Marvel Mystery Comics #37
The Fingerprints of Doom
When the top headline in the newspapers is about the former governor being arrested for the Mackenise kidnapping, the Human Torch and Toro are shocked by the story, but the Torch accepts the story as the former governors finger prints were found at the scene of a crime. Elsewhere in the city, a man named Mr. Stumpy is at the office of bank president Mr. Fitzpatrick interested in opening an account. He tells Fitzpatrick that he is opening a glass company in the city and shows him a sample. However, as it turns out Stumpy is really a criminal who has taken a sample of Fitzpatrick's fingerprint with the piece of glass.
Later that night, Stumpy's men return to the bank and rob it, only to be opposed by the Human Torch and Toro. Stumpy and his men get away, and leave behind two clues: finger prints that turn out to belong to Mr. Fitzpatrick, and coal dust. While the police presume that Fitzpatrick had something to do with the robbery and take him into custody, the Torch suspects foul play and decides to follow the coal dust lead. The Torch and Toro begin searching the coal storage facilities that are located all along the river to try and find their suspects.
As the news about Mr. Fitzpatrick's arrest hits the presses, Stumpy and his gang gloat over how easy it was to make a rubber duplicate of his finger print and frame him for the robbery of his own bank. Now with the mayors finger prints they are plotting to rob city halls when they are found by the Human Torch and Toro. During the fight, the Torch's flame is doused with chemicals and he is caught in the jaws of a coal-dumping crane. Threatening to dump the Torch's body into the river next to the coal facility, Stumpy forces Toro to surrender. With Toro rendered harmless he dumps the Torch into the water anyway and recovers his body. He places they two hears in an air tight room and begins exposing them to coal gas, leaving the heroes with two fates: ignite their flames and be killed in a powerful explosion, or breath in the coal gas and eventually suffocate to death. As the heroes struggle, Stumpy explains that he and his gang met in prison and united under one common goal: To commit crimes while getting back against those who sent them there by framing them with phony finger prints.
However, the Torch and Toro manage to break out when the Torch busts off a hinge to the door trapping them. They rush to city hall where they catch Stumpy and his gang in the act of robbing a safe within city hall. With the gang captured and their plot exposed, Mr. Fitzpatrick is cleared of all charges.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro
The Copper Plague
The Nazis invite Namor to meet with them under a banner of truce. Agreeing to meet with Commander Kornstalk, he is shocked by the audacity of the Nazis to order him to surrender himself to them. Refusing, Namor knocks the Nazis around, however when reminded he is visiting them under a banner of peace he rips the ship off their battleship and dives back into the ocean stranding them at sea. He returns to Atlantis where he tells his mother about the incident and gives her the ship wheel as a gift, telling her that he will crush the Nazis.
Back in Berlin, Adolf Hitler goes over the cost of battling the Sub-Mariner, noting that he has wrecked $570, 496, 441.60 worth of equipment and that it will take another 50 million to stop him. He then orders his subordinate to unleash the copper plague upon Atlantis. By this time, Namor and a group of Atlantean soldiers are out in the Atlantic ocean in a ship that helps them deflect torpedoes and using it to destroy Nazi U-Boats at sea. However, Namor orders their return when receives a cable orders his immediate return to Atlantis.
Arriving back in his kingdom, Namor is told by his mother that the people of Atlantis are suffering from the Copper Plague, from copper particles in the water. Meeting with Dr. Valnoor who explains that the Copper Plague almost wiped out the people of Atlantis ages ago by some force that was depositing copper into the water. Suspecting the Nazis being involved Namor's theory proves correct when they receive a message from Captain Kornstalk demanding Namor's surrender in exchange for a cure from the Copper Plague. Not wishing his people harm, Namor agrees to their terms even though Princess Fen warns him of trickery.
When a Nazi sub piloted by Commander Kornstalk arrives, Namor surrenders to it and he is taken to the secret underwater Nazi base that is using electrodes to flood the waters near Atlantis with copper particles. Namor is put in shackles and told that the Nazi's have no intentions of stopping the Copper Plague, choosing to kill all of Atlantis. Despite his shackles, Namor fights back, wrecking the sub and as it breaks open an army of Atlantean warriors led by Princess Fen storm the Nazi base, having followed the sub.
With Namor freed and his forces heavily outnumbered, Commander Kornstalk rushes into the base and locks himself inside and turns the electrodes on full blast causing a lethal amount of copper to surge into the water. Not willing to give up on his people, Namor smashes the insulation on the wires to the electrodes causing a massive explosion, destroying the base and clearing the water of copper. The people of Atlantis are astonished to find that Namor survived the blast and is knocked out. Also having survived was Kornstalk who is about to dash Namor's brains out with a rock when he is suddenly shot dead by Princess Fen.
