Marvel Mystery Comics #21
The Idol of Death
Prince Itor wishes to acquire the Idol of Death as legend holds it will grant him the power to rule men as the Pharaohs did. A gangster named Crowley grabs the idol first because he just wants to sell it for its value. Torch and Toro pursue Crowley, but he knocks them out during a fight underwater in a river. After Toro pulls Torch from the river, the two set off after Crowley who has driven off in a car with the idol. He gets into a crash and Prince Itor is on the scene to acquire the idol. When he picks it up, he changes into a monster with the power to turn men into mindless zombies. He flees into the subway and Torch pursues him onto a train where he melts the idol. Prince Itor changes back to normal and attempts to escape by leaping out of the train window, but lands on the third rail and is electrocuted.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro
The Magnetic Lake Mystery
Betty Dean enlists the aid of the Sub-Mariner to investigate a series of mysterious plane crashes that occur near a lake outside of New York City. With the airline companies' investors and the public demanding answers and lawsuits flowing in, the Sub-Mariner agrees to investigate things further.
At the scene of the plane crashes, Namor finds a suspicious fellow among the crowd who doesn't appear to be the least bit disturbed by the amount of crashes. He suggests to Betty that she follow him and find out what his involvement might be while he investigates the lake itself. Diving into the lake, Namor finds a strange cable that runs along its bottom that goes into the ground. He swims off deciding to investigate things further on the surface. Meanwhile, Betty Dean uses her female charms on the man that they spotted earlier.
Expressing an interest over how popular the Nazi party is in the area, the man brags about his involvement in the group and asks her if she would like to join. Betty feigns interest in the hopes that it will take her to the source that is making the planes crash. Taking her to the party's headquarters, she signs up for a membership and asks how the Nazis are involved with the plane crashes. The man tells her that they have built a device to cause the crashes so that they shake the public's confidence in the airline industry and take it over to restore faith and gain support for their ideals. With this explanation, the man then takes Betty to a secret tunnel that will lead her the the giant magnet device that they have hidden under the lake to complete this task.
Meanwhile at the lake, Namor comes across the state police and tells them about the cable he found below the surface. They then dive down together and use explosives to blast through the concrete that is there. Namor is surprised to find a metal bunker and enters through one of its airlocks to get inside. There Namor finds the Nazi operations and runs into Betty just as she arrives with her "protégé", Namor then easily defeats the crooks and then Betty calls the authorities to report the subversive activity.
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean, Nazis
The Case of the Transport Crashes!
Terry Vance is showing off his latest invention, a remote control airplane that is constructed entirely of metal that he hopes to give to the military for their war effort. Heading to the airport to wait for the arrival of Major Dahl, Terry spots that the landing gear on the plane has been removed. Putting Dr. Watson on his remote control plane, he flies it up to the landing aircraft and has Watson connect the model craft to the imperiled airplane so that it can land safely.
When Major Dahl exits the plane he is impressed by Terry's invention and his daughter is instantly smitten by the young boy. When Terry prepares to turn over the model to the military, the men loading it into the truck attempt to steal it. However, when Terry notices this, he activates the remote control to fly it out of their truck. Shocked by this turn of events the thieves crash. When the military inspects the bodies in the wreckage, they soon find that they were foreign spies.
With the threat of the spies gone, major Dahl tells Terry that the military is interested in his plane's design.
Recurring Characters
Terry Vance, Doctor Watson, Deadline Dawson
The Story Behind the Cover
A text story detailing how the Human Torch and Toro answer a call from a Greek minister to help destroy a Nazi sea platform that has been constructed in the Mediterranean Sea.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro, Nazis
Danger Ahead
With Nazi Lieutenant Heinrich von Betz being shipped by train with other Nazi prisoners of war to be deported out of the United States, the press is clamoring to get an exclusive interview with him before he is sent away. Among the press are Jeff Mace, Mary Morgan and Jack Casey. Casey is the most interested in getting a scoop, while Mary is leery of Jeff disappearing in the event that there is trouble. Things take a turn for the worst when Nazi spies manage to smuggle in weapons and a gas mask to allow von Betz to break free and take control of the train.
