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FEATURING... fi, Wee IN THIS ISSUE: |
We €.'S ADAPTATION OF A STORY BY|
RAY BRADBURY a
HE CRYPT-KEEPE You OPEN YOUR EYES, AND THE GLARING LIGHT
OVERHEAD BLINDS YOU! SUDDENLY YOU REALIZE
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN UNDER A SWIRLING SEA OF
DARKNESS AND HAVE ONLY NOW COME TO THE
SURFACE? A GREY HAZE HANGS OVER YOU... BUT
SOON,EVEN THAT CLEARS AWAY LIKE COBWEBS
BEING SWEPT ASIDE BY A FASTIDIOUSLY WIELDED.
DUSTER! THINGS GOME INTO FOOUS MJELLIED.
OBJECTS SLOWLY FREEZE INTO SOLIDITY‘A FIGURE
‘BENDS OVER YOU, SHIELOING THE OVERHEAD GLARE
FROM YOUR LIGHT-SENSITIVE EVES
‘GAN YOU..OAN YOU SEE WE?
NOD YOUR HEADIF You CAN! ‘You NOD YOUR HEAD, LOOKING
UP AT THE FIGURE BENDING OVER
You! His BEADY LITTLE EYES
ANGE BEHIND THICK CRYSTAL -
LIKE GLASSES! HE GRINS...
1 RWEW IT! T AWEWL
OU LOOK AROUND! YOU ARE
FILLED WITH TEST-TUBES LINE
THE WALLS {STRANGE SHAPED
MACHINES SURROUND YOU! THE
FIGURE STANDING OVER YOU
"S$ YOUR CHEST REASSURINGL.,
DONT TRY TO MOVE!
JUST Z/E THERE CAN YOU
TALK? CAN YOU SAY
COULD OO IT? OMWE WILL
BE FAMOUS,YOU AND 1f
THE WORLD WILL FLOCK
TOSEEUS!
D0
Not MORRYS YOU wit
TALK AGAINST Wile
> TEAOH YoU! NOW...
Z WILL BE BAGK..LATER! I MUST 60
OUT FRONT Now fiT IS TIME TO GIVE
ANOTHER SHOWS REST SUNTIL LATER...
EROS
}YOU TUG AND STRAIN! THE STRAPS ACROSS YOUR
CHEST PART LIKE PAPER AND YOU SIT UP, TEARING You GRAWL THROUGH THE OPEN
WINDOW OF THE ROOM OUT INTO
THE NIGHT! THE COOL NIGHT,
FILLED WITH A THOUSAND VOICES...
AMILLION FLICKERING STARSE
‘TO YOUR RIGHT, LIGHTS GLEAM
BEHIND SILHOUETTED BUILDINGS...
IEOPLE..WANY PEOPLE...MOVE (N.
THE LIGHT,..GAYLY LAUGHING...
ORR
RIGHT THIS WAYS SEE
WARO'S WAX MUSEUM...
SEE THE CHAMBER
OF HORRORS...
ISUDDENLY THE DOOR 1S OPENED ONCE MORESONLY
LAUGHTER...NO MU
{SHO
bhai
BCE THE CAR PULLS UP BESIDE YOU!| | You OPEN THE DOOR! FOR A Why 00 THEY SCREAM WHEN THEY
‘THE DRIVER CALLS TO YOU... MOMENT HE LOOKS AT YOU, HOR-| |SEE you? THAT FRIGHTENED, TER-
RIFIED! THEN HE SCREAMS .. RIFYING SCREAMING! YOU WANT
BY WANT A RIDE INTC eC
‘TOWN, BUD? ° bal g |To STOP ITfYOU CLAP YOUR HAND
a = my JOVER Wis MOUTH? BUT HIS EYES
M P fl 1 y J
i | a a ‘
S07- \ ‘THE CAR PURRS ALONG THE
CONGRETE RIBBON SMOOTHLY !THE
ROAD SLIPS FROM THE DARKNESS.
AHEAD INTO YOUR HEADLIGHT
BEAM AND DOWN UNDER THE
HUMMING WHEELS/SOON HOUSES
BEGIN TO APPEAR! YOU ARE
COMING INTO TOWN/AND THINGS
SEEM FAMILIAR TO YOU...
