Race for the Moon #9

In "The Man Who Stole Air," former scientist Eric Fowler is caught gathering air samples, drawing the attention of agent George Croft, who follows him home—only to witness Fowler speaking with tiny aliens. When the aliens suddenly grow to giant size, using a magnifying device to project their image, Fowler explains his attempt to trick them into revealing their secrets by promising helium, a fuel they need. Croft disables the device, the giants vanish, and the aliens are given helium before departing Earth.

In "The Curse of the Fire God," Pete Marek flees with stolen money, only to find himself trapped in the Peruvian jungle by a festival honoring an ancient deity. As he pushes through the dense wilderness, lightning and fire seem to follow him, each obstacle more impossible than the last—until a final, sunlit twist reveals the true source of the flames.

In the storm-lit streets of a forgotten town, Amos Todd runs his Museum of Worthless Inventions—until a sudden flash of light turns his curiosities into miracles. When a gold-making machine ignites water and a power pill fuels a stalled car, he’s thrust into a world where his absurd gadgets suddenly work, even as a gang steals his most dangerous invention. With mechanical wings and a heart full of wonder, Todd races to set things right—only to find that magic, like the rain, can vanish as quickly as it came.

In "The Fantastic Wishing Well," Brad Horton’s desperate bid to escape a heist gone wrong leads him to a mysterious well that grants wishes—each costing a nickel. As he tries to turn his fortune around, the well’s strange rules begin to twist his luck in ways he never expected. Written by an unknown author and illustrated by an unknown artist, this 1963 tale blends crime and fantasy in a brief, twisty journey through greed, chance, and the price of getting what you wish for.

In "The Swami of Broadway," Dean Hall and Orry Kane find themselves in a remote Bengal village where a mysterious swami foretells an elephant stampede—just in time to save the square. Months later, the same swami appears unexpectedly at Hall’s theater, making chillingly accurate predictions that unsettle everyone. When he warns that the theater will be struck by a meteor if he enters, Hall sells the venue to Kane and departs. The story’s twist hinges on the swami’s true nature, leaving the fate of the theater—and the weight of prophecy—hanging in the air.