BOLTS OF BALTHAKK
Classification: Magic Spell (ritual)First Appearance: Doctor Strange II#32 (December, 1978)
Version: Evocation
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Bolts' energy can be harmless but also highly destructive, depending on the caster's power and on the power he wants to imbue in the Bolts. They can be directed on and affect a single target but also an area containing multiple targets. The Bolts seemed partially ineffective against undead beings from Hades.
Casting Time: Few seconds
Range: Long (120 feet)
Components: A
mandatory component, probably at caster's choice among:
Duration: Usually
instantaneous. Maximum time unrevealed, at least a minute
Primary effects: Energy in the shape of rays,
lightning. Explosions, impact.
Collateral effects: Circular spots of light, a circle
of runes.
History:
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#40 - BTS)
- In the Modern Era, the Bedeviling Bolts of Balthakk were a most
potent form of attack, long neglected. They drew power from an obscure
source.
(Doctor Strange II#32) - The Bolts of Balthakk were used by Doctor
Strange like "shots" of energy against a demon-bird. They easily
destroyed the target.
(Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#40) - Strange shot Bedeviling
Bolts of Balthakk at D'Spayre to no avail. The demon, in that moment,
was extremely powerful, having absorbed the terror of myriads of
inhabitants on Earth, so the spell was not harmful to him.
(Doctor Strange & Doctor Doom: Triumph and Torment) - The Bolts of
Balthakk were conjured in conjunction with the Winds of
Watoomb. This time the spell dispersed a patrol of Hell's demons,
having them tumble and roll apparently not hitting them. The demons
recovered in less than a minute.
(Defenders II#4) - Strange was surprised that the army of
the undead summoned by Pluto could resist to the Bolts of Balthakk.
(Defenders II#7) - The Bolts of Balthakk released by Strange hit the
gargantuan monster coming from another dimension. The alien giant was
enormous, powerful and emitted an aura that weakened his enemies. The
Bolts were by far not enough to drive the Blackraven's vassal back.
(Defenders II#8) - Doctor Strange hurled a
storm of Bolts of Balthakk in a crowd of Toad Men. The Bolts weren't
meant to hit and harm the single targets, but only to scatter them.
The force produced was enough to send even the Hulk and Namor the
Sub-Mariner tumbling to the ground.
(The Order I#3) - Strange
conjured a simple Bolt of Balthakk that hit Quicksilver while running
at full speed. The Avenger was knocked out of the fight for a while.
(Doctor Doom#5) - The Bolts of Balthakk evoked by Victor von Doom were stopped by an energy shield created by Blue Marvel.
Version:
Abjuration
Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Bolts can be used to counter-spell another enchantment or even a physical attack; they can vanquish the effect, reverse it or produce a different one.
Casting Time: A few seconds.
Range: Very long (at least the distance between sea
and stormy clouds).
Components: A
mandatory component, probably at caster's choice among:
Duration: Maximum time
unrevealed, at least a minute
Primary effects: Probably depending on the target of
the counter-spelling.
Collateral effects: Variable.
History:
(Doctor Strange II#69) -
The Bolts of Balthaak were only the final part of a multi-partitioned
spell. The energy driven
by the Bolts contained also electricity coming from the Time-lost
Land. The energy was gathered into Strange, who acted as conduit and
channeled it into the Bolts of Balthaak. The Bolts struck the massive
pools of waters that were the bodies of many Elementals. Then, the
Bolts changed direction, veering up in the stormy sky that had
produced the Water Elementals, carrying them back from whence they
came.
Comments: Name created by Gardner Fox (writer). Graphically created by Allan Kupperberg (pencils) and Rudy Nebres (inks).
It wasn't revealed whether the Bolts always acquire their power from the Time-lost Land. In that case we could speculate that that place is the home dimension of Balthakk, or IS Balthakk.
The Bolts of Bedevilment, too, were used with an abjuration purpose (see
below).
