Marvel Mystery Comics #54
Human Torch
The Human Torch and Toro are assisting with the battle against Japanese forces on the pacific. While elsewhere, the Japanese are bombing icebergs further north, knocking them loose in order to have them flow south and crush the American convoys.
While in the United States some men attack a soldier and a female factory worker and take them captive, driving away as the authorities arrive. The authorities send out a call to the Human Torch to assist as soon as he can make himself available. Instead, he sends Toro to investigate on his behalf. Meeting with the authorities, Toro learns that the only evidence left at the crime scene was a lucky rabbits foot. Toro then decides to follow a hunch and flies to Yankee Stadium and grabs Blue Sox's pitcher Fritz Mueller, a German-American baseball player who is known for having a rabbits foot for good luck. Under interrogation, Mueller reveals the location of the two captured Americans and the Nazi spies hideout.
While Toro rushes to the nightclub hideout of the Nazis, the Torch is alerted of the icebergs flowing toward the American ships and uses his flame powers to melt them. As Toro frees the prisoners, he is told of the Japanese plot to blast the icebergs loose and so he contact the Human Torch to meet with him at once. Reuniting with his mentor, Toro gets him up to speed and leads him to the location where the Japanese bombers are knocking loose the ice bergs. However, they are unable to stop the Japanese fighters from getting away as they are flying in the stratosphere where there is too little oxygen for the two heroes to maintain their flames.
Returning to the military convoy, they are soon met by the two Americans captured by the Nazis who are relaying more information about how the Japanese are intending to take Midway Island in part of a bid to invade Alaska. Rushing to where the Japanese transport planes are flying, the Torch and Toro blast them out of the sky, and the burning oil from the crashing planes cause enough fire to melt the icebergs, ending their threat as well.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro, Imperial Japan, Nazis
Devil's Playground
The Sub-Mariner is proud of Betty Dean, whose investigative reporting has foiled a Nazi plot to blow up the Golden Gate Bridge. Fearing that the Nazis may target her, Namor comes to her aid, but Betty is not overly concerned about a Nazi threat and refuses to hide. Just then, Nazi agents burst into her office to take her prisoner. When Namor tries to stop them he is hit over the head from behind and knocked out, allowing the spies to take Betty hostage.
Coming to, Namor rushes outside and finds an onlooker who found the spies getaway suspicious and took down their license plate numbers. However, Namor's investigation into the owner of the cars yields no clues as the cars were stolen and are later found at a nearby peer. Learning that four men were seen fleeing the scene in a motorboat, Namor decides to go to the nearby gambling ship owned by Mahoney to see if he or anyone aboard has seen anything. Mahoney invites Namor in with open arms and tells him that he has retired, selling his ship to a man named Balatto. Meeting with Balatto, he welcomes Namor to search the ship to see if he can find Betty on board.
Meanwhile, 60 miles away from the ship Betty is prisoner aboard a Nazi U-Boat that is plotting an attack on American shores. While back aboard the gambling ship, Namor finds a Nazi Iron Cross in Balatto's desk. As he is making the discovery, Balatto and his men storm in and attempt to kill the Sub-Mariner. Namor easily beats the spies into submission and forces Balatto to reveal their plans. The spy shows them a secret hold in the ship which they used to smuggle U-Boats into American waters so that they can destroy the Golden Gate Bridge, and that Betty is a prisoner aboard one of the ships.
After calling in the situation to the FBI, and later meets with a coast guard ship. Taking a load of TNT, he rigs it to the Nazi U-Boats and orders the lead ship to grant him entrance or be blown sky high. Namor then beats the captain into submission and forces him to reveal which ship that Betty is aboard. Demanding that the ship open its hatch, Namor comes to Betty's rescue and the duo jump ship from the sub and swim to safety while the American Navy blasts the subs out of the water.
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean, Nazis
Terry Vance
Terry Vance and Deadline Dawson stop some crooks from selling secrets stolen from a chemical factory to the Nazis.
(Full synopsis unavailable. My copy is missing pages from this story)
Recurring Characters
Terry Vance, Doctor Watson, Deadline Dawson
Patriot
The Patriot prevents a plot to assassinate President Roosevelt by Nazi operatives.
(Full synopsis unavailable. My copy is missing pages from this story)
Recurring Characters
Patriot , Nazis, President Franklin Roosevelt
Masked Murder
Madeline Joyce and her Uncle James Bennett attend a costume party in which Madeline goes dressed as her alter ego Miss America. Among the guests are men dressed as Hitler and Hirohito who are taking kicks in the behind for money to go toward the war effort. These men are really Nazi spies who kidnap the secretary to Lieutenant Harding to get a hold of sensitive papers.
Spotted escaping by Miss America she goes after them, but flies at a distance in order to protect her double identity. Catching them on a mountain pass, the men attempt to flee the scene. When Miss America goes after one, the car begins to roll toward the cliff. Miss America stops it before it, and the secretary on board, can go over the edge. Learning that the spies stole the secret papers she flies after the spy who got away.
Led to their secret hideout, there she beats the spies into submission as their leader attempts to flee. Chasing after him, she frightens him enough to make him fall off a cliff to his death. Miss America then rounds up the surviving spies and hands them over to the authorities. She then rushes back to the costume party before the secretary can return.
When the secretary tries to convince those at the party that Madeline is really Miss America, nobody believes her.
Recurring Characters
Miss America, James Bennett, Nazis
Angel
The Angel is on his way home from a brief vacation when he spots three men up to some suspicious activity on a railroad track. Waiting for them to leave, the Angel investigates the tracks and finds a time bomb strapped to the tracks. Disarming the bomb he finds a clue as to who put it together due to the fact that the address of the silversmith is stamped on the bomb casing.
Going there he gets the name and address of the person who ordered the work. He finds that the address is a den of Nazi spies. Crashing in through the window with fists flying, the Angel is overpowered and tied up. The leader of the spies tells the hero that they are planning to bomb the train tracks in order to cause a train full of troops to crash. Left alone with one guard, the Angel manages to break free and subdue the guard and learn where the location of where the bomb is to be placed.
The Angel rushes to the location and fights the Nazis. Removing the bomb he tosses them at the spies just as it explodes killing them. With the threat over, the train passes unmolested.
Recurring Characters
Angel, Nazis
