Marilyn #17 December 1960
In "The Happy Hostage," Claire’s desperate flight from Frank leads her into the hidden heart of a remote temple, where her accidental trespass sets off a chain of events beyond her control. Taken by the villagers and sentenced to death for seeing the sacred face of their holy man, Claire’s fate hangs in the balance—until Rod intervenes, claiming her as his betrothed and arranging a wedding at dawn. Written by J. Stamper and illustrated by Jack Hardee, this gripping tale blends suspense and unexpected romance, with Hardee’s dynamic art bringing the village’s rituals and tensions vividly to life. The cover by Jack Hardee captures the story’s dramatic tension in a striking, period-accurate design.
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Claire runs away from Frank and accidentally finds herself inside the sacred chamber of the temple. For looking upon the face of their holy man, the villagers drag her away to the chief where she is sentenced to death. But Rod used his influence to plead for her life. He claims she is betrothed to him and they are married in the village at dawn.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).