Tales To Astonish #51
"Somewhere Waits A Wobbow!"
January, 1964
Story Plot: Stan Lee
Script And Art: Larry Lieber
Inking: G. Bell
Lettering: Artie Simek
When the Wasp is not battling super-villains alongside Giant-Man, she is
spending much of her time visiting veterans' hospitals and orphanages,
entertaining people with imaginary stories filled with fantasy as only
she can tell them. Today, the veterans learn that "Somewhere Waits A
Wobbow!" In the year 2000, Rack Morgan is a mercenary space pilot, and
for money he would do anything... and anyone. In order to deliver his
cargo early, Morgan must take an illegal shortcut through another
company's space lane. As he thinks about the big bonus, Rack sees that
there's an X-32 saucer ahead.
By veering quickly, the two spaceships narrowly avoid their collision
course. The crew of the X-32 recognize Rack Morgan's ship and know how
the mercenary doesn't care about the rules, just as long as he gets the
advantage. When Sam gets the Blake order, Morgan offers a toast to his
success. When the other pilot drinks, his head becomes dizzy, and the
knockout drops in his drink take hold. Now, while Sam sleeps, Rack is
able to head to the spaceport, and fly the Blake cargo himself.
Sooner or later, an evil person's deeds catches up with them, and so it
is with Rack Morgan. During his intergalactic trip, he spots the planet
Draconius. Those of Earth are forbidden to land their ships there
because it is inhabited by deadly creatures called Wobbows. His ship has
come upon a meteor shower, with the mercenary pilot swerving out of its
way. In doing so, Morgan gets a closer look at Draconius, and sees a
rocky terrain. He also sees chunks of gold laying out in the open.
Mindful of the Wobbows, Rack decides to explore the surrounding area, and
see if there's any danger present before he lands the ship.
No sign of life for miles on the planet. Morgan bets that the Wobbows
are something that the brass on Earth made up to keep folks from landing
on Draconius. Just think of it, thousands of Earthlings arriving to
steal the gold, flooding the market, and lowering its value on Earth. If
he were to land, he could take enough to be a rich man, and none would
ever suspect its origin. Rack Morgan defies space regulations by landing
on Draconius, and heads for the large chunks of gold. Any of them would
be worth millions of dollars back on Earth. Each chunk is heavy, but the
mercenary space pilot isn't complaining. Just one of them will be enough
to keep him in the lap of luxury for the rest of his life. Morgan's
spaceship lifts off from Draconius. He has disobeyed the rules and now
he's rich! Rich!! Rack Morgan's joy is short-lived when he hears a
strange sound, and turns around to find it coming from the gold he took
aboard.
The chunk of gold is changing shape and coming to life. Now he knows.
The Wobbows exist, but in disguise, and act as attractive bait to lure
their enemies. To a greedy, selfish mercenary like Rack Morgan, nothing
is more tempting than gold. And that was the last anyone ever heard of
the Earthling. Having finished her story, the Wasp must now change, and
takes one of her reducing capsules. As she flies away, one veteran asks
the other what he thought of her story. The other sheepishly admits that
with a doll like that in front of him, who can listen?!!
This story was reprinted in The Essential Astonishing Ant Man Vol. 1.
Woe is Rack Morgan when he tries to pick up his weight in gold.
When you drink to your own success, be careful that your cup doesn't
runneth over with knockout drops.
A Wobbow is a hairy, horned creature with pointed ears and sharp teeth.
Steve Chung
"Somewhere Waits A Review!"
"Somewhere Waits A Wobbow!"
January, 1964
Story Plot: Stan Lee
Script And Art: Larry Lieber
Inking: G. Bell
Lettering: Artie Simek
When the Wasp is not battling super-villains alongside Giant-Man, she is
spending much of her time visiting veterans' hospitals and orphanages,
entertaining people with imaginary stories filled with fantasy as only
she can tell them. Today, the veterans learn that "Somewhere Waits A
Wobbow!" In the year 2000, Rack Morgan is a mercenary space pilot, and
for money he would do anything... and anyone. In order to deliver his
cargo early, Morgan must take an illegal shortcut through another
company's space lane. As he thinks about the big bonus, Rack sees that
there's an X-32 saucer ahead.
By veering quickly, the two spaceships narrowly avoid their collision
course. The crew of the X-32 recognize Rack Morgan's ship and know how
the mercenary doesn't care about the rules, just as long as he gets the
advantage. When Sam gets the Blake order, Morgan offers a toast to his
success. When the other pilot drinks, his head becomes dizzy, and the
knockout drops in his drink take hold. Now, while Sam sleeps, Rack is
able to head to the spaceport, and fly the Blake cargo himself.
Sooner or later, an evil person's deeds catches up with them, and so it
is with Rack Morgan. During his intergalactic trip, he spots the planet
Draconius. Those of Earth are forbidden to land their ships there
because it is inhabited by deadly creatures called Wobbows. His ship has
come upon a meteor shower, with the mercenary pilot swerving out of its
way. In doing so, Morgan gets a closer look at Draconius, and sees a
rocky terrain. He also sees chunks of gold laying out in the open.
Mindful of the Wobbows, Rack decides to explore the surrounding area, and
see if there's any danger present before he lands the ship.
No sign of life for miles on the planet. Morgan bets that the Wobbows
are something that the brass on Earth made up to keep folks from landing
on Draconius. Just think of it, thousands of Earthlings arriving to
steal the gold, flooding the market, and lowering its value on Earth. If
he were to land, he could take enough to be a rich man, and none would
ever suspect its origin. Rack Morgan defies space regulations by landing
on Draconius, and heads for the large chunks of gold. Any of them would
be worth millions of dollars back on Earth. Each chunk is heavy, but the
mercenary space pilot isn't complaining. Just one of them will be enough
to keep him in the lap of luxury for the rest of his life. Morgan's
spaceship lifts off from Draconius. He has disobeyed the rules and now
he's rich! Rich!! Rack Morgan's joy is short-lived when he hears a
strange sound, and turns around to find it coming from the gold he took
aboard.
The chunk of gold is changing shape and coming to life. Now he knows.
The Wobbows exist, but in disguise, and act as attractive bait to lure
their enemies. To a greedy, selfish mercenary like Rack Morgan, nothing
is more tempting than gold. And that was the last anyone ever heard of
the Earthling. Having finished her story, the Wasp must now change, and
takes one of her reducing capsules. As she flies away, one veteran asks
the other what he thought of her story. The other sheepishly admits that
with a doll like that in front of him, who can listen?!!
This story was reprinted in The Essential Astonishing Ant Man Vol. 1.
Woe is Rack Morgan when he tries to pick up his weight in gold.
When you drink to your own success, be careful that your cup doesn't
runneth over with knockout drops.
A Wobbow is a hairy, horned creature with pointed ears and sharp teeth.
Steve Chung
"Somewhere Waits A Review!"
