Kid Komics #3
Caught in the Tune of Death
In Washington, DC a seemingly innocuous organ grinder plays near the office of the war department. Hearing the music, the men working inside take notice and dismiss the organ grinder. However, while they are distracted they fail to see the organ grinder’s monkey sneak inside and steal some secret plans off of their desk. When they notice that the plans have gone missing, they also notice that the organ grinder has disappeared. In a fleeing car, the organ grinder — an axis spy named the Black Dirge — gloats over how easy it was to steal the secret plans. Deciding that the monkey has served its purpose, the Black Dirge callously tosses the monkey out the window of his car.
Meanwhile, at the Young Allies clubhouse, Bucky and Toro are arguing over who is the most valuable member of the Young Allies. The argument is interrupted by the arrival of Captain America who tells them about how the Black Durge managed to steal secret government plans. As the Young Allies begin to wonder how they can catch the spy, Jeff reminds the team that they all promised to attend Professor De Banac’s concert with him. Although Knuckles protests, Bucky tells the team that they have to keep their promise to Jeff. Watching the concert from one of the observation booths, the Young Allies watch the performance. Whitewash Jones falls asleep in the middle of the performance and when the audience applauds the performance it startles Jones so badly he slips over the balcony and needs to be rescued by his teammates. Soon it’s time for Professor De Banac’s performance and he begins playing his Stradivarius so horribly it upsets the audience. Jeff wonders why the Professor is playing so terribly and suspects there is something wrong, unaware the Black Dirge has taken his place. Rushing backstage, they find the real Professor in his dressing room with a knife in his back. Clinging to life, the professor tells them that the Black Dirge stole his passports and his prized violin before dying.
The Young Allies then rush the Black Dirge on stage, but he summons his minions who keep the youths busy while he makes his escape. After the Young Allies deal with the Dirge’s minions, Bucky notices that the Black Dirge has escaped. Deducing that he is trying to take a steamship out of town, the Young Allies rush to the pier. Finding the steamship, the boys rush aboard and are walk right into the Black Dirge’s trap. While they are tied up, they learn that the Black Dirge plans on meeting up with an enemy sub out to sea. When they are left alone, Toro flames on to burn through their ropes, freeing himself and his teammates. Once they get above deck, they notice that the Black Dirge has fled in a rowboat. Manning the ship’s gun they spot two Nazi subs nearby. The Young Allies then use the gun to kill the crew of the first sub who is standing on the conning tower. While the second sub escapes, the Young Allies decide to commandeer the sub that was left behind to chase after the Black Dirge.
Following the enemy sub to the Mediterranean Sea they watch as they come to shore on the Isle of Crete. They wait until night to try to get to shore but there is a German battleship blocking their path. Setting the U-Boat on a collision course with the battleship, the Young Allies abandon ship on a rubber raft. Once the sub gets close enough to the battleship, Toro uses his flame powers to set off the explosives in the sub, destroying both the U-Boat and the battleship. Getting to shore, the Young Allies split up to find their foe. Knuckles and Bucky run into a Nazi guard, and Bucky is forced to surrender when Knuckles is taken hostage. Meanwhile, Toro and Jeff climb a wall and spot the Black Dirge talking with one of the commanding officers. They are wondering where the battleship is as it is supposed to transport the Black Dirge back to Berlin. That’s when the guard arrives to turn over Bucky and Knuckles to his commander. Toro flames on and leaps into action, but while he is busy with the soldiers, the Black Dirge tries to flee again. The Black Dirge spots an airplane and orders the pilot to get him to Berlin. Unfortunately for the spy, the plane had been taken over by Whitewash Jones and Tubby who knocks him out. Recovering the stolen plans, the Young Allies steal the airplane and head for an Allied base in Italy.
Recurring Characters
Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Jeff Vandergill, Tubby Tinkle, Knuckles O’Toole, Whitewash Jones), Captain America
Battle Against the Nazi Horror
In a small wine cellar somewhere in France, French resistance fighters learn that their ally, a man named Marcel, has been captured by the Nazis. Although they fear that Marcel will be tortured by their oppressors, they all agree to go on with their plan. That’s when the Vision emerges from the smoke being given off by the candle lighting the room. He tells them that he has overheard their plans and wants to help them and asks to hear their plan again.
Meanwhile, at the Nazi prison, Marcel is being whipped by his captors in an effort to make him talk. Fearing their captive will die before he reveals his secrets, the commanding officer orders his men to stop to give Marcel time to recover from the beating. As they leave, the commander discards his cigarette on the ground. The smoke from the cigarette allows the Vision a means of transporting himself into the prison cell. After checking on Marcel the Vision sees that he is in bad shape and quickly formulates a plan. The Vision begins calling for help, drawing the guard to the cell and knocks him out. Getting the keys, the Vision then frees Marcel and carries him back to the resistance fighter’s hideout. He is then told how the resistance is trying to stop a train carrying Nazi troops from reaching Marseille, as those troops will be used to repel an Allied invasion of Italy.
The following night, the Vision sneaks behind enemy lines and sets up explosives under the guarded bridge where the train is parked. After the explosives go off, the resistance fighters rush the remaining Nazi troops with guns blazing. Unfortunately, one of the Nazis makes it to the tank and prepares to fire at the resistance. However, Marcel bravely sacrifices his life to destroy the tank with grenades. So Marcel’s sacrifice wasn’t made in vein, the Vision leads the rest of the resistance to the nearby rail bridge to set the rest of the explosives. They succeed and when the train transport tries to cross the bridge, the explosives are set off, destroying it. With their mission over, the resistance fighters thank the Vision for his help. The Vision decides his work here is done and bids the resistance luck before disappearing in the billowing smoke from the trainwreck.
Recurring Characters
Vision