ND THEN you SEE IT? THE
‘SMALL WHITE COTTAGE! YOUR
FOOT DEPRESSES THE BRAKE
PEDAL AUTOMATICALLY AS YOU
SWING INTO THE DRIVEWAY/YOU'VE
DONE IT A THOUSAND TIMES
BEFORE! YOUKNOW 1
YOU HAMMER ANXIOUSLY ON THE NEAT CLEAN
FRONT DOORS UPSTAIRS. A LIGHT GOES ON! FOOT-
STEPS DESCEND INSIDE...COMING GLOSER ...COMING
DOWN THE STEPS! THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN...
AND NOW SHE'S RUNNING UP THE STAIRS,SGREAM- | | AND NOW SHE'S IN THE BEDROOM, AND YOU'RE
ING/AND YOU'RE RUNNING AFTER HER...CALLING HER] | MOVING TOWARD HER ...PLEADING! BUT THERE'S NO
NAME? ONLY IT ISN'T HER NAME THAT ERUPTS FROM | | RECOGNITION IN HER EVES..ONLY WILD HYSTERIAL
YOUR THROAT! IT'S AGHOKING,GARBLED, GUTTERAL | JAND SHE'S BACKING AWAY...BAOKING TOWARD THE
KEEP AWAY? OM, LORD...
HELP! HELPS UDDENLY SHE'S GONE, BAGKWARDS.OUT THE win |
DOW! AND HER SCREAM IS GUT SHORT BY THE DULL
THUD AS HER FLAILING BODY HITS THE BACKYARD
PATIO BELOW! YOU RUSH TO THE WINOOW...STARING:
DOWN AT HER...SOBBING...
YOU'RE M/NE! I MADE YOU!
L ANEW I COULD 00 IT...AND
OIDE % TOOK PARTS OF BODIES.
a 7
"YOU? WHERE HAVE You] | ANO 2 PUT THEM JOGETHER!
=? THE PLACE IS AND I TOOK & BRA/W...A BRAIN
Cea ie wire copsr| | OF A MAN WHO 2/ED OUT THERE...
‘YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE
ESCAPED!
I MADE YOU L/VES I ALWAYS BEL/EVED IT WAS
POSSIBLE OUT THERE...IN MY CHAMBER OF
AND HIS MONSTER YOU'RE MI MONSTER... MY
FRANKENSTEIN £ WHAT AN EXH/B/T YOU'LL
WAKE! DLL BE FAMOUSS T'LL...T'LL.. DONT...
LOOK At ME... LIKE THAT! NOP EE | EEg. (AND THEN YOU STUMBLE FROM WEN YOU'RE STARING AT THE
THE ROOM...INTO THE WAX MUS| ‘TABLEAUS....8.000-CURDLING
sLEAVING HIS LIFELESS BODY GROUPINGS OF HISTORIC HORROR
[SPRAWLED AMID THE EQUIPMENT... Into THAT
EXHIBIT...
SUDDENLY, THE PASSAGEWAYS ARE FLOODED IN «AND NO MATTER WITCH WAY YOU TURN, YOUR
BRILLIANT LIGHT! FIGURES LEAP AT YOU FROM ALL | | MADDENING REVOLTING REFLECTION GLARES AT YoU...
SIDES... HORRIBLE , DISFIGURED, STITCHED-FLESHED SHOUTS AT YOU... SHRIEKS AT YOU IN UTTER REVUL~
FIGURES... aaa am i]
A HALL OF MIRRORS! THE ORIVER TURNED TO THE ONE §[WELL, DON'T FORGET?
WITH THE CIGARETTE BETWEEN JAF TER ALL! You'RE
HIS Lips. ‘SUPPOSED TO BE AN
HONEST BUSINESS.
‘THE ONE NAMED SAM STARTED TO UNLOAD THE LUG
GAGE FROM THE FLASHY CONVERTIBLE WHILE THE
OTHER ONE... PHIL... ENTERED THE HOTEL AND
CROSSED THE LOBBY TO THE DESK...
