Strange Tales #5
In "The Room Without a Door," a disillusioned scientist abandons reason for the occult, drawn to a mysterious woman connected to a witch executed in 1692. When he discovers her ability to summon her ancestor’s ghost and learn the secret of time travel through "the room without a door," he seizes her home to uncover the truth. Written by Hank Chapman and illustrated with dramatic flair by Joe Maneely, this eerie 1952 tale from Strange Tales #5 blends science fiction and supernatural dread in a story where the past is not just remembered—it’s lived. Cover by Joe Maneely.
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A scientist rejects science as useless for discovering the secret of time travel and turns to black magic instead. Hearing of a woman related to a witch burned in 1692 living nearby, he spies on her and sees her summon the ghost of her ancestor. She confirms to the ghost that only she can travel through time by means of 'the room without a door.' The scientist gets the witch evicted and buys the house so that he can search for this room. He finds a small box with wallpaper made to resemble a room. He breaks the box open and finds himself transported back to 1692 tied to a burning stake.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).