The Fabulous Racket

The Sub-Mariner swims to Sea View, an island resort town where Betty is vacationing. There he is introduced to Betty's friend and fellow reporter Ed Jordan who has been vacationing with her. Namor offers to pull Ed on his surfboard for fun. However the fun turns tragic when suddenly Ed's surfboard explodes, killing him. Investigating the remains of the surfboard, the Sub-Mariner finds a strange chemical explosive that was sensitive to sunlight.

While learning where Ed kept his surfboard from Betty, the sheriff and Mr. Vincent of the chamber of commerce arrive to investigate the scene. They learn that this is the islands first murder in over twenty years. Namor passes his hunch to the sheriff about the explosive gum and the killer placing it in the storage shack. When the sheriff goes to investigate, Namor and Betty realize he's woefully qualified for the job when he starts poking around with a magnifying glass. However, the sheriff finds a cufflink with the initials "J.N." on it and suspects that the killer is Jed Norris, the owner of the Sea View Hotel and rushes off to interrogate him.

Suspecting Jordan was on a lead to a sensitive story, Namor and Betty head toward Ed's cottage. There they find evidence that Ed was about to expose the biggest racket run on the island for years. All they learn is that it involves a school house and it's teacher Laura Joy, before they are attacked by some men who knock them both out and steal Ed's notes.

When the two revive, they head to the school house. As they pass by the Sea View Hotel where Jed Norris is being arrested over protests from his daughter Ann. Talking to Ms. Norris, she explains that the case against her father is pat as his hobby is chemistry. When they asks her about Laura Joy, Mr. Norris does not recognize the name. They begin canvassing all the local school houses but find no trace of this Laura Joy. Namor decides to take a break by swimming along the island, and finds a school house that was not on their list.

Inside, he finds a man with a large sum of money. When Namor attempts to confront the man, he is blinded with chalk brushes. As Namor is recovering, Ann rushes in and is taken hostage by the man who then flees. Betty rushes in soon after and revives Namor. Finding that the man who attacked Namor had fallen on a letter opener, they find a trail of blood and follow it. The tail of blood leads them to the dock. Diving into the water, Namor swims out and finds a boat called the Laura Joy. There Namor finds that Mr. Vincent is the mastermind behind the entire plot. Namor realizes that Vincent used the correspondence school to run their rackets. Before Namor stop Vincent, he pulls out a bomb and threatens to blow up the whole boat, killing Ann in the process if Namor does not agree to let him an his men go.

However, when police sirens distract Vincent, Namor throws him out to sea where his bomb explodes killing only himself. With the men taken into custody the Norris family invites Namor to stay in their hotel, but Namor needs to return to the sea and bids everyone farewell. As he goes, the bumbling sheriff tries to convince Namor that he knew Jed Norris was innocent the whole time.

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean

Dead Man's Shoes

Steve Rogers and James Barnes are returning to base from leave when they come across the Beak and his men and the side of the road with apparent road troubles. When the two soldiers offer their aid they are told to go away. Finding this suspicious, they change into Captain America and Bucky and come back to the scene and find the men dumping a body and stealing it's clothing and lunch box.

Attacking the men, Bucky is knocked out, forcing Cap to break off the fight to check on his partner. While Cap checks on his partner the thugs getaway leaving the dead body behind. When Cap and Bucky check the body they find that the victim is wearing shoe with bulldog toes, which are commonly worn by police officers and detectives. Although Cap doesn't think he's cop due to the fact he had a lunch box, they bring the body to the police station to be identified anyway.

With the police, they ID one of their attackers as the Beak and deduce that the dead man was a security guard. Because there are no missing watchmen at various banks in the area, Cap and Bucky's investigation hits a dead end. However as they patrol the streets they come across an advertisement for the display or Oriental jewels at the Woolsey Museum and realize what the Beak's plan is. Meanwhile, one of the Beak's men his wearing the stolen guards uniform and is going to replace the daytime guard at the museum. When the guard answers the door, the thug knocks him out and shuts off the alarm and lets the Beak and his cohorts into the museum.

However, before they can rob the museum they are attacked by Captain America and Bucky who easily subdue the crooks and turn them over to the authorities. Later, back in their civilian guises Steve and James resume their trek back to base. When James bemoans the fact that they will be given kitchen duty for being over 13 hours late, Steve says it was all worth it in the name of justice.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Bucky, Nazis

Meteor III

In the flat lands of Utah, Dr. Throttle has completed his new Radium powered race-car the Meteor III, a vehicle that can travel over 600 miles an hour. He plans to use the car of illegal gain, and begins a plan in motion, sending a telegram to the Whizzer inviting him to pit his speed against the Meteor III in a race.

The Whizzer accepts the invitation unaware that Dr. Throttle is using it as a means of eliminating the hero to prevent his interference in his crimes. During the race, the Whizzer manages to just barely race ahead of the Meteor III, however Dr. Throttle sideswipes the hero and races off. The Whizzer chases after him but Throttle runs down the hero, knocking him out. Taking the Whizzer back to his lab, Dr. Throttle ties him to a massive treadmill while he goes to the Drumman Aircraft factory to steal more Radium.

Left alone the Whizzer manages to break free of his bonds and run free of the treadmill and races to the aircraft factory where he easily subdues Dr. Throttle and his assistant and turns them over to the authorities.

Recurring Characters

Whizzer