The Prisoner of Mars

How Doctor Snap Murdered Professor Cyclops and What Came of It, or The Prisoner of Mars, was a story created by Mike Mignola for The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects.

Plot

Doctor Snap is meeting with some colleagues at The Magician and the Snake, a pub. While there he regales his compatriots with the tale of the death of Professor Cyclops, his own death, and his his adventure on Mars.

Cyclops discovered a small alien vessel after it crash landed on his property. He promptly phone Snap. Snap was twice delayed in departing for Cyclops' residence so in the mean time Cyclops went ahead and dissected creature he found within the vessel. Upon arrival at Cyclops' Snap found he house in disarray with many hand written notes concerning Mars. He was then attacked by the spirit of Martian now inhabiting Cyclops' body. He decapitated his attacker in self defense.

Unfortunately for Snap, the local courts saw it as murder and hanged him. After passing, as a spirit Snap traveled to Mars. Upon arrival he was captured and put into mechanical body. He also discovered that the spirit of Cyclops was inhabiting the body of a dead Martian. Cyclops and the Martian had switched bodies during the dissection.

While on Mars, Cyclops had been teaching the Martians about humans and Earth. He thought educating them was a fair trade for dissection one of their own. However, Snap and Cyclops soon discover that the Martians have been using what they have learned from Cyclops to plan an attack on Earth. Distraught with what he has done Cyclops triggers a series of explosions that wipe out the entire Martian civilization. Snap is protected from the explosion within his mechanical body.

Snap explores Mars and in due time discovers its original inhabitants. They thank him for his part in destroying the newcomers and ask if there is anything they can do for him in return. He ask for a new body and to be returned to earth. As he has already been hanged for the death oc Cyclops he is off the hook for the murder and free to go on his next adventure, shrinking himself so he can travel a series of small tunnels that lead to the center of the planet.

Connections to Other Mignola Works

While all of the stories collected in The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects are connected to at least on other story in the collection, The Prisoner of Mars bears the distinction of having the most connections.

The Magician and the Snake

• At the beginning of the story Snap and the three individuals he is telling his tale to have gathered at an establishment called The Magician and the Snake. The sign for the establishment features the Magician, the Snake, and the Solid Objects.
• The final panel of story features the Snake slithering among the graves of graves of Doctor Snap and Professor Cyclops.

The Amazing Screw-On Head

• Doctor Snap is delayed in travels to see Professor Cyclops by his own research. He is investigating the turnip he found in The Amazing Screw-On Head.

Abu Gung and the Beanstalk

• One of the men Snap is telling his story to bears a very strong resemblance to Professor E.E. Stoop, the translator and narrator of Abu Gung and the Beanstalk.

In the Chapel of Curious Objects

• The same skull with lightbulb in its left eye socket and a "61" on it forehead seen amongst the possessions of Professor Cyclops is seen in the chapel in In the Chapel of Curious Objects.

External Links

• The Amazing Screw-On Head and Other Curious Objects product page on DarkHorse.com