Marvel Mystery Comics #81
The Crimson Terror
The Human Torch gets a phone call from his old friend, Charley Jones, who wants the Torch and Toro to attend a rally for veterans housing that he is organizing. As the two flame on and head to town hall, the Torch explains to his young partner that an influx of black market building materials has inflated the cost of building a home which has posed a problem to the average person as well as veterans who are returning home from the war.
When the rally starts, Charley Jones tells those gathered that his uncle, George Tolmar, can provide them with affordable construction materials for them all. The Torch and Toro join Charley as they petition his uncle for help. At first he tells them that he can’t get anything but costly black market materials, which he refuses to buy. That’s when he gets a phone call from a benefactor who tells him to agree to the deal. After Charley and his friends leave, Tolmar’s partner — a man named Monk — comes out and explains that instead of selling them their high priced blackmarket materials they will sell them junk materials for “reasonable” prices. At first George can’t bring himself to rip off a relative, but Monk appeals to his sense of greed. Soon Charley begins his construction project, unaware that his uncle is really ripping him off.
As the construction begins the Human Torch and Toro continue their regular crime fighting routine by chasing after the the Lorio gang. When the gang crashes into the side of a building being built with Tolmar’s materials. While rounding up the crooks they notice that the building is constructed with shoddy materials. They decide to investigate by paying a visit to George’s office.There they hear George and Monk admitting to their crimes over the intercom system and bust both men. However, a third partner named Barney knocks out the Torch and Toro and free his colleagues. With Tolmar and his partners having fled the other veterans blame Charley for what happened and intend to have him pay for his uncle’s crimes.
Knowing that Charlie is innocent, the Torch and Toro begin looking into Monk’s records at police headquarters in the hopes of figuring out where he was hiding out. There they find out that Monk had just been arrested for bootlegging during the prohibition. The flaming duo go to the former bootlegging den to find Monk waiting for them. The Torch and Toro are doused in a sodium solution that snuffs out their flames. When they are tied up, the Torch guilts George into doing something by telling him that his nephew will be going to jail in his place. Horrified by this, George tries to stop Monk but is fatally shot.
Thankfully for the Torch and Toro a stray bullet strikes a can of turpentine above the heroes. This washes away the sodium solution allowing them to flame on again. The pair quickly rounds up Monk and Barney and turn them over to the authorities. With the real crooks captured, Charley is cleared of all charges and with the recovered building materials he is able to build the homes he was intending to create.
Recurring Characters
Human Torch, Toro
The Laughing Killer
While swimming the waters of Florida the Sub-Mariner is called aboard the ship of his friend Jim Carten. Carten explains that he needs Namor to help stop him from killing Arnold Logue. Jim explains that Louge ruined his father’s business which resulted in Carten the elder committing suicide. J
Recurring Characters:
Sub-Mariner
The Password is Murder
Miss America begins canvassing wine distributors to learn who ships out a supply of Agua Mara to the spy known as Velasquesa. After hours of searching she finds a dealer who ships case lots to 302 San Dono Road.
Meanwhile, at his secret hideout, former Nazi Rex Herr and his men develop the microfilm for the sun ray and find that it is a fake, and that it contains a message saying that the sun ray designs have been already sold to the highest bidder. Although Rex is furious at being tricked, he is confident that he and his men will soon obtain to the real formula.
Elsewhere in the city, Miss America arrives at the home of Velasquesa and easily subdues the spy and his minions and demands to know where Rex is hiding out. Velasquesa tells her that the last hideout he knew Rex to be in was on the waterfront and had been abandoned long ago. Suddenly, Rex and his men arrive seeking the formula. Rex sets his men on Miss America, and as she fights them off Velasquesa hits a secret switch that causes a trick statue to fall on her, knocking the heroine out.
With Miss America chloroformed, Rex agrees to pay Velasquesa's $50,000 fee to assist in recovering the formula, but warns the spy against double crossing him. He then orders Velasquesa and his men to bring Miss America back to his hideout to deal with her permanently. After Rex leaves, Velasquesa and his men wonder what has happened to the real formula.
While in the United States, a cable from Miss America reaches counter spy headquarters warning about Wyatt Varnham, the woman who originally gave Madeline the phony formula and arrive find that Varnham has fled her apartment. Varnham, who sent the phony formula to deflect thieves and double cross her sister Elsie Winters is boarding a plane to Brazil, intent on selling the formula on her own without any interference.
This story is continued next issue....
Recurring Characters
Miss America, Rex Herr, Velasquesa, Wyatt Varnheim
The Mother Goose Murders
[No synopsis available]
Recurring Characters
Young Allies (Bucky, Toro, Knuckles O’Toole, Tubby Tinkle)
Continuity Notes
This story presents Bucky as though he is the original, aka James Barnes. However, as per Avengers #4, Bucky went MIA with the original Captain America in 1945. As explained in What If? #4 the United States government covered this up by recruiting successors. The Bucky here is actually Fred Davis.
As revealed in Young Allies Comics 70th Anniversary Special #1 it was revealed that all of the Timely era Young Allies stories are comic book adaptations of real missions of the Young Allies as propaganda to support the war effort. However, it is unclear what elements of this story are real and which are fabrications or exaggerations. The only fact that is clear is that the Young Allies are depicted as adolescents here when, in reality, they were in their early 20s.
Prison Plunder
[No synopsis available]
Recurring Characters
Captain America, Bucky, Betsy Ross
Continuity Notes
This story presents Captain America Bucky as though they are the originals, aka Steve Rogers and James Barnes. However, as per Avengers #4, Bucky went MIA with the original Captain America in 1945. As explained in What If? #4 the United States government covered this up by recruiting successors. The Bucky here is actually Fred Davis.
