SORE SIR’S APPRENTICES

Real Name: Unknown, if any

Identity/Class: Unknown, possibly extra-dimensional/demonic

Occupation: Apprentices/servants

Affiliations: Sore Sir

Enemies: Captain America

Known Relatives: None known, possibly each other

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: the archaic laboratory of Sore Sir

Appearances: In a Hostess ad appearing in June editions of Marvel comic books (example: What If? I#3, 1977).

Powers/Abilities: As apprentices of a wizard, they may have had some sort of magical knowledge, but if they did, it wasn’t used in battle. Individually, Captain America felt confident in fighting them physically but feared them collectively, suggesting that they were physically superhuman to an undetermined degree, as Cap could take on five combat-trained human beings without breaking a sweat if he had to as opposed to these five apprentices.

History: Captain America fought five of these critters and won them over with Hostessâ Cup Cakes (you know, the ones he hides in the folds of his boots--and you thought they were there for stylish decoration, shame on you); they even renounced their allegiance to their master, Sore Sir.

BTS - Cap went after their master, the Sore Sir himself.

Comments: Created by ??

The Sore Sir was never shown, but it would be interesting to just see him referenced let alone appear in a Doctor Strange story. Perhaps he had more apprentices like this, and they all could make a future appearance.

Here's a possible origin offered by Adrian McClure (no relation to Troy McClure--I hope):

I think that rather than being minions of the Sorcerer (See Clarifications) who had Pandora's Box, the Sore Sir's Apprentices are actually minions of Dr. Druid's enemy Stonecutter.

Why?  Well, although they do look slightly different, both the Apprentices and Stonecutter's Disciples are big, green, lumpy, and ugly.  Both are magical in nature and incredibly stupid.  And both have titles that make it sound like they are actual students of the magician they serve rather than just disposable goons.  It's true that the Apprentices seem to think that their mentor is male and the form most commonly used by Stonecutter is, er, definitely female, but they ARE remarkably stupid.

Maybe the Apprentices are the bulk of Stonecutter's army and the Disciples are her elite guard?  (IE the ones who aren't vulnerable to Hostess Twinkies.)

You can get the whole story, and some clever commentary from Seanbaby's The Hostess Page. It might not meet with the Comics Code Authority's approval, so kids, ask your parents before checking that out!

In case you're a mo-mo and don't get it, their name is a play on "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Of all the Hostess villains, only Icemaster has shown up in an Earth-616 title. He could have crossed over to Earth-616 from "Earth-Hostess, " but I say leave them on Earth-616 until proven otherwise. Nonetheless, until they do show up in regular continuity, they remain outside regular canon. Surely someone will write a story teaming them all together--Snood.

This is not true anymore as some Hostess ad villains were mentioned in the Fantastic Four Encyclopedia as natives of Earth-616. And lets not forget about Printout Man in the New Avengers Most Wanted Files.

Finally, here's some more incoherent babbling from Cary:

Two theories:  

1) If they actually worked for Stonecutter (and really were about as articulate as a pre-school child), then they might have been garbling up the word  "sorceress."   

2)  If, however, they really did work for this nameless Sorcerer (who should definitely NOT be confused with the Wizard),  they might have been trying to capture Cap in order to get to his fellow ex-Invader, the Sub-mariner.  I mean; who better to retrieve Pandora's Box from the Atlantic Ocean floor, right?  Oh, wait!  It's got to be the first theory.  Because, as we all know by now, Pandora's Box was actually hidden in the Cradle of Life [in the movie Tomb Raider II].*    Yours truly:  Carycomix@aol.com   
 *Has no known connection to the Circle of Life,  Elton John's lullaby for Simba (son of Mufasa).

Profile created/updated/edited by Kyle Smith

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sore Sir should not be confused with:

• Sir (Martha Paterson), agent of Dr. Angst @ Daredevil#345
• Sir Anthony Baskerville, an evil sorcerer, @ Strange Tales I#135/2
• Sir Benedict of Otherworld, guardian of Sword of Might @ Excalibur II#2
• Sir Kaltenborn de Register Cambric, of Star Thief's race, @ Defenders I#150
• Sir Lancelot, of Camelot, @ Black Knight Comics#1, Marvel Premiere#14
• Sir Naught of Chichester, an alias of Dr. Zero, @ Critical Mass#5
• Sir Raston, of the Anachonauts, @ Fantastic Four I Annual#25
• any other "Sir" characters
  Maybe the goofball Apprentices were actually trying to say "Sorcerer"
  He could be:
• Sorcerer, who fought the Human Torch, @ Strange Tales I#10
  He's my pick!!! Just the right amount of goofiness!
• Sorcerer , who fought Spider-Man foe, @ Marvel Super-Heroes II#14
• sorcerer, an unnamed agent of Mordo, @ Strange Tales I#128/2
• sorcerer, an unnamed pawn of Mephisto, @ Silver Surfer I#8

images: (without ads)
"Sore Sir's Apprentices", pan3 (main image)