Mystery in Space, #70

Published: September 1961

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Issue Contents:
Vengeance of the Dust Devil!

Story Featuring Adam Strange

Story Notes

The cover scene is redrawn on page 6 of the story, panel #1.

Vengeance of the Dust Devil!

Story Featuring Adam Strange

Storyline

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. Seeking revenge, Jakarta 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 discovers that static electricity can freeze Jakarta, traps him with a Wimshurst Machine and then turns the Dust Devil over to Australian authorities.

Story Notes

Adam is given a replacement jet-rocket for the one he lost in Mystery in Space #69. It's 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.

The Billion-Year Evolution!
Storyline

In 2178, Doctor Fred Gibson is on Jupiter searching for his fiance Elsa. His romantic rival, archaeologist Phil Travis, finds her first but lacks the medical knowledge to treat her properly. Gibson, however, finds ancient Jovian technology that reveals its history: scientist Halfar Kal invented a "Droga Ray" that 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, who used the ray to return to normal.

Story Notes

Murphy Anderson's signature is on the last story page.

The Bravest Man in Space!
Storyline

Heroic Jon Drum defeats cloud creatures to free the Illkanov; he bests silicon creatures from Alphard; he escapes from a magnetic maelstrom; and he saves a miner on Zeta Virgo's fifth planet. He is about to be honored when reporter Harl Vincent claims he saw an android duplicate of Drum performing at least one of Drum's adventures. Drum refuses to defend himself and leaves, but is captured by the Klinn. But it's 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.

Credits
Story 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.

Complete 4 Piece Matched Set of Luggage

Ad Featuring Matched Set of Luggage

Story Notes

Sold by Honor House Products Corp. Inside front cover.

Record Your Voice at Home

Ad Featuring Home Voice Recorder / Electronic Recorder

Story Notes

Sold by Honor House Products Corp. Inside front cover.

Tootsie Roll Makes History!

Ad Featuring Tootsie Roll

Story Notes

Part of a series of ads from Tootsie Roll.

The Right to Be Different!
See the Many Fantastic Faces of Superman...
At Last!
There's More Than Meets the Eye...

Ad Featuring Tootsie [all other candies]

Story Notes

Part of a series of ads from Tootsie Roll.

The Inside Stories of Batman and Robin's Top Secrets
150 Civil War Soldiers!

Ad Featuring 150 Civil War Soldiers

Story Notes

Sold by Josely Co.

Free! World-Wide Stamps ... Just Released!

Ad Featuring Garcelon Stamps

Letter Column Featuring Wonders of Space

Story Notes

Letters from Jimmy Arnold of Norwalk, CA; Richard C West of Dorchester, MA; and Lucinda Briggs of Port Alsworth, Alaska.

Guaranteed to Make You Smile…

Ad Featuring Tootsie Roll Ice Cream Bar

Story Notes

Part of a series of ads from Tootsie Roll.

Frontier Cabin

Ad Featuring Frontier Cabin

Ad Featuring Wallace Brown Greeting Cards

"If you know just 20 people ..."

Ad Featuring Wilson Chemical Company Cloverine Brand Salve

"Boys! Girls! Ladies! Men!"

Story Notes

Sold by Wilson Chemical Co. Inside back cover.

204 Revolutionary War Soldiers Only $1.98

Ad Featuring Revolutionary War Soldiers

Credits
Story Notes

Back cover.

Ad Featuring Palisades Amusement Park Admission

Credits
Story Notes

Includes a stock Superman illustration by Wayne Boring.