Appearing in "This Vampire Must Die!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Daemond
- Caretakers of Arcturus
- Cat People (Main story and flashback)
- King Gerark (First appearance)
- Balkatar
- Qord
Other Characters:
- Ebrok (First appearance) (Only in flashback)
- Children of the Comet (Mentioned)
Locations:
Synopsis for "This Vampire Must Die!"
As the sun begins to rise over the city, Morbius becomes determined to escape the painful light. He kicks the demon Balkatar from off of him and escapes to a dark alleyway.
Morbius runs through connected alleys, but Balkatar catches up to him and attacks. Morbius fights back but the encroaching sunlight weakens him.
To Morbius' surprise, Balkatar is intelligent and can speak. While conversing with Morbius, Balkatar hears a telepathic message from his leader, who he calls his "Majesty." Balkatar lifts the weakened Morbius and tells him to prepare to go on a journey.
Daemond suddenly bounds into the alleyway and orders Balkatar to kill Morbius, but Balkatar will no longer listen to Daemond. Instead, Balkatar bursts into a flash of light and disappears. Daemond goes back to Martine in anger.
Meanwhile, the Caretakers, having been watching from afar, are astounded and worried by the this series of events. They are now unsure how they will save humanity.
Elsewhere, Balkatar and Morbius appear on the cliffs overlooking another world, called "The Land Within." It is the home of demons. The place is filled with light, yet it does not hurt Morbius, for it is not natural sunlight like that of Earth.
Morbius tries to understand this new place, but Balkatar knows little of his own world as it is, so he dimisses Morbius' questions. He beckons Morbius to follow him to King Gerark's palace where they are expected. Balkatar surprises Morbius by stating nonchalantly that he is to be executed for disobeying Daemond's orders. Morbius is astounded since the King himself ordered Balkatar away, but Balkatar states that this does not matter. The rules are set in stone.
Balkatar and Morbius arrive as the thone room and are greeted warmly by King Gerark who immediately has Balkatar taken away to a prison cell.
The King informs Morbius that he was summoned to The Land Within to help solve a crisis. There is a population problem and the King needs a killer.
The king decides a history lesson might persuade Morbius. He tells Morbius that The Land Within was created by a sorcerer, Ebrok, who filled the world by transforming housecats into cat-like demons.
Ebrok and his fellow sorcerers created more and more cat-like demons, but after a few generations, their intellect increased and they became a threat to the sorcerers.
The cat demons revolted but were unsuccessful. The sorcerers imprisoned them with magic, creating The Land Within as a cage for the demons.
Each generation, a demon is chosen to be the Balkatar, a title meaning 'The Summoned One'. The Balkatar must do the bidding of whoever summons him.
The demons culture and science was enhanced drastically over time, and their population became too great for them to sustain themselves. The demons do not wish to harm each other themselves, so the king proposes that Morbius do their dirty work for them.
Morbius refuses to harm anyone. He escapes the throne room by leaping out of a window and vows to kill the king and free the Balkatar. Morbius is still weak, so he drinks from a cat demon. He accidentally drinks too much and kills her. With his strength returning to him, he suddenly realizes his is surrounded. The cat demons, who saw him kill one of their own, attack Morbius and throw him into a nearby river. At the end of the river is a wall of mystical energy. Morbius wonders if this is his chance to escape, so he dives underwater just as he passes through the wall!
Continued in next issue...
Appearing in "Willie Brown Is Out To Get Me!"
Journey Into Mystery #8
Featured Characters:
- Monk
Supporting Characters:
- "Weasel"
Antagonists:
- Willie Brown
Other Characters:
- Woman (Unnamed)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Synopsis for "Willie Brown Is Out To Get Me!"
Journey Into Mystery #8
People tell a thug that Willie Brown is after him, which terrifies him, since he shot Willie Brown a week ago and he is now a zombie.
Notes
- Sequence 1 layouts only by Buckler.