The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor: A Lion in the Streets (22 pages)
In Africa, some unscrupulous showmen kidnap Joan, the mate of Simbar the Lion-Man. Simbar manages to trace the kidnappers to the Morelli Circus in the USA. Meanwhile, Dr. Adam Spektor and his new love Lu-Sai (daughter of the late Dr. Tong) enjoy a day at Riverside Amusement Park in New York, where they see the Morelli Circus arrive, showcasing their newest attraction "Madame Lioness, the beast beauty." Because of his knowledge of Simbar, Spektor takes Lu-Sai to investigate. Convinced that "Madame Lioness" is not a phony, Spektor tries to get backstage for a closer look, but is roughly evicted by a circus employee.
Meanwhile, Simbar finds Joan at the circus and approaches her in his human form. Simbar scuffles with the circus owners, and is driven away by their gunfire. The Lion-Man goes to Spektor Manor to seek the Doctor's help, Simbar having rescued Spektor from the curse of lycanthropy in The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor #13. Simbar tells Spektor that, unlike himself, Joan is unable to take on a human form, and begs Spektor for a supernatural remedy to Joan's affliction. Angered that Spektor has no answers for him, Simbar leaves to handle matters on his own.
That night, Spektor and Lu-Sai go to the circus again, expecting Simbar to make his move. Panicked when Gaston the Lion-Tamer tries to force her to leap through a flaming hoop, Joan attacks the showman. As Gaston calls on his colleagues to shoot the lion-woman, the circus' elephants, sensing the presence of Simbar, go on a rampage, bringing down part the bigtop and igniting the flaming hoop into an inferno. As the crowd attempts to flee, Simbar leaps from the stands in his lion form and attempts to rescue Joan from the cage. Summoning the show's lions to fight off the other beasts, Simbar unfortunately fails to save Joan as a flaming plank falls on her and kills her, death returning her at last to human form.
Simbar turns his rage on the showmen who had brought Joan to this sad fate, and traps them in a circle of lions. Dr. Spektor approaches Simbar and tries to calm him, but Simbar, now seeing all humans as his enemies attacks the Doctor. Spektor is finally able to make Simbar see that if his lions kill the men, the police will destroy the lions. Fearing for the safety of his lions, Simbar returns to human form as Inspector Frank Sinke and the police arrive to arrest the circus showmen. Spektor and Lu-Sai attempt to comfort Simbar, who reveals that he may stay in America for a while before returning to Africa.
Notes: Also features a one page text feature on Simbar, Lord of the Lions, recounting his origin and that of Joan, his mate. Dr. Spektor says that the story was told to him by his friend, psychic Elliott Kane, when they were en route to Castle Frankenstein in The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor #6.
This story continues on from The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor #24.
When Joan is being forced through the flaming hoop, loudspeakers play the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire."
Though this is the last published original Dr. Spektor story, writer Don Glut has revealed that he has one more Spektor tale fully scripted, and he holds out hope that he may have it illustrated by Jesse Santos for a future volume of The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor Archives.
Final appearance: Dr. Adam Spektor
Final appearance: Simbar, the Lion-Man
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