Recovering Namor's body, the Atlanteans return to their kingdom where their ruler is placed under the observation of Dr. Valnoor who expects a quick and complete recovery. This brings Namor joy as he plans on getting revenge against the Nazis as soon as he's capable.
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Princess Fen, Nazis (Adolf Hitler)
His Halloween Adventure
Jimmy Jupiter is spending time with his African-American friend and their discussion focuses on the existence of ghosts. Jimmy is unsure if they truly exist or not, his friend is convinced and takes him to his house to meet with his mother, a woman who believes in ghosts. The boys mother tells Jimmy that some people can see ghosts and others cannot. While Jimmy is scared of ghosts he is curious to know if he can see them or not himself. The woman suggests that Jimmy spends Halloween night sitting under the tree in the cemetery, telling him that would be the ideal place to see ghosts if he is capable of.
Jimmy does just that, and on Halloween night he begins to nod off under the tree. He is awoken by the ghosts who are rising from their graves and is surprised to find that they are as afraid of him as he is of them. After convincing the ghosts that he means no harm, they tell him that ghosts are really nice and that it is the evil spirits, or demons that give them a bad name.
As if on cue, an evil spirit appears and tries to terrorize Jimmy and the ghosts. Having faced his fear, Jimmy attacks the evil spirit, and when more arrive Jimmy inspires the ghosts to fight back against their tormentors. Together, they manage to fight off the evil spirits. With the battle over, Jimmy says goodbye to the spirits and returns to the tree where he falls asleep again. He is woken up at dawn by his friend who asks him if he saw ghosts. Jimmy isn't certain if he really did or not, but he is certain that he will never be afraid of ghosts again.
Recurring Characters
Jimmy Jupiter
The Patriot Returns the Dough to the USO
With a USO fundraiser happening in the city, the newspaper editor sends Jeff Mace and Mary Morgan to cover the event. After money is collected from the audience, the master of ceremonies is shocked to find that the money has been stolen, grinding the show to a halt. Jeff tells Mary that he's going back stage to investigate and uses the opportunity to change into the Patriot. Down below the stage he finds a trap door where the money was funneled out.
Rushing to the back loading dock he spots an armored car speeding away and manages to jump onto its bumper. From there, the Patriot climbs around up front and attacks the driver and his passenger forcing the vehicle to crash. With the crooks knocked out, he gets a passing driver to help load the crooks and stolen loot into the backseat of his car and drive them back to the theater. There, the Patriot turns over the crooks and stolen loot to the authorities. Spotting the stage hand responsible, the Patriot tackles him and turns him over to the police as well.
Slipping away again, the Patriot changes back into Jeff Mace who once more makes an excuse for his absence. As he and Mary drive home at the end of the night, Mary begins to suspect that Jeff might be the Patriot by pointing out that whenever Jeff disappears the Patriot suddenly shows up.
Recurring Characters
Patriot, Mary Morgan
Continuity Notes
The final panel of this story was a promo urging the reader to buy War Bonds and features the cast of characters who appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics at the time of publication. As this is an advertisement it should not be considered part of continuity.
Dead-End Dynamite
A young newspaper boy named Jerry is pushed around by a group of young hoods who tell him that he is not allowed to sell papers on their turf. Suddenly a crook pulls up in a car and asks to speak to the leader of the gang, he gives the kid five dollars and orders him to deliver a message to his boss Joe Marone who is locked up in the nearby jail or suffer the consequences. Wanting the money, but not wishing to go near the police station, the young hood and his friends peer pressure Joe into doing so, telling him to go in pretending to try to sell newspapers to the criminals inside.
When Jerry does so, the officer on duty allows him to go in back to try and sell the crooks newspapers. Jerry gives the note to Marone who learns that his men are staging a breakout. Just at that moment they throw tear gas into the police station. While the officers are disorientated by the gas, Marone uses a home-made skeleton key and picks his lock and escapes. In the aftermath of the jail break, the kids give Jerry his share of the money for the job: a whole nickle, an unfair share that they mock Jerry for getting.
Upset by being used, Jerry wishes that he had a father, older brother or a genie. At this last point he kicks a log into a nearby fire and the smoke caused from it allows the Vision to materialize before them. The Vision decides to help Jerry out by telling him that he is his genie and is at his command. His appearance scares the other children away, and Jerry tells the Vision how he feels bad for helping Marone escape. The Vision offers to help Jerry bring Marone back to justice.
