Marvel Mystery Comics #6

Jul 26

Jul 26 Marvel Mystery Comics #6

The Forest Fire Felons

Two crooks named Turgo and Patch are plotting to steal the plans of an incendiary bomb that has been stored in the safe of the Midtown bank. To this end, they light a forest fire to distract the towns volunteer firefighters so that they can commit their robbery without opposition. However, the raging forest fire also attract the attention of Jim Hammond, the Human Torch who springs into action. Arriving at he scene of the blaze, the Torch lends his aid to rescue a fire fighter that has been trapped in the blaze and finds evidence that proves the fire was deliberately set. Hearing that the bank has been robbed the Torch rushes to the scene and frees the bank staff who have been locked in the vault to suffocate.

Speaking to the bank manager he learns that the two crooks stole the incendiary bomb plans and before they can figure out where the crooks went the city is pelted with bombs made from the plans. Stopping a second bombardment with his flame powers, the Human Torch spots their origin point and flies off to the nearby mountains where Turgo and Patch have built a cannon to launch the bombs. When the Torch motions to destroy the cannon, they flee figuring the electrodes will do the hero in, however they have no effect on him.

The two crooks escape to their car and try to drive away, however a flame fired by the Torch makes them crash. Before the Torch can apprehend them a rock launched by the auto-wreck strikes him and knocks him out. As Patch hops onto a nearby bulldozer to crush the Torch's body, the two crooks realize that they are near the blaze that they set earlier. The flames, sensing their master is in danger rush to his aid and burn Turgo to death then come to shelter the Torch. Fearful of getting burned, Patch makes a run for it up the side of a cliff to avoid the rising flames. When the Human Torch revives, he lets out a shout that puts out the entire forest fire and then goes to confront Patch.

Patch tries to push the Torch off the cliff, however he flames on, burning the crook badly and sending him falling to his death. After the bank manager asks the Torch if he got the plans back, but the Torch advises him they burned up with the crooks and considers that for the best as they were too dangerous a weapon for anyone to possess. Later he chuckles to himself as one of the fire fighters remarks on how the fire strangely doused itself out.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch

The Angel

Walking past a cafe, Thomas Halloway spots a fight break out inside between a young man and a bruiser named Rocco. Deciding to teach the man a lesson, Halloway comes in and easily beats Rocco into submission. On his way out, he recognizes jewel thief Gabby Harris. When Harris tells him to butt out of his business and disappear, Thomas tells him that he'll see the crook on the police line up and slaps him on the back before disappearing. One of Gabby's goons notices a note, and they read that it's from the Angel. Gabby is shocked, but tells his men to hurry as they have work to do.

Meanwhile, Halloway has changed into his Angel costume and is staking out Harris's car. Seeing a bodyguard there he knocks the man out and looks inside. There he finds his female friend Mary Edwards who recognizes the Angel by his civilian identity. The Angel learns that she was grabbed by Gabby and his men because of the replica of an expensive diamond necklace that she is wearing, thinking it is the genuine article. The Angel tells the girl to stay in the car and give up the fake necklace as they crooks will likely leave her near her house afterward and then ducks back under cover.

When the crooks return Mary does as she is instructed and Gabby orders his men to drop her near her home. When the Angel overhears that Gabby intends to sell the stolen necklace to diamond dealer Nichols, he realizes that there is more to this plan than just petty theft. Hopping back onto Gabby's car, the Angel knocks out the two men in the front and has Mary help tie them up and put them in the back of the car. Dropping the girl off at home, the Angel tells her to call the police and tell them to raid the cafe.

Meanwhile, the Angel drives to Nichols' jewelry store where he jumps in just as Nichols has pointed out that Gabby has brought him a fake necklace. In the ensuing clash, Gabby is caught in a hail of bullets fired by Nichols, giving the Angel the chance to knock Nichols out and take both men captive. He drops them off at the police station with a note for the police who include them in their successful bust of the cafe.

Later, Halloway takes Marie out on a date and when Marie overhears a bunch of crooks dismiss her necklace as a fake, she turns around and tells them that they are the genuine article. Shocked at this admission Thomas grabs the girl and hops into their car before every thief in the area comes down on them.

Recurring Characters

Angel

The Execution of the Sub-Mariner

Continued from last issue...

