Fantasy Masterpieces 1966 #6 - reader copy - $8.00

Cap has to contend with the return of the Red Skull and figure out why he is using Chopin's "Funeral March" as the means of his diabolical mission of destruction.

Cap solves the mystery of Cardiff Manor and a "ghost" dog, used by the only living relative of the family that once owned the manor.

A convict escapes and hides in a deep cave, where he finds a society of lizard men unable to breathe on the surface. When he tries to steal the diamond that provides their light he is transformed into a lizard man and forced to live among them as an outcast.

A man tries to pitch to Stan Lee the story of a blackmailer who becomes trapped within a mystic ruby as an agent of Fate to direct recently departed souls to their destination. Stan rejects the story as too outlandish even for Tales of Suspense and the man leaves the office. Outside, the man mutters to himself that his secret is safe since even if the blackmailer escapes the ruby no one will believe him and then he blinks out of existence.

A medical researcher working while on a boat with friends tries to enlarge a germ to more closely examine it, but it grows to human size and hijacks the boat. The doctor takes the germ to an island where it intends to enlarge an army of microbes to conquer the world, but the germ is destroyed by an atomic test that the doctor knew was planned there.

Cap and Bucky battle against the evil Fang and Baron Nushima, who seek to prevent two emissaries from China from obtaining money loans from the American government.

On-sale date from 1966 Periodicals, Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

• - New material on cover by Kirby/Colletta. Vignettes taken from interior stories. Colletta inking credit per Nick Caputo. Original indexer credited Frank Giacoia.
• - Inside from cover featuring scenes from interior stories, with gray tones added by Marie Severin. Credits include Stan Lee, Sol Brodsky, Roy Thomas, Flo Steinberg, Stan Goldberg, Marie Severin, Morrie Kuramoto, and Ron Whyte.
• The Phantom Hound of Cardiff Moor - Oddity: Sgt. Duffy's first name in this story is Thaddeus, yet in earlier Cap stories, he is called Mike. Some info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 6-9-09.
• Pulse-Pounding Pronouncements, Passionately Philosophical, Perposterously Profound, and Particularly Prepared for Permanent Oblivion! - Items, The Mighty Marvel Checklist, Let's Meet 26 More M.M.M.S. Members!
• I Found the Lair of... the Lizard Men - Narrated in the first person.
• I Was Trapped in the Chamber of Fear! - Last page of story shows a poster of The Hulk on the wall of Stan Lee's office, considered by some to be the first Hulk crossover/cameo.
• Meet the Fang, Arch-Fiend of the Orient - Pencil credits from Greg Theakston. Much info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 1-4-09.