Lightning Comics (Vol. 3) #1
Doctor Nemesis
At the laboratory at Mercy Hospital, scientists have finished developing a cure for the “black plague”, among those involved is Doctor James Bradley. James then leaves to put away the cadaver while the others finish up in the lab. Once out of the morgue, Doctor Bradley is approached by Nurse Strong who tells him that Doctor Lionel is due for surgery but he is having heart problems. Since Lionel does a lot of good work and the board of medicine would strip him of his ability to practice anymore, James agrees to perform the surgery, pretending to be Doctor Lionel.
While Bradley is busy in the operating theater, the other doctors are organizing the formula when they are confronted by a man in surgical scrubs calling himself the Surgeon. He demands that they hand over the formula, but the doctors refuse. In response, the Surgeon unleashes an anesthetic gas and tries to murder the men. Although he has his throat cut, Doctor Michaels manages to push past his attacker and run to the morgue. After stuffing the formula into the mouth of the cadaver he drops the corpse’s false teeth on the floor before jumping out the window to his death in order to try and cover up the hiding place of the formula in order to keep it out of the hands of the Surgeon.
By this time Doctor Bradley is out of surgery and nobody is wise to the fact that he was posing as Doctor Lionel. In thanks, Lionel insists on giving James a plaque given to him for his service during World War I, a gift that Bradley reluctantly accepts. It’s also about this time that Doctor Michael’s body is found and news of the attack spreads. The police are called and when Doctor Bradley is unable to account for his whereabouts during the murders without exposing Doctor Lionel. Without a suitable alibi, James is put in jail as the most likely suspect. Over the next few weeks, rats are let loose in the hospital and they begin spreading the plague among the patients and staff.
Feeling guilty for landing James in his situation, Doctor Lionel visits him in jail and hands him a gun that Bradley uses to break out of his cell. Changing into Doctor Nemesis, James returns to Mercy Hospital where he assists Doctor Blackton in searching for the plague cure. By this time, the plague has spread to the population of the city and is spreading rapidly Searching the morgue, Doctor Nemesis finds the false teeth on the floor and checks the mouth of the corpse, finding the formula in its mouth. He is ambushed by the Surgeon who knocks Nemesis out and although distracted by the arrival of Nurse Strong, the Surgeon seemingly succeeds in murdering Doctor Nemesis by stabbing him in the chest. However, the masked vigilante survives and saves Nurse Strong from the Surgeon. Although he is caught, the Surgeon manages to burn the formula as he had memorized it. This doesn’t stop Doctor Nemesis, who injects the killer with his truth serum which forces the Surgeon to write it down again. With the authorities called, the Surgeon is taken away and Doctor Bradley is cleared of all charges.
After the city is cured of the plague, James remarks how he survived being stabbed thanks to the award that Doctor Lionel gave him earlier that he had kept in the breast pocket of his coat.
Recurring Characters
Doctor Nemesis, Mary Strong
