The Unexpected #128 is an issue of the series The Unexpected (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1971.
Synopsis for "Where Only The Dead Are Free"
An escaped convict runs through the jungle to escape prison dogs and guards. He falls through a clearing and is apprehended by a maniacal wheelchair bound old man and his manservant Munjo. The old man turns the convict into a slave and forces him to work in his diamond mine. The convict attempts to escape but he keeps getting caught by Munjo and dragged back to the gold mine where he is locked in chains. At one point the convict manages to severe his bonds but he becomes lost in the many tunnels that run through the mine. He eventually surfaces through an opening in the mine but it turns out to be the shaft of an old dried up water well. He is immediately apprehended by the old man and Munjo and shackled so that he does not escape again.
Appearing in "Where Only The Dead Are Free"
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Synopsis for "The Vengeful Ghost of Glenville Gap"
A court of law finds Jud Harrow guilty of murder. The two opposing attorneys accuse each other of grandstanding for personal gain. As the judge pronounces Harrow guilty, Harrow declares that he will come back from the grave and get revenge as a ghost on all of those involved in his conviction. He states that they will know he was responsible when they find his victims bearing his mark. His threat is reported in the local paper and the town becomes nervous at the thought. It was rumored that Harrow possessed supernatural powers and the threats weigh heavily on his intended victims. Harrows ghost is finally spotted one night by a gravedigger. The apparition appears by Harrows grave and quickly disappears. The gravedigger reports the sighting but no one knows how to handle the perceived threat. Attorney Wayne Rutland is contacted and warned about the sighting but he quickly dismisses the news. He is later attacked at night in his own bedroom. His wife discovers his dead body and it bears the mark on Jud Harrow on his forehead. People are fearful as they walk the streets but then the ghost is spotted again and the police give chase. The ghost is chased to a rooftop where it suddenly falls off the ledge down to the street below. The crowd is stunned to find that Wayne Rutland has appeared on the scene, everyone believed him to be dead. It is then revealed that the real killer was the opposing lawyer Grey who wanted to get rid of Rutland so he could win the next election for judge. Grey hoped to use Harrows threat as a means to cover up his intended murder of Rutland. As the police turn Greys body over, they discover that it bears the mark of Harrow on his forehead.
Appearing in "The Vengeful Ghost of Glenville Gap"
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Synopsis for "There's More Than One Way To Get Framed"
An old eccentric man named Ivan O'Toole spends his time obsessively collecting valuable artifacts. He keeps his collection in his attic where he spends his time fondling his latest acquisitions. He also owns a painting that depicts a treasure trove of valuable items and the old man wishes that he could somehow make those items materialize. One day he comes upon a unique candle that emits a strange light that allows him to enter the treasure painting. He spends hours fawning over the priceless items within the work of art. He instructs his wife never to light the candle since it contains black magic and its diabolical flame would cause her to vanish. O'Toole continues to use the candle to enter the painting. He discovers a chest of jewels and attempts to carry it out into the real world but then he witnesses his wife as she enters the attic and puts out the flame. The man is trapped in the painting with no way out. O'Tooles wife eventually reports her husband as missing when he does not appear after a while. When the police ask for a description of him, the wife points to the painting and mentions that he looks exactly like the horrified man depicted in the treasure picture. She eventually sells all the old man's possessions and makes a small unexpected fortune.
Appearing in "There's More Than One Way To Get Framed"
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Synopsis for "The Prisoner of a Dead World"
reprinted from House of Mystery Vol 1 94 Archeologist Jonathan Lathrop deciphers a stone that tells the tale of King Mornadas of Batravia. The stone tablet mentions the name of a wizard or scientist named Kal who creates a glass sphere that has the power to miniaturize objects. He also develops a metal coin that absorbs living things so that they reside inside the coin itself so that they may be brought back to life and transferred to Earth at a later time. Kal warns the king not to touch the metal for fear that his life might be transferred to the coin. Shortly thereafter, the Kings palace is engulfed in lava from a nearby volcano. The king is seemingly trapped inside and perishes but the stone tablet states that Kal was able to give King Morandas the gift of immortality. The tablet goes on to mention that the sunken city of the King will be found one day. Lathrop and his wife immediately travel to Batravia where they locate King Moranda's sunken palace. They locate his sphere and a coin with his likeness. As soon as Lathrop touches the coin he is absorbed into the metal and he switches places with King Morandas. His wife immediately runs to the country's president to ask for his help but she finds that the President is not available and an aide named Sevro Manthos sits in his place. Manthos listens to Lathrops wife as she relates the incredible story of King Manthos and his coin. The aide dismisses the tale and tells the woman to return to her hotel. He seems confident that her husband has merely wandered off and will return soon. He keeps the coin and urges her to leave. Later that night Lathrop shows up at the hotel just as Manthos predicted. He is greeted by his wife but Lathrop seems very confused and disoriented. He notices a newspaper on the table with the headline stating that the country's president Andrea has mysteriously disappeared. Their suspicions are immediately aroused and they decide to pay to Manthos who has suddenly made himself into a dictator in light of President Andrea's absence. The couple asks him to return the coin but Manthos refuses. In the meantime, the real King Manthos shows up at the presidential palace demanding that the be restored to power. The guards attempt to take king Manthos into custody but the coin falls to the floor and the king grabs it with his hand. President Andrea suddenly appears and King Manthos vanishes once more. Manthos is thrown in jail for treason and the coin is sealed back in the Kings palace forever.
Appearing in "The Prisoner of a Dead World"
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Synopsis for "The Haunted Violin"
reprinted from House of Mystery Vol 1 89 An aspiring musician named Paul Drake dreams of becoming a concert artist with his violin. He is informed by his agent that he makes too many mistakes to be a concert artist. Drake refuses to give up on his goal. He attempts to obtain a job playing his violin but they ask that he paint his violin with stripes and that he wear a clown costume to make people laugh. He is humiliated and begins to seek an enchanted violin that belonged to a great magician named Lajos. The violin mesmerized people and Drake figures he can use it for the same purpose but he is warned that the violin will bring only evil. He finally locates the violin in a musty cave. It sits on a ledge with a poetic verse written just above it. The verse informs the user that the violin can change many things and they can be changed back by playing a tune in reverse. It also states that all things change but not yourself. Drake plays the violin and changes a glass of water to liquid fire. The violin also turns a stone statue into a mass of melted materiel. Drake then gets the idea that he can turn the cities water reservoir into cold fire. He figures that people will beg him to play the instrument to change things back to normal and he will get the attention he deserves. He calls a press conference to have reporters witness the change but nothing happens when he plays the instrument. The reporters laugh at him and leave. Drake then attempts to melt down city buildings with his playing but again nothing happens when he plays the enchanted instrument. He then notices that the violin has changed itself into a replica of his old violin complete with stripes. He then thinks about the last line of the verse that was above the violin, all things change but not yourself. He then realizes that he was not cut out to be a concert violinist and happily resumes his role of entertaining people with his instrument while wearing a clown costume.
Appearing in "The Haunted Violin"
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