I'm not sure whether the Bolts of Bedevilment are the Bolts of Balthakk,
or different version of them, or a different spell at all. Both of them: Everybody could question that a lot of
other "evil" entities could grant the power to use "Bolts" with
"Bedeviling" purposes and/or effects. However, in Dr. Strange stories,
there is a certain recurrence of the use of some powers or elements,
associated to an Entity or a Deity: That's why I associated the Bedeviling
Bolts with Balthakk. Of course, further stories from authors, ideas and
suggestions from the other Masters of the Obscure and the readers can
change things. Profile by Spidermay. CLARIFICATIONS: Classification:
Magic Spell Version:
Evocation Powers/Abilities/Functions: The
Bolts' energy can be incredibly destructive, depending on the
caster's power and on the power he wants to imbue in the Bolts. If sufficiently
powerful, the Bolts can even destroy an astral form, killing his
owner. Casting Time: few
seconds Duration: Usually
instantaneous. Its activation can also be set up to be triggered by a
particular event. History: (Defenders I#6) - Cyrus
Black
evoked Bolts of Bedevilment so powerful that they could turn a man into
slime. However, when they reached Doctor Strange's house their energy
was already depleted. Even so, one of them hit the stone statue of the
Black Knight, that started shaking and was saved by Doctor Strange that
absorbed the harmful power of the Bolt. (Defenders I#14) - Doctor Strange used the Bolts of
Bedevilment againt
Nebulon and reckoned that even that powerful
enemy could not stand such repeated blasts coupled with the attack of
Namor and Hulk. The coordinated attacks worked. Nebulon lost the
concentration on his false shape and reverted to his original, monstrous
form. (Defenders I#15) - Bolts of Bedevilment
sprouted out doctor Strange's hand, striking a Cyclopean monster
before him, but they didn't affect the creature, because it was an
illusion created by Mastermind. (Doctor Strange II#36) - Ningal
wanted to destroy Doctor Strange, and shot Bolts of Bedevilment toward
his astral form. The doctor saved himself evoking a magical shield. (Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#9/1 (fb) / Doctor Strange II#79) - A Bolt of
Bedevilment hit Urthona's
Champion. The Bolt easily penetrated into his armor, even if the
armor was impervious to many other attack spells. The hand that pointed
at the Champion was Morgana Blessing's, but the spirit controlling that
body was Strange's. (Strange Tales II#10) - The Bolts of Bedevilment shot by
Doctor Strange probably flied an infinite distance before hitting
anything because Strange incautiously stumbled into a magical trap by Ghaszaszh Nyirh. (Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#38) - A Bolt of
Bedevilment exploded on Doctor Strange taking him by surprise and
hurling him away. The magician immediately recovered because Rintrah and
he were training, thus the Bolt was not intended to destroy the target. (Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#42) - Doctor Strange
succeeded in hitting Nova, Galactus' herald, with a Bolt of Bedevilment.
The flaming woman was already weakened by an incredibly long journey
without sleep from the Spiral Nebula, so, the blast smacked her
unconscious. (Defenders II#5) - Chondu
the Mystic was in a robotic form when he shot a Bolt of
Bedevilment to Nighthawk. The hero shielded himself with Ruby and the
Bolt squashed her head. Chondu didn't seem worried, the energy was
likely intended not to kill. Ruby recovered after four issues. Powers/Abilities/Functions: The
Bolts can find its target,
capture and drag it toward the caster.
Their energy can be so destructive that they can bore a hole
through a planet, from hemisphere to hemisphere, in few
seconds, to reach the target. Casting Time: few
seconds Duration: Concentration,
minutes at least. History: Powers/Abilities/Functions: The
Bolts can be used to counter-spell another enchantment or even a
physical attack; they can vanquish the effect, reverse it or
produce a different one. Casting Time: from an
instantaneous reaction to few seconds. Duration: Concentration,
minutes at least. History: (Marvel Fanfare I#6/2) - Ian
Mc Nee evoked the Bolts of Bedevilment against Strange. The
Sorcerer Supreme shielded himself from their effects, and using the same
bolts, counterattacked, adding the Winds of Watoomb to the enchantment.
