Tales to Astonish Vol 1 22

A high-school student volunteers to man a governmental mining drill experiment near the grand canyon. When he descends, he meets a tribe of primitive cavepeople who live underground being harried by a crawling reptile. The boy's gun cannot slay the beast, but it annoys the creature into following him up the drill's shaft. At the edge of the grand canyon, the boy uses a hand mirror to reflect light into the creature's eyes and dazzle it into toppling over the ledge. The creature doesn't fall, however, so the boy bravely decides to sacrifice himself by descending to the canyon floor thus ensuring the creature will follow and be trapped by the sheer walls. A passing helicopter sees the boy just moments before he is seized by the creature, and lowers a rope ladder, saving the boy and leaving the monster stranded at the bottom of the grand canyon.

Appearing in "Patent Pending"

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Mystic #47

Synopsis for "Patent Pending"

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Mystic #47

A text story about a teenager inventing a mechanical potato peeler, but a supernatural figure stops him to preserve the culture of hand-peeling potatoes in kitchens.

Appearing in "Help!"

Featured Characters:

Unnamed Writer

Supporting Characters:

Typewriter's Previous Owner

Other Characters:

Mr. Brown

Races and Species:

Humans
Turtles (Referenced)

Locations:

Earth
- United States of America
  - Elm Street
    - Brown's Typewriter Shop
  - Route 42
  - Liberty Road

Items:

Typewriter

Synopsis for "Help!"

A man buys a second-hand typewriter, which only seems to write the same message. The typewriter is typing an address of some kind. The man decides to go to the address given, and he finds the previous owner of the typewriter in danger. The man rescues the previous owner.

Appearing in "For Whom the Drum Beats!"

Featured Characters:

Max Kole

Supporting Characters:

Swinging Six (Band)
- Taps
- Four unnamed others

Antagonists:

Grimm the Gypsy

Other Characters:

Korak (Mentioned)

Races and Species:

Locations:

Earth
- Europe
  - Transylvania

Items:

Cursed Drumsticks

Synopsis for "For Whom the Drum Beats!"

A second-string drummer is envious of another member of the band, and so when he hears about a local gypsy, he goes to see her about improving his playing ability. At first, she refuses to help him because she can tell he is asking out of impure motives, but he threatens her with violence and so she casts her spell. At first, he is happy with his new fame as an excellent drummer, until he realizes...that he can never stop.

Notes

"I Dared to Battle The Crawling Creature! / I Dared to Battle The Crawling Creature! Part 2" is reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell #13.
"Help!" is reprinted in Creatures on the Loose #15 & Crypt of Shadows #21.
"For Whom the Drum Beats!" is reprinted in Creatures on the Loose #20.

Links and References

References