Rolling into week three of my Halloween coverage, this book is an interesting one. First and foremost because the lead story isn’t even (really) horror. But that’s getting ahead of things. The first five issues of this series were all new material, but then it changed to a mixed bag including reprints after that until the last issue (9). This specific issue has only one new story, but it’s a good one! And the reprints are nothing to scoff at either. The creators in this book are outstanding, real storytellers that have a track record for awesome output. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that the cover is by a master like Bernie Wrightson either!

The first story is called “Sanctuary.” It’s about a warrior king named Hamand, who has just conquered a mystical land known as Cybernia (an REH reference?). He seems to have overtaken all the foreign forces, but there is one thing he didn’t count on, and that is sorcery! This crazy sword and sorcery yarn was written, penciled and inked by Wally Wood! He does an excellent job with this quasi-Arthurian tale, and I feel as though the story and art jump off of the page and right into my mind. This is definitely one of my favorite stories by Wood. Letters by Artie Simek.

The next story is one of those quirky stories from the Atlas Age (pre-Marvel Age, 1961). In “Behold! I Am the Master of Time!,” a antique shop owner decides to use an ancient book of black magic to build an occult time machine! He’s going to try and steal antiquities from centuries past to keep his business afloat, but he didn’t count on his machine running on electricity, which doesn’t exist in the 18th century! Art by Steve Ditko (no writer credits found).

Next up is “I Found the Hidden World!” A man awakens from a nightmare, then thinks to himself about a horrible day he had recently when he discovered a portal to another world that’s inhabited by monstrous looking creatures! Written by Stan Lee (or Larry Lieber) with art by Don Heck!

Lastly we get “My Touch Means Doom!” A young man needs to scare up some cash quickly for an operation for his wife. He devises a plan to rob a bank. He evades the police but crashes near a radioactive test site. He begins to glow and anything he touches immediately dies! Can he escape the authorities and get the money to the hospital? Or does he even need to? Written by Stan Lee (or possibly Larry Lieber), with art by Don Heck!

Well, there you have it! A super cool sword and sorcery story by the legend himself, Woody, a strange tale by Sturdy Steve, and a double dose of Dashing Don Heck (at his best as far as creepiness)! Another week and another horror comic! Stay tuned as next week there shall be even more!