THOUGHT-WORLD MONSTERS
Classification: Extradimensional non-humanoids (variable body types)
Location/Base of Operations: The Thought-World
Affiliations: Dr. Belheur
Enemies: Speed Howell, Dr. Jonlon, Ruth Lunford
First Appearance: Marvel Stories II#2 (November, 1940)
Powers/Abilities: The Thought-Monsters were creatures generated by the thoughts and emotions of humans. They could be created by fear, hate, anger, despair and other powerful emotions. Thought-Monsters could be guided by the anger or hate of a human being but would obey whoever had the strongest willpower.
The fear Thought-Monsters were colored a "sickly green" and appeared like enormous amoebas with saucer-shaped bodies. People in the Thought-World could be slain by the Thought-Monsters and could only drive them off by controlling their emotional states so that the unwanted emotions went away. Otherwise, Thought-Monsters could repair any damage done to them almost instantly.
The despair Thought-Monsters were shaggy, brutish creatures.
An unidentified Thought-Monster (said to be "anger or hate") was described as hairy with green eyes, a "hideous" mouth and "puffy" tentacles.
History: (Marvel Stories II#2 - "The Thought-World Monsters") - When Dr. Jonlon invented a device that could bring humans into the Thought-World, he brought his assistant Dr. Belheur, secretary Ruth Lunford and reporter Speed Howell there with him. Speed Howell was the one least prepared for the experience and as he witnessed the Thought-World, he experienced fear, causing a Thought-Monster to appear and rush towards him. By controlling his fear, Speed made the Thought-Monster vanish.
Later, Speed and Ruth observed the creation of a despair Thought-Monster, which manifested next to a statue an artist had created. The artist having evidently become unpleased with his work, the despair Thought-Monster set about destroying a representation of the statue.
When Dr. Belheur revealed himself as a spy, he killed Dr. Jonlon in the Thought-World and trapped Speed and Ruth inside a room in a castle. As Speed and Ruth tried to break out of the castle, their emotions created various "shadowy" Thought-Monsters which Belheur guided using his hatred to animate them. When Speed tried to get free of the Thought-World, he was faced by a Thought-Monster (either anger or hate) and drove an axe into it to free himself, only to discover the creatures could repair injuries almost instantly. Speed and Ruth fled from the growing number of Thought-Monsters, among them many representing fear.
Seeing the fear creatures reminded Speed of how he dispelled the first of their number and he concentrated on the creatures, becoming more and more angry as he fought back. His anger towards Belheur became so strong that the Thought-Monsters ceased obeying him and instead followed Speed's emotions, sending them against Belheur. Belheur fled from the creatures, only to set off a bomb he had left to kill Speed and Ruth. Speed and Ruth then discovered that the emotion of love could also generate creatures but these were tiny, sparkling colors which surrounded them as they realized they were in love with each other.
Comments: Created by Richard O. Lewis. Illustrated by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.
All of the stories in this issue of the pulp magazine Marvel Stories were illustrated by Simon and Kirby, a rare treat! However, the illustrations don't bear much relation to the contents of the story. If I had to guess, I'd assume Simon and Kirby were given the titles of the stories they were supposed to illustrate but no real plot details. It's possible too that the writers and artists were both assigned story titles to illustrate with no particular directive on what the content should be.
I don't believe Marvel Comics owns any of the contents of the pulp magazines with the possible exception of the illustrations. The rights to the Thought-World Monsters likely reside with Lewis, unless they've fallen into the public domain.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Thought-World Monsters should not be confused with:
Dr. Belheur was the scientist who assisted Dr. Jonlon in his experiments with the Thought-World. He was actually a spy who wanted to use the Thought-World to gather intelligence for his employers.
Dr. Belheur accompanied Dr. Jonlon, Ruth Lunford and Speed Howell when Jonlon was demonstrating how his device worked. Dr. Belheur used the opportunity to take notes on newly-designed weapons by accessing the thoughts of officials in Washington, D.C. Speed and Ruth caught him taking notes and realized he was a spy. To conceal his secrets, Belheur killed Jonlon in the Thought-World then guided the realm's Thought-Monsters to kill Speed and Ruth, animating them with his anger. He also set time bombs to try and kill Speed and Ruth. However, Speed became so angry at Belheur that the Thought-Monsters stopped obeying him and instead obeyed Speed's anger directed as Belheur. Fleeing from the Thought-Monsters, Belheur fled into his own time bombs, which Speed ordered to detonate and kill him.
--Marvel Stories II#2 ("The Thought-World Monsters") - BTS
Sent to an exhibition of Dr. Jonlon's device, which permitted humans to enter the Thought-World, Speed observed the power of the Thought-Monsters and learned how to master his fear to repel them. After discovering Jonlon's assistant Belheur was a spy gathering intelligence from the Thought-World, Speed and Jonlon's secretary Ruth intended to expose him but Belheur killed Jonlon and tried to eliminate Speed and Ruth by guiding the Thought-Monsters with his anger. Struggling against the Thought-Monsters, Speed unleashed his own anger, which surpassed Belheur's and caused the Thought-Monsters to turn against him. As Belheur fled towards time bombs he had meant to kill Speed and Ruth, Speed willed the bombs to detonate and kill Belheur. Afterwards, Speed realized Ruth was in love with him as the Thought-World generated love emotion creatures who highlighted her emotion.
Speed demonstrated great ability at wielding the power of Thought-World, using his mind to escape traps and create weapons.
--Marvel Stories II#2 ("The Thought-World Monsters")
Dr. Jonlon was a scientist who created a device which permitted humans to access the Thought-World. The device surrounded an entire room of his house and functioned like an artificial brain.
To unveil his invention to the public, Dr. Jonlon had his secretary Ruth Lunford, assistant Dr. Belheur and reporter Speed Howell join him in his home, where he activated the device, bringing the four of them into the Thought-World. However, Belheur proved to be a spy and when Speed and Ruth exposed him as such, he murdered Dr. Jonlon in the Thought-World by pushing him down a flight of stairs.
--Marvel Stories II#2 ("The Thought-World Monsters") - BTS
Ruth Lunford was Dr. Jonlon's blonde-haired and blue-eyed secretary. She accompanied Dr. Jonlon, Dr. Belheur and Speed Howell on a trip into the Thought-World.
When Ruth and Speed discovered Belheur was a spy, Belheur killed Jonlon and tried to kill Speed and Ruth by directing the Thought-Monsters after them using his anger but Speed's own anger guided the Thought-Monsters back against him. After Belheur was killed, Ruth and Speed witnessed a number of brilliant sparkling creatures around them, which Ruth identified as representing the emotion of love - proving that she was in love with Speed.
--Marvel Stories II#2 ("The Thought-World Monsters")
"Pug-Pan" was the nickname of Speed Howell's editor. He frequently took Speed to task for "acting like a detective." He assigned Speed to report on the demonstration of Dr. Jonlon's device.
--Marvel Stories II#2 ("The Thought-World Monsters") - BTS
images: (without ads)
Marvel Stories II#2, "The Thought-World Monsters", Page 1 (all images)
Appearances:
Marvel Stories II#2 (November, 1940) - Richard O. Lewis (writer), Joe
Simon (artist), Jack Kirby (artist), Robert O. Erisman (editor)
First posted: 06/11/2022
Last updated:
06/11/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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