| Issue | #9 |
| Published | May 1960 |
| Frequency | bi-monthly |
| Cover Price | 0.10 USD |
| Pages | 36 |
| Editing | Stan Lee |
| Notes | Distributed to newstands in December 1959. This issue includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. All new stories in this issue are narrated in the first person unless otherwise specified. Distribution date from Joseph Marek's Marvel Comics Group history website. |
| Characters | Diablo |
| Genre | monsters |
| Pencils | Jack Kirby |
| Inks | Dick Ayers |
| Reprinted | in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |
| Characters | Diablo; Ulysses Bloodstone (unnamed, identified in later retcon) |
| Synopsis | An extradimensional smoke monster invades the Earth. It could have destroyed humanity, but an adventurer tricks it by blowing out the smoke from a lighter, making it think humans can destroy it. |
| Genre | monsters |
| Pencils | Jack Kirby |
| Inks | Dick Ayers |
| Reprinted | in Strange Tales Annual (Marvel, 1962 series) #1 (1962); in Monsters on the Prowl (Marvel, 1971 series) #30 (October 1974); in James Bond (Semic Press AB, 1965 series) #17/[1971] (October 1971) [as "Jag såg Diablo! Demonen från den femte dimensionen", Swedish translation]; in James Bond (Semic Press AB, 1965 series) #2/1982 (February 1982) [as "Jag såg Diablo! Demonen från den femte dimensionen", Swedish translation]; in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |
| Characters | Bruce Morton; Miss Coleman |
| Synopsis | A wealthy but unhappy man is motivated to change his life by the vision of his past that he sees in his mirror. |
| Genre | occult |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | The first page of this story is printed between the lead story and "The Wrath of Chondu!", while the second page is printed between "Earth Will Be Destroyed!" and "The Return of the Living Robot!". The last page is split with the statement of ownership. |
| Reprinted | from Marvel Tales (Marvel, 1949 series) #143 (February 1956) |
| Characters | Chondu [Harvey Schlerman] (introduction); Joe Parker |
| Synopsis | A mystic is accosted by an escaped convict on the road, but mentally sends him to Limbo. |
| Genre | occult |
| Pencils | Doug Wildey |
| Inks | Doug Wildey |
| Notes | Chondu next appears in Defenders (Marvel, 1972 series) #21 (March 1975). This story is retold in Journey Into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #76 (January 1962) as "Mind Over Matter!" drawn by Don Heck. |
| Reprinted | in Weird Wonder Tales (Marvel, 1973 series) #7 (December 1974); in Incroyable Hulk, L' (Editions Héritage, 1968 series) #44 (March 1975) [as "La colère de Chondu!", French translation]; in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |
| Synopsis | A man steals a time machine to learn how to get rich but is stranded when he accidently leaves it in a garbage incinerator. |
| Genre | science fiction |
| Pencils | John Forte |
| Inks | John Forte |
| Notes | This is a retelling of "Trapped in Tomorrow!" drawn by John Buscema, from Strange Tales (Marvel, 1951 series) #68 (April 1959). |
| Reprinted | in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |
| Synopsis | Aliens plot to devastate Earth before invading, but they cannot pinpoint its location. They are unaware that they are on Earth as a speck of dust in a petri dish, which is casually discarded. |
| Genre | science fiction |
| Script | Stan Lee ? |
| Pencils | Steve Ditko (signed) |
| Inks | Steve Ditko (signed) |
| Notes | Narrated in the third person. This story is retold with a single creature in Tales to Astonish (Marvel, 1959 series) #18 (April 1961) as "Monsteroso!" drawn by Steve Ditko and in Amazing Adult Fantasy (Marvel, 1961 series) #9 (February 1962 series) as "The Terror of Tim Boo Baa" by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Stan Lee is speculatively credited as the writer on the basis of his authorship of the second re-telling. |
| Reprinted | in Crypt of Shadows (Marvel, 1973 series) #19 (September 1975); in Incroyable Hulk, L' (Editions Héritage, 1968 series) #53 (December 1975) [as "La terre sera détruite!, French translation]; in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | Average sales not printed. This shares the last page of "The Mirror". |
| Characters | Living Robot [John]; Cyril Stretford |
| Synopsis | The fugitive robot impersonates a prominent MP and to lift the robot ban. The MP escapes and defeats the robot with his bare hands, since he is also a robot, secretly protecting humanity. |
| Genre | science fiction |
| Pencils | Don Heck |
| Inks | Don Heck |
| Notes | Narrated in the third person. Continues from last issue. |
| Reprinted | in Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales of Suspense (Marvel, 2006 series) #1 (2006) |