Meet Zelma Stanton, the Resident Librarian of All Things Magic

From awe-inspiring wonders to nightmare-inducing horrors, the mystical secrets of the Marvel Universe are known only to a few — and Zelma Stanton might be their most unlikely keeper.

Zelma initially sought out Doctor Strange when a supernatural parasite targeted her. The Sorcerer Supreme welcomed her into his world as a personal librarian, an apprentice, and a friend. Even in her short time as a magician, Zelma has already faced powerful mystical gods and shared her knowledge with the next generation of mystics.

From the halls of Strange Academy to the bizarre realm of Weirdworld, Zelma has traveled all over the Marvel Universe to become one of the most impressive young magicians. Stephen Strange once called Zelma Stanton "the author of all things magic." Let's revisit some of her most magical moments to find out how she earned that title.

MEETING DOCTOR STRANGE

Zelma Stanton was just an ordinary librarian in the Bronx. But when a legion of Mind Maggots fed on her psychic energy, Zelma walked into Doctor Strange’s world in DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1 by Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo. After her unusual condition scared medical doctors, Zelma went to the Sanctum Sanctorum, where mystical parasites began flowing out of her head.

Strange took Zelma around the mansion and introduced her to Wong, his assistant and a skilled magic-user in his own right. To lure the parasite back to Zelma, Strange and Wong convinced her to scream her deepest secrets out loud. As Strange absorbed the creatures, he sensed a mystical crisis brewing and asked Zelma to help him sort out his immense collection of magical books as the Sanctum’s official librarian.

THE LAST DAYS OF MAGIC

During "The Last Days of Magic," the inter-dimensional army of robots and creatures known as the Empirikul launched an all-out war on magic in the Marvel Universe. Under the leadership of the science-obsessed Imperator, the Empirikul destroyed countless spells and mystical objects. To prevent the eradication of magic, Doctor Strange gathered the realm’s remaining mystical power for a last stand in the Sanctum Sanctorum.

As the Sorcerer Supreme struggled to stop the Imperator in DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #10, Zelma gave him some life-saving help. From a hidden mystical outpost in the Himalayas, Zelma reaffirmed her belief in magic and remotely absorbed some of Strange’s mystical pain. The noble act inspired Wong and others around the world to share the burden of Strange’s pain, which gave him the strength to defeat the Imperator.

REBUILDING STRANGE'S LIBRARY

When Zelma started working for Doctor Strange, she helped him organize the mess he called a library. But after "The Last Days of Magic" rewrote mystical rules and rendered scores of spells useless, Zelma suddenly took on one of the most important jobs in the universe. Where she once had to use special gloves to handle books that smoked, crackled, and fizzed with mystical energy, Zelma now sorted through a vast library of ancient spells that no longer worked and kept record of new spells that did in DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #11.

As she rebuilt Strange’s mystical library page by page, Zelma developed a formidable awareness of the magic that still functioned across the Marvel Universe. Through her meticulous bookkeeping, Zelma functionally became the author of all things magic in the Marvel Universe. Although she was new to magic, Zelma had enough knowledge to help Strange face threats like Baron Mordo.

BECOMING DOCTOR STRANGE'S APPRENTICE

Zelma officially became Doctor Strange's apprentice in DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #20. While trapped in the bizarre mystical realm known as Weirdworld on the hunt for some magical objects, Zelma protected an injured Strange by casting a few spells. To keep him safe, she transferred some of his pain and suffering onto herself. When Strange recovered, he returned the favor and shared some mystical antibodies with Zelma.

Much like the Sorcerer Supreme, Zelma could see the magic hidden in the world and could eat bizarre magical food. Although Strange told her that she could return to her normal life without magic, she chose to follow him even more closely as his apprentice.

STOLE LOKI AND STRANGE'S MAGIC

During one of their relatively heroic phases, Loki tried to teach Doctor Strange a lesson by stealing his title as the Sorcerer Supreme, taking over the Sanctum Sanctorum, and getting close to Zelma. However, Strange secretly hid a powerful spell called the Exile of Singhsoon within Zelma to stop Loki from absorbing all of the magical power in the world.

