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Strange Tales #80

Jan 1961
Larry Lieber, Jack Kirby

Story Name:

What? What? What Was Gargantus!


Synopsis

Strange Tales #80 synopsis by Julio Molina-Muscara
Rating: 2.5 stars

Dan is an ocean explorer nearing retirement. He pilots a bathysphere one last time and discovers his son Billy stowed away to make that last trip with his dad. Thousands of feet under water, the bathysphere shakes: a huge reptilian humanoid monster grabs the cables connecting the submarine vehicle and follows them to the surface, taking Dan and Billy with it.

People can’t believe their eyes when the behemoth walks out the sea to explore. He calls himself Gargantus and believes his peers should leave the depths of the ocean to live on the surface.

The armed forces try stopping the monster in vain. Gargantus approaches to unleash his might on the helpless humans when, suddenly, he experiences trouble breathing and falls down, unconscious. The thin atmosphere is inappropriate for such beasts.

They return the giant monster into the sea as Billy claims to follow in his father’s footsteps, exploring the ocean's depths.

-- 



Story #2

The Things From Dimension X!

Synopsis

A scientist named Lynwood works on a dimension connector device of his invention, wishing to contact intelligent outer-dimensional beings in the name of science. But no labs take him seriously. After he’s fired from his position, he sets up a lab in a mountain cabin and finishes the device. But his tests fail. While resting, the machine works correctly and lets monsters from the Electra dimension to access our own.

They are four-armed reptile-like aliens who intend to slave mankind and conquer our world. Lynwood wakes and Koaa, the first alien to trespass, imprisons him in a force field unleashed from his hands.

Lynwood sees as more aliens pass through. The intruders walk out of the cabin and into the forest, confident that mankind won’t stop them. But gigantic humans face them! Their hand rays can do nothing against them. Out powered, the aliens decide to retreat, calling off the invasion.

Lynwood, unaware of what just happened, destroys his machine after the last alien leaves to prevent a new invasion. Then he walks out of the cabin and finds giant footprints. Following them, he reaches Mt Rushmore with the giant carvings of the four US presidents…

--


Story #3

The Door They Dare Not Open!

Synopsis

In a modern European prison, the new warden removed the bars from cells and asked guards to treat all prisoners with respect and kindness. He strongly believes such would make those criminals better men. His only rule is not opening a “forbidden door” in a corridor. Everyone obeys that rule.

But a new inmate called Bruno Zuknik thinks the door can lead to his escape. He opens it and enters a gloomy room where he finds… a fishlike man! He is an alien pilot and on his starship, takes Zuknik to a primitive planet called Centurius III. Zuknik will do hard labor until he completes his sentence, to return to Earth with no memory of what’s happened. v

The fishlike pilot returns to the European prison. Using a secret passageway, he enters the warden’s office, and turns into the warden! What a way to recruit undesirable individuals for hard labor.

The prison has nothing to worry; they actually lost no prisoners.

--


Story #4

Trapped in the Room of Shadows

Synopsis

Sanford Kindwell, an old individual, was the richest man alive, and the most generous. He believed the fabled two wishing stones (which granted a sole wish) were real. As his last venture, he set to find them and wish happiness and prosperity for all of mankind.

Following a year of misleading information, he discovered the stones may be at an old Tibetan ruined temple. Local guides were afraid of visiting the area (the Taboo land), so Kindwell took his own assistant, Kroger, as guide.

They reached the temple after a harsh expedition and spent “months” (?!) looking for the stones. One day, Kindwell discovered a secret tunnel to a chamber protected by a golden door. A wishing stone was in that chamber; strange shadows formed on the rocky walls. But as Kindwell lifted the stone to make his good wish for all mankind, Kroger hit him from behind, grabbed the stone and left the chamber, slamming the golden door. Such caused a cave in that blocked the gate, leaving Kindwell stuck in the chamber.

Kroger asked the stone to make him the richest man in the world. Suddenly, his soul left his body and entered that of Sandord Kindwell’s. And vice versa. Now Kindwell was free and in a younger body. And Kroger, screaming for help, a trapped old man.

Unable to use the stone again (it grants a single wish), the new Kindwell set to find the second stone and started moving boulders aside to free his traitorous assistant. A freedom impossible to attain; the new Kroger had little air left to breathe.

--



 

Review / Commentaries


Strange Tales #80 Review by (September 28, 2024)

The two first stories are nothing out of the ordinary: monsters or aliens wanting to conquer the world. The last two stories caught my attention.

By using kindness, “The Door They Dare Not Open!” (#3), with a science fiction tone, tells of an ingenious way to find candidates who really deserve to do hard labor.

And “Trapped in the Room of Shadows“ (#4), with a mystic glamour, presents us two individuals. One is a wonderful, wealthy yet simple kind man. And the other is the exact opposite: a selfish, cruel, dishonest person. The contrast between good and evil often seen in the superhero, super villain world, here represented by two real men. A story with a message: be kind. (I almost gave it a 5 star, but their search for the stones took “months”. In the middle of nowhere and alone, such sounds illogical. It’s a mystery how they fed, or where they bathed, to say the least). 



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