Tales of Suspense #27
In "Oog Lives Again!", a delusional stage performer calling himself Merlin is visited by the ghost of the legendary wizard, who offers to teach him real magic. After mastering the final trick—vanishing completely—the impostor refuses to pay his teacher, only to vanish for good when the spirit departs, leaving behind a mystery that lingers in the empty theater. Written by Stan Lee and brought to life with Steve Ditko’s eerie, precise art and Stan Goldberg’s bold coloring, this haunting tale blends illusion and consequence in a story that lingers long after the final panel. The cover, by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers, captures the moment of vanishing with dramatic flair.
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An untalented magician who takes the name Merlin is visited by the spirit of the real Merlin in the form of a derelict and offers to teach him some tricks. When the man learns Merlin's last trick of completely disappearing, he stiffs Merlin his fee. Merlin tells him that he'll be sorry and is the last to depart the theater after the magician uses his disappearing trick and is never seen again.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).