Marvel Mystery Comics #16

Jul 26

Jul 26 Marvel Mystery Comics #16

Pinhead and his Underworld Army

After stopping a blazing building the Human Torch is ordered to report to the mayor’s office. There the mayor tells the Torch that New York has been infiltrated by Fifth Columnists who seek to destabilize the city. The Torch agrees to join the mayor’s task force -- dubbed the Suicide Squad -- to root out this subversive element. When the Fifth Columnists fly planes over the city dropping notes warning of attacks unless the US changes its position on the war, the Human Torch flies into action and downs all the planes, however all the pilots die before they can impart any information.

Meanwhile, that the Fifth Columnists secret hideout, their leader Pinhead is furious at this attack by the Human Torch. He explains to his minion that he is to keep American forces occupied so that they are unaware of Japanese forces tunneling through the Bering Strait to invade America through Alaska. The next phase of their plan involves attacking a military storage facility and stealing a number of tanks to siege the city.

When they unleash their attack, the Torch, police and military fight back. Despite Pinhead's superior fire power, the Torch and his allies manage to fight off the attack on the city. Forcing the fleeing Pinhead to crash, the Torch confronts their ringleader. Pinhead charges at the Torch, burning himself to death. His final words of warning are to the Torch telling him that he will not stop the Invader.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Nazis

The Nazi Invasion Tunnel

Deciding that he does not like how the war effort is going, Namor the Sub-Mariner decides to take himself along with Lynn Harris and Luther Robinson to deal with the Nazi force. Travelling to France, they find a village under complete Nazi rule and decide to infiltrate it. Knocking out some drunk Nazi soldiers and stealing their uniforms the trio begin to learn what the Nazi's are up to.

They would learn that the Nazi's are planning an attack on Britain and Lynn would later spy a map detailing a tunnel being dug under the English Channel to allow an invasion force to storm England. The following day while the Nazi forces are distracted by a British air raid, the Sub-Mariner would plant mines in the tunnel so that when the Nazis would attempt to cross through it, the mines would go off destroying their forces.

In the aftermath of the chaos, the Sub-Mariner would overhear one of the German officers talking about a Japanese attempt to infiltrate America through a tunnel crossing the Bering Straight. Realizing this could mean trouble, the Sub-Mariner flies off to America deciding that he may need to seek out the aid of the Human Torch to stop this other invasion.

This story is continued next issue...

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Luther Robinson, Lynn Harris, Nazis

Slaves of Prince Omei

Philo Zog is put under the hypnotic control of Prince Omei who uses Zog's invention to demand other local mobsters to claim loyalty to him. When some of the mobsters attempt to destroy Electro, Omei uses it to round them up for torture as a lesson to the others. Omei then commands Zog to send Eleectro out to commit a series of robberies, pitting the robot against the authorities.

Growing paranoid that the forces against him might devise a way to destroy Electro, Omei learns that the government could use Zog's lab to create another robot to counter Electro. Horrified by this possibility, Omei would send Electro to destroy Zog's lab. However, the sight of his lab being destroyed causes Zog to snap out of Omei's hypnotic spell and he attempts to revolt. Zog is easily overpowered and bound up to be executed by Omei. However before Zog can be killed, Omei's minions would turn on him allowing Zog time to summon Electro back by means of his portable controller.

When Electro would arrive, it would shield it's master from the bullets being fired. Ultimately Omei would go mad and set off an explosion killing himself and the mobsters. Zog would survive, having been protected by Electro, whom he would command to fly him to safety.

Recurring Characters

Electro, Philo Zog

Dinosaurs at Large

Barney Bailey, a wealthy showman, would come across some well preserved dinosaur eggs and utilize his resources to have them hatched. Putting fully grown dinosaurs on display he would hope to earn a fortune, and dismiss the possibility that the prehistoric creatures could possibly escape.

However a freak lightning storm would damage the dinosaur cages unleashing the animals on the city. The rampage would attract the attention of the Vision who would seek to destroy the dinosaurs. As the Vision would attempt to destroy the creatures with TNT, Bailey would hire mobsters to make sure his investments are captured alive. However they would fail to do so, and the now insane Bailey would rant and rave about his dinosaurs, leaving him open to being devoured by his Tyrannosaurus Rex.

With no more opposition, the Vision would destroy the last of the dinosaurs before returning to his home dimension once again.

Recurring Characters

Vision

The Rochelle Murder Mystery

Terry Vance and Deadline Dawson agree to accompany Scoop O'Brien on a fishing trip. Out at sea, Terry would spot a hat in the water and the apparently abandoned yacht of Fred Rochelle. Investigating the yacht, they find Fred's cigarette case, butts from his specially initialed cigarettes, and a bloody footprint making Terry believe that Rochelle was murdered.

Going to the Rochelle residence, Terry pretends to be returning the cigarette case to see what he can learn and has the Rochelle door slammed in his face by Fred's brother. Terry is then met by Janice Rochelle, Fred's niece who tells Terry that her uncle had a gambling problem. Learning that Fred frequented the Swan Club, where a illegal gambling operation was worked, Terry and Janice decide to investigate further.

Terry returns to the docks where the authorities have just found the body of Fred Rochelle in the water, and the pathologist on the scene determines the cause of death as a drowning. Terry tells Deadline and Scoop to meet him at the club later that night. That evening, Terry and Jancie dress up and go to the Swan Club, Terry purposely gets himself in deep debt so that he is brought to the Swan Club's proprietor a mobster named Pinelli. When Pinelli demands that Terry pay out, he says he doesn't have money, which is a ruse to have them send Janice out so she can get help.

She comes across Deadline, Dr. Watson and Scoop who storm after Pinelli (who has just discovered that Terry is a detective) before they can drag Terry off to eliminate him. With the crooks rounded up the authorities arrive and Terry proves that Pinelli was responsible for the murder of Fred Rochelle: By pointing out that Pinelli's shoe matches the bloody footprint found on the boat.

Recurring Characters

Terry Vance, Doctor Watson, Deadline Dawson

Karl Schwab's Lightning War

After 10 years behind bars for attempting to overthrow the United States government, Karl Schwab is released from prison. Two weeks later New York is sieged by a strange series of robberies where the entire street is electrified and men in rubber suits terrorize those paralyzed by the attack. This attracts the attention of the Angel who decides to investigate further.

Disguising himself as an old man he manages to follow a bunch of men to a secret meeting in the city sewers. There he learns that Karl Schwab is behind the attacks, all in an attempt to disrupt American cities for the Nazis. With the tests of his massive dynamo complete, he prepares to unleash it full power on the entire city of New York. The Angel clashes with Schwab as this is happening the Angel causes the power supply to overload and explode. Ironically, Schwab is killed by a chunk of shrapnel from the exploding machine, ending his threat.

Recurring Characters

Angel

Showdown with Rajah Sarput

Having just returned to his home in the Belgian Congo after his trip to America, Ka-Zar learns that his home has been terrorized by the poacher known as Rajah Sarput. Deciding to deal with the hunter once and for all, Ka-Zar travels to his temple where he clashes with Sarput. Holding his guards at a stalemate, Ka-Zar battles Sarput until his knife breaks against the hunters bullet proof vest. When Sarput attempts to shoot Ka-Zar, he is rescued by Pindar the eagle, who distracts Sarput long enough for Ka-Zar to escape.

That night, Ka-Zar infiltrates Sarput's home again, however this time he summons an army of animals from the jungle who storm the palace. During the chaos, Trajah the Elephant crushes Sarput to death and Ka-Zar lights him home ablaze. Ka-Zar and his animal allies then flee the blazing inferno to watch his enemies home burn to the ground.