Dormammu

Dormammu was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko for Marvel Comics and first appears in Marvel's Doctor Strange narratives. Within Marvel continuity he is presented as an extra- and inter-dimensional demonic entity who rules the Dark Dimension and is sibling to Umar and uncle to Clea. Dormammu was developed as a continuing antagonist to add an otherworldly opponent to Doctor Strange's adventures and has been elaborated across serialized comic storylines and related media.

Comic-visuals conceived by Steve Ditko portray Dormammu with a striking, demoniac visage distinct from standard human villains; he is depicted as an otherworldly, often flaming or energy-formed figure presiding over grotesque denizens of the Dark Dimension, such as the imprisoned Mindless Ones. Sources note Ditko's design gave Dormammu a visage ‘‘totally different from any villain I had ever seen in comics before.’’

Within Marvel stories Dormammu is depicted as an extremely powerful mystical sovereign who draws on the energies of his realm, commands servants and minions (including the Mindless Ones), grants power to agents (for example empowering Mordo), and can manipulate mystical constraints within his domain. He is shown in early encounters as far more powerful than Doctor Strange, can send messengers or act by proxy in the Earth realm, bargains and takes vows when compelled in-story, and once engaged the cosmic embodiment Eternity in single combat before being defeated and banished.