The Unexpected #137

Nick Cardy's cover for this 1972 DC anthology delivers an arresting scene: a turbaned mystic with a blazing red evil eye unleashes a deadly beam at a helpless man while a horrified young woman looks on in terror, a crystal ball gleaming nearby. The chilling dare printed across the top — "Have you the nerve to face the Unexpected?" — sets exactly the right mood for a collection of all-new stories inside. At just 20 cents, issue #137 is a fine example of early-'70s DC horror anthology storytelling, with Carl Wessler, John Calnan, Mike Esposito, and John Costanza bringing "Dark Vengeance!" and more to life.