‘Howor, straneent ¥
WHAT CAN I 00 A
FOR YUH? oe
14
Nea
Ot, |
HERE f THINKIN
OF LOOKIN’
AROUND THESE
PARTS?
NE
THe CONTINUED ON DOWN THE
HIGHWAY! FINALLY, IT PULLED UP
GEFORE THE ONE MOTEL IN
‘ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE WYSEI
MY NAME 18 PH/LIP BARBONT
O/L'S wy BUSINESS LOCATE
OlL DEPOSITS FOR B18 OL
COMPANIES F UY FIELD MAN,
WR SIMPSON, WANDLES THE
GENERAL SURVEYING OF PRO-
SPECTIVE SITES! WE'RE
JUST PABSING THROUGH T THE MAN BEHIND THE DESK
WATCHED AS SAM CARRIED THE
LUGGAGE UP THE STAIRS AND PHIL
FOLLOWED...
[psst? Hey, Jess!
D'YA HEAR THAT?) RIGHT TAKE
THE DAPPER
LOOKIN’ guy's
(ur, GARSON! I'VE GOT TO
SPEAK YO YOU.
PRIVATELY?
Upsrairs...our OF EARSHOT...
SAM WHISPERED ANGRILY TO PHIL...
r.. TALKING TO THAT S
OLERK WITH THAT.
CIGARETTE
DANGLING FROM
Your MOUTH!
WHAT ARE YOu
TRYING TO 0¢
QUEER THE
DEAL
LATER. .. AS NIGHT CAME ON... THE
HOTEL LOBBY...
ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND
GREAT DEAL, MR. FOGINE
MORE THAN I've @OT/T'D
THAT'S ALL RIGHT,
‘simpson! OUT wITH ‘SAM FOLLOWED PHIL UP THE STAIRS‘ BEHIND Upstairs IN THE ROOM, THE TWO NEN SMILED! PHIL.
THEM THE HOTEL LOBBY BUZZED WITH EXCITE- © DREW THE SHADE ASIDE AND PEERED OUT.
a THERE'S A GROWD GATHER-} NOBODY WAS AROUND:
ING, SAM! HEH, HEH! DID _/1 TOOK GARE OF ITS
YOU TAKE GARE OF ITP J” SHE'LL OOZE FOR A
WEEK S NOW GO AHEAD
DOWN AND START THE
PITCH... BUT DOUSE THE
CIGARETTE FIRST!
Five MINUTES LATER, PHIL GAME [MAYOR JORDON’ I HAVE.
DOWNSTAIRS! THE LOBBY OF THE BEEN ADVISED BY MY
HOTEL WAS JAMMED WITH TOWNS- |FIELD MAN THAT THERE
18. C/L On THe TOWNS
[2M THE mayor?) PROPERTY... UNDER
THE G/TY PARKS,
THE CROWD STOOD AROUND THE BLACK SLIGK
THAT SEEPED FROM THE GROUND IN THE PARK...
THERE ARE 7WO THINGS You \/BUT WE DON'T
CAN DO, MAYOR JORDON! YOU Y KNOW ANYTHING
SIXTY THOUSAND
DOLLARS...
A PRIVATE Ol COMPANY,OR
DRILL FOR IT YOURSELVE S.. Mayor JORDON TURNED TO THE crow
waa 00 You sari FoLKs?00 Y” OUR-\YEaW 7
WE TURN THE LAND OVER TO A | SELVES!) LET'S
PRIVATE COMPANY, OR RAISE KEEP
UT NTE
ACE
eaek)
nae
a
iS
iS
L
7
THE MONEY AND DRILL FOR
THE OIL OURSELVES... 2
A CORPORATION was FORMED!
STOCK WAS ISSUED‘ SUBSCRIPTIONS
EROM THE TOWNSFOLK POURED IN...
FinAtty...
WELL MR. GARSONS
|THE STOGK (SSUE
HAS BEEN SOLD...
DOLLARS. MAYOR
JORDON! THAT'S
ALL WE COULD [EW SHARES) CHECK...POR SIXTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS!)
FORGET TO COME AND 2/6 ME UP,
Z'LL MIDE THE DOUGH/ NOW GIVE
ME ONE OF THOSE 7/Z25,AND PHONE
THEYRE GOING TO FORM A
CORPORATION AND 'SSUE
STOCKS I'VE BEEN PUT
IN GHARGE OF THE
ATER, IN THE HOTEL ROOM...
