth with Strange.
Many months later, Clea was approached by another Faltine, who claimed to be her cousin. He informed her that she needed to defeat Umar, who had turn into a dictator. Clea returned, but found out that it was a trick: the other Faltine was Dormammu in disguise and he absorbed Umar and Mordo into his own body, growing gigantic in size and power. Clea remained in the Dark Dimension to battle Dormammu.
Umar was separated from Dormammu again, although the siblings retained a mystic link, and the two collaborated in defeating an avatar
of Eternity
, and using the acquired power to remake the universe in their hellish image, but she eventually betrayed her brother, stole his power, and trapped him in the form of a powerless crippled mutate.
When Dormammu's minion, criminal gang-leader The Hood
, questions Satana
to learn about his master, the demoness refers to Umar as having been killed by her brother.
Umar is later resurrected along with other villains by the magic of the Wishing Well.
As ruler of the Dark Dimension, Umar's head was surrounded by a plume of mystic fire, the flames of regency.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
who resides in the "Dark Dimension" of the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
multiverse
Multiverse (Marvel Comics)
Within Marvel Comics, most tales take place within the fictional Marvel Universe, which in turn is part of a larger multiverse. Starting with issues of Captain Britain, the main continuity in which most Marvel storylines take place was designated Earth-616, and the multiverse was established as...
. She is a Faltine, but is trapped in human form. Although she is a sorceress and has vast magical powers, she is still second to her brother Dormammu
Dormammu
Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Strange Tales #126 Dormammu is a...
. Umar is commonly a foe of Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
as well as the mother of his wife, Clea
Clea
Clea is a fictional character, a sorceress in the . She is the disciple and lover of Doctor Strange. Created by co-plotters Stan Lee and Steve Ditko , Clea first appeared in the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales #126 .Clea is a human-appearing being and maternally related to the...
.
Publication history
Umar first appeared in Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' Strange Tales
Strange Tales
Strange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
#150, in a Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
story written by Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
, and illustrated by Bill Everett
Bill Everett
William Blake "Bill" Everett, also known as William Blake and Everett Blake was a comic book writer-artist best known for creating Namor the Sub-Mariner and co-creating Daredevil for Marvel Comics...
under the editorial eye of Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
. In the final panel of the previous month's Strange Tales #149 (written by Denny O'Neil), however, her debut appearance was foreshadowed under a different name.
- "NEXT MONTH... The dramatic defeat of Kaluu -- and the introduction of the intriguing and totally unforgettable villainess of all time -- KARA Can you afford to miss it!"
The cover of #150, however, ran the teaser "Exit Kaluu... enter Umar!" with her initial rendering. Appearing within on the final (tenth) page, Umar then spends most of issue #151 as a narrative tool, recapping the events which occurred during her banishment, for the benefit of the returning and new reader alike.
Origins
Umar was spawned in the Faltine Dimension by Sinifer, a Faltine. The Faltine are beings of pure magical energy that exist in their own universe. It's implied that normally when Faltine spawn, that the new beings are exact copies of the previous, but in this instance, the spawn were different. Unlike Sinifer, they craved physical matter. When Sinifer tried to stop them, they transmuted him from energy into matter, essentially killing him. This angered the rest of the Faltine, and so Dormammu and Umar were exiled from the dimension of the Faltine.The Dark Dimension
The two fugitive Faltine then entered a universe known as the Dark Dimension, which was inhabited by sorcerers known as the Mhuruuks. Their ruler Olnar dreamed of returning to the days of warfare and conquest. Umar and Dormammu befriended Olnar and played upon these desires. They showed Olnar how to make conquest of other dimensions and bond them with his own. Olnar greedily subjugated several dimensions and added them to his own domain. In time, the rogue Faltines led Olnar to shatter the barrier between his dimension and that of the Mindless OnesMindless Ones
The Mindless Ones are fictional monsters appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. Their first appearance was in Strange Tales They are extra-dimensional creatures summoned via magic to do the bidding of others . They appear to have a thick, roughly humanoid shape standing taller than most men and a...
. The Mindless Ones were a horde of soulless brutes that exist simply to destroy anything that lies in their path. The Mhuruuks were beaten back by the onslaught and many were slain, including Olnar. Dormammu and Umar then slew or exiled any wizards that might oppose them. Then they barred the Mindless Ones behind a great mystical barrier.
This battle weakened Umar, and she became subordinate to her brother. Dormammu ascended the throne as regent and ruler of the Dark Dimension. He reassumed his Faltinian form of flame, but Umar chose to remain in her human form.
Clea
One of the Mhuruuks who was not slain was Orini, son of Olnar, being just an untrained boy. In time he aged, while the Faltinians remained the same. Eventually Orini became the chief disciple of Dormammu. In time Umar noticed the adult Orini, and had a tryst with him. Both evidently were virgins, and Umar was initially disgusted with the experience and with Orini himself (she later became a skilled seductress, but her disdain for Orini remained unchanged). In six cycles of the Dark Dimension, Umar gave birth to CleaClea
Clea is a fictional character, a sorceress in the . She is the disciple and lover of Doctor Strange. Created by co-plotters Stan Lee and Steve Ditko , Clea first appeared in the Doctor Strange feature in Strange Tales #126 .Clea is a human-appearing being and maternally related to the...
. This experience changed Umar, and she now was no longer able to return to her Faltinian form.
Her inability to transform angered Umar, and in her frustration she lashed out at Dormammu. Now far stronger than Umar, Dormammu banished her to one of the subjugated pocket dimensions of the Dark Dimension.
Versus Dr. Strange
In time, Dormammu tried to invade Earth's dimension and came into conflict with first the Ancient OneAncient One
The Ancient One is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics Universe. He was the mentor of Doctor Strange and preceded him as Sorcerer Supreme.-Fictional character biography:...
