The Phantom Stranger #30

"The Children's Crusade!"

The Phantom Stranger teases the tale about to unfold. Mister Harmon pleads with the Mayor to do something about Ara Ben-Baal. The Mayor is reluctant to get involved, until he receives a call that his own child has also joined Ara Ben-Baal's crusade. The Mayor orders the police to disrupt Ara-Ben Baal's parade, through the city, for disturbing the peace. Ara Ben-Baal floods the streets with smoke, allowing his followers to escape. Switching tactics, the Mayor appoints a committee, consisting of three clergymen, to meet with Ara Ben-Baal.

At dawn, Ara Ben-Baal discovers that the police have located his secret lair. Ara Ben-Baal flees, setting fire to the structure, to cover his escape, with the children. Ara Ben-Baal meets with the mayor, the clergymen, and a group of concerned parents. Ara Ben-Baal asks to speak from the pulpit of a local church. When he is refused, Ara Ben-Baal calls the religious elders on their hypocrisy. Ara Ben-Baal leaves, threatening that his child followers will commit suicide if he is pursued.

The Phantom Stranger appears to the committee, and offers to keep an eye, invisibly, on Ara Ben-Baal. Ara Ben-Baal leads his followers to an abandoned house, which will serve as their new headquarters. A young girl, Marion, is fed a strange root, and led before a portrait of the demon, Baal. Marian hallucinates that Baal is leading all of the children out of the city. The Phantom Stranger confronts Ara Ben-Baal. The Phantom Stranger battles against Ara Ben-Baal, but is defeated.

During the night, Ara Ben-Baal collects all of the children, from the city, and leads them into an abandoned chalk cave. Ara Ben-Baal leads the children in their worship of Baal. The Phantom Stranger appears, and calls Ara Ben-Baal out on not being a true follower. Ara Ben-Baal seemingly strikes the Phantom Stranger down. A moment later, though, the Phantom Stranger is standing before Ara Ben-Baal. Ara Ben-Baal casts the Shield of Baal, to prevent the Phantom Stranger from getting any closer.

The Phantom Stranger walks through the shield, and fixes his gaze on Ara Ben-Baal. The Phantom Stranger exorcises the demon Baal from it's vessel. Ara Ben-Baal becomes Joseph Vail. Baal took possession of Vail, when he was merely two years of age. With Baal removed, Vail, though an adult, is left with the mind of an infant. The children are reunited with their parents. One of Vail's followers asks his father if they can look after Vail.

"Turn-About!"

Frankenstein's Monster is bitten, over and over, by a nest of venomous snakes. Frankenstein's Monster attempts to climb up out of the snake pit, but the venom in it's system leaves it too weak. A snake-worshipping cult attempts to sacrifice a young woman to their God, by throwing her in the snake pit. The woman claws the face of the cult's spiritual leader, and flees. The cult pursues, but abandons the chase when they spy the police. The woman tells her story to the officers.

Returning to the cult's lair, the police officers aid Frankenstein's Monster in escaping the pit, believing it to be another innocent victim of the cult.. Surprised at how horrific a creature Frankenstein's Monster truly is, the police draw their guns on it. Frankenstein's Monster holds the police at bay, by waving the venomous snakes at them. Frankenstein's Monster throws the snakes at the officers, then beats them into unconsciousness. Weary of it's dealings with humanity, Frankenstein's Monster wanders into the woods, never to be seen again.