Comic Title: House of Secrets #44
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: May 1961
On Sale Date: March 21, 1961 Copyright Date March 21, 1961
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1961

Newsstand Date March 21, 1961
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V16 #1

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 32
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "The Valley of Doomed Creatures"
Pages: 9

Feature(s):
Mark Merlin (of Earth-1)

Penciller: Mort Meskin
Inker: George Roussos

Feature Character(s)

• Mark Merlin (last appearance in House of Secrets #43; next appearance in House of Secrets #45)

Supporting Character(s)

• Elsa Magusson (last appearance in House of Secrets #43; next appearance in House of Secrets #45)

Villain(s)

• The Beast of Belmora (dies in this story; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Jim Stevens (an injured climber; no further appearances)
• Ben Thorpe, Sammet, and Wade (mountain climbers; no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Mark Merlin and Elsa encounter injured mountain climber Jim Stevens. They give Stevens medical attention, while he raves about a strange beast.

After Stevens is stable, Mark and Elsa investigate the area in search of other climbers. They crash their helicopter in a valley filled with a strange gas. They are then attacked by a strange beast.

While fleeing, Mark meets three other climbers who have been transformed by the gas into odd looking creatures. Mark leads the climbers out of the valley, while being pursued by the beast. Mark is able to get everyone to safety. The beast dies when exposed to air from outside the valley, and the climbers return to normal.