Strange Tales 1951 #117 - 6.5 - $48.00

Having served his time, The Eel is released from jail, but Johnny's suspicious because he left prison wearing his Eel costume. Taking a security guard job at an aquarium, The Eel begins pulling crimes, but eventually, Johnny tracks him down and defeats him again.

When hostile aliens come to Earth of the future they are persuaded not to enslave humanity because of Earth's music.

Mordo places a spell over Strange's house that causes it to vanish to another dimension. Strange manages to track Mordo down using his ethereal form, but it becomes trapped in Mordo's lair. Mordo goes to see The Ancient One, claiming he's changed his way, just so he can attack him unawares. But Strange had found a way to escape by going straight thru the center of the Earth itself, and warned his mentor in advance. Though defeated, both Strange and The Ancient One know Mordo is becoming more powerful all the time.

Includes 10 pages of paid advertisements. On-sale date from 1963 Periodicals, Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

• The Return of the Eel! - Ditko credits supplied by Nick Caputo and Mark Elstob.
• The Return of the Eel! - Second appearance of The Eel; previous appearance in issue #112 (September 1963); Eel has a 2-panel cameo in Fantastic Four Annual (Marvel, 1963 series) #3 (1965), then returns in X-Men (Marvel, 1963 series) #22 (July 1966). Story not reprinted in Marvel Tales run.
• From Outer Space - Text story with illustration.
• Another Marvel Masterpiece - Promo for X-Men (Marvel, 1963 series) #3 (January 1964) including cover repro. Printed between the pages of the Human Torch story.
• The Many Traps of Baron Mordo! - This is the fourth appearance of Baron Mordo; his last chronological appearance is in issue #114 (November 1963); he next appears in issue #121 (June 1964).