Strange Suspense Stories #66

When an alien vessel lands on Earth seeking refuge for its dying world, mankind's leaders find themselves at an impossible impasse—the visitors insist they mean no harm, but Earth's officials see only fundamental differences that could lead to disaster. As negotiations stall and tensions mount, an unexpected friendship between two children suggests a path forward that adults have overlooked.

Johnny Reed is a petty criminal haunted by a terrifying shadow creature he encountered in his childhood cellar—a presence that has followed him through the years, driving him to a life on the run. Carrying only lucky charms and matches as protection, Johnny finds himself locked away in jail, trapped with the thing he's never been able to escape. When fire sweeps through the prison, Johnny wonders if the flames have finally freed him from the darkness that's pursued him for so long.

Space scientists finally have their shot at the Moon—a state-of-the-art robot scout, launched aboard a Mercury rocket, will gather the data needed to send humans safely to the lunar surface. But when mission control orders the robot to return home, they receive an answer that transforms humanity's greatest dream into something far more unsettling. "Keep Off," from *Strange Suspense Stories* #66, is a lean, smartly twisted take on the space race that reminds us some frontiers might not welcome us.

Roger Dallen books passage on the luxury liner *The Prince* for the Mediterranean cruise of a lifetime, only to encounter the mysterious Frederico Berdino—a strange figure who speaks of the ship's dark heritage as a legendary pirate vessel. When a tropical storm forces the evacuation of the modern cruise ship, Roger finds himself rescued by Berdino and awakening aboard something far more sinister than he bargained for. Now trapped on a vessel commandeered by a ruthless captain with piratical ambitions, Roger must reckon with the true nature of his "dream vacation."

Born in 1809, Kit Carson discovered his calling as a young man when he joined a hunting party to Santa Fe, finding in the wilderness a way of life that would define him. From trapping in remote territories to guiding major expeditions across the Rocky Mountains and California, Carson became one of the frontier's greatest hunters and scouts, earning his place in American legend through fearless encounters with hostile terrain and adversaries. His wartime courage in the Southwest earned him the rank of Brigadier General, cementing his status among the nation's most celebrated frontier heroes.