House of Secrets #37 is an issue of the series House of Secrets (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1960.
Synopsis for Mark Merlin: "The Secret of the Captive Creature!"
Appearing in Mark Merlin: "The Secret of the Captive Creature!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Xardelian criminal (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Pluvian lawman (Single appearance)
Items:
- Multi-purpose weapon (Destroyed)
- Speech translator
Vehicles:
- Mark Merlin's plane
- Two flying saucer ships
Synopsis for "Operation Cyclops"
Appearing in "Operation Cyclops"
Featured Characters:
- David Scott (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- General Mohr (Single appearance)
Items:
- Giant robot parts (Destroyed)
Vehicles:
- Crashed spaceship
Synopsis for "The Weird World of Anton Borka"
When Anton Borka was a child, his father told him to take a bucket of milk into town and sell it. On his way, Anton met a man who hadn't had anything to eat or drink in days. Anton offered him a sip of the milk, but the man drank every drop. To repay Anton, the man gave him three seeds, which he claimed would give Anton wealth and happiness.
Anton's father was furious, and he threw the seeds away near a mountaintop. Days later, Anton returned to the mountaintop and found three giant plants. When he cut them open, a strange creature emerged from each one. A boy from the village saw Anton talking, but he couldn't see the creatures. The boy returned to town and accused Anton of being crazy.
When Anton grew up, he always seemed to have good fortune: his crops did not suffer during a drought, and they did not suffer during a flood. The townsfolk suspected Anton of making a pact with evil forces, so they set out to destroy his farm.
Anton returned to the mountaintop for the first time in years. There he saw the creatures, who revealed that they were the ones responsible for his fortune. But then the creatures insisted on punishing Anton's neighbors for their cruel behavior. Anton tried to stop them, but to no avail. The town suffered a lightning strike and then a rockslide.
The creatures' final act of vengeance was a flood. Just as the rushing waters threatened the town's bridge, Anton explained to the creatures that he would never be able to live in peace with his neighbors if the bridge were destroyed, because everyone would blame him for it. The creatures finally understood, so they quickly shoveled huge piles of dirt in front of the bridge, thereby saving it. The townsfolk still couldn't see the creatures, but they knew Anton was responsible for saving the bridge. The creatures bid Anton farewell, and the townsfolk finally accepted Anton.
Appearing in "The Weird World of Anton Borka"
Featured Characters:
- Anton Borka (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- The Golas, invisible creatures (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Anton's father (Single appearance; dies)
- An old vagabond (Single appearance)
- Fredric, a village boy (Single appearance)
- Townspeople (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Medieval Europe
- Anton's village
Items:
- 3 magic beans
Notes
- "The Weird World of Anton Borka" is reprinted in House of Mystery #227.
- The funny strip, "Hamid the Hypnotist", by Henry Boltinoff, also appears in this issue.
- "Secret of the Snows", a written text story, appears in this issue.
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.