Comic Title: Phantom Stranger #5
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Jan/Feb 1970
On Sale Date: November 13, 1969 Newsstand Date November 13, 1969
Source: House Ad, Strange Adventures #222, Page 19

Newsstand Date November 13, 1969
Source: Comic Reader, #75

Copyright Date November 13, 1969
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1969

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.15
Page Count: 32
Editor: Joe Orlando

Title: "The Devil's Playground"
Pages: 23

Feature(s):
Phantom Stranger (of Earth-1)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Penciller: Mike Sekowsky
Inker: Murphy Anderson

Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB (2006)

Feature Character(s)

• Phantom Stranger (last appearance in Phantom Stranger #4; next appearance in Phantom Stranger #6)

Supporting Character(s)

• Doctor Thirteen (last appearance in Phantom Stranger #4; next appearance in Phantom Stranger #6)
• Spartacus, Attila, Wild Rose, and Mister Square (last appearance in Phantom Stranger #4; next appearance in Phantom Stranger #6)
• Marie Thirteen (last appearance in Phantom Stranger #4; next appearance in Phantom Stranger #7)

Villain(s)

• Tala (last appearance in Phantom Stranger #4; next appearance in Phantom Stranger #6)

Other Character(s)

• Earl Winthrop (dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Vera (Earl's girlfriend; no further appearances)
• Several party guests (no further appearances)

Comments:
Chapter One: "If He's Dead Whose Voice Did We Hear?"
Chapter Two: "The Return of the Ghost of Earl Winthrop"
Chapter Three: "We Thought You Were Dead..."

Synopsis:
Four teenagers fish a man out of the ocean surf. They hear him speaking, but when they get him to shore, it is clear that the man is long dead. When a member of the beach patrol arrives on the scene, the body has vanished, leaving the kids to wonder if they imagined the whole thing.

Later, at a club, Earl Winthrop, a man notorious for breaking the hearts of women. Winthrop breaks off his relationship with his girlfriend Vera at the club. The girl leaves and drives her car into the ocean. The Phantom Stranger comes to her rescue.

The teens from the beach then meet Earl who looks like the man they pulled from the ocean. He invites them to his beach house for the weekend. Before the weekend arrives, a plane carrying Wintrop crashes in the ocean. Earl then shows up at his own wake, which is attended by the teens and Dr. Thirteen. Tala has brought him back to life. He must get a woman to cry tears of pity for him or his soul will be eternally doomed.

After receiving only laughter from women at the party, Earl tells his story to Wild Rose. She cries for him. Earl then walks into the surf to his end, but her tears have saved his soul. Tala tries to force the girl to go with him, but the Phantom Stranger intervenes. He is able to fight off Tala, and save Wild Rose.