HEY FELL FOR IT, SAME (B0007 NOW AS SOON
AS THEY TURN THE
MONEY OVER TO US,
WE'LL PULL THE
DRILLING!
SAMI JUST CASHED
THE CHECKS WHY } WORK THIS
OON'T WE SX/P DEAL AGA/ME
TOWN AND FORGET) YOU'VE GOT
TO BE KEPT
IN THE GLEARS
THE CEMETERY
LONG! DOW'T FORGET? O16
ME UP WITHIN 8/1 HOURS
AFTER THEY BURY ME! WE'LL
PIGK UP THE DOUGH ON THE
way OUT OF 7OWM? AND FOR
CRYIN' OUT LOUD, O/7GH Just OUTSIDE OF TOWN, THEY
FOUND THE FLASHY CONVERTIBLE...
WE POURED OW \/ wet, OET
INTO THAT SANDY
SPOT IN THE PARK!
THERE'S WO O/L
UNDER THERES 7
WE'VE SEEN TV
Tanew/conwent/
Mayor JORDON RUSHED To PHILIP
GARSON'S HOTEL ROON IN ANSWER
TO HIS FRANTIC PHONE CALL...
WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT'S TRUE?
SIMPSOI
MY FIELD
GONE, AND THE
DRILLING MONEY
GONE TOO,
CHECKED!
HME HE.
WON'T GET
WO? WE SEARCHED CAREFULLY? IS)
CLOTHES. .. THE CAR? WE PROBABLY
HID AT SOMEWHERE PLANNING TO
COME BACK AND GET IT! NOW,
IT! FIRST, ZY/W@ ABOUT THE O/L...
THEN STEALING THE MOWEY... AND
INOW THIS? DEADS T'm...0
T'D LIKE TO CLAIM HIS
ODY... YOU KNOW... GIVE
HIM @ DECENT BURIALS
WHAT HE MIGHT
HAVE DONE wi
‘OF COURSE, MR.GARSON!
Z'LL GIVE Yeu a
RELEASE!
LOST...FOR GOODS The wana tH1cx Liauio ‘Gon
TINUED TO. SEEP INTO THE COFFIN
PEET UNDE ‘AS THE HOURS DRAGGED BY... s
WHAT'S THAT? SOME- PHIL WILL BE HERE PHILT FOR PETE'S SAKE!
‘SOON! HE'LL DIG HURRY..BEFORE. 1 DROWN!
I er Me ue? PHEW! 7HAT WHAT 7 TWAT ODOR?
SMELLE
‘SAM WAS PRESSING His FACE AGAINST THE SATIN
Ui OF THE COFFIN, SUCKING AT THE LAST TRACES”
p 0 ABOVE...
IT'S AH/L? THANK THE LORDS
HURRY, PHILP BOVWILL Z BE GLAD
‘THAT DANGLING C/BARETTE...
my AND...AND...MOW I KNOW
WHAT THAT STUFF
SUELLE LIKESON,LOROL
THE CIGARETTE DANGLING FROM PHIL'S MOUTH DROPPED INTO THE
THICK BLACK OIL AS HIS UAW FELL OPEN IN ASTONISHMENT? SUDDENLY, slides of blood smears.
Thad just come from the university eee
of blood taken from
I soon learned that Negra was Dr. McGill's
best student, She seemed obsessed with a
‘morbid curiosity about blood. Whenever I
‘worked in the lab, or classified types in the
plasma depository, she would come to talk
to me.
One day she came into the blood bank,
her face more blanched than usual. I told
When I came back to relieve Negra, there
was cred healthy glow to her face!
A few days later, my moribund friend ex-
body had dried up in the course a Big See
weeks, Only a month beiore, he had under-
gone a complete physical and was well
fone robusll As an odded shock, I found
shortage’of some forty-two pints in the blood
i!
That night, I took Negra to town to see a
movie, We were returning about
T began o
GEE Lu lane eeepc
ight by los fides gurgling, fren-
ing sounds!
