Strange Tales #83 [British]

(April 1961)

From Out of the Black Pit Came...Grogg! (Table of Contents: 1)

comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee ? (plot); Larry Lieber ? (script)

Pencils

Jack Kirby (signed as Kirby)

Inks

Dick Ayers (signed as Ayers)

Colors

Stan Goldberg

Letters

Artie Simek

Job Number

V-107

Genre

fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Grogg (introduction); Miklos Kozlov (introduction); Col. Fedor Vorcutsky

Synopsis

A reluctant Soviet scientist wakes the ancient dragon Grogg with atomic tests. The dragon attacks the soldiers and gives the scientist the opportunity to defect to the US, just as he had hoped, since he knew in advance that Grogg existed.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #2
• in Where Monsters Dwell (Marvel, 1970 series) #27 (March 1974)
• in Monsters: The Marvel Monsterbus by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby (Marvel, 2017 series) #1 (2017)

Keywords

monsters

Indexer Notes

Narrated in the first person. This story is divided into two parts: an untitled part one (6 pp) and
part two—"The Awesome Vengeance of Grogg" (7 pp). Story is pages 3-7, 10-14, 16-18 of comic (pages numbered 1 to 13).
The last page includes an editorial note that reads: "Want to see MORE of Grogg? Write Stan Lee, Strange Tales, 655 Madison Ave., N.Y.C. 21, N.Y."

Grogg and Kozlov next appear in issue #87 (August 1961).

Make a Wish (Table of Contents: 2)

text story / 1.75 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Job Number

G-301

Genre

fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Gerald Harper; Jimmy Gordon; Mrs. Gordon; Mr. Gordon

Synopsis

A man invents a wishing machine but loses the prototype on the way to the patent office.

Reprints

• from Journey into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #25 (July 1955) [new illustration]

Indexer Notes

Text story with illustration. The first page of this story is printed between the pages of the lead story, while the second page is printed between the two back-up stories. The last page is split with the statement of ownership. Text story is pages 8, 26 of comic (pages of story not numbered).

Masquerade Party (Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko)

Colors

Stan Goldberg

Letters

Artie Simek

Job Number

V-106

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Cara Frost; Alice Bond (née Dodd); Rex Bond

Synopsis

A beautiful but vicious socialite spoils the plans of an old rival by throwing a masquerade party. She is scared by her rival’s husband, who tricks her into thinking he is a demon.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #2
• in Chamber of Chills (Marvel, 1972 series) #16 (May 1975)
• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #203 ([circa 1984 - 1985])
• in Marvel Masters of Suspense: Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) #1 (2019)

Indexer Notes

The last two panels were added by a different artist, possibly Sol Brodsky, likely due to a Comics Code problem. The ending is altered so that the demon/devil is a normal man in disguise.
Story is pages 20-24 of comic (pages of story numbered 1 to 5).

Statement Required by the Act of August 24, 1912, as Amended by the Acts of March 3, 1933, July 2, 1946 and June 11, 1960 (74 Stat. 208) (Table of Contents: 4)

statement of ownership / 0.25 page (report information)

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

This shares the last page of "Make a Wish". Average circulation of each issue published October 1959–September 1960 (issues #73–81): 169,601.

The Menace of Shandu! (Table of Contents: 5)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee ? (plot); Larry Lieber ? (script)

Pencils

Don Heck

Inks

Don Heck

Colors

Stan Goldberg

Letters

Artie Simek

Job Number

V-108

Genre

fantasy-supernatural

Characters

Tommy Jones; Shandu the genie

Synopsis

A boy finds a magic book in a used bookstore and summons a genie, which vows to torture him after granting his wish. He wishes for everything to be restored to before he went to the bookshop, and he does not buy the book a second time.

Reprints

• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #2
• in Crypt of Shadows (Marvel, 1973 series) #17 (May 1975)
which is reprinted
• in L'Étonnant Spider-Man (Editions Héritage, 1969 series) #51 (septembre 1975)
• in Sinister Tales (Alan Class, 1964 series) #203 ([circa 1984 - 1985])

Indexer Notes

The plot for this story was reused in "It's Only Magic!" by Stan Lee and John Buscema in Chamber of Darkness # 1, October 1969.
Story is pages 28-32 of comic (pages of story numbered 1 to 5).