SIMS

Real Name: Sims (first name unrevealed (see comments))

Identity/Class: Human mind-transferred into gorilla (1950s era)

Occupation: Criminal

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Lewis, policemen

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unidentified American city

First Appearance: World of Mystery#7/2 (July, 1957)

Powers/Abilities: Having no paranormal abilities, Sims was a self-described "four-time loser" who was wanted by the police for unspecified crimes.

Sims took part in an experiment involving a "mind-transposer machine" (see comments), and his mental essence was transferred into the body of a gorilla--Sims retained the ability to speak afterwards, and presumably he then had the strength and agility of the ape; it is unrevealed if this transference was permanent (see comments).

Height: 6' (by approximation)
Weight: 180 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Possibly brown

History:
(World of Mystery#7/2 (fb) - BTS) - The past of Sims is largely unrevealed, but he was a fugitive from the law; he used a cheap hotel room as a hideout, and feared he'd go to jail for life if the police caught him.

   One morning, Sims saw an advertisement from Lewis, who was seeking a volunteer for his "mind-transposer" experiment--intrigued by the idea of exchanging bodies, and figuring he had nothing to lose, Sims went to the scientist's laboratory.

(World of Mystery#7/2) - In the lab, Lewis told Sims that his "mind-transposer machine" had succeeded with apes and animals, and now he was ready for the next step--the transference of the human brain. Lewis warned Sims that the experiment might be risky, but Sims was undeterred, and Lewis admired his courage.

   However, Sims was worried about the other test-subject dying while his mind was transposed into that body, so he asked if the other "guinea pig" was strong and healthy--Lewis assured him the other test-subject was in perfect health. With his primary concern alleviated, Sims agreed to return later that night to proceed with the experiment. Leaving the lab, Sims walked back to his hideout, taking care along the way to avoid being seen by any police officers.

   When he got back to his room, Sims looked at his face in the mirror and thought of the advantage Lewis' experiment would give him--with a new body, the police would never be able to find him, so Sims was going to ensure that the mind-transference was permanent!

   At 9 PM, Sims returned to the lab; laying on one of the two tables under the "mind-transposer" was the other test-subject, who was completely covered by a sheet--Sims was encouraged by the fact that the other subject didn't seem to be worried.

   After Sims disrobed and laid on the second table, Lewis activated the machine. When he was bathed by the energy of the "mind-transposer," Sims' head began to spin, and he tried to scream, but couldn't. Then all of a sudden, he felt different...stronger, somehow--Sims then realized that the experiment worked, and he was in the other test-subject's body! In his new form, Sims got up from the table and grabbed a chair--he was about to smash the "mind-transposer," so there would be no way to transfer him back to his original body, and the new body would be his permanently.

In an effort to prevent Sims from harming the apparatus, Lewis grabbed him from behind; Sims turned and shoved the scientist aside...then he happened to glance in a mirror hanging on the opposite wall, and he was horrified when he saw the reflection of his new body--up until that point, Sims had mistakenly assumed that the other test-subject was a human!

   With his mind now occupying the body of a gorilla, Sims passively approached Lewis and pleaded with the scientist to give him back his own body...

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and Marvin Stein (artist).

This story was done with a surpirse-ending, and Sims' new body was only seen in silhouette until the last story-panel.

Sims' first name was never mentioned, so I suggest "Simon" (...as sort of a pun on "simian," a reference to his new body); and for Lewis' first name, I'll suggest "Lawrence" (...because with that hair, he reminds me of Larry Fine).

Lewis never mentioned any specific name for his "mind-transposer machine," but he did use those three terms in describing its function; perhaps Lewis' work later inspired Dr. Karl Stragg to build his similar device.

Sims' final fate was unrevealed, but the title of this 4-page story--The Night I Lost My Body!--doesn't bode well for him. Maybe Sims never got transferred back to his own body because that gorilla (in Sims' body) broke out of the lab, then the confused primate went on a rampage in the city--at the very least, a naked wanted fugitive who acted like a savage beast would probably be captured and confined to a psychiatric institution.

Profile by Ron Fredricks.






CLARIFICATIONS:
Sims has no known connections to:

Lewis has no known connections to:

Lewis

Lewis (first name unrevealed, see comments) was an eccentric scientist who created a "mind-transposer machine". After successfully testing his invention with apes and animals, Lewis placed an advertisement for a human test-subject.

Wanted fugitive Sims responded to Lewis' ad, and Lewis used the machine to transfer Sims' mind into the body of another test-subject; but Sims had mistakenly assumed that the other test-subject would be a human, and when he found that his mind occupied the body of a gorilla, he pleaded with Lewis to return him to his own body.

--World of Mystery#7/2

Lewis' "mind-transposer machine"

A cylindrical electrical device built by Lewis, it could exchange the minds between two individual beings.

Earlier, Lewis had successfully tested it with apes and other animals; when he was ready to test it on a human, he placed an advertisement for a volunteer.

Wanted fugitive Sims responded to the ad, and Lewis used the "mind-transposer" to transfer Sims' mind into the body of a gorilla.

--World of Mystery#7/2

images: (without ads)
World of Mystery#7/2, p1, pan1 (Main Image - Sims)
World of Mystery#7/2, p2, pan4 (Headshot - in his hideout, Sims looks into mirror)
World of Mystery#7/2, p2, pan6 (in Lewis' lab, by "mind-transposer machine," Lewis tells Sims to disrobe; Sims,notices other test-subject (gorilla, covered by sheet) doesn't seem to be worried)
World of Mystery#7/2. p4, pan7 (Sims (with his mind in gorilla's body) begs Lewis to return him to his own body)
World of Mystery#7/2, p1, pan2 (Lewis tells Sims about the success he's had in his experiments)
World of Mystery#7/2, p4, pan6 (Lewis listens as Sims (with his mind in gorilla's body) begs to be returned to his own body)
World of Mystery#7/2, p2, pan7 (Lewis prepares to activate "mind-transposer machine")
World of Mystery#7/2, p3, pan4 (after activation, "mind-transposer machine" successfully switches Sims' mind into gorilla's body)

Appearances:
World of Mystery#7/2 (July, 1957) - unidentified writer, Marvin Stein (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)

First Posted: 04/19/2019
Last updated: 04/19/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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