Tales to Astonish Vol 1 16

Alternate Covers: Vintage Tales to Astonish Vol 1 #16 Published February, 1961 Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee Cover Artist Jack Kirby Steve Ditko Stan Goldberg Artie Simek "Thorr the Unbelievable" Writer Stan Lee Penciler Jack Kirby Inker Dick Ayers "My Touch Means Doom" Penciler Don Heck "Save Me from the Mole Men" Penciler Paul Reinman "I Am a Victim of the Sorcerer!" Penciler Steve Ditko Inker Steve Ditko Previous Issue Next Issue Tales to Astonish #15 Tales to Astonish #17

Appearing in "Thorr the Unbelievable"

Featured Characters:

• Linus

Supporting Characters:

• Helen

Antagonists:

• Lithodia Rexians
  • Thorr

Other Characters:

• Island Natives

Locations:

• Pacific Ocean
  • Easter Island
    
    

Synopsis for "Thorr the Unbelievable"

An archeologist visits a small island with his wife to observe some stone statues that have been discovered. He trips an electric eye beam which serves as an awakening mechanism to one of alien sleeper agents planted in advance of an invasion. The alien wishes to awaken his fellows, but the man tricks him into attempting the island conquest himself by playing to his vanity. His wife thinks him a traitor by helping the alien, but he waits until Thorr has summoned his leaders before tossing dynamite into a dormant volcano and destroying the island. The mighty Thorr and his leaders perish as well since they are too heavy to swim and a native and the archeologist's wife come back in a canoe to save the archeologist before he drowns. She apologizes for doubting him.

Appearing in "My Touch Means Doom"

Featured Characters:

• Bill Howard

Supporting Characters:

• Bill's Wife

Other Characters:

• Bank Security
• Police

Locations:

• United States of America
  • Meadowfield
  • New Mexico
    
    

Synopsis for "My Touch Means Doom"

A man desperate to pay for his wife life saving surgery decides to steal a bank, he seemingly succeeds but later crashes into an atomic test area, instead of dying his body absorbs the radiation giving the power to kill everything he touches, unwilling to let people die for it he throws himself of a clif but suddenlly is back on the bank before the robbery and gives up doing it. The bank guard is then revelead as a hypnotist hired by the bank's manager who created the illusion as a test while the man discovers his doctor has accepted to make the surgery for free.

Appearing in "Save Me from the Mole Men"

Featured Characters:

• Crusher (Boxer)

Supporting Characters:

• Watchman

Antagonists:

• Mole Men
  • Xoorr

Locations:

• United States of America

Items:

• Weight Gaining Pills
  
  

Synopsis for "Save Me from the Mole Men"

A boxer needs help to become a heavyweight, and breaks into an experimental lab to steal pills that hadn't been tested yet, but were supposed to make a person instantly gain wait. While escaping, he takes the entire bottle, and the building's floor can't hold his weight.

He keeps falling through floors until he finds himself in the realm of the 'Mole Men', who immediately begin to beat on him. He dodges a few of their punches, and they become impressed with his speed. They imprison him and force him to become a sparring partner for all of them.

Appearing in "I Am a Victim of the Sorcerer!"

Featured Characters:

• The Sorcerer's Betrayer

Supporting Characters:

• Art Gallery Patrons

Antagonists:

• The Sorcerer
  
  

Synopsis for "I Am a Victim of the Sorcerer!"

This story features a protagonist who turns out to be a character attempting to avoid a fate he cannot thwart as he is revealed at the end of the story to be the victim depicted in a gallery's painting titled "The Sorcerer's Betrayer".

Notes

• This entire issue, except for the story below, is reprinted in Where Creatures Roam #3
• "My Touch Means Doom" reprinted in Tower of Shadows #8

See Also

• Write your own review of this comic!
• Discuss Tales to Astonish Vol 1 16 on the forums
• Images from Tales to Astonish Vol 1 16

Footnotes

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