McNee's shields stopped the
Bolts but not the Winds, that enveloped him and blew him away. (Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#11/1) - Hobgoblin was
launching his "pumpkin" grenades all around, so Strange called the Bolts
of Bedevilment. Hobgoblin was surprised by the explosions, because there
was no visible force that warned him. Comments: Created by Stan Lee (writer), Bill Everett (pencils
and inks) In Strange Tales I#156 Umar clearly showed
that, for that version of the spell, two hands
were needed. While one served to shoot the seeking-penetrating
Bolt, the other "grabbed" the air commanding the second effect of the
spell: the capture of the target. Probably a third movement was
needed, to complete the summoning part. In Doctor Strange II#39,
immersed in an illusion, Strange had to dodge Hippocrates' Bolt of
Bedevilment. The Bolt's trail contained "disks", different from the
circular spots that sometime surrounded the spell point of origin. In
Doctor Strange II#47 a very similar effect was repeated, with a
difference, the spell was the "Disks of Denak"! Per i lettori italiani
(for the Italian readers): "Bolts/Bolt of Devilment" è stato
tradotto: CLARIFICATIONS:
The Bolts of Baltkakk/Balthaakk are probably the
same thing of the Bedeviling/Bedevilling
Bolts but have no known connections to
Creator: Balthakk, probably.
User/Possessors: Doctor Stephen
Strange, Cyrus
Black, Ian
Mc Nee, Baron Karl Mordo, Chondu
the Mystic, Lord
Julian Phyffe, Rintrah, Shialmar
the Shadowqueen and some of her slaves, Umar
First Appearance: Strange Tales I#152
(January, 1966)
When one Bolt have a low intensity and strikes stone, it does not
destroy the object immediately, but can induce a vibration that
will break it, sooner or later.
The Bolts are rather ineffective against some kinds of creatures
like the wraiths summoned by Dyskor.
Range: Short (30 feet) at least
Components: A
mandatory component, probably at caster's choice among:
By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth and the light of truth
that ever last...
Bolts of Bedevilment banish these fiends of the infernal past! (Moon Knight I#36)
Let the Bolts of Bedevilment
fly to their mark! (Strange Tales II#10/1)
Begone
foul wraiths! (Marvel Super Heroes III#14/3)
Primary effects: Energy in the shape of lightning,
rays. Explosions, impact, blinding blazes of light.
Collateral effects: Circular spots of light, a buzzing sound.
(Strange Tales I#152) - Bedevilling Bolts were
triggered by Strange, who nullified them with the help of the omnipotent Oshtur
and the Agamotto's
all-seeing Eye.
(Defenders I#16) - Doctor Strange blasted Bolts of Bedevilment against Alpha the
Ultimate Mutant. The creature was not pleased and immediately
created an invisible barrier that protected him from magic.
(Doctor Strange II#39) - Doctor Strange was hallucinating, under the
effect of a spell, and he dreamed to be attacked by Hippocrates in
person, who hurled a destroying Bolt of Bedevilment.
(Doctor
Strange II#40) - Lord
Julian Phyffe tried to kill doctor Strange using a Bolt of
Bedevilment. Strange saved himself thanks to a Shield of the
Seraphim.
(Doctor Strange II#42) - One of Shi'Almar's
human servants tried to kill Doctor Strange using a Bolt of Bedevilment.
Strange was prepared and erected a Shield of the Seraphim to quench its
force.
(Dottor Strange II#44) - A Bolt of Bedevilment hurled by Shialmar
against Wong failed to slay him because it was a fraction off-target.
(Doctor Strange II#45) - During a deadly dread fight against a N'Garai,
Doctor Strange hit with a Bolt of Bedevilment, making the Old One scream
and escape in his Sa'arpol.
(Doctor Strange II#46/2) - A single Bolt of Bedevilment was enough to
disperse the a playful water elemental that Strange had summoned before.
(Moon Knight I#36) - The Bolts of Bedevilment shot
by Strange were empowered by Hoggoth's
light. Amutef's invisible minions
were scattered.
(Doctor Strange II#57) - Jimaine Szardos shot a Bolt
of Bedevilment at Strange. The spell was not powerful because Strange
easily shielded from it, while
commenting that a novice could have done the same. But he also took control
of the Bolts, bending them into bands that bound the bragging beauty.
