The Unexpected #144 is an issue of the series The Unexpected (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1973.
Synopsis for "The Dark Pit of Dr Hanley"
Inmates at an asylum for the criminally insane have a costume play and one dressed as a policeman slips away. A butler a short distance away murders his employer and dumps the body in the cellar. When a policeman shows up at the door he assumes it is the maniac he heard about over the radio and locks him in the cellar when he goes down to examine the body. He calls the police thinking he can pin the crime on the lunatic, and when another policeman shows up at his door, the butler lets him in not realizing that he is the murderous madman.
Appearing in "The Dark Pit of Dr Hanley"
Featured Characters:
- Big Tom (Single appearance)
- Croft (Single appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
- Dr. Jason Hanley (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Colin Keith Fitzhugh (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Newberry
- Newberry Asylum for the Criminally Insane (Single appearance)
Items:
Synopsis for "Laugh? I Thought I'd Die!"
A scheming housewife named Julia convinces a simple minded butcher into murdering her husband. Once the crime is committed the butcher, whose name is Hugo Werner, revisits Julia hoping for a romance. In reality, Julia is still in love with an old flame named a Johnny Benton but she must now get rid of Hugo since he is becoming a bit of a nuisance. Julia checks into a hotel in anticipation of meeting Johnny but she is approached by the ghost of her murdered husband Eric who instructs Julia to marry Hugo. The ghost threatens that if Julia doesn't follow his wishes then she will never have a moments peace. Hugo and Julia are soon married but Julia turns into a witch nagging poor Hugo constantly to no end. Julia finally decides to leave Hugo but he goes insane and murders Julia. Julia and her former husband meet in the hereafter when she finds out that Hugo was caught by the police and will soon be executed for murder. The two will continue to be together for eternity. Eric the former husband remarks that he could die laughing if he wasn't already dead.
Appearing in "Laugh? I Thought I'd Die!"
Featured Characters:
- Julia (Single appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
- Eric Mason (Single appearance; dies)
- Hugo Werner (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "Behind Locked Doors"
Business Tycoon Ezra Drummond has died. His employees are celebrating the demise of their cruel boss. Now that Drummond has passed away the employees want to search a pair of locked doors that Drummond kept hidden. They approach the doors when they are suddenly interrupted by the voice of Melissa Drummond. She apparently is Drummond's daughter and she begins to run the company in the same cruel manner as her father. She monitors the employees through hidden cameras and threatens to fire them if they step out of line. The employees gang up on her and break into her office. They discover that Melissa Drummond is actually a robot. They also discover a robot with the likeness of Ezra Drummond. Apparently the robots were Drummond's attempt to run the company even after his death.
Appearing in "Behind Locked Doors"
Featured Characters:
- Doug Bradley (Single appearance)
- Mr. Palmer (Single appearance)
- Melissa Drummond (Single appearance)
- Ezra Drummond (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "The Curse of the Black Cat"
A black cat named Charcoal is victimized by human superstition. The cat endures cruel threats from people who claim that he brings bad luck. The cat seeks refuge in the countryside where an escaped convict named Johnny is on the run from law enforcement. The fugitive encounters Charcoal and gets frightened by the possibility of the cat bringing him bad luck. The fugitive finds an abandoned house to use as a hideout. At one point the fugitive falls through the floor of the house and blames the black cat. He grabs the cat, throws him into a sack and throws it into the River. Thinking the cat is dead, Johnny goes back into the abandoned house where he finds a box filled with $100 gold pieces. The only problem is that the box is wedged beneath a pile of debris. Johnny forces the box free but then it causes the debris to collapse on top of him. Johnny cries out for help and is apprehended by the law. He is placed back in prison where he faces execution for past crimes. Johnny realizes that the black cat had actually brought him good luck and allowed him to find the gold pieces; he never should have killed it. Johnny is lead away to execution as he yells out that black cats bring good luck and should never be killed.
Appearing in "The Curse of the Black Cat"
Featured Characters:
- Charcoal (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Johnny Dodge (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Dogs
Locations:
Items:
See Also