House of Secrets #148 is an issue of the series House of Secrets (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1977.
Synopsis for "Roman Holiday"
A man answers an ad to go on a Roman holiday and ends up being thrown to the lions.
Appearing in "Roman Holiday"
Narrator:
- Abel (Host)
Featured Characters:
- Henry Smithers (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Zelda (Single appearance)
- Claudius Maximus (Single appearance)
- Octavia (Single appearance)
Animals:
- Lions
Locations:
- An undisclosed city
- A Mock-Up Roman "resort"
Vehicles:
- Plane
Synopsis for "Sorcerer's Apprentice"
The sorcerer's apprentice is ambitious and wants to wed the princess. The princess rebuffs him as it is not possible for the princess to marry a commoner. The apprentice gets the king to allow him along on his campaign and actually proves decisive in gaining the victory. When the apprentice again asks the king to marry his daughter, he is once more rebuffed, so he slays the king and usurps the throne. When he returns from the campaign, he has his master tossed in the dungeon until he can arrange the marriage ceremony. The princess still doesn't want to marry him, but he threatens her with death unless she relents. Just before the ceremony, the apprentice tells his guards to execute his master. When the sword falls, and the apprentice reaches towards his bride, he turns once more into the lifeless wooden thing he had been with the death of his creator.
Appearing in "Sorcerer's Apprentice"
Narrator:
- Abel (Host)
Featured Characters:
- Basra (Single appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
- Nilrem, the sorcerer (Single appearance; dies)
- Princess Arian (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- The king of Enon (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Land of Enon
Notes
- The first page of this issue features an introduction by Abel. It was written by Paul Levitz and drawn by Michael Golden.
- "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is reprinted in The Steve Ditko Omnibus: Volume 1.
Trivia
- "Roman Holiday" takes its title from the 1953 romantic comedy film, which it does not resemble.
- The plot of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is not related to the 18th-century German song of the same name, which is best known as the basis for the Mickey Mouse sketch in Fantasia.
- The "big plot reveal" of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" (final page, penultimate panel) "cheats," as it "flashes back" to a scene which was not previously depicted in the story.
See Also