Namor is commended for his aid in stopping a bunch of crooks from stealing from the New York Treasury, proving to the NYPD that he means to help mankind. On their way back to the police station, the patrol wagon carrying the captured crooks is caught in a crash caused by crooks seeking to spring their fellow crooks, however, the Sub-Mariner quickly foils this plot and all those involved in the break out are arrested as well.

At police headquarters the commissioner and Betty Dean commend Namor for his work, however, the Commissioner wants him to stand trial for the murder of a police officer during his earlier arrival in New York. Namor is furious at having to prove himself again, but Betty swears to Namor that they will find him innocent in court and he will be free to go. The Sub-Mariner decides to believe Betty, but secretly gloats to himself that even if he were found guilty they have no power to keep him prisoner.

Playing ball, Namor is unaware that his meals fed to him in jail have been drugged to reduce his powers and after being found guilty in court does not have the strength to resist arrest. Put on death row, Namor wonders how his powers have failed him. He continues to be given drugged food until all modes of appeal (initiated by Betty) have been exhausted. Taken to the electric chair, the Sub-Mariner struggles the whole way but it is to no avail.

However, when the switch is pulled the jolt of electricity eliminates the effects of the drug and restores his super-human powers, allowing him to break free. After smashing the electric chair, Namor smashes through the guards and escapes the prison. Furiously believing that Betty tricked him, he confronts her about the drugging, however, she denies involvement. No believing her he tells her that the surface world will pay and flees the scene. Diving into the ocean and swimming back toward Atlantis, Namor vows to renew his aggression toward the surface world.

This story is continued next issue...

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean

The Border Dictator

El Pinos, near the Rio Grande, Pete Williams is attempting to buy back his ranch -- the Bar W -- from Sam Marvin. However, despite only 55 days passing in the 60-day buy-back clause, Marvin refuses to sell it back to Williams. Overhearing this, the disguised Masked Raider attempts to get into the middle of the dispute and a fight breaks out. Williams's quick shooting saves the Raider from being struck with a bottle prompting Marvin to leave vowing to get back at Williams.

Shortly, the sheriff enters the saloon and attempts to arrest Williams and the Raider on trumped-up charged laid by Marvin, as well as the fact that Williams has a wad of cash that he refuses to divulge the source of (making the sheriff suspicious as there was a robbery nearby recently). However, when the sheriff attempts to apprehend the Masked Raider, he flees the scene on his horse Thunder and races off toward the Bar W.

Changing into his masked costume, the Raider searches the Bar W property and finds a cavern. There he overhears some goons talking about how they are using this as a staging ground to transport rustled cattle over into Mexico to be sold. However, before the Raider can act on this information he is clubbed from behind and is knocked out. When he comes around later he finds himself bound near a stick of lit TNT. Freeing himself from his bonds, the Raider manages to put out the TNT just moments before it can explode. Racing out to a river pass between Texas and Mexico in the Rio Grand, the Masked Raider easily rounds up Marvin's men. When Marvin tries to get the drop on the Raider, his horse Thunder comes to his rescue.

With the crooks all rounded up, the Raider forces the cattle back into Texas and brings the captured crooks to the sheriff. When the plot is revealed, the sheriff releases Williams and gives him back his land. Williams then reveals that a friend had loaned him the money, and if he had revealed it before he got his property back Marvin would have killed his friend. When he turns to thank the Masked Raider for his help, he is surprised to see the hero is already riding away.

Recurring Characters

Masked Raider, Lightning

The Voice's Dope Racket

At Electro Headquarters, Professor Zog decides that the next menace to tackle is the drug peddlers that are selling illegal narcotics all over America. To this end, he summons all his Electro agents and sends them all over the country to locate the various drug rackets in each state and call on Electro to eliminate them.

Electro Operative 7, Bill Dunn, arrives in San Francisco where he learns from the chief of the narcotics squad that the drug czar in the area is a man known as The Voice. He is called this because nobody has ever seen him and that he broadcasts from a speaker that picks up a signal from a remote location. Staking out Chinatown, Bill spots a drug deal in progress and tackles the dealer. He forces the man to take him to his hideout where he knocks out a guard and steals his clothing. Pretending to be on a drug pick up, he meets the Voice, or rather his transmitter who informs everyone gathered that the liner Arcadia has a fresh shipment of cocaine being smuggled into the country. Hearing the sound of the bay area through the loudspeaker, Bil deduces that the Voice must be located near the pickup spot. Staking the place out, he finds a remote island off the bay that has a radio transmitter, confirming his hunch. Rushing back to his hotel room, Bill operates his Electro transmitter and summons the Electro robot to San Francisco. Under Bill's commands, Electro arrives at the island base and smashes it, taking the Voice and his assistant to the police to be detained.

