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Giant-Size Dracula Vol 1 4

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The year is 1939, and Dracula is traveling by cruise ship to the United States, feeding upon on of his fellow passengers, Dracula tosses the man overboard and makes it appear as though the man accidentally fell overboard. The body is swept under the props of the ship before anyone can recover the body and learn the truth. Witnessing this scene is Beverly Carpenter, who grabs Dracula's attention. Introducing himself as Justin Drake, Dracula escorts the girl back to her cabin. As the two discuss their opinions on death, Beverly begins talking about her mothers untimely death three months prior.

Meanwhile in Devil's Lake North Dakota, Anton Nynorg is working on his farm lost in thought over how he gave up writing screenplays to return to North Dakota as a farmer. Happy in his work, he is caught unawares by an axe wielding maniac. Some time later, Beverly -- also a resident of Devil's Lake -- returns home to her father Paul Carpenter, who is less than enthusiastic about his daughters return. Furious at the less than warm welcome, Beverly has her boyfriend Stuart take her away.

That night, Dracula arrives in town having been drawn there by some malevolent force, he has come to seek it out and destroy it. Before beginning his search, Dracula needs to feed and so he goes out into the night in his bat form. He comes across a young couple sharing a romantic moment in a park. After scaring the man away, Dracula easily enthralls the woman and feasts upon her blood. Afterwords, he comes across Beverly and Stuart, Beverly invites "Mr. Drake" to stay at her fathers farm. Picking up Dracula's belongings they drive to the farm to find the house empty.

Mr. Carpenter has gone to the local church where in the confessional he confesses to being controlled by a powerful force. He explains that months ago he walked uncommonly near a location of town known as Devil's Heart, and since that encounter he's found himself put under a trance and filled with the urge to kill. It started off with small things, like a bird, and the family dog. Eventually one night in the winter the urge came upon him again while he was arguing with his wife. When he attempted to kill her she fled out into the snow where she fell into a pit and froze to death in the snow. Covering it up as an accident, Paul would send his daughter on a long vacation in order to protect her from suffering a similar fate at his hands. Finishing his tale he asks the priest what he can do, the priest suddenly is under the control of the same unseen force and attempts to kill Paul. However, in the struggle, Paul picks up a candle stick and strikes the father in the head. Horrified with what he has done, he flees off into the night.

Back at the Carpenter home, Dracula decides to go out in to the night to search for the force that has drawn him here. He departs out the door, and when Beverly goes after him to see if he's okay in the rain, she finds no trace of the vampire king. Dracula has turned into his bat form and flown off into the rainy night looking for the thing that has drawn him to this small American town. Dracula soon finds that this power has taken control of the elements and is using them to try and prevent the vampire from finding it's location.

Back at the Carpenter home, Beverly begins to wonder about "Mr. Drake" and considers his seemingly hypnotic personality. Before she can consider it further, Stuart suddenly is put under the control of the strange force in the town and attacks her, shouting out that she is what it needs to set itself free. Beverly keeps Stuart at bay until he father arrives home and the two entranced men manage to knock her out. Joined by the priest, they carry Beverly to a nearby well in the Devil's Heart area. Traveling into the well we follow an ancient tunnel way toward the force behind the strange happenings.

While above ground, Dracula manages to fight off the elements and track the force to the well itself. Entering the well Dracula follows the tunnels in it to the lair of this powerful force. Dracula is halted by the sight of the creature which is literally a gigantic disembodied heart. The heart sends it's thralls against Dracula, however the vampire lord easily kills the attacking slaves slaves. It then attempts to take control of Dracula himself, but finds his will power too strong for it to control his mind.

When Beverly revives, the heart commands her father to kill her, Dracula attempts to stop him but Beverly -- not understanding what's going on -- gets in the way and is stabbed in the heart. With her death, the gigantic Devil's Heart begins to bleed. The heart then suddenly begins to disintegrate, however before it completely disappears Dracula's mind is flooded with memories of it's origins: The heart used to be a Sioux necromancer who, centuries ago, in a bid for immortality slew many people. However, powerful forces would curse him to spend all eternity living in the insane form of the Devil's Heart. Dracula learns that months of blood shed was what it needed to break free of it's curse and finally meet it's final resting.

Paul Carpenter awakens, finally free from the Heart's control and is horrified to find that Stuart, the priest and his own daughter are dead. Wanting to die, Carpenter begs Dracula to take his life, however Dracula scoffs at his pathetic and tells the mortal that he never gives mercy to anyone and leaves. With no other option, Carpenter pulls the knife out of his dead daughters chest and commits suicide as Dracula flies off into the night.

Reprint of the 5th story from
Mystic #2

Featured Characters:

  • Philip Sanderson (First appearance) (Apparent death)

Supporting Characters:

  • Rosalie Thorton (First appearance)

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  • Numerous unnamed theater patrons
  • Unnamed Manager (Philip Sanderson)
  • Juan Ponce de León (Mentioned)

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Reprint of the 5th story from
Mystic #2

An aging actor offers to "sell his soul" for the chance to be young again and woo the beautiful young girl of his eye. No sooner does he utter the words, when a mysterious man appears at his door offering him a jug of water he claims is from the fountain of youth. He says he will claim payment...later...and vanishes. The actor is doubtful it could actually work, but drinks from the jug anyways and finds to his surprise that he is a young man once again. The first thing he thinks to do to drive to the young lady's house and propose for a second time that day, but when he arrives and proposes she laughs at him again. He demands to know why she is laughing and she says "This is rich! Two proposals in one day. One from an old man and one from a boy. Even little boys fall for me!" The actor realizes it's true and he's still getting younger even as a boy. He fears venturing into the night for he knows the sinister creature is waiting to collect his soul.

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #46

Featured Characters:

  • Unidentified hunter and guide (First appearance)

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Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #46

A man discovers a race of creatures that come up from below ground that the African natives base their wood carvings upon. Since they keep their presence secret, the man worries they mean humanity harm, but everyone he speaks to refuses to believe his fantastic tale. Finally, an African expert agrees to listen to his story, but convinces the man he is imagining things. After he leaves the expert's office, the expert is shown removing a rubber mask revealing him as one of the gargoyles.

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #15

Featured Characters:

  • Numerous unnamed Animated Suits of Armor
  • Numerous unnamed Gargoyles

Antagonists:

  • Unnamed Intruder

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Reprint of the 3rd story from
Tales of Suspense #15

Tales of Suspense Vol 1 15 015

A man enters a castle determined to prove that there are no ghosts, but the events he experiences convince him that the castle is haunted, and so he flees. It turns out that the castle does not contain any ghosts, but is possessed by animated suits of armor and living stone gargoyles.

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Adventures into Terror #6

Featured Characters:

  • Andrew Urquhart

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Reprint of the 3rd story from
Adventures into Terror #6

In this story a vampire stalker breaks the fourth wall and addresses the reader directly whom he intends to be a stalking victim. He tells about how he first encountered you, his victim-to-be, when he asked for help and was rebuffed. He got up and followed the reader since he was simply looking for someone to hate and found out where he lived. He found out what comics magazines he liked to buy. He spent considerable money printing up a custom copy of Adventures into Terror that he could place on the newsstand that you buy comics from. The last panel of the story shows the vampire with claws extended and fangs bared daring you to look over your shoulder.