Journey Into Mystery 1

"One Foot in the Grave"
Journey Into Mystery
Title:	"One Foot in the Grave"
Volume:	1
Number:	1
Cover price:	.10
Cover date:	June, 1952
Publisher:	Atlas Comics
Credits
Chief:	Stan Lee
Writers:	Carl Wessler
Pencilers:	Tony DiPreta; Cal Massey; Vic Carrabotta; Jay Scott Pike; Dick Ayers
Inkers:	Tony DiPreta; Cal Massey; Vic Carrabotta; Jay Scott Pike; Dick Ayers
Cover artists:	Russ Heath
Cover inker:	Russ Heath
Cover colorist:	Stan Goldberg
Letterers:	Dick Ayers
Editors:	Stan Lee
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Next:	Journey Into Mystery #2

"One Foot in the Grave" is the title to the first story featured in the science fiction & horror anthology title Journey Into Mystery, published by Atlas Comics. The writer of the story is unknown. It was drawn and inked by Tony DiPreta. The second feature is a two-page text story titled "Death Finds a Way!" The writer and artist on this feature are unknown. The third story is five pages long and called "The Clutching Hands". It was written by Carl Wessler with artwork and inks by Cal Massey. The next tale is called "Haunted!" and is penciled and inked by Vic Carrabotta. The fifth story is called "It Can't Miss", which is likewise scripted by an unknown creator and is illustrated by Jay Scott Pike. Story number five is a five-page feature called "Iron-Head" by artist and letterer Dick Ayers. All stories were edited by Stan Lee. This issue shipped with a June, 1952 cover date and carries a cover price of .10 cents per copy.

"Iron-Head"

"Iron-Head"
No image available
Title:	"Iron-Head"
Credits
Writers:	Unknown
Pencilers:	Dick Ayers
Inkers:	Dick Ayers
Colorists:	None
Letterers:	Unknown
Editors:	Roy Thomas

Bronson is a grave robber and a murderer. To avoid being captured by the authorities, he accepts a job as a deep-sea diver on a private yacht. Working for a captain named Mister Nash, Bronson discovers that the ship's crew have located a cache of black diamonds at the bottom of the South Pacific. He decides to murder the crew and keep the diamonds for himself. Donning a heavy diving suit, he blows up the yacht and swims to the ocean floor for the diamonds.

Securing his treasure, Bronson slowly walks until he reaches a nearby island. The island is populated with superstitious natives who mistakenly believe that Bronson is some sort of water god. Dubbing him "Iron-Head", they hold him in high regard and keep a steady vigil over him. Bronson is afraid to remove his helmet, because if he reveals himself as a normal human, the natives will kill him. He holds out as long as he can, but within a few days, he begins to fall weak with hunger. The natives will not let him out of their sight, and he refuses to expose himself. Finally, one of the natives cuts off his head with an axe, revealing that he was never truly a god at all.

Appearances

Featured characters

• Bronson

Supporting characters

• Mister Nash

Villains

• Unnamed Caribbean natives

Minor characters

• None

Organizations

• None

Races

• Humans

Locations

• South Pacific

Items

• Axe
• Shield
• Shovel
• Spear

Vehicles

• Mister Nash's private yacht

Miscellaneous

• Cemetery
• Decapitation
• Grave robber
• Smoking
• Strangulation

Notes & Trivia

• "Iron-Head" has been reprinted in Tales of the Zombie #1.

Keywords

Axe; Bats; Boat; Cemetery; Criminal; Decapitation; Doll; Execution; Funeral; Funeral director; Ghosts; Grave robber; Haunted house; Island; Mental health facility; Mental patient; Pacific Ocean; Police officer; Publisher; Voodoo doll; Writer