Thing

Origin
In his lab, Professor Jason Arnold shows his prized-pupil, Tom Graves, an experiment for prolonging life. Professor Arnold injects a serum into lab animals, but the animals simple fade and disappear. Jason gets animated, accidentally stabbing himself with the needle and fading away. Tom Graves instantly injects himself with the needle to help the professor. He hurtles through a swirling 'rainbow of color' and finds himself in an unfamiliar world.

He is attacked by a strange, Red-Tentacled Thing, falling into the "stream of color" running across the planet. There, he reunites with Professor Arnold, who informs Graves they are "obviously stranded in the fourth dimension". The color-stream, Jason says, must be the "stream of time". Tom intends to leave and gets out of the "time-stream", but instantly faces the Thing. Professor Arnold comes to the aid of Tom, but is struck by the Red-Tentacled thing while trying to retrieve tablets from the pocket of his lab coat. Jason instantly turns older, dropping the tablets. Tom Grave examines the professor to find Jason is dead.

Tom Graves realizes the tablets are the antidote by which he can escape. He is reminded he still must contend with the Thing, knowing now its touch speeds up the passage of time. This is what killed Jason Arnold by causing him to age quickly. Tom can't escape, but a Blue-Tentacled Thing appears to battle with the Red-Tentacled Thing and protect Graves.

Taking the antidote tablet, Tom Graves fades away. Not before the Blue-Tentacled Thing caressed his cheek and made it numb. When he returns to the lab, which shows signs of long-neglect, he sees a beautiful blonde woman. She says she saved his life, so now it belongs to her. She wants to take Graves back to the other world where they can live together forever. Tom can't stand the idea of returning to that world. A pair of men walk in with flashlights. The woman fades, saying she cannot stay. The men recognize Tom, telling him eight years had passed since he and Jason Arnold disappeared. Tom is flabbergasted. He looks at his face in the mirror, seeing it aged where the Thing touched him. He knows a beautiful woman is waiting for him in another dimension.

Public Domain Appearances

 * Amazing Adventures #1