Mystery in Space # 33Mystery in Space # 33

August-September, 1956

Interplanetary Safari

Writer: Otto Binder

Penciller: Gil Kane

Inker: Bernard Sachs

Synopsis: Space Cabby accidentally sideswipes a space-truck. The trucker, a big-game hunter named Buck Bolton, tells him that he was on his way to capture animals for the Interplanetary Zoo, and if he couldn't carry out his mission, the accident would end up costing ten thousand credits. Space Cabby doesn't have that much, so he and the Buck come to an arrangement that Space Cabby would pay to rent a new trailer, hitch it to the cab, and help him capture the animals. They get to the asteroid jungle, and Buck tells him that their first quarry is a large caterpillar which sleeps in an invisible cocoon by day, and that night wouldn't fall on the asteroid for another week. Space Cabby, not wanting to spend that long, drives the cab and trailer into orbit so that it eclipses the sun, and the caterpillar is fooled into thinking it is night and coming out of its cocoon, allowing the hunter to capture it. Their next quarry is a hawk that flies at super-sonic speeds. Space Cabby hits upon the idea of finding the bird's nest, which contains an egg, and riging a trap around the egg, which nabs the bird. Finally, they try to capture the last animal, a large ameboid which splits into two when it's in danger. Space Cabby and Buck Bolton capture both halves, but the hunter tells Space Cabby that they must be careful to take only the real ameboid, because the duplicate will exhale carbon monoxide and kill all the other animals. However, they can't test its exhalation, because it can hold its breath for up to a week. Space Cabby sprinkes pepper on the creatures' noses, making them sneese, allowing Buck to tell the real ameboid from the false one. They return to Earth, and all Space Cabby can think about is the fares he'd lost while hunting, but Buck gives him half of the bonus he had earned for bringing in the animals early, elating the cabby. Buck Bolton suggests that Space Cabby go into the big-game hunting field, but the only game Space Cabby wants to hunt for are passengers for his cab.

Notes: The ameboid is obviously not a truly ameba-like creature, but is an animal which merely derives its name from the ameba's ability to split in two.


All characters and images are copyright DC Comics.


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