Strange Adventures #74 is an issue of the series Strange Adventures (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1956.
Synopsis for "The Invisible Raiders From Dimension X"
Aliens from Dimension X are stealing weapons from Earth. They are invisible, but one man finds that he can see them when he gets a new pair of glasses. (No explanation is given as to how he can see them.) He follows the invaders through a portal between dimensions, and in their world, it is he who is invisible. There, he discovers that the invaders are a subversive group that plans to use the Terran weapons to overthrow their government. He warns that government and it is able to quell the insurrection. He then returns to his own dimension, and the government of Dimension X destroys the interdimensional portal to prevent any further incursions.
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Synopsis for "The Metal Spy From Space"
A large machine appears in New York City and begins telepathically broadcasting information about Earth to its masters on the planet Klarn. Humans can "hear" the telepathic broadcast too, and one man realizes that the metal spy is also gathering its information telepathically. In order to dissuade the aliens from invading Earth, he brings a prominent Science Fiction writer named Edmond Hamilford to stand near the metal spy. Hamilford thinks about his stories wherein Earth uses fantastic weapons to defend itself from alien attacks. The would-be invaders mistake fiction for fact and, convinced of Earth's superior technology, recall their spy and give up their plans of conquest.
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Synopsis for "Earth´s Secret Visitors!"
A man diligently searches for proof that beings from outer space have landed on Earth, but every lead proves fruitless. Consequently, in the end, he sadly removes his human disguise to reveal that he is from a distant planet, marooned here on Earth. His search has been in hopes of finding a way home.
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Synopsis for "Build-It-Yourself Spaceship"
Joe Barnes from Kaneville is a Build-It-Yourself hobbyist whose projects always fail. After a newspaper article chronicles his repeated failures, he receives an offer in the mail for a $20 kit for making a spaceship. This project succeeds, but as Joe flies to the Moon, he is intercepted by Space Police who reveal to him that they are pursuing an alien criminal hiding out on Earth. This criminal is using Joe as a decoy to distract the Space Police so he can flee Earth undetected by them, but the Space Police (who are, of course, telepathic) realize that Joe is an innocent dupe. Joe gives them the address where he sent for the spaceship kit, and they go down to Earth to capture their prisoner.
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Notes
- In "Earth's Secret Visitors!," the third story, the alien breaks the Fourth Wall. His revelation of his identity is to the reader and not to another character in the story.
- The stories in this issue are reprinted in Showcase Presents: Strange Adventures Vol. 2
Trivia
- There are a couple of in-jokes in the tales in this issue.
- In "The Metal Spy From Space" (the second story), the Science Fiction writer is named Edmond Hamilford, which is a play on the name of the author of the fourth tale, "Build-It-Yourself Spaceship" – Edmond Hamilton, who was also a well-known Science Fiction writer.
- In "Build-It-Yourself Spaceship," the name of the town is "Kaneville," which is a play on the name of the artist of that tale – Gil Kane.
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