The Phantom Stranger 1969 #15 - 7.5 - $39.00

The artificial metallic form of the god Chuma rises from the Earth.

Cyberneticist John Kweli returns from America to his African home to find his people harassed by the armed force of an oil company to get them to move off their ancestral land, under which are vast pools of oil. To rally his dispirited people, Kweli creates a metalic, cybernetic incarnation of the god Chuma... that exhibits human characteristics in a most unexpected way.

An explorer discovers that a missing scientist has undergone a fantastic transformation.

The frontman of a rock band playing a party at a millionaire's beach house leads a group of young people and their middle-aged millionaire host to a watery doom "Pied-Piper style". Saved from drowning when a strong riptide frees him from the piper's thrall, Willard Wentworth (the millionaire) turns to Doctor Thirteen to investigate these horrific events.

Mark Merlin introduces himself and discusses the type of cases he takes on.

Cover price increases from 15 to 25 cents. Page count increases from 36 to 52 pages. On-sale date from copyright registration.

• The Iron Messiah! - Connections?: In this story written by Len Wein, an African female doctor and longtime friend of John Kweli, who remained in her native country to serve her people (rather than seek her fortune in America), is named "Ororo". ...Four years later Wein and Dave Cockrum would create "Ororo Munroe" (aka Storm) for Giant Size X-Men (Marvel, 1975 Series) #1.
• The Magic of Kirby! - DC Comics house ad for Mister Miracle. Reproduces the cover illustration for Mister Miracle (DC, 1971 series) #4 September-October 1971. "On sale July 13 [1971]" Lower third of page.
• Mail to the Phantom Stranger - Readers' comments on issues #10, 11, and 12. Between pages 2 and 3 of previous story.
• Satan's Sextet - Doctor Thirteen drives a dune buggy.
• I Scout Earth's Strangest Secrets! - writer credit by Bob Hughes. This is a reprint of the first appearance of Mark Merlin.
• "Let's Rap" with Carmine Infantino - Carmine Infantino, in his capacity as Editorial Director, tells it "like it is" (in his best attempt at late-sixties/early-seventies youth lingo) of the necessity for DC to increase cover prices. Lower third of page.