Empowered by Asgardian magic, Strange confronted Loki, leaving Zelma with no choice but to stop the powerhouses from fighting each other in DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #384 by Donny Cates and Gabriel Hernandez Walta. By calling on the Sands of the Nishanti, Zelma depowered both powerful magicians for three minutes. Despite her efforts to stop the fight, the battle went on when the sinister entity known as the Void possessed Strange. Loki stopped the Void by tearing the spell out of Zelma's soul.

DEFEATING A FALTINE

As one of the Faltine, a race of ancient mystical beings with flaming heads, Dormammu has long reigned as one of Doctor Strange's oldest and most powerful foes. When Dormammu conquered the Faltine Dimension, he proceeded to attack Earth with a few of his fellow Faltinians. While Doctor Strange dealt with Dormammu, Zelma, Wong, and the alien magician Kanna faced the other Faltine in DOCTOR STRANGE (2018) #11 by Mark Waid, Jesus Saiz, and Javier Pina.

After the Ancient One shared his mystical knowledge, Zelma and the other sorcerers each took on a Faltine. By combining the Ancient One’s knowledge with her own mystical research, Zelma defeated a Faltine with a single energy blast. The heroes then joined forces to help Strange defeat Dormammu. Impressed by her mystical acumen, the Ancient One personally asked Zelma to build him a library of magical knowledge.

TEACHING AT STRANGE ACADEMY

Despite Zelma being a relatively new magician, Doctor Strange still recruited her to teach the next generation of magic users at his new school, Strange Academy. Along with veteran conjurers like Doctor Voodoo and Magik, Zelma instructed students like Zoe Laveau and Doyle Dormammu, who all came from distant corners of the Marvel Universe.

Zelma held many roles at the school’s main New Orleans campus. In addition to helping the young Emily Bright travel to and enroll in the school, Zelma served as Strange Academy’s resident librarian in STRANGE ACADEMY (2020) #1 by Skottie Young and Humberto Ramos. She also taught classes on inter-dimensional geography and anatomy, giving lessons on thousands of species. While many of the school's instructors had other responsibilities outside of academia, Zelma remained as one of the Strange Academy's most consistent presences.

THE DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE

When the sorcerer Kaecilius murdered Doctor Strange, he kicked off a mystical crisis that reverberated throughout the universe in DEATH OF DOCTOR STRANGE (2021) #1 by Jed McKay and Lee Garbett. Zelma felt the mystical earthquake caused by the death of the Sorcerer Supreme while working in the Strange Academy library. Along with Wong and Doctor Voodoo, Zelma immediately traveled to the Sanctum Sanctorum and found Strange’s corpse.

In the moments after Strange’s death, the mystical barriers he maintained while alive fell simultaneously worldwide. Captain America immediately called the Sanctum and Zelma helped coordinate the response to the invading extra-dimensional threats. Never one without contingencies, a remnant of a Doctor Strange from the past appeared to lead the investigation into Strange’s murder. As the case was being solved, Zelma returned to Strange Academy, where she and the other instructors briefly sent all students home.

STRANGE ACADEMY'S FIELD TRIP

Once class was back in session at Strange Academy, Zelma took a group of students to a Multiversal Math Bowl at New York’s Brooklyn Visions Academy in STRANGE ACADEMY: MILES MORALES (2023) #1. At the event, a squad of fairies from Otherworld attacked the participants, causing Zelma and the Strange Academy students to jump into action.

Equation, a mystic who mixed math and magic in a unique discipline he called "Enchantimatics," ran the math bowl. The villain trapped Zelma and threatened magic across the Multiverse, leading the Strange Academy students to team up with Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and the revived Doctor Strange to free their possessed classmates. After the school trip wound up as a fiasco, Zelma tried to resign from Strange Academy for endangering her students. However, the kids insisted she stayed and told Doctor Voodoo she deserved a raise, cementing her as one of Strange Academy’s most beloved mystical mentors.

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