Mysterious Adventures #22

Kenny Andrews works as a guard at Midvale Mental Institution, a job he'd found manageable until brutal new director J. Walter Quinn arrived six months ago and transformed the asylum into a place of systematic cruelty and starvation. As Quinn torments the vulnerable inmates—especially Mary, a gentle woman whose only comfort is a doll—Andrews finds himself trapped between his contempt for the director's savagery and his fear of what will happen to those under his care if he leaves. When Quinn begins making sinister threats toward Mary herself, Andrews' helpless rage reaches a breaking point.

In "Two for the Money," Harvey Craig lives a double life, married to two wealthy European women in secret—one on each side of town—enjoying the luxuries they provide. But as their constant efforts to fatten him up grow more intense, Harvey begins to suspect something is terribly wrong. Written by an unknown author and illustrated by an unknown artist, this 1954 horror-suspense tale spins a chilling tale of deception, desire, and the true cost of indulgence.

Mother Ghoul presents her twisted take on a classic fairy tale: an abused stepdaughter named Cinder is granted a dark bargain by a witch to attend the Prince's Ball, transforming her rags into finery and mice into a sleek automobile—but only until midnight. After capturing the Prince's heart on the dance floor, Cinder must flee when the clock strikes twelve, leaving behind only a shoe as the Prince vows to find his mysterious dance partner. What begins as a wish for one magical night sets in motion a search that will change everything.