Story #2I Found The Lair of... The Lizard Men
Writer:
Larry Lieber. Penciler/Inker:
Don Heck.
Synopsis
Erik Kane is a clever, mean criminal serving a life sentence in an African prison. Tricking a guard, he escapes into the jungle and hides behind a waterfall to escape the hounds, finding a secret cave. But as he walked in it, hoping to find an exit, he stumbled upon a lizard-like man. Running for his life, he ended up in a chamber where many lizard men surrounded him. The only source of light was a gigantic diamond.
The lizard men were peaceful and spoke like humans. They welcomed Kane to their dark, hidden world. Allowing his criminal mind to control him, the ungrateful inmate took the diamond and ran away. Lizard men could not chase him; they cannot breathe the air near the surface. One warned Kane that holding the diamond for long was dangerous.
Kane almost reached the waterfall when he started having problems breathing and realized he had turned into a lizard man! The diamond caused the metamorphosis. Back in the chamber with the rest of the reptilian humanoids, he sat alone, an outcast for his evil doings, forever a prisoner, losing even his humanity.
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Story #3I Must Find Korumbu!
Writer:
Stan Lee. Penciler/Inker:
Steve Ditko.
Synopsis
Hugo Barge was a rich, cruel businessman with an obesity problem. The doctor told him he should lose weight or he would die. Barge tried everything: diets, exercise, potions, pills, foreign gurus, but nothing worked. Word got to Barge that a gypsy man called Korumbu could make anyone lose weight yet continue eating at will.
Barge offered Korumbu vast amounts of money for his solution. But Korumbu replied his potion was not ready. Barge insisted, threatening to reveal the gypsy's location to the police if denied, causing his people getting arrested or deported. Barge drunk the potion and blacked out, but when he recovered, he learned he was losing weight. His happiness was short-lived, though. He kept losing weight! Worried for the exact opposite of getting fat, a slim Barge ate like never, having his men look for Korumbu, his only hope of a cure, at all costs.
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Story #4Who is the Ape Man?
Writer:
Larry Lieber. Penciler/Inker:
Paul Reinman.
Synopsis
Bruno Storme was the strongest man alive. He worked at a circus and was famous for his feats of strength. But he was cruel to animals. He often tormented a gorilla called Kazar with firecrackers, despite Pierre Duval’s complaints, the animal trainer.
Storme disregarded Duval, literally tossed him aside and continued tormenting the beast. Duval vowed for revenge.
One day, Storme asked the audience for a challenger. A large silent man responded and beat Storme in every feat. With his pride awfully hurt, Storme tried hitting the man, but he got knocked instead. The large man carried Storme away, placed him in a freight train wagon, and then left.
Suddenly, Duval appeared, and removed the strongman’s clothes, revealing he was Kazar, the gorilla, wearing a human mask! And Duval, happy for obtaining revenge from Storme, removed his own human mask, revealing he was a smart, talking chimpanzee.
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