House of Mystery #17

In "Beauty and the Beast!" from House of Mystery #17 (1953), Linda the lion tamer finds herself caught in a web of deception when a criminal circus director manipulates her into believing she’s channeling the ancient powers of Circe—transforming men into beasts. As the line between illusion and reality blurs, Linda must navigate a world where her own mind becomes the most dangerous act of all.

In a chilling twist of psychological suspense, a detective uses a bizarre and unsettling method to trap a murderer: contact lenses painted with the image of the victim, forcing the killer to face their crime every time they look in a mirror. Written by an unknown author and illustrated by an unknown artist, "The Man with the X-Ray Eyes!" is a haunting, tightly wound tale from House of Mystery #17, where guilt becomes inescapable—literally.

In "The Ordeal of Roger Black," a man whose job is to execute criminals begins to secretly help them escape—each time, paid handsomely for his mercy. But when one final execution goes awry, Roger finds himself gripping a weapon, and the line between justice and guilt begins to blur.