Although Journey into Mystery is doubtless best remembered for introducing Thor in JiM #83, the title was a horror title before that, and would have a stint as a reprint book in the 70's for more Marvel nightmares. Like this one! From 1975, Journey into Mystery #16, featuring a John Romita cover. My quarter bin copy has the Charles Atlas coupon cut out of it! Hopefully somebody got as swole as they wanted or mastered muscle mystery or whatever...
Every once in a while, one of these little stories seems to stumble across a little truth: sometimes those among us with the most can be the most cruel. And sometimes things might be better without them. That's the case in "The Man Who Said 'No'" (Art by Angelo Torres, no writing credit in the GCD.) Rich Jonathon Bascombe has a couple fun hobbies: watching ants climb to the top of his anthill then knocking them down, and saying 'no.' When an old scientist friend asks for five grand to complete his "cellular project," you can guess Bascombe's answer; although admittedly the scientist does not pitch it very well. "For science's sake" is not going to make you any friends...Saying no was so fun Bascombe decides to visit him, pretend to be reconsidering, then say no again; but while examining the scientist's formula he's struck by lightning; cue ironic fate. Still kinda fun, and only four pages.
"The Rag Doll!" puts a much friendlier spin on the traditional evil dolly story, with art by George Roussos. In "The Old Man's Secret!" Larner seeks immortality in Tibet, but makes a wrong assumption that would cost him. (Also, why would he want to be immortal if it meant being immobile and completely dependent on others? Unless he knew hell was real and he'd done some stuff...) Art by John Giunta.
"The Thing in the Jungle!" has an ending I think used to be more common in these stories, but I hadn't come across one in a bit: the "what would you do?" There's no continuity or anything in these, so write your protagonist into a corner, it's fine. (Art by Bernard Baily.) Finally, there's "Inside the Mummy Case," with art by Joe Orlando: a museum guard is compelled to try and open a secret compartment in a sarcophagus, but the curator warns him there's no prize inside.
You've defintiely got a point about the downsides to living eternally as a doll. Even Chucky hates it.
ReplyDeleteThe Man who likes to say No a lot could easily be re-told in the modern era.....and probably as a certain baby-handed, angry orange president....