Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #3
Published May 1970
Frequency bi-monthly
Cover Price 0.15 USD
Pages 36
Editing Stan Lee

Cover Details - "The Monster Called... Grottu!"

Characters Grottu
Genre monsters
Pencils Marie Severin (signed) [as 7]
Inks Bill Everett (signed) [as EV]
Notes Artists' signatures found to the right of the bottom of the stairs.

6 page story "Grottu, King of the Insects!"

Characters Frank [Ulysses Bloodstone] (earliest published appearance according to later continuity); Lynn Avery (only appearance); Kasenga (only appearance); Grottu (introduction, origin)
Synopsis The radiation from atomic bomb tests mutates a common ant, increasing his size and strength a thousand fold, and grants him human-level intellect. Calling himself Grottu, he declares himself king of all insects, and sets about on a plan to conquer the world, starting with Kenya. His efforts are foiled by an adventurer, who succeeds in turning Grotto's ant followers against him, leaving him for dead.
Genre monsters
Pencils Jack Kirby
Inks Bill Everett
Notes Grottu next appears in Marvel Monsters: Monsters on the Prowl (Marvel, 2005 series) #1 (December 2005). In later retcons it is established that Grottu's creation was planned by the Deviants. Unconfirmed writer and letterer credits removed pending some information supporting an attribution (17-02-2010).
Reprinted from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #73 (February 1960)

5 page story "I Fought the Colossus!"

Characters Prof. Reynolds; Colossus [supercomputer] (only appearance for both)
Synopsis An advanced supercomputer turns Earth into a utopia, but suspicion remains, only to be inflamed when it is found to be building a giant robot. Humanity turns on the computer and destroys the robot, only to find that it was intended to replace the supercomputer, which breaks down, leaving humanity without its intelligence.
Genre science fiction
Pencils Jack Kirby
Inks Steve Ditko
Notes Narrated in the first person.
Reprinted from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #72.

4 page story "The Gargoyle!"

Synopsis An ugly man rejected by society applies for a job in a freak show. It turns out to be a ruse by a race of aliens who are uniformly gorgeous, and so want a man with an ugly face they find fascinating to marry their queen.
Genre science fiction
Pencils Paul Reinman
Inks Paul Reinman
Notes Narrated in the first person.
Reprinted from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #78 (November 1960) [reformatted and abridged]

7 page story "A Martian Walks Among Us!"

Synopsis A man happens upon a Martian spy in human form scouting Earth for an invasion but cannot get the authorities to believe him. He tracks down and kills the Martian, revealing that he himself is a Venusian agent in disguise working to protect Earth.
Genre science fiction
Pencils Jack Kirby (signed)
Inks Dick Ayers (signed)
Notes Narrated in the first person. Unconfirmed writer and letterer credits removed due to lack of clear attribution (19-02-2010).
Reprinted from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #78 (November 1960)