MURDOCH ADAMS

Real Name: Murdoch Adams

Identity/Class: Human, occult dabbler

Occupation: Adventurer (I bet that pays well!)

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Lenore Wilkins (former lover), Marcia Trent (former fiancé); Clea, Dr. Strange

Enemies: Dweller-in-Darkness, Ludi, Ningal

Known Relatives: none

Aliases: The Man who knew Stephen Sanders

Base of Operations: mobile throughout America and Europe

First Appearance: Chamber of Chills II#4/3 (May, 1973)

Powers: None. Murdoch Adams has had several experiences with demons that have increased his knowledge of the occult. In addition, he carries a talisman of unknown origin with which he can ward off the power of certain demons.

History: (Chamber of Chills II#4/3) - Murdoch was an American adventurer traveling across England, when he came upon a Druid ritual. He saved the intended sacrificial woman, Lenore Wilkins, from the demon Ludi and managed to banish Ludi from the earthly plane.

BTS - Murdoch and Lenore fell in love. The demon Ningal, who sought vengeance for Ludi's banishment, plagued Murdoch's life for a number of years.

(Dr. Strange II#36(fb)) - Ningal slew Lenore. Murdoch tracked him to a dank cave in Southern France where he used a magic talisman to combat the demon. Murdoch and Ningal were trapped in a block of energy for an unknown period of time.

(Dr. Strange II#35-37) - Ludi entered an alliance with the Dweller-in-Darkness, who freed Ningal, which resulted in the freeing of Adams as well.

(Dr. Strange II#36 (fb)/Dr. Strange II#35) - Murdoch suddenly found himself in Greenwich Village, New York, with no memory of his imprisonment. Murdoch's dabbling in demonology had brought him across the name of Stephen Sanders (a former alias of Strange, see comments). Murdoch convinced Strange to join him in a trip to England to investigate Ningal's demon cult.

(Dr. Strange II#36-37) - Ningal attacked their plane, but was recalled by the Dweller. Upon arriving in England, Murdoch left Strange to spend some time with his fiancé, Marcia Trent (see comments). However, Marcia was under the control of Ningal: She drugged Murdoch's wine and tried to kill him. Murdoch managed to pull out his magic talisman, which removed Ningal's influence from Marcia. However, she died from the trauma of the separation.

Comments: Created by Garnder F. Fox and Howard Chaykin.

Murdoch and Lenore were lovers at the time that he was frozen alongside Ningal. When he was freed, he went to England, where he was reunited with his fiancé, Marcia. Marcia knew about Lenore, and didn't seem to mind. Too bad she had to be possessed by a demon. It would actually make more sense that she was trying to kill Murdoch for cheating on her with Lenore.

The fact that Murdoch remembered Stephen Sanders was supposed to be this big deal, but it left me less than impressed. Strange had changed his civilian name to Stephen Sanders towards the end of his original series, with the aid of Eternity, who made the name change a fact. Strange briefly retired, but when he returned to activity, the Ancient One returned his powers and erased all memory of Stephen Sanders from Earth. However, when the Ancient One's spell crossed the Earth, Murdoch was imprisoned in mystic energy alongside Ningal, which somehow preserved his memory of Sanders...significance? none.
Also, Murdoch used a talisman against Ningal in their previous struggle, and it would make sense that it was the same one he later used to ward off Ningal's influence from Marcia. However, in Doc#37, he calls it "the charm Doctor Strange gave me," and there's a footnote to Doc#36. Why?
I keep checking to make sure that Doc35-37 were written by the same group. Each one credits Roger Stern with the scenario, and Ralph Macchio with the script.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• Adams of the Extreme Emergency Team, @ Spider-Man: Web of Doom#2
• Cindy Adams, a former ally of Rom, @ Rom#60
• Niki Adams, former boss and lover of Everett Ross, former lover of T'Challa, @ Avengers I#77
• Willis Adams, 2099, a reporter for mainline media, @ Ghost Rider 2099#2
• The Addams Family, or any other Adams