The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms Page #2

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I take it then, that, for peace of mind,

you advise a dose of it after each meal?

- And you quote me exactly.

- Then I'm going to take your advice exactly.

Here it is.

Say.

Look at this!

That item is right where it belongs.

On the comic page.

And that's why I came here, Dr. Elson.

I felt if you heard my story,

you'd do something.

And what is it you think I can do?

Fit out an expedition,

institute a search.

The fitting out of an expedition requires

a great deal of attention to detail.

Such as time, personnel, money.

How can you talk about details

in the face of such a discovery?

I'm not a paleontologist, and I have a

tremendous desire to know more about this animal.

I thought you'd have

such a compelling curiosity...

...that nothing would stand in your way.

Professor Nesbitt,

after waiting for 30 years...

...I'm about to undertake

my first extended holiday.

And I can assure you that I would throw aside my plans if I thought there was...

...the slightest chance of what your

saying being possible. It isn't.

What about that newspaper item?

If all the items of seamen reporting

monsters were placed end on end...

...it'd reach to the moon, my boy.

You mean, I'm just wasting your time?

Do you realize

you're asking me to believe...

...you saw a creature that would be

over 100 million years old?

But you said that

100 million years ago...

...the water of the Mesozoic

age turned to ice.

Isn't it possible that an animal

was trapped in that ice?

Caught in the freezing temperatures

and locked in.

Then when we released the bomb,

the heat generated melted the ice...

...in which this beast was imprisoned

and freed it?

Bringing it back to life

after 100 million years?

Couldn't it have been

in a state of hibernation?

Bears live through winters

under similar conditions.

That's quite true.

A bear does live off itself for one winter

from food accumulated within itself...

...but it's hard to believe an animal could

live 100 million years off its own tissue.

To put it mildly, it would require

quite an appetite, don't you think?

I don't know if this will be of any help,

but you remember, doctor...

...a few years ago,

an expedition unearthed...

...a herd of mastodons

in the Siberian tundra.

Dead thousands of years, yet their fur

was still intact, the meat still edible.

That's quite right, my dear Lee.

But they weren't alive.

That's the important difference.

They weren't alive.

I'm sorry, professor, but in all honesty,

I can't support your story.

I guess I'll go back to the hospital.

Maybe I should ask for a transfer

to the psychopathic ward.

That's nonsense.

It's not as bad as all that, my boy.

Thanks for listening, doctor.

When he first came to this country,

I attended his lectures...

...on the curative properties of the

radioactive isotope. He is a brilliant man.

Isn't his story in any way feasible?

No. And I'm sorry.

I'd rather like to help him.

Quite frankly, I thought that little jaunt of yours

last week would knock you for a loop.

I can't find anything wrong with you.

I feel fine.

When do you think I can leave?

Any time's all right with us.

Don't go rushing to the North Pole again.

Keep fit and warm.

Take those vitamins I gave you.

This is your hour of mirth and melody.

They say music hath charms

to soothe the savage beast.

They ought to try it

on these sea monsters.

From Canada comes word

of a second ship...

...destroyed by an enormous beast

according to Captain George LeMay.

He really ought to stop smoking that

stuff and try Virginia Golds, because-

It shouldn't take me too long

to catch up.

- It's good to have you back.

- Thank you.

Anything else, Miss Ryan?

Oh, yes. There's Miss Lee Hunter

waiting to see you.

- Miss Lee Hunter?

- She's very pretty.

Send her in.

- How are you?

- Fine.

We met at the university.

I'm Dr. Elson's assistant.

Oh, yes, of course.

The verdict:
A prehistoric animal would

be presumptuous to be alive today...

...and upset your neatly

cataloged theories.

I see you don't remember

I was a sympathetic bystander.

Oh, really? How come?

I have a deep, abiding faith

in the work of scientists.

Otherwise I wouldn't be one.

- Won't you sit down?

- Thank you.

Sorry I can't offer you anything,

but everything around here is radioactive.

No, thank you, anyway.

When I was in the lab yesterday...

...I heard a report about a man claiming

that his ship was sunk by a sea monster.

"If all the stories about sea monsters

were laid end to end...

...they'd reach the moon."

But two reports coming

so close together-

What makes you think two are going to

convince anyone any more than one did?

Well, it convinced me.

It got me to thinking

it would be worthwhile investigating.

I've gathered all the sketches of known

prehistoric animals. If you identify-

Being considered crazy

has been quite an experience.

However, I wouldn't care

to go through it again.

Is this the man with the compelling

curiosity? Afraid of ridicule?

- I'm not afraid of ridicule.

- No?

But I'm afraid that's what it sounds like.

You said sketches of all the known

animals? What if it's an unknown one?

That's possible.

But we'll never really know

unless you look at them.

Oh, professor, think what it would mean

if you were right.

Five-minute break. It's coffee time.

Good. I need it.

Cream and sugar?

Better take both. I make coffee

strong enough to enter the Olympics.

- One or two?

- Two, please.

I never knew there were

so many prehistoric animals.

We haven't even reached

the Cretaceous Period yet.

I don't know if I could identify the beast

now if it looked through the window.

Maybe it's part imagination, after all.

Something I used to dream about

when I was a kid. Or read in fairy tales.

You're tired. Why don't you just relax

for a moment. Have a sandwich.

Thanks.

- Funny.

- What's funny?

Well, a girl like you, a paleontologist.

What's wrong with paleontology?

- Classifying old bones.

- Old bones?!

If we didn't study the past,

you wouldn't know about the atom.

Dr. Elson says, "Future

is the reflection of the past."

You're fond of Dr. Elson, aren't you?

How did you become his assistant?

I suppose by continually

antagonizing him.

I was one of his students.

To hear him tell it, all I ever did

was challenge him or argue with him.

I was afraid he was going to expel me.

Instead, he asked me to be

his assistant after I graduated.

So I graduated, and here I am.

And here I am.

Between us, we span the ages.

You deal with the past, I with the future.

How uncomplicated the past was.

And how bright the future can be.

Let's get back to the present.

This might be it.

I'm not sure.

Not sure?

The head looks similar,

but the front legs are too short.

Wait a minute.

Is this any better?

Now, that's much more like it.

And what about this one?

That's the closest!

I think that is it.

Lee, I think that's the one I saw!

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