Sinister Tales #87

In "Deadlock!", a man’s invention that bends willpower falls into the hands of a ruthless businessman seeking dominance—until his daughter intervenes, forcing him to confront the cost of his choices. The story explores the thin line between control and conscience, with a quiet but powerful shift in a father’s resolve.

In "I, the Gargoyle!", a lonely man with a kind heart and a harsh exterior ventures deep into the Earth’s core, piloting a digging machine on a solitary quest. There, in the dim light of a hidden civilization, he finds a people who perceive the world not with eyes, but with their hearts—offering him a connection he’s long been denied.

In "The Mole Mystery!", two men descend deep beneath the Earth, only to stumble upon a hidden city shimmering with gold—only to find their own digging vehicle has been transformed into solid gold, trapping them below. The story unfolds as they confront the eerie truth behind the city’s gleam, realizing too late that the gold was never theirs to take.

In "The Search for Shanng!", a stranded alien named Shanng reaches out to Earth, offering wisdom in exchange for aid in finding his hidden vessel. But when greed clouds the minds of those who seek him, Shanng remains elusive—waiting for a world ready to listen.

In "The Secret of Sagattus!", a kingdom’s fate hangs on a hunchback advisor whose wisdom is unmatched—until jealous nobles silence him. When his death reveals the king is nothing more than a mannequin, the truth behind the throne’s deception begins to unravel.

In "Melvin and the Martian!" from Sinister Tales #87, a con artist’s luck takes a bizarre turn when a visiting alien offers him the power to never lose at games—on one condition: help find a hidden treasure. With newfound certainty in every roll and race, Melvin soon realizes the alien’s true intentions, only to discover too late that the real prize was never gold or jewels—but him all along.

In "I Come From Far Centaurus!", a man's sudden fortune crumbles when an alien visitor reveals his wealth is built on deception, leading to exile and imprisonment on a desolate asteroid—where his money means nothing at all.

In "The Shoemaker's Strange Assistants!", a weary craftsman whose nightly tales of helpful little people take a dark turn when his health fails and he turns to a ruthless loan shark for help. As the debt mounts and the man’s nights grow longer, the stories he once told children begin to blur with reality—until the loan shark’s final visit reveals a terrifying truth: the little people are real, and they’ve taken a very personal interest in his debt.