Mystic #42

In "The Creature from the Black Bog!", a retired couple’s quiet exploration of the Everglades takes a strange turn when they stumble upon an alien stranded in the thick mire, his ship damaged and his escape delayed. As they help him gather vines to pull free, he offers a mysterious bargain—erasing their memories and restoring their youth in return.

In "Sinister Return of the Priestess of Baal," an expedition in the ancient ruins stirs the malevolent spirit of Ashmedah, the cruel priestess of Baal, who possesses the body of young explorer Wanda. As the undead Wanda rises under her dark influence, she begins a new reign of terror, sacrificing the living to her forgotten god. The line between possession and resistance blurs as the girl’s spirit fights to reclaim her body, leading to a final, fiery reckoning.

In "Grayson's Gorilla!", a scientist’s experiment to harness a gorilla’s strength backfires when he swaps bodies with the beast. Now trapped in a primate’s form, the man must navigate a world he no longer understands—while the newly human gorilla sets his sights on a very different kind of freedom.

In the shadowed hills of Czechoslovakia, a mother and daughter journey to meet the count who will soon be her son-in-law—Count Falco Lupercalia, a noble with a cursed lineage. As moonlight bleeds through ancient forests, the truth of his bloodline emerges: both he and his father are vampires who shift into werewolves under the full moon. When the night turns violent, the mother fights back with desperate courage, driving a blade into the heart of the beasts. But victory comes at a terrible cost—her mind shatters beneath the weight of what she’s done.

In "The Sub-Mariner Returns," the ocean's enigmatic protector answers a call from Admiral Saybrook after mysterious ship sinkings plague the South Seas. With Betty Dean at his side, Namor investigates the strange raids, uncovering a hidden fleet of Venusian robots preparing to invade Earth. Though he defeats the robotic forces and brings back their captured leader, the U.S. authorities remain unconvinced—leaving Namor to wonder if his warnings will be heeded.

In a classroom at Lee School in New York, Professor Steve Rogers recounts Captain America’s wartime legacy—only to be challenged by skeptical students. When fellow student Bucky Barnes defends the legend, the two take a drive to get supplies, only to learn the Red Skull has seized hostages at the United Nations. With no time to waste, Steve and Bucky leap into action, bursting through a window in their iconic costumes to confront the villain they thought was long gone.