Editing Doctor Druid (section)

==Publication history==
Originally introduced as Dr. Anthony Droom, the character debuted in ''[[Amazing Adventures]]'' #1 in June 1961.<ref name=":0"/> The origin story was written by [[Stan Lee]], penciled by [[Jack Kirby]], and inked by [[Steve Ditko]]. In the story, Anthony Droom is referred to as a psychiatrist, scholar, and physician and is independently wealthy. After undergoing a series of tests in Tibet, he is chosen by a dying lama to protect humanity from threats. In this version of the character's origin, he is imparted with all of the lama's knowledge and then is also transformed by magic from his Caucasian appearance to now having the appearance of Asian heritage. He is told that his appearance suits his new knowledge and role. In the subsequent stories of ''Amazing Adventures'', Droom continues to have an Asian appearance and is given a yellow skin tone.

After his origin in issue #1, Dr. Droom starred in stories in ''Amazing Adventures'' #2–4 and #6 (1961).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Markstein |first1=Don |website=Don Markstein's Toonopedia |access-date=2 April 2020  |url=http://www.toonopedia.com/droom.htm |title=Doctor Droom}}</ref> Dr. Droom did not appear in the series again afterward, which was retitled as ''[[Amazing Adult Fantasy]]'' starting with issue #7 (the same series that with its final issue, ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15, would introduced Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's creation ''Spider-Man'').

According to Lee, the idea of Doctor Droom was essentially succeeded by [[Doctor Strange]]: "... I always liked [Doctor Droom], but I forgot about him. It was a one-shot thing. And one day while we were trying to think of some new heroes, I thought I'd like to bring back a magician".<ref>{{cite journal|last= Thomas|first= Roy|date= August 2011|title= Stan Lee's Amazing Marvel Interview!|journal= [[Alter Ego (magazine)|Alter Ego]]|issue= #104| pages= 3–45}}</ref> Lee later clarified that the inciting incident to bring forth a magical character similar to Dr. Droom came when Steve Ditko brought him artwork for a character he called Mr. Strange.<ref name=":1"/> Stan Lee changed the name to Doctor Strange and gave the character a new version of Dr. Droom's origin, making Stephen Strange a physician who loses the use of his hands and then seeks out help from a sorcerer in the Himalayas for help, only to then become the man's student and return to New York as a sorcerer himself.

In 1976, Marvel editor [[Roger Stern]] thought to bring Doctor Droom back for issue #19 of ''Weird Wonder Tales'', a series that reprinted previously published Marvel Comics stories, sometimes with new art. Issue #19 reprinted Dr. Droom's origin story but with some altered and added dialogue by Larry Lieber and with the protagonist now called Doctor Anthony Druid, new name conceived by [[Len Wein]], presumably to avoid confusion with Marvel supervillain [[Doctor Doom]]. Druid sported a red outfit in his role as hero and the new version of his origin story removed the idea that the appearance of his racial heritage is altered by magic. Droom's second story was then reprinted in ''Weird Wonder Tales'' #20, again with new art work and with his name changed to Doctor Druid. The character then appeared in issues #21-22, but only as a host introducing fantasy stories to the reader. ''Weird Wonder Tales'' then ended with issue #23, which contained a reprint of another Droom story from ''Amazing Adventures''. The story was introduced by a new splash page drawn by artist [[John Byrne (comics)|John Byrne]]. In the story, Droom's drab grey clothing was painted over with Druid's new red uniform.

Druid appeared next in ''The Incredible Hulk'' (vol. 2) #210-211 by writer [[Len Wein]], and ''Ghost Rider'' (vol. 2) #26 by writer [[Jim Shooter]]. During Roger Stern's work as writer of ''Avengers'' in the 1980s, Druid frequently appeared as an associate of the team.

Druid appeared in the [[Limited series (comics)|miniseries]] ''Druid'' #1–4 (May–Aug. 1995) by writer [[Warren Ellis]] and artist [[Leonardo Manco]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brevoort |first1=Tom |last2=DeFalco |first2=Tom |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=Sanderson |first4=Peter |last5=Wiacek |first5=Win |title=Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History |date=2017 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1465455505 |page=274}}</ref> In ''Marvel Universe'' #4–7 (Sept.–Dec. 1998), his backstory was expanded and [[retconned]], now revealing he had been a member of the [[Monster Hunters]], whose adventures took place between the "[[Atlas Comics (1950s)#Pre-superhero Marvel|Age of Monsters]]" and the "Age of Heroes" (the latter era beginning when the [[Fantastic Four]] gain their powers and are soon followed by a wave of new public superheroes). Druid appeared as a Monster Hunter again in issue #2 of ''[[Marvel: The Lost Generation]]''.

Doctor Druid was one of the featured characters in the 2011 three-issue limited series ''Chaos War: Dead Avengers''.