Men's Adventures #28

Human Torch

The Human Torch and Toro go to visit the Torch's friend George to see how his work to design a spaceship is coming along. As they walk to George's house they spot a flying saucer fly by. Toro then calls them into the house where there is a news report of flying saucers being spotted all over the country. The following report is about a plague that is ravaging the country and that authorities are trying to make a connection between the plague and the flying saucers. The Torch however is not convinced as he believes that if the aliens meant to attack them they would have done so already. With people fleeing town in a panic, the Torch and Toro spot the flying saucer again and decide to follow it.

They board the ship and are meet by the alien's leader, a being called Ksa, who tells them that they have come to Earth due to the fact that a form of cosmic dust has appeared on Earth and is the cause of the plague and that they have created a serum that will cure those infected. The Torch warns Ksa and his people that the people of Earth are paranoid and fearful of the aliens and believe that they brought the plague with them and that Ksa and his people will be attacked should they try to land their ship.

The Torch and Toro agree to go back to the surface and try to convince the people that the aliens mean no harm, but the plague stricken people are too fearful to listen and think that the two heroes are traitors and attack. They then douse the Torch and Toro's flames with a fire hose and place them in a steel room that sprays them with water. However the Torch manages to keep his hand dry and uses his flame to melt through the door.

They rush outside where they see that Ksa and his people have landed their ship and they are surrounded by an angry mob. Beaten within an inch of his life, Ksa still hands the antidote over to his attacked before he dies. The man realizes to his horror what he has done. Soon the cure is administered, but the entire episode has convinced George that man is not ready for the stars and decides to destroy his plans for his rocket ship.

Recurring Characters

• Human Torch

• Toro

Kill Captain America

Because of his constant interference in their operations, Communist agents all over the world have passed the order: Captain America must die.

Unknown to them, Captain America and Bucky are currently in Korea in their military guises of Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. As they ride through a zone known for gorilla activity Bucky notes fellow soldier named Tim Potter whom Bucky has not taken a liking to. Tim is happy the Korean War is over and is weary and does not wish to fight again.

Suddenly their convoy is attacked by Chinese gorilla soldiers, and during the fight Rogers and Barnes slip away to change into Captain America and Bucky. The pair lend their aid to the fight but they and the soldiers are overpowered and taken prisoner. They are taken to General Kag who intends to execute them all, however Tim asks to speak with the General in private. This does not wash well with Captain America and Bucky who suspect that Tim has turned traitor.

However when Captain America and Bucky are put up before a firing squad to be executed, Tim suddenly casts doubts into their identities: Asking General Kag to test them to see if they are the real heroes and not merely impostors. Kag agrees and sets his best warriors on the two heroes. This all plays into Tim's secret plans, as while the communist soldiers are distracted he gets hold of a machine gun and mows them all down.

Happy to know that Tim is not a traitor to his country, Captain America and Bucky help him fight back against the communists and free their fellow captives. Destroying the enemy base and slaying General Kag. Tim reveals that he was drugged while he was a prisoner of war and that it wore off when they were captured.

Recurring Characters

• Captain America

• Bucky

Continuity Notes

• Although this story refers to Captain America and Bucky as Steve Rogers and James Barnes here, as per Captain America #153, these appearances are actually attributed to William Burnside and Jack Monroe.

Killer Whales

Ships sailing the oceans are suddenly attacked by an army of Killer Whales that have been causing ship sinkings, massive tidal waves that destroyed light houses, destroyed submarine nets and causing other chaos across the ocean. This prompts the United States to send the Navy out to destroy the vicious army of Killer Whales, however even this proves to be not enough to stop the unstoppable army.

Seeing the destruction wrought by the whales, the Sub-Mariner and Namora decide to get involved and get to the bottom of the mystery as to why the whales are suddenly attacking ships. They pound their way through the whales until they find the pod leader, a unnaturally large Killer Whale. Suspecting something unnatural about the whale, Namor and Namora dive into it's mouth and realize that it's not a whale at all, but a massive submarine.

Inside they find Communist soldiers who have been manipulating the Killer Whales into attacking. Namor and Namora beat them into submission and force the massive sub to surface and turn the Communists over to the Navy. With the lead "whale" under control the attack stops.

Recurring Characters

• Sub-Mariner

• Namora