Strange Tales (1951 series) #110

While the Human Torch recalls his battles against two of his deadliest enemies—the Wizard and Paste-Pot Pete—the latter plots his revenge and helps the Wizard escape from prison to join him in defeating the Torch.

The villains first attempt to discredit the Human Torch by accusing him of being an enemy spy through the media, a smear campaign that gains some traction.

Eventually, they lure the Torch into their lair and trap him in a room full of mirrors, intending to flood it with a fire-extinguishing substance designed to kill him.

But the Human Torch unleashes his full flame power just in time, escapes the trap, and captures both villains, who are promptly handed over to the police.

Fortunately, Johnny Storm’s name is cleared of the false accusations. However, a new concern looms: he has school exams the next day and must study all night to make up for lost time.

--

We Search the Stars!

Synopsis

By Julio MM
Rating:

Brilliant astronomer Sir Edward Ramsay theorizes the existence of two other human-like races in the galaxy—one primitive, the other highly advanced. Hoping to learn from the latter, a space expedition under Ramsay’s direction is launched.

The crew explores several planets showing signs of life but no human presence, until they arrive on a world inhabited by a group of primitive-looking men.

When these caveman-like beings surround them, Ramsay and his team panic and fire their weapons to scare them off—only to discover their pistols no longer function. They retreat to their spaceship and hastily take off to continue their search… in vain.

The primitive-looking men communicate telepathically. It is revealed that they used their mental powers to disable the weapons.

The story concludes with a pointed moral: appearances can be deceiving, and it is a mistake to judge intelligence or worth by outward form alone.

--

Dr. Strange, Master of Black Magic!

Synopsis

By Julio MM
Rating:

Haunted by relentless nightmares, a desperate man seeks help from a master of black magic residing in Greenwich Village, New York—Doctor Strange.

Doctor Strange instructs the man to sleep and enters the nightmare realm using his metaphysical spirit. There, he encounters a cloaked, chained figure who torments the man for reasons known only to him. The entity reveals a name to Strange: Mr. Crang.

Suddenly, an ancient foe of Doctor Strange appears in the dream dimension—Nightmare, riding a dark stallion. At that moment, the man awakens, disturbed by the mention of Crang, and grabs a gun, aiming it at Strange’s entranced body, which is defenseless.

Strange calls upon his master, the Ancient One, who activates the Eye of Agamotto, hypnotically paralyzing the man before he can act.

Strange’s mystic form evades Nightmare and returns to his physical body. After disarming his patient, the man confesses that he had ruined many lives—Crang being the most recent—though no one had ever been able to prove it. Now, he vows to confess everything, hoping to finally sleep in peace.

--

Characters
Good (or All)

 

Doctor Strange
(Dr Strange)

 

Wong

Plus: Ancient One (Yao).

Enemies

 

Nightmare