(Doctor Strange: From the Marvel Vault) - The Bolt of Bedevilment
launched by Strange was absorbed
by Tyanon's familiar.
(Marvel Super Heroes III#14/3) - The Bolts of
Bedevilment weren't effective against the wraiths summoned by Dyskor
the Purveyor.
Range: Planetary distance
Components: A
mandatory component, probably at caster's choice among:
Primary effects: A beam of force, one foot wide.
After, an invisible force that attracts the target.
Collateral effects: Power sources falter and flicker
all over the planet.
Version:
Abjuration
Range: Long, 120 feet at least.
Components: A
mandatory component, probably at caster's choice among:
Bolts of Bedevilment sweep past their eyes,
as the mists of Morpheus soften their cries!
(Doctor Strange II#47)
Bolts of Bedevilment turn and consume
yon brash pretender in the Winds of Watoomb!
(Marvel Fanfare I#6/2)
May Bolts of Bedevilment
these "pumpkins" slow--
and hurl them back to confound my foe! (Doctor Strange
Sorcerer Supreme#11/1)
Primary effects: Depending on the spell or attack
they are countering. Usually invisible.
Collateral effects: None, or the same of the spell countered.
The names Bedevilling Bolts, Bedeviling
Bolts and Bolts of Bedevilment were used for the same
enchantment.
The Bolts of Baltkakk/Balthaakk are probably the
same thing of the Bedeviling/Bedevilling
Bolts but have no known connections to
any other item or character with a similar name.
images: (without ads)
Doctor Strange II#32, p16, p15 (Bolts of Balthakk against a demon-bird spreading circular spots of light)
Doctor Doom#5, p14, pan4 - (Doom shooting Bolts of Balthakk)
Doctor Strange II#40, (Bolt of Bedevilment spreading circular spots of light, by Lord Phyffe)
Doctor Strange II#69, p21, p4 (Bolts of Balthakk ascended to the storm)
Doctor Strange II#36, p3, p1 (deadly Bolts of Bedevilment by Ningal)
Strange Tales I#152, p4, p3 (Barrage of Bedevilling Bolts)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#40, p17, p1 (Bedeviling Bolts of Balthakk against D'Spayre)
Strange Tales I#156, p5, p1/2 (Umar found and grabbed the Ancient One using a Bolt of Bedevilment)
Marvel Fanfare I#6/2, p5, p1 (The Bolts hurled back to Ian McNee)
Doctor Strange II#39, p12 , pan4 (Hippocrates' bolt)
Appearances of the Bolts of Balthakk:
Doctor Strange II#32 (December, 1978) - Roger Stern
(writer), Alan Kupperberg (pencils), Rudy Nebres (inks), Françoise Mouly
(colors), Bob Hall (editor)
Doctor Strange Triumph
and Torment (April, 1991) - Roger Stern (writer), Mike Mignola
(pencils), Mark Badger (inks and colors), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme#40 (April, 1992) - Jean-Marc
Lofficier/Dann Thomas/Roy Thomas (writers), Geof Isherwood
(pencils), James Sanders III (inks), George Roussos (colors),
Michael Rockwitz (editor)
Defenders II#4 (June, 2001) - Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen (writers),
Ron Frenz (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Gregory Wright (colors),
Tom Brevoort (editor)
Defenders II#7 (September, 2001) - Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen
(writers), Erik Larsen (writer), Sal Buscema (inks), Tom
Smith/Gregory Wright (colors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Defenders II#8 (October, 2001) - Kurt Busiek/Erik Larsen/Eric
Stephenson (writers), Ron Frenz (writer), Al Vey (inks), Tom Smith
(colors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
The Order I#3 (June, 2002) - Kurt Busiek, Mary Jo Duffy (writer),
Matt Haley and Luke Ross (pencils), Dan Panosian (inks), Tom Smith
and Gregory Wright (colors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Doctor Doom#5 (April, 2020) - Christopher Cantwell (writer),
Salvador Larroca (pencils and inks), Guru eFX (colors), Tom Brevoort
(editor)
Appearances of the Bedeviling Bolts:
Strange Tales I#145 (June, 1966) - Denny O'Neil (writer), Steve Ditko (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Strange Tales I#152 (December, 1966) - Stan Lee (writer), Bill Everett (pencils and inks)
