Captain America vs the Tenpins of Terror

The Lee School needs to do a fundraiser so Betsy Ross tells Jeff Mace that she can get the aid of her friend Mayda Van Poole who has a large collection of rare objects. After classes Betsy and Jeff go to look at the collection which includes rare coins, stamps and a first edition of Rip Van Winkle. It’s during this visit that they also meet Mayda’s cousin Hubert. Hubert is unhappy that his cousin is loaning the valuable collection, but he is quickly reminded that Mayda’s father only allowed him to live in the family mansion, but no decision making over the collection.

Later, while Mayda and Betsy are preparing the exhibition at the Lee School they are confronted by man who appears to be the Rip Van Winkle. Seeing this is Jeff and his partner Fred Davis and they quickly change into Captain America and Bucky. They try to stop Rip Van Winkle, but are tripped up with some rare Tagali pebbles allowing Rip Van Winkle to escape the collection and Mayda as a hostage. Overhearing how Rip had ordered his minions back to the Catskills and realizes that the egotistical criminal thinks he is being clever but is actually being very transparent. Based on this hunch, Cap and Bucky manage to locate Rip Van Winkle at the Kaatskills Inn.

Although they have the element of surprise, the pair are snared in a net and left dangling over some TNT while Rip and his minions go to Don Juarez a local fence to sell the stolen items. Cap manages to free himself and Bucky by swinging their net over to a nearby window. Shattering the glass and grabbing a shard, Bucky is able to cut them free in enough time to put out the explosives. Learning that the crook has gone to a local fence, Cap and Bucky manage to stop them there. Unmasked, Rip Van Winkle is revealed to be Mayda’s cousin Herbert. With the crooks turned over to the authorities the fundraiser can finally move forward.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Bucky, Betsy Ross

The Parrot Strikes

The Lee School announces which teachers are going to be moving into the new wing of the school. However, this move depends on when the work being done by Chawson Contractors. Betsy Ross introduces Jeff Mace and Fred Davis to her friend, Joan Chawson, whose father is in charge of the construction job. He tells them that they are waiting on a shipment of lumber that will allow them to finish the job and invites Betsy and the others to join them for the pick-up.

Unfortunately, the crook known as Mr. Polly and his men are at the docks first and use violence to convince the captain of the cargo ship to turn over the lumber to them. Then, Mister Polly fatally stabs the Captain for good measure. When the Chawsons arrive on the scene they are shocked to see others loading up their lumber. Suspecting trouble, Jeff and Fred slip away and change into Captain America and Bucky. Despite their efforts, the pair are unable to stop Mr. Polly and his men from escaping with the stolen lumber. Back at the Lee School, Betsy and the others lament over the theft of the lumber. That’s when Figaro, Mister Polly’s pet parrot with a ransom demand. Jeff convinces the women to go along to pay for the ransom intending to follow them as Captain America.

When Betsy and Joan meet with Mister Polly in an abandoned mine, he demands that they pay $10,000 to get the lumber back. That’s when Captain America and Bucky try to ambush the crooks but get trapped when the villains knock the lumber over on them. However, the two heroes manage to pull themselves from the rubble and catch up with Mister Polly and his men before they can escape and quickly subdue them so they can be turned over to the authorities.

Recurring Characters

Captain America, Bucky, Betsy Ross

Continuity Notes

• Per What If? #4, the appearances of Captain america and Bucky in this story are attributed to Jeff Mace and Fred Davis.

The Threat of Asbestos Lady

Following the execution of Killer Murdock, his twin sister vows to get revenge on the two responsible for sending her brother to death row: The Human Torch and Toro. Going back to her brothers hideout, she convinces his minions to join her cause, revealing that she has developed a costume made out of asbestos in order to protect herself from the Human Torch' and Toro’s flames.

To lure the heroes out, the Asbestos Lady kidnaps Paula Goddit, a famous actress. Hearing this on the radio, the Human Torch and Toro go looking for the kidnapped starlet. When they catch up with the Asbestos Lady she lets Paula Goddit go and flees to a nearby cabin. When the Torch and Toro follows after her and are trapped inside an airtight case. With the two heroes as his prisoner, the Asbestos Lady then intends to use a weapon her late brother managed to recover from Germany after the war, it is a weapon that disintegrates matter. She then opens the cage to blast the heroes. Unfortunately, the villainess did not anticipate that the weapon was vulnerable to fire and is melted in her hands. However, while the Torch and Toro are rounding up her minions, the Asbestos Lady manages to escape. As she flees, the Asbestos Lady vows to get revenge.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro, Asbestos Lady

Continuity Notes

• While this story asks when Asbestos Lady will be seen again, her next encounter with the Torch and Toro was already published prior to this story in Human Torch Comics #27.