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Tales to Astonish Vol 1 32

Well, why are you so silent now? And why do you not move? That's no way to act to a lady! Unless -- unless the lady's name happens to be May Dusa!! Or, if you say it just a bit faster, evil one, you may recognize it as... MEDUSA!

—May Dusa (Medusa)

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Leprechauns (Only in flashback)
    • Four unnamed Leprechauns (Only in flashback)

Antagonists:

Races and Species:

Locations:

Tales to Astonish Vol 1 32 001

Two stepbrothers, Edmund and Geoffrey, own an estate out on the moor, but Edmund wishes to destroy his blind brother, so he can have all the estate. He pretends to show good will to Geoffrey and offers to take him out for a walk onto the moor. He leads him to a pit of quicksand and then shouts about running off some poachers and leaves his brother alone. When Geoffrey stumbles into the quicksand, Edmund is overjoyed and makes his way back to the house.

That evening, he feels guilty and cannot sleep. He thinks he hears a noise upon the stairs. To his horror, the door opens, and a thing covered in wet sand slowly advances upon him. He backs away, towards the open window. It turns out that Geoffrey was rescued by leprechauns that live under the bog, and they offer to repair his sight if he stays with them for a week. He is overjoyed and wishes to tell his brother that, once his sight is repaired, he will do what he always wanted to do and go out to sea. This means that Edmund will get the full estate. He is puzzled when his brother doesn't respond. Even though Edmund got what he wanted, he didn't get to enjoy it. Since he was so terrified by what he took to be his brother's corpse seeking revenge, he backed away too far, falling through an open window and into the courtyard below.

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Astonishing #6
(originally printed as The Hills of Venus)

Featured Characters:

Other Characters:

  • Lord (Mentioned in narration)
  • Three unnamed explorers

Races and Species:

Locations:

Vehicles:

  • Congressman Newton (First appearance)

Reprint of the 3rd story from
Astonishing #6
(originally printed as The Hills of Venus)

The first explorer on Venus is caught in an old bear trap, but he is able to use the wildlife to call for help.

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Electronic Teaching Machine (First appearance; destruction)

Antagonists:

  • Two unnamed bullies

Other Characters:

  • Unidentified College
    • Joe (Behind the scenes)
    • Numerous unnamed students
  • Ed Sullivan (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
  • Three unnamed roboticists

Races and Species:

Locations:

Tales to Astonish Vol 1 32 012

A robot arrives on the campus of the high school, and is revealed that the machine is the new teacher. In the crowd, two upperclassmen bully a small, weak freshman named Henry Fuller. The robot notices the bullying and begins teaching class. Several days later, Henry is bullied again, but the robot teacher invites the boy to his office, where it offers him the chance to train him in bodybuilding. Henry finishes his training as an expert in weightlifting and fighting.

Soon, the bullies return to pick on their favorite target. Henry easily takes out the bullies but soon becomes a bully himself, targeting those weaker than he all over the school. The robot notices this development and, blaming itself, decides to shut down so that humans can solve their own problems.

Featured Characters:

Antagonists:

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In the 1920s, May Dusa is a famed photographer not only known for her work but also known for her peculiar habit, she never lets herself be seen, always keeping a black hood around her head. A man at one of her photo shows decides to rob her and schedules a photo session with her. The next day, just as the thief begins to open the safe, May calls him into her photography room. The man reveals his true purpose and pulls a gun on her, threatening to shoot if she does not reveal her face. Despite protesting, May Dusa removes her hood, turning the man to stone and revealing her true identity as the Medusa of Greek legend.

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Daily Press
    • Unnamed Editor
    • Sam (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Unidentified Police Department
    • Kelly (First appearance)
    • Unnamed Police Officer

Races and Species:

Locations:

Tales to Astonish Vol 1 32 028

A man claims to be a Martian, but no one believes him. A newspaper editor thinks that he can sell papers with the story, so he contacts the man and asks him how he'd prove that he was from Mars. The man replies he can improve on the design of any Earth device. They make arrangements with the fire department for him to work on a fire truck ladder, which he claims will be able to reach any height. What his modifications actually allow him to do is reach orbit and propel himself back to Mars. The editor and the astonished crowd are flabbergasted that they had the story of the century in their hands and let it slip away. Then, the realization sets in that, since he looked the same as any of them, how many other Martians might be hiding among them?