Uncanny Tales #181

When Bill and Ruth Jones receive a free TV from a mysterious stranger, they’re unaware it’s a tool of alien control—part of a plan to enslave Earth through hypnotic broadcasts. As the device begins to take hold, the couple fights to break free, only to discover the true source of their salvation lies in an unexpected place.

When the Phantom and his allies uncover a long-lost pirate treasure in the jungles of Bengali Bay, they're not alone—Cutlass and his crew are hot on the same trail. With Zeeks using old legends to scare off the local salvagers, the Phantom steps in to stop the chaos, only to find the witchdoctors may hold the key to the treasure’s true location.

In "Beware! He Isn't Human!", Eric Krugg, a Hollywood special effects man, constructs an android to punish a woman who rejected him—only to find himself outmaneuvered when she arrives at his door, accompanied by the very machine he created. As the truth unfolds, the line between creator and creation blurs, leaving him trapped between his own invention and a revelation that redefines what it means to be alive.

In "Midnight with Mandrake!", Mandrake and Lothar respond to a bizarre disturbance in the city square, where malfunctioning gas rings from a candy sign are turning the crowd drowsy. With quick thinking and his signature hypnosis, Mandrake turns the fog into a psychological trap, convincing the criminals they’re made of iron—locking them in place until the authorities arrive.