Now all was clear to me! Negra had in-
jherited Vampirism as an old family trait. [had
eee cbt ancient blood-suckers of Mecklen- JONCE UPON A TIME...LONG,LONG AGO... THERE WAS A BUT KING MONEYMAD/|
TINY SEASIDE KINGDOM GOVERNED BY A FAT KING WHO Z'VE GOT TIT VE
WAS MAD ABOUT MONEY. GOT IT LA WAY FOR
INTERRUPT ME WHEN YOU TO GET MORE
I'M COUNTING MY MONEY f f
WOW T'LL HAVE To BEGIN
ALL OVER AGAIN/ ONE
THOUSAND... TWO... [-THREE THOUSAND.
FOUR... WHAT? YOU'VE
THOUGHT OF A WAY
FOR ME TO GET
MORE MONEY, ROYAL
ADVISOR! HOW?
THAT'S ALL THERE 1S 7OIT. EW,
ROYAL ADVISOR? JUST 7H/WK
OF SOMETHING AND 7AX THEM
FOR IT, EX?ALL RIGHTS ISSUE
A DECREE, ROYAL ADVISOR...
SEVEN THOUSAND... EIGHT
‘THOUSAND... NINE THOUSAND...
‘KING MONEYMAD!)
KING MONEYM ADS.
ANYTHING? VOD
JUST THINK OF A
THING ANO 74x
THEM FOR IT!
WELL.MAAT
00 You 74x"
PEOPLE
FOR.
ROYAL
ADVISOR?
TAXES,ROVAL | YOU GHARGE )
ADVISOR? WHAT
ARE TAXES?
\ YEAR FOR
SOMETHINGSTHATS
CALLED A TAX,
TAN DEGREE?
ALL THE /TLED PEOPLE
IN WY KINGOON...GOUNTS,
DUKES, LORDS, EARLS.ETC.
FOR USING THEIR T/TLES,
TAX THEM 69,000 PIECES
OF GOLD A YEARS
‘A TAX DEGREE,
EH, KING
MONEYMAD?
TAX' EH, KING
ONEYMAD 260007
T WILL ISSUE THE
ROYAL ADVISOR / HOW) KiNG MONEYMAD! ALL
MANY TIMES WAVE 1.) T/TLEHOLDERS HAVE.
TOLD YOU WOT TO PAID THEIR 'SIR TAX'L
INTERRUET ME WHEN) THERE WON'T BE ANY
IM COUNTING MY J MORE MONEY COMING
‘MONEY ?NoW WHERE
WAST .2 TAKE A DEGREE, ROYAL
ADVISOR {TO ALL OWNERS
OF BOATS A TAX OF
THREE PIECES OF
GOLD PER SQUARE 200 }| SQUARE YARDS OF
YARD OF CANVAS SAILS ZY FOMILY
IS HEREBY LEVIED! WILL STARVE! yas
ROYAL ADVISOR/HOW MANY ) IT'S THE ‘SA/LS TAX,| [ ARE THOSE GYPSIES STILL YES; KING
TIMES HAVE I 7OLD You...) KING MONEYMAD! AZZ 4} | WANDERING AROUND THE MONEY MAO!
OW..WHAT'S THE USE? SA/LE HAVE BEEN KINGDOM, ROYAL ADVISOR?
WHAT IS IT WOW? TAXEDS NO MORE THE ONES THAT FELL
MONEY Witt. BE FORTUNES... Jom
COMING IN/AOM WHAT?
TAKE A DECREE, ROYAL ADVISOR! \( ‘EXCESS
|BECAUSE THERE ARE 700 MANY PROPHETS:
FORTUNE TELLERS 1 THE TAX’, EM, KING?
KINGDOM , EACH ONE 13 OO00D/TLL fi
TAXED \00 PIECES OF GOLD... ISSUE THE WAY OUT OF THE —-/ GoLD.OR YOULL BE
OECREE... ber AINODOM F STAYING HERE AZOWG, Kinc MONEYMaD'S MADNESS FOR MONEY GREW
AND GREW AS MORE AND MORE POURED INTO HIS
‘TREASURY! THE MORE HE GOT, THE MORE HE.
WANTED...