The pair track Marone down to his girlfriend lives. The Vision gives Jerry a fake note suggesting that Marone is going to double cross her and sends him up to give it to the girl. She is upset and takes him to Marone who demands the boy tell him where the note came from. The smoke from Marone's cigar allows the Vision to materialize in the room and fights Marone. The battle is abruptly stopped when Marone's girl pulls a gun out and threatens to shoot Jerry, forcing the Vision to let the crooks go with the boy as their hostage. The Vision follows after them, materializing out of the exhaust fumes of their car when they stop the car to eliminate Jerry. With the element of surprise, the Vision easily beats the mobster and his girl into submission and ties them up. Sending Jerry to get the police, the Vision learns the location of the mobsters hideout and pays a visit to his men. Although the Vision is outnumbered, the fight causes a lantern to get knocked over causing a blazing fire. When the crooks flee they run right into the hands of the police. Worried about his "genie" Jerry is relieved when the Vision walks out of the smoke unscathed, and he soon bids the boy farewell. The next day meeting with the other boys in the area Jerry is amused to hear that they have convinced themselves that the encounter with the "genie" the day before was nothing but bunk.
Recurring Characters
Vision
The Case of the Invisible Clue
Terry Vance is spending a night at home with his friend Deadline Dawson when suddenly a rock with a note attached is thrown through their window. Reading the note, Terry finds that it is a warning telling him to stay away from the home of young actress Lucy Love. Rushing outside to see who had thrown they rock and they find an old man outside who denies throwing the rock. When they ask him about Lucy Love, he tells them that the papers have reported that someone was threatening to kidnap her.
Realizing what the warning was about, Terry, Deadline and Dr. Watson all rush down to the apartment building where Lucy Love lives. There they send Dr. Watson up the side of the building with a microphone so they can listen into the apartment and make sure the starlet is okay. What they hear are a pair of men talking about holding her hostage. Terry sends Deadline to get the authorities while he rushes up to save Lucy. In the hallway to her apartment, Terry uses his three way flashlight on x-ray mode to see that there are two men waiting in the room club him over the head the moment he walks in the room. Rushing under the men, Terry makes them knock each other out. He quickly goes to untie Lucy when suddenly the man from the street enters the room with a gun pointed at them. Revealing he is the mastermind behind the kidnapping he decides to take Terry as his hostage as well.
The crooks then spot Dr. Watson in the window and when they rush to chase him away they notice police officers on the street surrounding Lucy's apartment building. As they prepare to flee the scene they are unaware that Dr. Watson is slathering the back of their shirts with an invisible ink. The kidnappers then force Terry and Lucy to travel across the rooftops to another building where they are locked in a small room together. There, Terry has Lucy control a lamp while he operates the vertical blinds as a makeshift heliograph so that they can signal an S.O.S in Morse Code to the street below. Soon the police arrive and rescue Terry and Lucy but the crooks escape to the roof.
There the police have a hard time chasing after the crooks because of a sudden fog, however Dr. Watson uses the inferred setting on the flashlight to illuminate the invisible ink on their backs and they are easily captured.
Recurring Characters
Terry Vance, Doctor Watson, Deadline Dawson
The Case of Marvello the Mystic
Marvello the Mystic is telling the fortune to the wealthy Mrs. Rodgers and after telling her fortune she leaves feeling faint. Outside, Thomas Halloway spots her stumbling out of the fortune tellers home and comes to her aid. When he asks her why she went to visit the medium, she does not recall seeing him that day, her memories of her encounter seemingly wiped from her mind. This strikes Halloway as suspicious but he does not act on them until the next day when he reads in the paper about Rodgers death by Anemia.
Changing into the Angel he decides to investigate Marvello the Mystic. When he arrives at Marvello's business he witnesses as Marvello puts the young Miss White into a trance and has his servants take some of her blood and inject her with some strange Indian formula putting her into Marvello's thrall. Spotted, the Angel is attacked by Marvello's men. While the hero fights off his attackers Marvello orders Miss White -- a secretary for the King Aircraft Manufacturer -- to go and steal their plans for their new King Bomber plane. She goes off in compliance to his wishes while the Angel finishes his battle.
The Angel then confronts and attacks Marvello but is faced with more guards. Fighting them off, the Angel follows Marvello through a secret passage way where he is attacked by hooded attackers with daggers. Once more fending off these attacks the Angel is knocked out from behind by Marvello and taken into the basement of his business. Tied up, the Angel is left at the mercies of a snake, and Marvello leaves his crystal ball for the hero to mock him. However, this gives the Angel the means to break free, as he kicks the crystal at the snake. As the reptile attacks the crystal ball the Angel stomps on its head and breaks free from his bonds.
The Angel gets back upstairs just as Miss White has returned with the stolen plans and Marvello is handing them over to a Japanese spy. The Angel swings into action, knocking out all the spies in the room and calling the authorities for help. When Miss White snaps out of Marvello's control, the Angel explains that she was under his hypnotic power and departs before she has a chance to thank him.
Recurring Characters
Angel
