Unusual Tales #33

A supernaturally commanding foreign agent infiltrates the Pentagon and steals America's most vital military secrets with terrifying ease—but when he attempts his escape from Paris, something far more mysterious intervenes. In "One of Them," the spy thriller takes a sharp turn into the fantastical as Bolakaloff discovers he's not the only extraordinary being at play in this game of international espionage.

Moon Magic explores how across history and superstition, humans and animals have attributed terror and madness to the full moon—from ancient predators to medieval witches' spells to the modern mentally unstable who lose their grip when that silvery orb rises. This thought-provoking piece examines whether the moon truly summons something primal in us, or if we simply imagine it does.

A history instructor's summer quest to find his great-uncle's fabled mirror—an heirloom said to possess remarkable powers—leads him to discover that the glass reflects not flattery, but truth: it shows each person their authentic self, stripped of delusion and pretense. As word of the mirror's gift spreads and its power transforms those who glimpse their genuine nature, Abner Cubbell learns that some truths can be dangerous, and not everyone is prepared to face what they really are.

Joe Bragan finds himself stranded in the Libyan desert with a dying car—until he's ambushed by a mysterious warrior and thrust into an impossible situation that defies all logic. Forced to drive his ancient jalopy as a weapon in a battle between ancient armies, Joe discovers that some encounters in the desert exist between dream and reality. When he finally crashes, he wakes to find an ornate relic that suggests his harrowing journey was far more than mere hallucination.