Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #124
Published September 1964
Frequency monthly
Cover Price 0.12 USD
Pages 36
Editing Stan Lee
Notes Distributed to newstands in June 1964. This issue includes 10 pages of paid advertisements, and is the third issue of Strange Tales without text pages Distribution date from Joseph Marek's Marvel Comics Group history website.

Cover Details - "Paste-Pot-Pete!/The Lady from Nowhere!"

Characters Thing [Ben Grimm]; Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Paste-Pot Pete [Peter Petruski]; Cleopatra VII; Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee
Pencils Dick Ayers (signed)(upper section); Steve Ditko (lower section)
Inks Dick Ayers (signed)(upper section); George Roussos (lower section)
Colors Stan Goldberg ?
Notes The Doctor Strange portion of the cover consists of two images taken from the interior story by Ditko and Roussos, per Rob Allen, via the GCD Errors list, August 2009.
Reprinted in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]; in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2 (2009)

14 page The Human Torch and the Thing story "Paste-Pot-Pete"

Characters Human Torch [Johnny Storm]; Thing [Ben Grimm]; Paste-Pot Pete [Peter Petruski]; Doris Evans
Synopsis Trying to tell Johnny that Paste-Pot Pete was paroled (for helping The Avengers), Ben & Johnny get into a brawl. Tired of being thought of as a clown, Pete completely redesigns his costume, then takes on The Thing while he's flying his part of the Fantasti-Car. As he's about to go help Ben, Johnny's told by Doris that if he leaves in the middle of their date, he needn't bother returning. After a fierce battle, Ben & Johnny triumph, and after an "explanation," Doris forgives Johnny.
Genre superhero
Script Stan Lee (co-plot, script); Dick Ayers (co-plot, un-credited)
Pencils Dick Ayers
Inks Paul Reinman
Letters Artie Simek
Notes This is the third appearance of Paste-Pot Pete; he last appears in the Avengers (Marvel, 1963 series) #6 (July 1964)—where he was incorrectly drawn as The Wizard—he next appears in Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #36 (March 1965). Stan announces that due to poular demand, Johnny and Ben will co-star in every issue from now on. Colors credit for Stan Goldberg removed due to lack of attribution. (31/03/2010)
Reprinted in Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1966 series) #26 (May 1970); in Fantastici Quattro, I (Editoriale Corno, 1971 series) #25 (March 7, 1972) [as "Pete l'uomo di colla", Italian translation]; in Essential Human Torch (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: The Human Torch (Marvel, 2006 series) #2 (2009)

9 page Dr. Strange Master of the Mystic Arts! story "The Lady From Nowhere!"

Characters Doctor Strange [Stephen Strange]; Zota; Cleopatra VII; Ancient One [Yao]; Mark Antony (cameo)
Synopsis Sensing sorcery, Strange finds a woman wandering the streets under a spell. After guiding her to his house, he consults his mentor. Strange travels into the past, though he's warned that if the candle employed in the spell goes out, he will be trapped there forever. In Ancient Egypt, he battles a wizard, Zota, then removes his power. While returning to the present, the candle flickers out! But Strange is able to use the light from his amulet to guide his way, just barely making it back. Strange reveals the woman is Cleopatra, sent to the future when she scorned Zota. He sends her back to her waiting Mark Antony.
Genre superhero
Script Steve Ditko (plot, un-credited); Stan Lee (script)
Pencils Steve Ditko
Inks George Roussos [as Geo. Bell]
Letters Sam Rosen
Notes Zota's "impulse transmitter" (magic mirror), through which Strange arrives and leaves in Ancient Egypt, is strikingly similar to one used in the Doctor Who story, "The Pyramids Of Mars" (1975). Stan Goldberg colors credit removed due to lack of attribution. (31/03/2010)
Reprinted in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics (Marvel, 1965 series) #15 (June 1968); in Strange Tales (Marvel, 1973 series) #182 (November 1975); in Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts (Pocket Books, 1978 series) #nn [1]; in Marvel Masterworks (Marvel, 1987 series) #23 (1992); in Essential Dr. Strange (Marvel, 2001 series) #1 (December 2001) [black & white]; in Marvel Masterworks: Doctor Strange (Marvel, 2003 series) #1 (2003)

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Two More Triumphs for Marvel..!"

Notes Advertises Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964) and Marvel Tales Annual (Marvel, 1964 series) #1 (1964). Printed between the pages of the Dr. Strange story.

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Two More Triumphs for Marvel..!"

Notes Advertises Daredevil (Marvel, 1964 series) #3 (August 1964) and Fantastic Four (Marvel, 1961 series) #30 (September 1964). Printed after the Dr. Strange story.