This is not the last stop for Electro, his next stop is Chicago where he takes out another drug den hidden in a fake garage and later stops an air plane delivery of drugs in Philadelphia. Because of Electro's efforts to eliminate drugs from the United States, Dr. Zog received a letter of congratulations from the President of the United States.

Recurring Characters

Electro, Philo Zog

Continuity Notes

This is the last issue where Professor Zog uses operatives to operate Electro from afar. In The Twelve #1, Zog was depicted as being able to control Electro in Germany from his lab in the United States. Based on this, it could be presumed that Philo was able to increase the broadcasting range to a point where additional operatives were no longer required.

Murder of a Cosmetics Queen

The Ferret answers an urgent call from Lilly Anders who is employed by cosmetics magistrate Cora Waterbury who is worried that Venario, a disgruntled lab technician that was recently fired might seek to get revenge against her boss. Going to the Waterbury estate, the Ferret and Lilly are alerted of trouble by Cora's mute butler. Rushing up to the woman’s room the Ferret finds that she is dead -- and strangely all of her hair has fallen off in the process.

Soon Cora's temperamental physician Dr. Jelenko arrives who is furious over the Ferret's investigation, pointing out to the detective that not all violent deaths are homicides. Just then Lilly spots Venario spying through the window however when the Ferret goes to look he flees. Soon there is a knock at the door and the Ferret and Lilly greet a man who introduces himself as Cora's brother Rene. Lilly finds this strange as Rene has not stepped foot in the home in 25 years after a falling out with his father. When they go to question the man further they find him checking the money in the safe. When they question him about it, "Rene" tells them that as his sister stopped trusting the banks after the stock market crash of the 30's, he wanted to make sure that the entire family fortune was still accounted for before closing up the safe and leave. Later, the Ferret remarks that "Rene" looked very untidy for someone who is an heir of a cosmetics giant.

Deducing a possible clue, the Ferret has Lilly stay at his hotel room while get goes back to the scene of Cora's death. Taking a sample from her body, he spots someone looking in a window from the street, but when he goes to check it out they are gone. Reuniting with Lilly he takes the sample to a hospital where he looks at the sample under a spectroscope where he learns that it has a high concentration of Thallium that would prove poisonous to humans. Deciding to put out a telegram he calls for Lilly, Dr. Jelenko and "Rene". He reveals what he knows and catches the killer when the real Rene shows up. Taking out the impostor he is revealed to be Rene's assistant Ryan, the only man close enough to both Cora and Rene to commit the murder and attempt to steal the money in the safe.

Recurring Characters

Ferret

Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great

A fatally wounded guide is stumbling through the Belgian Congo when he is spotted by N'Jaga the Jaguar. Before the big cat can kill the wounded man, Ka-Zar steps in and saves him, sending the cat into retreat. The man, blinded, finds it hard to believe that he has been rescued by Ka-Zar -- a man he believed was nothing more than local superstition. However when Ka-Zar proves who he is, the guide tells him that he led a man named Fenton into the jungle. When he learned that Fenton was going to poach elephant hurts to illegally harvest their ivory tusks Fenton tried to kill him. With his dying breath, the guide asks Ka-Zar to stop Fenton before he wipes out a nearby herd.

Calling his animal friends, Ka-Zar summons Zar the lion, Trajah the elephant and Nono the monkey to his side and they begin tracking down Fenton and his hunting party. They find Fenton, a cruel man who beats his native guides whipping them into submission after they attempt to refuse to hunt the elephants -- animals they find sacred. Ka-Zar stops the beating by tossing a rock at the man alerting the natives of his presence. Fenton refuses to believe that here is a "jungle god" responsible for throwing the rock.

Later, Ka-Zar jumps one of the natives and learns that they are being forced into hunting the elephants. Ka-Zar believes the native and orders him to instruct his friends on what to do. While the natives lead Fenton toward the elephants, Ka-Zar and Trajah convince them to charge. When the natives abandon Fenton he panics and tries to flee, only to be trampled to death. Such is the fate of all those who seek to defile Ka-Zar's land.