When the train doesn't make its scheduled stop at the station where Mace and the others are waiting, Jeff suspects trouble and makes an excuse to borrow Jack's car and leave so that he can change into the Patriot. Boarding the train, the Patriot easily fights through the freed Nazi prisoners and beats von Betz in a one-on-one fight. With the Nazi lieutenant defeated, the Patriot gets the exclusive interview that Jack sought out. Slipping away to change back into his civilian guise, Jeff returns to his friends and hands the interview over to Jack, and tells him that he will reimburse him for his wrecked car.
Recurring Characters
Patriot, Mary Morgan, Jack Casey, Nazis
The Fight Against the Fascists
Continuing his campaign against the Axis Forces that have invaded his domain, Ka-Zar comes across another Italian military base in his jungle. He gathers an army of his animal friends to deal with the threat. Sneaking into the Italian camp, Ka-Zar steals some of their plans that outline an attack on British outposts in Kenya. He is caught by Italian soldiers who easily outnumber him and have him tied to a tree, leaving him to be slain when British soldiers come and bomb the area while they move their camp elsewhere.
Ka-Zar however is far from helpless and is freed by Chaka. Ka-Zar and Chaka's tribe of apes then cause an avalanche trapping the Italian soldiers in the area. They then steal their ammunition and set it ablaze and cause a massive flood, leaving the trapped Italian soldiers to drown in the chasm where they were going to leave Ka-Zar to be killed.
Recurring Characters
Ka-Zar, Trajah, Pindar, Chaka
The Sabotaged Schoolhouse
On the American west coast a powerful storm and tornado strikes a coastal town. The destruction that is wrought attracts the attention of the Vision who decides to come to the people’s aid. When a local school house begins to crumble, Colgan the contractor fears that the Vision will learn that the schoolhouse was built out of shoddy material.
Rushing to the office of Paget, the president of the company who build the school, Colgan would attempt to warn him that the Vision was after them. Paget decides to leave town until things blows over and forced Colgan to act as president of the company and answer to the probe into why the school collapsed.
Meanwhile, Paget has sent a man to blow up the tracks to cause the train carrying Colgan to have an accident. However the Vision arrives and stops him and then confronts Colgan for his involvement in the schools shoddy construction. When he testifies that Paget was responsible, he is shot dead by Paget who was watching from a nearby window. The Vision chases after Paget and easily captures him and turns him over to the authorities where he confesses to his involvement.
Recurring Characters
Vision
The Weird Ghost of Amber Swamps
The home of C.J. Miller, one of the richest men in Georgia, has become a local legend when a supposed ghost has appeared in the area and has been beheading people around the property. The strange murders attract the attention of the Angel who comes to the property to investigate. Hearing screams for help, the Angel rushes inside the mansion and finds a young reporter being terrorized by a massive deformed man. When she is tossed down a staircase, the Angel leaps to her rescue.
The Angel then clashes with the so called ghost of Amber Swamps, until he flees. The Angel and the reporter then follow after him, finding a secret passage way. They are almost killed by a seemingly unseen force, and the Angel is once more attacked by the "ghost". Fighting off his attacker, the Angel reveals that he is not a ghost at all, and killed his victims with a fishing pole with razor blades on the end. Using this weapon the Angel strikes the attacker slicing open his mask revealing him to be none other than C.J. Miller himself.
Miller explains that he drained his wealth to feed and support the area until he lost it all. He developed the legend of the ghost in order to distract attention from his financial problems. Having finally snapped, Miller charges at the Angel who fights him off and sends the maddened millionaire sprawling to the floor. Ironically, he sets off his own trap and is killed, ending his reign of terror.
Recurring Characters
Angel
