Marvel Mystery Comics #10
The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner
Continued from last issue...
The Sub-Mariner has trapped the Human Torch in a translite tube, thereby cutting off the Torch's access to the air needed to ignite his flame. However, Namor cannot do anything with the Torch as if he lifts the tube it will let in air for the Torch to use his powers. With their battle deadlocked, both super-humans are left to wonder what to do.
Just then, Betty Dean and the police rush in and Betty convinces Namor to let the Torch free, promising that they will leave him alone if he promises to leave New York. The Sub-Mariner decides to listen, letting the Torch loose and departs to return to Atlantis.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean
Continuity Notes
The outcome of this battle are revisited and expanded upon in Marvels #1.
The Human Torch
Following his battle against the Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch would resume his duty as a beat cop. When witnessing the destruction of a Atwell Gas station. Examining the site he would find grenade fragments making him believe the explosion was deliberate. The Torch's assumption would be correct, as across town a gasoline racketeer named Palmer is placing a call to Atwell threatening to destroy his main plant if Atwell did not agree to increase his prices.
When the Torch returns to police headquarters to report his findings, the chief of police would scoff at the idea as Atwell would have reported the crime. Right on cue, Atwell would storm into the police station explaining the situation and demanding police protection, the chief would assign the Human Torch to protect Atwell's main plant. Outside the police station, some of Palmer's men attempt to run down Atwell, but the Torch and a fellow officer stops and arrests them.
At Atwell's main plant, the Torch would discover that his security officer Riley is working for Palmer and which he proves when a speeding gas truck is sent toward the gas tanks of the depot. The Torch would use his flame powers to to melt the fuel truck making it splatter harmlessly against the main building. When Riley would expose himself by calling Palmer to report in the Torch manages to stop the next threat to the main plant: an air bombing directed by a spotlight activated by Riley. After punching out Riley, the Torch flies into the air and uses his flame powers to destroy the bombs before they can be dropped on the fuel tanks.
Forcing the plane to land, the Torch learns the identity of the mastermind behind the plot and confronts Palmer at his office. Although Palmer's goon gets the drop on the Torch, the Human Torch regains his strength and uses his flame powers to force Palmer and his man to surrender to him.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch
The Sub-Mariner
After his clash with the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner decides to return to Atlantis even though his mission was a failure. After two days travelling in his aero-sub, he would arrive home. There he would tell the emperor of his failure who would suspend him from all active service.
While in Maine, Luther Robinson and Lynne Harris would read about Namor's most recent attack on the surface world. Deciding that Namor is a threat that needs to be dealt with, Luther hires Cap'n Bob and the crew of the "Colleen" to track down Atlantis and attack it. Using spot lights to attract Namor to the surface, the ships attack and Atlantis answers in kind by sending their military fleet to counter attack.
During the fight, Namor boards the Colleen and captures Lynne taking her aboard his aero-sub to take back to Atlantis. Luther chases after them in a sub, using a torpedo to destroy Namor's vessel. With Lynne unharmed, Luther recovers her and hopes that Namor has been destroyed. However, the Sub-Mariner had survived and vows to get revenge against the surface dwellers who have come to attack his home.
This story is continued next issue....
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Lady Dorma, Holy One, Luther Robinson, Lynn Harris
The Angel
A woman is kidnapped from her room by strange ghouls that have come from the center of the Earth. When one of their captives escapes they chase after her only to be confronted by the Angel who has come to the area to help a group of hunters dispatch the creatures. Killing one of their number, the Angel rushes to their cavern headquarters where he soon finds himself outnumbered and captured.
Set to be tossed into a pool of lava in sacrifice along with the ghouls's other captives, the Angel and the others are saved when a erupting lava frightens the creatures. When a band of hunters comes to save them, the Angel helps the captive women to escape, but is himself knocked down into the pit of boiling lava. Falling back below, he doesn't notice that a creature stalks him from the darkness.
This story is continued next issue...
Recurring Characters
Angel
Electro
Off the coast of Cuba on a private island, Dr. Bruno Varoz has perfected a synthetic blood formula that has allowed him to reanimate the human corpses. Sending his hunchbacked minion Miguel to rob graves in America he creates an entire army of the undead and sends them to major cities across the country to loot and murder.
