| Characters |
Adam Strange; Alanna; Jakarta (a dust devil; name revealed in this story; last seen in Mystery In Space #68; next seen in Mystery In Space #84); unnamed citizens of Melbourne, Australia; unnamed citizens of Ranagar; a female hobby shop clerk in Melbourne |
| Synopsis |
Adam Strange intercepts the Zeta Beam at Lake Makadi, Tanganyica, Africa and returns to Rann, unknowingly carrying Jakarta, the last surviving Dust Devil, who had hidden in Adam's holster on the planet Rhynthar [see Mystery In Space #68]. It found a way to avoid being turned into glass like the rest of his race and, seeking revenge, he attacks Ranangar. The Zeta radiation wears off and returns the pair to Earth [which the dust devil also plans to conquer] near Melbourne, Australia. Adam accidentally discovers that static electricity can freeze Jakarta, traps him with a Wimshurst Machine [a machine that discharges electricity] and then turns the Dust Devil over to Australian authorities where [as revealed in Mystery In Space #84] he is immobilized and kept in a prison laboratory. |
| Genre |
Adventure; Science Fiction |
| Script |
Gardner Fox |
| Pencils |
Carmine Infantino |
| Inks |
Murphy Anderson |
| Notes |
Adam is given a replacement jet-rocket for the one he lost in Mystery In Space #69; its revealed that Adam has a secret hideaway in the Australian Outback; writer Fox took the name Jakarta from the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Sardath does not appear in this story. Pencil and ink credits confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics, November 2008. |
| Reprinted |
in Strange Adventures (DC, 1950 series) #230 (May-June 1971); in Adam Strange Archives, The (DC, 2004 series) #2 (November 2006); in Showcase Presents: Adam Strange (DC, 2007 series) #1 (August 2007) |
| Characters |
Doctor Fred Gibson; his fiance Elsa; archeologist Phil Travis; ancient Jovian scientist Halfar Kal |
| Synopsis |
In the year 2178, Doctor Fred Gibson is on frozen Jupiter and searching for his fiance Elsa. His romantic rival, archeologist Phil Travis, finds her first but lacks the medical knowledge to treat her properly. Gibson, however, finds ancient Jovian technology that telepathically reveals its history: Jovian scientist Halfar Kal invented a "Droga Ray" that artificially evolved the Jovians into pure energy, allowing them to travel throughout the galaxy. Gibson uses the ray on himself and -- as an invisible energy being -- helps Travis save Elsa. Travis returns to Earth, but the grateful Elsa opts to stay with Gibson, her true love, who used the ray a second time to return to normal. |
| Genre |
Science fiction |
| Script |
Gardner Fox |
| Pencils |
Murphy Anderson (signed) |
| Inks |
Murphy Anderson (signed) |
| Notes |
Murphy Anderson's signature is on the last story page. Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics (April 2007). |
| Reprinted |
In From Beyond the Unknown #11 (DC, 1969 series) (June-July 1971) |
| Characters |
Space adventurer Jon Drum from the planet Ildaric; his best friend, Lars Korn; reporter Harl Vincent; dignitaries in in the Solar Hall on Earthport Los Frisco; warrior Klinn crewmen; cloud creatues on the planet Tantamar; silicon creatures from Alphard; a trapped miner |
| Synopsis |
We are introduced to the many heroic exploits of space adventurer Jon Drum: on the planet Tantamar he defeats cloud creatues to free the Illkanov race; on a moon in the Aldebaranian system bests silicon creatures from Alphard; he escapes from a magnetic maelstorm in the constellation Bootes; and, finally, he saves a miner on Zeta Virgo's fifth planet -- where he also finds an ancient weapon. He is about to be honored with a Space Cross for Valor at the Solar Hall on Earthport Los Frisco when reporter Harl Vincent of the Space-Time Magazine claims he witnessed an android duplicate of Drum performing at least one of Drum's adventures. Drum refuses to defend himself and leaves for home in disgrace, but is captured by the warrior race, the Klinn. But its all a ruse so that Drum can penetrate the Dissimatter barrier protecting the Klinn home world, use the ancient weapon he found to defeat them and rescue several captured scientists. Exonerated, he returns to the Solar Hall for his medals. |
| Genre |
Science Fiction |
| Script |
Gardner Fox |
| Pencils |
Sid Greene |
| Inks |
Sid Greene |
| Notes |
Sid Greene's trademark caricature of editor Julius Scwartz appears on page 3; writer Fox uses the name of several bright stars for locations in this story, most of which have Arabic roots [Aldebaran, Alphard, Zeta Virgo, Sheratan]; Fox likely took Korn's name from a small city in Russia; the real life Harl Vincent (1893 - 1968) was a pulp SF writer who wrote for Argosy, Astounding and many others, including Julius Schwartz's fanzine, Fantasy Magazine, in 1935. Pencil and ink credits confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics, November 2008. |