Human Torch Comics #16

Jul 31

Jul 31 Human Torch Comics #16

Yellow Monkeys of Death

Off the shores of the western United States, a Japanese sub surface and a spy sneaks off the ship. He travels to a Japanese concentration camp where he hands over a note to one of the prisoners there that detail plans for an invasion. He is spotted by a guard who guns down the spy and takes the plans. When military intelligence goes over the plans, Colonel Hafton decides to call in the Human Torch and Toro for help. Arriving at military intelligence, the Torch and Toro are briefed on the plotted attack which is to be launched from Kobe Island in the Pacific. Hafton orders them to go to the island and determine how big their naval port is and destroy it.

Along the way, the Torch and Toro pass an American naval fleet engaging a Japanese held atol and lend a hand, eliminating the base defenses and taking down the Japanese soldiers, allowing the Americans to take the atoll. Continuing their mission, the two flaming heroes arrive at Kobe Island where they see that the Japanese fleet is about ready to deploy. As they land on the island, they are spotted by a soldier who radios in their presence to his commanding officer General Suki. As the Torch and Toro overhear plans to attack the Untied States coast from outside Suki's office, they are suddenly surrounded by Japanese soldiers. They are quickly subdued before they can flame on and fight back.

Taken prisoner, Suki has the two heroes tied to a device that constantly douses them with jets of cold water that will eventually cut off the their blood circulation and kill them. Suki gloats over his defeat of the heroes and the impending attack on the United States. Left to die, the Torch is able to plug some of the water jets with his feet allowing him to dry up enough to flame on and free himself and Toro.

Back in action, the two heroes arrive just as Suki and his fleet are preparing to shove off for their attack. After disabling some of the ships before reigniting the volcano on the island. The resulting explosive eruption floods the island with lava destroy the Japanese base and all the ships, killing its crews including General Suki. With their mission a success the two heroes return to the United States and report back to Colonel Hafton who thanks them for a job well done.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro, Imperial Japan

Sons of Evil

At an American airfield in England, fighter pilots prepare for their next mission, with some of the pilots stopping off at the nearby bar before take off. Shortly after their fleet is decimated by Nazi forces.

When the news reaches the United States, the Human Torch and Toro are contacted by Major Lund who asks the two heroes to travel to England to help investigate how the Nazis are able to learn of their attacks in advance. With no apparent broadcasts put out by spies, the Torch and Toro are sent to investigate another possible method that the Nazis are using to send communications.

Arriving on the base, the Torch and Toro meet with military brass before learning about the bar -- called Limey's -- that all the pilots go to. Suspecting this might be the place. They go to the bar and are told that the owner is a long time British citizen and supporter of the war. The Torch becomes intrigued with how easily the pilots discuss their missions with Limey, and how Limey's sister plays the piano. As Limey's sister plays Chopin's Funeral March, Toro and the commanding office dismiss the possibility the spy is working out of Limey's, but the Torch is not too sure and tells them to go on while he places a phone call to British Intelligence.

While the Torch and Toro go to assist the next wave of bombers in attacks on France, Limey and his sister gloat in private over how they have fooled the Americans. As it turns out they are Nazi spies who had immigrated to Britain prior to the war and have been using the piano to send out coded messages that are broadcast over the radio and dismissed as nothing more than just piano music.

Over France, the bombers are attacked by German forces that have been tipped off to their arrival. The battle is no lost thanks to the aid of the Human Torch and Toro whose flame powers aid the American bombers in fighting off the Nazi counterattack. After hitting their targets, the bombers and the two heroes return to England.

When they arrive the intelligence the Torch requested on Limey comes in confirming his suspicions that he is a Nazi spy. When he and Toro go to confront the bartender, he springs a trap on them, opening a trap door that drops the two heroes in a well filled with water. While Limey and his sister broadcast another coded message detailing an attack on Berlin, the Torch manages to flame on his hand and create foot holds for him and Toro to climb out of the well. They quickly round up Limey and his sister and turn them over to the authorities after they explain everything.

Rushing to Berlin, the Torch and Toro help the bombers hit their targets by melting the Nazi guns that have been forewarned of their arrival. With the mission saved the Torch and Toro are commended on a job well done.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro, Nazis

The Robber Baron

A group of robbers hold up a bank. During the robbery, the bank president Mr. Blair interrupts the robbery is seemingly shot dead. As the thieves flee, the Human Torch and Toro arrive on the scene and are told of the situation. Rushing into the bank they find that Blair is alive, having only been attacked by the men who robbed him. When the Torch attempts to examine the safe, Blair suggests they leave it alone for the police to dust for fingerprints. The Torch notices something about the safe before he and Toro flame on and fly after the crooks getaway car.

However, spotting the two heroes, the crooks allow them to follow to their hideout. There the crooks spray the Torch and Toro with a chemical foam that snuffs out their flames, they are then encased up to their necks in a cement/asbestos mixture to be dumped in the nearby river. As they are being lifted up and dropped into the water the two heroes flame on and super-heat the cement so it shatters when it touches the cold water, freeing them.

Wanting to find out who the crooks employer is, the Torch scales a telephone pole and wires into the hideouts phone line and listens as the crooks employer tells them meet at a shack on Sayers Avenue. The Torch and Toro then round up the crooks and the Torch leads Toro to the home of the mastermind behind the plot. Toro is surprised to see that it is Banker Blair who is responsible. Blair confesses and is turned over to the authorities. When Toro asks how the Torch knew, the Torch points out that a scrap of paper sticking out of Blair's safe was the band for a stack of $1000 bills.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro

Journey to Death

As the Sub-Mariner is walking through a revolving door a man tries to rush through with him. The man, frustrated that Namor has gotten in his way punches the Sub-Mariner in the face. Namor responds in kind, his blow sending the man sprawling. The man vows to get revenge on Namor for striking him, but Namor just brushes it off and continues on his way.

Later while walking the waterfront, Namor is jumped by a gang of men who catch him by surprise. Namor is knocked out. With a hood tied over his head, Namor is brought to a shack out by the waterfront and dumped through the open cellar window. Namor's body slides into a tank filled with carnivorous sea creatures. Revitalized by the water, Namor breaks free from his bonds and fights off the various sharks and octopus that try to attack him. Other prisoners that line the edges of the tank watch in awe as the Sub-Mariner fights off the creatures and climbs to safety. There he learns that they are all prisoners from a crook calling himself the Zipper whose mob operates along the water front.

Suddenly, a rope is dropped down from above and Namor is asked to climb up. On the upper level Namor is brought before the Zipper and a Japanese soldier who says that Namor will do for their oil smuggling operation and states he needs five more men before Namor is placed back with the other prisoners. Realizing the scope of the operation, Namor dives into the water and swims to a Coast Guard cutter and tells them of the plan and asks for their assistance.

Returning to the prison, Namor and the others are forced aboard a fishing ship where he tells the captives to be ready by his command. The coast guard allows the fishing ship to leave port then signals nearby PT boats and fighter planes to converge on the ship. The boat stops out at sea and is greeted by a Japanese sub and the men are then ordered to start loading it with the oil. Namor breaks his cover and attacks the Japanese, lighting a drum of oil on fire and tossing it into the sub. As the submarine explodes, Namor then captures the surviving Japanese and turns them over to the coast guard. Returning to shore, Namor tracks down Zipper and punches him through a wall before turning him over to the authorities and returning to his home in the sea.