, and then Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
. Eventually Dormammu was defeated, and the spell banishing Umar was broken. Umar was able to stop the invasion of the Dark Dimension by the Mindless Ones
Mindless Ones
The Mindless Ones are fictional monsters appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. Their first appearance was in Strange Tales They are extra-dimensional creatures summoned via magic to do the bidding of others . They appear to have a thick, roughly humanoid shape standing taller than most men and a...
, and became ruler of the Dark Dimension. Despite having been banished by him, Umar sought to avenge her brother on Strange. She held Clea hostage in the Dark Dimension, to lure Strange back in. When she first fought Strange, she was the more powerful, but then the entity called Sayge
Veritas (comics)
Veritas is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Fictional character biography:Veritas is a mysterious being who embodies truth, and has precognitive powers. Doctor Strange encountered Veritas in Umar's dungeon in the Dark Dimension...
showed Umar an image of Umar's original Faltinian visage. This sight drove Umar almost to madness, and she traveled to Earth to destroy it in revenge. There, she battled the Ancient One. Strange defeated her by summoning another monster; Zom, forcing her to flee. Umar later freed Doctor Strange, enabling him to defeat Dormammu.
Umar attacked Doctor Strange and Clea on Earth, and transported the essence of Dormammu to Earth's core, where he reformed. With Orini, Umar defeated Doctor Strange on Dormammu's behalf. With Dormammu, Umar battled the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...
, Vision
Vision (Marvel Comics)
The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that appear in comic books published by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The first Vision was created by the writer-artist team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in Marvel Mystery Comics #13 The Vision is the name of three fictional characters that...
, and Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness
Agatha Harkness is a fictional character, a powerful witch in the Marvel Comics universe. Supposedly, she was one of the original witches from the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. She somehow survived and later became a significant figure in Marvel continuity, protecting Franklin...
. Umar's seduction of Orini resulting in the birth of Clea was then recounted. Umar stole Dormammu's power, using it to battle Doctor Strange and Clea. Umar was defeated when Gaea caused Dormammu's power to return to him. Umar later battled Thor
Thor (Marvel Comics)
Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
in an attempt to disrupt a chess match between Odin and Dormammu.
Umar later intervened in Doctor Strange's battle with a deranged Black Knight
Black Knight (Dane Whitman)
Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics universe, the company's third person to bear the name Black Knight. Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema, he first appeared in The Avengers #47 Dane Whitman is a fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Comics...
. She conjured a sea serpent and water elementals to attack Doctor Strange and the Black Knight on Earth. Umar's origin was finally recounted, and the secret of Clea's parentage was finally revealed to Clea and Doctor Strange. Umar was then deposed as ruler of the Dark Dimension by Clea, and with Orini, Umar was banished to an alien dimension by Doctor Strange and Clea.
Dormammu returned to overthrow Clea, and freed Umar from banishment. Clea and Doctor Strange escaped Dormammu, but met with Umar, who wanted to kill Doctor Strange. Umar noticed that her spell was also affecting Clea. Clea revealed that they had been married and that there now was a mystical link between them. Umar stopped her attack and admitted to Clea that she was unable to kill her own daughter. She assisted Strange and Clea in overthrowing Dormammu. Umar tricked her brother by suggesting that they divide the rulership over the Dark Dimension into two parts. Dormammu agreed and Umar banished him to his part: the domain of the Mindless Ones. Umar made peace with Strange and Clea and would now rule the Dark Dimension with Baron Mordo
Baron Mordo
Baron Karl Amadeus Mordo is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by Marvel Comics and appearing as an enemy of Doctor Strange...
at her side. Clea returned to Earth with Strange.
Many months later, Clea was approached by another Faltine, who claimed to be her cousin. He informed her that she needed to defeat Umar, who had turn into a dictator. Clea returned, but found out that it was a trick: the other Faltine was Dormammu in disguise and he absorbed Umar and Mordo into his own body, growing gigantic in size and power. Clea remained in the Dark Dimension to battle Dormammu.
Umar was separated from Dormammu again, although the siblings retained a mystic link, and the two collaborated in defeating an avatar
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
of Eternity
Eternity (comics)
Eternity is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by scripter-editor Stan Lee and artist-plotter Steve Ditko, the character is first mentioned in Strange Tales #134 and first appears in Strange Tales #138 Eternity is a fictional character that...
, and using the acquired power to remake the universe in their hellish image, but she eventually betrayed her brother, stole his power, and trapped him in the form of a powerless crippled mutate.
When Dormammu's minion, criminal gang-leader The Hood
Hood (comics)
The Hood is a fictional character, a supervillain, and a crime boss in the . Created by writer Brian K. Vaughan and artists Kyle Hotz and Eric Powell, the character first appeared in The Hood #1 .-Publication history:...
, questions Satana
Satana (Marvel Comics)
Satana is a fictional character, a comic book half-demon appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. She is the sister of Daimon Hellstrom, also known as the Son of Satan.Satana first appeared in Vampire Tales #2 in October, 1973...
to learn about his master, the demoness refers to Umar as having been killed by her brother.
Umar is later resurrected along with other villains by the magic of the Wishing Well.
Powers and abilities
Umar has a gifted intellect, and vast knowledge of magical lore. She has tremendous ability to manipulate the forces of magic for a variety of effects, including inter-dimensional teleportation, size transformations, time travel, transmutations, energy manifestations such as powerful concussive blasts, magically constructed animate beings, telepathy, illusion-casting, limited mind-control, etc.As ruler of the Dark Dimension, Umar's head was surrounded by a plume of mystic fire, the flames of regency.
External links
- Umar at Marvel.com