Comic Title: Tales of the Unexpected #40
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 575 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: August 1959
On Sale Date: June 16, 1959 Copyright Date June 16, 1959
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1959

Newsstand Date June 16, 1959
Source: Newsdealer Magazine, V14 #4

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

Title: "The Last Days of Planet Mars"
Pages: 10

Feature(s):
Space Ranger

Writer: Arnold Drake
Artist: Jim Mooney

Feature Character(s)

• Space Ranger (last appearance in Showcase #16; next appearance in Tales of the Unexpected #41)

Supporting Character(s)

• Cryll (last appearance in Showcase #16; next appearance in Tales of the Unexpected #41)
• Myra Mason (last appearance in Showcase #16; next appearance in Tales of the Unexpected #41)

Villain(s)

• Vero Zike and his henchmen (Taran named; no further appearances)

Synopsis:
The infamous martian scientist Vero Zike escapes from prison. Authorities were never able to learn the location of his secret hide-out, so Space Ranger must follow clues to find Zike. He tracks down one of Zike's henchmen, then learns how Zike escaped from authorities with a teleportation machine. He eventually discovers that Zike's base is on an asteroid near Jupiter.

Zike sends his henchmen to delay Space Ranger while he carries out his plan to destroy Mars. Space Ranger eventually captures Zike, but not before the scientist believes he has destroyed Mars. However, knowing of Zike's plan, Space Ranger created a replica Mars which was what Zike destroyed. The real Mars is safe, and the scientist is taken back into custody.