Strange Tales I#156 (May, 1967) - Stan Lee (writer), Marie Severin (pencils, inks and colors)
Defenders I#6 (June, 1973) - Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Frank McLaughlin (inks), Dave Hunt (colors), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#14 (July, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Daniel Green (inks), Glynis Oliver (colors), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#15 (September, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Glynis Oliver (colors), Roy Thomas (editor)
Defenders I#16 (October, 1974) - Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Glynis Oliver (colors), Roy Thomas (editor)
Doctor Strange II#36 (August, 1989) - Ralph Macchio and Roger Stern (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), George Roussos (colors), Mary Jo Duffy and Al Milgrom (editors)
Doctor Strange II#39 (February, 1980) - Chris Claremont (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Ben Sean (colors), Mary Jo Duffy and Al Milgrom (editors)
Doctor Strange II#40 (April, 1980) - Chris Claremont (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green and Ricardo Villamonte (inks), Ben Sean (colors), Mary Jo Duffy and Al Milgrom (editors)
Doctor Strange II#42 (August, 1980) - Chris Claremont (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Ben Sean (colors), Mary Jo Duffy (editor)
Doctor Strange II#44 (December, 1980) - Chris Claremont (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Mary Jo Duffy (editor)
Doctor Strange II#45 (February, 1981) - Chris Claremont (writers), Gene Colan (pencils), Frank Giacoia/Daniel Green/Allen Milgrom/Thomas Palmer/Wendy Pini/Josef Rubinstein/Walter Simonson/Bob Wiacek (inks), Carl Gafford (colors), Mary Jo Duffy (editor)
Doctor Strange II#46/2 (April, 1981) - Roger Stern (writer), Michael Golden (pencils), Philip Craig Russell (inks), Michael Golden (colors), Mary Jo Duffy (editor)
Moon Knight I#36 (March, 1984) - Alan Zelenetz (writer), Bo Hampton (pencils and inks), Ben Sean (colors), Dennis O'Neil (editor)
Doctor Strange II#57 (February, 1983) - Roger Stern (writer), Kevin Nowlan (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Bob Sharen (colors)
Doctor Strange II#69 (February, 1985) - Roger Stern (writer), Bret Blevins (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Bob Sharen (colors)
Doctor Strange II#79 (October, 1986) - Peter B. Gillis (writer), Chris Warner (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Bob Sharen (colors)
Strange Tales II#10/2 (January, 1988) - Peter B. Gillis (writer), Richard Case (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Carl Potts (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#12/1 (December, 1989) - Dann Thomas and Roy Thomas (writers), Jackson Guice (pencils and inks), Greg Wright (colors), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#38 (February, 1992) - Jean-Marc Lofficier/Dann Thomas/Roy Thomas (writers), Geof Isherwood (pencils), James Sanders III (inks), George Roussos (colors), Michael Rockwitz (editor)
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme#42 (June, 1992) - Roy Thomas (writer), Geof Isherwood (pencils and inks), George Roussos (colors), Michael Rockwitz (editor)
Defenders II#5 (July, 2001) - Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen (writers), Erik Larsen (pencils), Sal Buscema (inks), Color Arts/Greg Wright (colors), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Doctor Strange: From the Marvel Vault (April, 2011) - Joe Edkin and Roger Stern (writers), Neil Vokes (pencils), Jay Geldhof (inks), Lee Loughridge (colors), Thomas Brennan and Tom Brevoort (editors)
Marvel Super Heroes III#14/3 (July, 1993) - Jean-Marc Lofficier and Roy Thomas (writers), Greg LaRocque (pencils), Jerry Acerno and Vincent Colletta (inks), Joe Rosas (colors), Rob Tokar (editor)
First posted: 10/22/2007
Last updated: 06/15/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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