With the authorities unable to stop the creatures, the President of the United States asks Professor Zog to help deal with the problem. He sends Electro to battle the creatures. However, Varoz sends a two headed creature to carry Electro back to the doctors hide out and dump the robot into a vat of acid. Undaunted, Professor Zog increases Electro's power source allowing the robot to break free and toss Dr. Varoz into the acid, killing him. An air strike then destroys Varoz's headquarters and Electro is sent to destroy the remaining army of his creations.
Recurring Characters
Electro, Philo Zog, President Franklin Roosevelt
The Masked Raider
The Masked Raider comes across a man named Jonathan Gregg, a tax collector who has been fatally shot. He explains to the Raider that a crook gunned him down to steal his tax papers so that he can pose as a tax collector and steal the tax money from the town of Two Forks. The Raider decides to go into town to warn the sheriff, however the crook had overheard the conversation and made it into town ahead of the Raider. The crook convinces the sheriff that he is in fact Gregg, and the Raider gunned down his partner. This causes the sheriff to try and apprehend the Raider, but he manages to flee.
Changing into his costume, the Masked Raider breaks into the sheriffs home to once more try and convince him to help. The sheriff refuses to believe him, so the Raider kidnaps his daughter Sally telling him to deliver a false letter to "Gregg" if he wants his daughter returned safe. Riding off into the night, the Raider convinces Sally that he means no ill will and she agrees to go along with his plan.
The next day, the sheriff gives over he letter to "Gregg", which is supposedly from a colleague of the real Gregg planning to come to Two Forks to discuss business with him. In a panic over potentially being exposed, the crook attempts to escape when he is confronted by the Masked Raider. The Raider pretends to want half of his money to keep his secret, and when the crook confesses to murdering the real Gregg, Sally appears and the sheriff arrives shortly thereafter. Sally confirms that the crook is the real murderer and he is taken into custody.
Recurring Characters
Masked Raider, Lightning
The Murder of a Man Without a Will
Terry Vance, boy detective, and his trusty ape Dr. Watson are working on an experiment when they hear reports of two separate murders that happened around the same time. Terry decides to investigate both, sending Dr. Watson to the location of one, while he goes to the other.
At the scene of the first murder, Terry is welcomed by police who let him investigate the crime scene. Spotting a bullet hole in a jacket on a nearby coat rack he reveals that there was a remote control pistol attached to it, and that is where the murderous bullet came from. With no other leads, Terry decides to check and see how Dr. Watson is doing.
As he is being driven to the location of the second murder, Dr. Watson stumbles upon a trap door and lands in a secret cavern. He spots a strange man lurking in the shadows and uses his camera to take his photograph. When Terry arrives, Dr. Watson takes the boy into the underground tunnel and listens into a conversation between police inspectors and the murdered mans assistants using his specially listening device. He learns that the wealthy doctor who was murdered apparently had no will and that the property was owned by his wife but he purchased it, and that there was a feud between the doctor and his step son. Hearing someone behind him, Terry turns around with his flashlight and sends the mystery man fleeing deeper into the secret tunnels.
Following after, Terry enters a room leading into the house and finds the remains of a burnt piece of paper near a fireplace. Using an ultraviolet light he exposes what was written on it he finds that it is the remains of the dead doctors will. Taking a picture of it for preservation, he is attacked by the mystery man again, but Dr. Watson knocks the man out. Pulling him into the room where the interrogation continues, Vance reveals the man as the murdered doctors estranged step-son.
He explains that he murdered the doctor and his lawyer and destroyed the will in the hopes of getting the inheritance that was denied to him as the will revealed that the doctors fortune would be given to his aides instead.
Recurring Characters
Terry Vance, Doctor Watson
Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great
Two detectives of the Scotland Yard have tracked down wanted murderer "London" Jack, and arrest him. Taking him back to London by airplane, their plane experiences trouble and is forced to land in the Belgian Congo. There, Jack -- not wishing to face execution after his trail -- would wrest free one of the detectives guns and ties them up after the pilot has repaired the plane. Knowing how to fly, he hops in the plane, hoping to escape.
This entire scene is witnessed by Ka-Zar, who sends Zar the lion to get Nono the monkey to free the tied up Scotland Yard detectives while he rushes off to stop Jack. Jumping on board the plane, Ka-Zar smashes his way into the craft and fights London Jack into submission, forcing him to land the plane. By the time they land, Nono has used Ka-Zar's knife to free the tied up men and they take London Jack back into custody.
When they ask Ka-Zar to accompany them back to civilization, Ka-Zar declines, telling them that the jungle is his home.
Recurring Characters
Ka-Zar, Zar, Nono
