ALBERT MANNING

Real Name: Albert Manning

Identity/Class: Human technology user (1950s era)

Occupation: Scientist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Demolition crew, inhabitants of another dimension

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "The Uninvited" (in story title)

Base of Operations: An unidentified dimension (see comments); his laboratory in an unidentified American city; an abandoned house

First Appearance: Uncanny Tales I#46/1 (August, 1956)

Powers/Abilities: An inventive genius, Manning had no paranormal physical abilities.

Manning created a "dimension machine" which allowed him to travel to another dimension -- he wore a combination vest/backpack/helmet, which was a portable control unit used in conjunction with the "dimension machine".

While in another dimension, Manning was protected by an invisible "dimension barrier" which prevented the inhabitants of that dimension from making physical contact with him, and it also protected him from their ray weapons; however, the barrier did not prevent Manning from touching objects in the other dimension.

Gold seemed to be commonplace in the other dimension, and Manning became a victim of his own greed when he inadvertently became stranded there.

Height: 5' 10" (by approximation)
Weight: 165 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Black

History:
(Uncanny Tales I#46/1) - The past of Albert Manning is largely unrevealed, but after building his "dimension machine" in his laboratory, he was ready to test it. Donning the portable control unit, Manning stepped upon the platform and activated the device, and he transported himself to another dimension.

   When Manning appeared in the new world, he was amazed that the buildings were made of solid gold -- he speculated that gold was commonplace in this world (see comments). A group of people approached Manning with suspicion -- a man informed him that they didn't like intruders to their world, and he told Manning to go back where he came from; another man urged the group to seize Manning before he brought other intruders. But as the people's hands reached for him, they found that Manning was beyond their reach, for he was protected by an invisible and impervious force-field (which Manning attributed to the "dimension barrier"). Manning turned a dial on his portable control unit, and even as he faded from their sight, he promised the inhabitants of the other dimension that he'd return.

   Manning materialized back in his lab -- thinking of the riches available in the other world, he began to formulate a scheme to make himself wealthy.

   A few days later, after Manning had moved his "dimension machine" to an old abandoned house on the edge of town so he could work in secrecy, he was ready to put his plan into works -- carrying an empty bag, Manning stepped upon the platform and once again transported himself to the other world.

   Manning reappeared in the other dimension and began to loot the golden treasures of the world's museums, and the people were helpless to stop him because of the "dimension barrier"; armed guards fired their ray pistols at Manning, but the beams weren't able to penetrate the force-field, and Manning only laughed and mocked them.

   Manning leisurely walked and selected the finest and most precious objects he could find; when his loot-sack was full, Manning told the people that he was going back home to unload his plunder, but said he'd come back, and he promised the people that they'd be seeing quite a bit of him... and for quite a while.

   But when he attempted to activate the "dimension machine" with the portable control unit, Manning found that the device didn't function, and thus he was stranded in this other dimension (Unknown to Manning, a demolition crew back on Earth had just destroyed the abandoned house he had been using -- along with the "dimension machine" within -- to clear a path for a new highway).

   Manning continued to spin the dials on his portable control unit, futilely trying to activate the "dimension machine," but it was useless, and he couldn't return home. Time went by, and the weeks became months -- as he aimlessly wandered the streets of the strange world, alone and friendless, Albert Manning knew one of his statements had come true: These people would see quite a bit of him... and he would be there for quite a while!



Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Gray Morrow (artist).

That other-dimensional world that Manning visited was Earth-like, and the human inhabitants spoke English, so my guess is that it was actually an alternate-future Earth where science had advanced to the point that mankind had learned the secret of manufacturing gold (...thus explaining the abundance of the precious metal).

The later-published tale of Arro Goron was reminiscent of the basic plot of this story.



Profile by Ron Fredricks.