TAKE A DECREE,ROYAL ADVISOR! KING MONEYMAD.
ANYONE WHO OWNS & F/SHING HAS GONE FAR
ROD IS TAXED 90 PIECES 3
wy OF GOLD...
THE POLE TAX’ WAS
BEEN COMPLETELY TO ALL THOSE WHO
NY COLLECTEDS Got HAVE RUGS IN 2
THIRTY - FIVE rue: ANY /DEAS? THEIR HOMES.
THOUSAND... | WONEYMADS
THIRTY-SIX
THOUSAND.
THIRTY-SEVEN..
ha
1
al IT's PA/0,¥e'LL BE
Fe ‘
ies
‘30 PIEGES OF 60LD
BECAUSE I HAVE THAT f
MY FLOOR... Ls : ! TAX/LADY ! WHEN ALL RIGHT, THEN TAKE 7HIS DECREE,
may ROYAL ADVISOR’ q ROYAL ADVISOR! A TAK
XING WHAT'S THE
OF 20 PIECES OF G0LD
MOWEYMADS | \y S80 NEWS? EACH \S HEREBY LEVIED
On EVERY THUMB IN
THE LAND...
WIS TAX... THE ‘THUNB TAX,
THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN TAXED UNTIL THEY. COULD MUST BE A4/D, OR THE THUMBS
PAY NO MORE...
THEY HAVEWO MORE IF THEY CAN'T PAY THE
| MONEY, KING MONEYMAD{ ) "THUMB TAX’...THEN THEY|
THEY CANNOT PAY THE CAN'T HAVE THEIR
“THUMB TAX'S THUMBS! TAKE A
WILL BE REMOVED!
WE FIRST MAN WAS DRAGGED TO THE CHOF
THE PALACES THE LINE WAS VERY LONG/ KING MONEY-
MAD SAT IN THE PALAGE COURTYARD NEXT TO THE AXE-
FOR NOT PAYING YOUR NO! MEROY?
MAN THUMB TAX OU MUST MERCY!
ALL RIGHT! BRING THEM IN THE KING SAYS. LOSE YOUR THUMBS... fra
ONE AT A TIME...
BRING THEM IN. THE LINE CONTINUED TO MOVE/THE AXEMAN'S AXE
ROSE AND FELL SCREAMS ECHOED IN THE COURTYARD! (EK }OMEB(
OUTSIDE... THE LINE BEGAN TO BABBLE,.THEN SHOUT! | | s7op TH/87 STOP
THIS. AM YOUR
THE CROWO MOVED INf THE AXE WAS RAISED! THE KING SCREAMED?
THE CROWD CHEERED THE AXE FELL SOMEBODY BENT AND PICKED IT
UP FOR ALL TO SEE... A BAG-LIKE, YELLOWISH, BLOOD-STAINED FORM.
ri
CORPORATION
TAX! y) uy MIND FIXED. YOU RUN ALOWG WITH
YOUR SILLY WICKER BASKET. LAND,LAND,
WHERE'D YOU EVER GET NOTIONS LIKE
THAT? YOU JUST SKIT OUT OF HERE
© 1944 ty Ray Bradbury ‘THE BONE-PORCELAIN, FLOWERED CLOCK ON THE MANTEL CHINED
THREE, OUT IN THE HALL, GROUPED AROUND THE WICKER BASKET,
FOUR MEN WAITED, QUIETLY, HARDLY MOVING,AS IF THEY WERE
FEET LONG AND BY THE LOOK OF \T,1T A/W'T LAUNDRY. AND WICKER UKE TWAT BEFORE?
THOSE FOUR MEN YOU WALKED IN WITH, YOU DON'T NEED THEM WM SEEMS TO ME...OH HOW I
TO CARRY THE BASKET. ..WHY, IT'S LIGHT AS TH/STLES SEAP REMEMBER! IT WAS WHEN MRS.
Aunt TiLoY SETHER KNITTING
DOWN STERNLY,
‘30 THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE NO? = WOT? TM WOT TIRED( AT SEEMED TOHER THAT IT HAD
“ERE FOR. T THOUGHT YOU WERE { GREAT SONS 0' GOSHEN ON THE
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