py> c = complex(1, 3)
py> print c
(1+3j)
py> d = complex('1+3j')
py> print d
(1+3j)
py> str(1+3j)
'(1+3j)'complex takes two numbers, or a string representing a complex number. the string you supply isn't a representation of valid complex number. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