CLARIFICATIONS:
Albert Manning has no known connections to:

Albert Manning's "dimension machine" has no known connections to:

The demolition crew has no known connections to:

Albert Manning's "dimension machine"

Consisting of a platform and other supporting electrical devices, it could transport an individual to another dimension.

It was operated remotely by a portable control unit worn by Manning when he was transported.

Manning originally built and tested it in his laboratory by transporting himself to another dimension where gold seemed to be plentiful. A few days later, Manning moved the device to an abandoned house, where he could work in secrecy while he looted gold from the other dimension.

But while Manning was in the other dimension, a demolition crew tore down the house to clear a path for a new highway, and thus smashed the "dimension machine" within. With his only means of returning home destroyed, Manning was stranded in the other dimension.

--Uncanny Tales I#46/1

Abandoned house

An old and empty ramshackle house on the edge of town, it was where Albert Manning relocated his "dimension machine" after initially testing it in his lab. Manning chose this location because he thought he would have privacy while he traveled between dimensions and looted gold from another world.

However, while Manning was in another dimension, the abandoned house was wrecked by a demolition crew that was clearing a path for a new highway -- Manning's "dimension machine" was also destroyed in the process, and thus Manning was stranded in another dimension.

--Uncanny Tales I#46/1

Inhabitants of another dimension

Human-like people who lived on an Earth-like world in another dimension (see comments), they did not like outsiders coming to their world. Gold was apparently plentiful in their dimension, so the people used the metal to construct their buildings.

When Albert Manning transported himself to their dimension, he was impressed by how gold seemed to be commonplace, and he began to formulate a scheme to loot the world. But a suspicious crowd of inhabitants met Manning, and one man ordered him to leave; another man urged the crowd to seize Manning before he brought other intruders. When they tried to capture Manning, the people found that they couldn't touch him because of an invisible "dimension barrier". As Manning reactivated his "dimension machine" and transported himself back to Earth, he promised the inhabitants that he would return.

A few days later, Manning returned to their world and began to loot their golden treasures, but the people were helpless to stop him -- even the ray weapons of their armed guards couldn't penetrate Manning's "dimension barrier".

After Manning collected his first load of plunder, he attempted to reactivate the "dimension machine" to return home, but he found that the device wouldn't function (The "dimension machine" had been inadvertently destroyed by a demolition crew).

Unable to return home, Manning seemingly became a permanent resident of their world.

--Uncanny Tales I#46/1

Demolition crew

A team of at least four unidentified laborers, they were clearing a path for a new highway on the edge of town. The men had just demolished an old abandoned house -- they were unaware that Albert Manning had his "dimension machine" inside.

During their work, they had unknowingly destroyed Manning's "dimension machine," which resulted in Manning being stranded in another dimension.

--Uncanny Tales I#46/1

images: (without ads)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p1, pan3 (Main Image - Albert Manning traveling between dimensions)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p2, pan6 (Headshot - Albert Manning)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p2, pan4 (Albert Manning protected from crowd by "dimension barrier")
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p4, pan2 (Albert Manning tries to return home with portable control unit, but fails)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p1, pan1 (Albert Manning in his lab, adjusting supporting machinery of "dimension machine")
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p1, pan2 (Albert Manning in his lab, standing on platform of "dimension machine")
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p3, pan1 (abandoned house)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p2, pan2 (in other dimension, Albert Manning finds buildings made of gold, inhabitants (background))
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p2, pan3 (one inhabitant of other dimension orders Manning to leave; other inhabitant orders his capture)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p2, pan5 (Manning fades away, promising inhabitants of other dimension that he'll return)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p3, pan7 (armed guards fire their ray guns at Manning after his return)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p4, pan3 (two members of demolition crew)
Uncanny Tales I#46/1, p4, pan4 (two other members of demolition crew, remnants of Albert Manning's destroyed "dimension machine")

Appearances:
Uncanny Tales I#46/1 (August, 1956) - unidentified writer, Gray Morrow (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 07/07/2018
Last updated: 07/07/2018

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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