Human Torch Comics #10

Aug 1

Aug 1 Human Torch Comics #10

Death Dance of the Atlantic

With American convoys being sunk in the Atlantic, the military attempts to call in the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner for assistance, but can only manage to get a hold of the Torch, who agrees to help. When he goes home to pack, he tells Toro that this mission is for adults only and tells the boy to stay behind, but Toro sneaks after him. While on the other side of the Atlantic, the Sub-Mariner -- convinced the Nazis know too much about American convoys -- decides to investigate. He swims to a port in Nazi occupied France, where he finds a disguise and goes into a bar. There he strikes up friendly conversation with a Nazi sailor who is scheduled to start working on a Nazi U-Boat. When the two men leave the bar, the Sub-Mariner knocks him out and steals his uniform and papers and reports for duty in his place.

While out at sea, another American convoy is heading to Britain with the Human Torch on board. When Nazi forces are spotted, they prepare to fire when one of the bags of gunpowder holds a surprise: Toro, who is revealed to have stowed away. Disappointed in the lad, the Torch welcomes him to tag along anyway. They flame on and lend a hand to the battle, damaging the sub that the Sub-Mariner is inside causing it to quickly submerge, almost drowning Toro in the process.

Below the water aboard the Nazi sub, the commander orders their torpedoes to be fired. The Sub-Mariner then acts, causing a the torpedo to purposely miss. Angered by this, the captain of the sub orders Namor to be put in irons, leading to a fight. The Sub-Mariner is then knocked out in the fight when a bullet creases his skull. Through the course of the struggle, the subs tank control goes out of order forcing the sub to surface, making it an easy target for the Torch and Toro. The two heroes then melt their way into the sub and round up the Nazis. When they spot the Sub-Mariner among their numbers, the captain decides to trick the two heroes into thinking that the Sub-Mariner is a traitor. When the Sub-Mariner revives, he is unable to convince his sometime allies otherwise and he too is taken prisoner.

The prisoners are taken to Castle Deptford on the British coast which has been turned over to the British military to use to contain prisoners of war. While in Berlin Germany, Nazi officials learn of the Sub-Mariner's capture along with the crew of the U-Boat. A Nazi official believes this to mean that the Sub-Mariner had switched sides and now works for them and orders that the Atlantean ruler be freed no matter the cost. Back at Castle Deptford, the Human Torch calls it a night, but Toro decides to stay awake to hear from one of the British soldiers the ghost story surrounding Castle Deptford. According to legend in the 16th Century the Duke of Deptford was murdered by his brother over some gambling debts, landing the brother in the Tower of London where he was beheaded. It was said that his headless ghost wanders the hall of the castle.

As if on cue, the apparent ghost of the Duke of Deptford appears in a headless suit of armor and scares away the soldiers. Toro makes a run for it and tries to wake up the Torch. This takes some effort and when the Torch wakes up he realizes that he has been drugged. They rush downstairs but arrive too late to prevent the supposed "ghost" from breaking the Sub-Mariner free, as they escape through a secret passage. The two flaming heroes burn through the walls of the castle to find the passage and find it. Almost catching up with the "ghost" and the Sub-Mariner, they are suddenly caught when the "ghost" throws a switch that floods the tunnel with water, dousing their flames. While the Torch and Toro dry off and resume their chase, the Sub-Mariner learns the "ghost" is really the Duke's descendant, Frank, a Nazi sympathizer who has sprung out Namor in order to get him to participate on a subversive mission in the United States. Namor reveals he hasn't defected to the Nazis and takes the secret plans then pushes the man into the waters, where he is killed on the jagged rocks. Namor then dives into the water and swims towards the United States to see what he can do to stop the operation. Meanwhile, a Nazi takes a raft up to the captured U-Boat and plants a bomb on it, causing an explosion that severely damages it.

The explosion rouses the Torch and Toro who investigate the wreck and finds a hidden room within the sub with the remains of a television receiver inside. Realizing that they might have been receiving broadcasts from the United States, the Torch and Toro fly back to the States to investigate. Meanwhile, the Sub-Mariner arrives in Manhattan and meets with his "contacts" Russian traitors Baron and Baroness Kidersky, two ballet dancers who are secretly spies for the Nazis. They give him orders to sabotage American defense factories before departing on their own business. Namor decides to follow them instead. The trail leads to a railroad station in Pennsylvania where the Kidersky's meet with military soldiers before boarding the train. Namor follows after them but is spotted by Baron Kidersky who attempts to shoot him. A fight breaks out and the soldiers soon join in when the Baroness accuses Namor of being a Nazi spy, forcing the monarch of the deep to flee the scene.

Deducing that they are heading to Fort Harass, Namor follows them there where he watches the Kidersky's put on a dance and further surmises that they use their touring of US military bases to learn secrets of naval convoys, but wonders how they get their messages out. Shadowing the Kidersky's back to New York, he follows them to television station QGR and jumps one of the security guards and sneaks into the studio where they are putting on a televised performance. Namor is still confused how they get their secrets out and decides to continue following them. Meanwhile, out at sea, the Human Torch and Toro pick up the television broadcast and see what the Sub-Mariner has missed: That the Kidersky's dance poses their bodies in the shape of letters spelling out code that is then deciphered by Nazi ships. The two then race off to the television station to learn who the dancers are.

Meanwhile, back on the mainland, the Sub-Mariner is spotted following the Kidersky's and they cause his cab to crash by shooting the driver dead. Taking Namor prisoner they shackle them in their home and when he claims to still be working for the Nazis they put on another performance giving a message in code to find out, allowing Namor to finally put everything together. At this time, the Torch and Toro learn the Kidersky's identity and head to their home. They arrive just as the Baroness attempts to kill Namor with a hot iron. They free Namor and then force the Kidersky's to put on a performance leading the Nazi fleet into a trap: When the U-Boats arrive to the location of a supposed American convoy, they find a field of sea mines, American destroyers, the Sub-Mariner, Human Torch and Toro waiting for them and they are quickly decimated. When the entire fleet is sank the three heroes return to the mainland where they are commended for a job well done.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro, Sub-Mariner, Nazis

Vacation

Jimmy Jupiter accompanies his parents on vacation to visit their uncles farm. Jimmy is warned to be careful in the woods. When he is there he trips down a hill and strikes his head. When he comes around he finds that he has found the Valley of the Enchanted Forest and Princess Pam is lost from her kingdom. Jimmy agrees to help her find her way home and they are attacked by the Wild Toad Men and a pack of wolves. Jimmy's fast thinking gets them out of trouble leaving the wolves to feast on the Wild Toads.

Jimmy brings Pam back to her fathers castle where he is commended as a hero. When a local knight becomes jealous of the attention Jimmy is getting from Princess Pam he challenges him a to a duel. Jimmy accepts and the two participate in a turtle back jousting competition. However, Jimmy is unfamiliar with riding a turtle and runs off a cliff and bumps his head again. He is found by his parents and brought around, later when he tells his uncle the adventure he has, he doesn't believe Jimmy -- telling the boy that wolves don't live in the area. However much to everyone's surprise a local comes out of the woods and tells that he found a wolf that apparently was speared to death -- one of the creatures that Jimmy was forced to kill to save the Princess.