Sub-Mariner Comics #26
Murder Motor Mart
At the newspaper office of Betty Dean, a young girl named Jane Starr has come to see Betty. She asks for the Sub-Mariner and Namora's help because her older brother Jackie has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit. Betty decides to help the girl out and calls her friends. Soon, Namor and Namora are visiting Jackie Starr in his jail cell. The boy explains that he and his sister are orphans who live on the waterfront. One day while they were trying to figure out how to earn money they were approached by a man who offers Jackie a chance earning money helping move stolen cars at $200 a car and asks the boy to get some of the other dock urchins to assist in stealing the cars.
The operation was smooth, they would steal cars and load them into a ship where they were repainted and given new license plates to be sold on the black market. The police were stumped as to how the cars were being stolen, however one day an undercover officer followed Jackie back to his employers apartment. Jackie's worries that he was being tailed were dismissed by his boss, but when the cop suddenly burst in on them, the man shot him dead. When Jackie protested, the man then knocked the boy out and fled, leaving Jackie with the murder weapon. When the police arrived on the scene, Jackie was accused for the officers murder and promptly arrested.
Namor and Namora believe the boy and decide to help find the real shooter. They dive out into the water and search for the barge. When they find it they are attacked by some car thieves. They are overpowered and both knocked out. While the Sub-Mariner is dumped overboard, Namora is taken prisoner. Namor revives in the water and finds that the barge and Namora are gone. Rushing to the nearest Coast Guard station, he learns from the Commander on staff that the thieves have issued warning that they have a girl hostage and will eliminate her if there is any interference from the authorities.
Aboard the ship, Namora is prisoner and manages to trick one of the guards to give her a glass of water. The guard cruely splashes the water in her face. This revives her strength and she breaks free and knocks out the guard. She finds the ships radio and begins using it to inform the Coast Guard when some more men catch her and another fight breaks out. The Coast Guard succeeded in receiving the message and the Sub-Mariner quickly swims out to the ships location. Namor boards the ship and with the help of Namora manage to beat the crew and turn them over to the Coast Guard.
After their success, the murder charges against Jackie have been dropped and he is released from jail. However, Jackie still has to go to court for the car theft charges against him. Joining him are Sub-Mariner, Namora, and his sister. The judge decides to give Jackie a suspended sentence and release him into the Sub-Mariner's custody if he goes back to school, get part-time jobs and stay out of trouble. After returning to school, Jackie and his sister thank Namor for his help.
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Namora
Framed For Crime
Susan English pays a visit to the Private Detective office of Mark Mason and asks for his assistance in helping her fiancée Don Ramsey. As Mark's secretary Louise Grant listens in, Susan explains what has happened: Don is a struggling artist who has great talent but has yet to be discovered. One day as Don was complaining about his lack of recognition they were visited by Doris Montagne and Frederic Wolfe. They offer Don $100,000 to copy a famous painting for them, offering to pay him $5000 in advance and the rest after he is finished his painting. They explain to him that they intend to sell the replica painting at the Montagne Charity Auction.
Susan had left at that point, but is certain that Don was convinced to take up the job and she is worried that he will get in trouble with the law if he goes through with the job. Louise decides to slip out and involve herself in the case as the Blonde Phantom. She rushes to Don Ramsey's studio and finds it deserted and realizes that Don must have finished the painting and left. She then rushes to the Montagne mansion where she spots Don replacing a painting on the wall. Blonde Phantom knocks him down and asks him if he wants to go to jail. Don explains he was actually replacing the original painting having listened to his guilty continence. Blonde Phantom tells Don to relax as she has a plan to catch the two crooks.
She searches the mansion and find both Montagne and Wolfe discussing their plans: That after they sell the fake painting at the auction they are planning on going to South America where they intend to sell the original painting to Senor De La Vega. Before the Blonde Phantom can spring into action, one of Montagne's goons sneaks up behind her and knocks her out with the butt of his gun. Montagne decides to eliminate the Blonde Phantom after the auction and has her locked up in one of the rooms in the mansion. When the Blonde Phantom recovers she realizes that the auction is just about to start and breaks out of the room. Overhearing the auction, she waits until a bidder wins and then follows Montagne and Wolfe back to their car when they attempt to flee with the original painting. She climbs onto the back of their car and follows them to a boat. When the boat goes out to sea, Blonde Phantom fights her way down to the radio room knocking out the goons who get in her way. When Montagne attempts to gun the heroine down, the Blonde Phantom kicks the gun out of her hand and easily subdues her. When Wolfe and his men go below deck to investigate the noise they are held at gun point while the Blonde Phantom calls the Coast Guard.
When the authorities and Mark Mason arrive, the Blonde Phantom explains the entire plot and they are turned over to the authorities. Later, Don and Susan pay a visit to Mark Mason's office and tell them that the man who bought the phony painting was so impressed by Don's work he offered him to exhibit his art. Mark, only wishes he could thank the Blonde Phantom for her help.
Recurring Characters
Blonde Phantom, Mark Mason
Terror In the Lost Colony
The Sub-Mariner and Namora, on the trail of jewel thief Torpedo Turner. Their search has taken them to the colonial themed town of Williamsport where the owner of the town, Mayor Waddle believes that they are treasure hunters and have them locked in stock-aids. His daughter tries to explain to him that he has really captured the Sub-Mariner and Namora, but he does not believe her. As Torpedo (also captured for breaking the anti-treasure hunting law) and being placed in a dunking chair by the sheriff Big John, Waddle explains the town's history:
In the year 1689, Captain Jack Black apparently came to Williamsport with a booty of stolen treasure and set up the town. Needing supplies he and a crew went to England, leaving his wife and the location of the treasure hidden. However, when he eventually returned home he found the town deserted and could not find his gold. The town was abandoned and eventually revitalized during the days of the American Revolution, however it was constantly plagued by treasure hunters who sought to found Black's long lost treasure and in 1780 it was taken over by the Red Coats who searched for the treasure and burned the town to the ground when they could not find it. Many years later, in modern times, Waddle bought and rebuilt the town to it's former splendour, and believing there was no treasure made it against the law to search for treasure in Williamsport.
When Torpedo is dunked into the water as his punishment, the rope breaks and he stands to drown. In a panic, Waddle agrees to free the Sub-Mariner and Namora so they can save Torpedo. Pulling him out of the water, they confirm that the man iks Torpedo Turner and that he had drowned. Examining the dunking device, Namor finds that the rope was deliberately cut and finds a jewel on the ground and they recognize it as one of the pieces stolen from the museum that Torpedo stole. The pair of Atlanteans deduce that the rest of Torpedo's gang must be in the town and likely silenced Torpedo to keep their plans a secret.
This turns to be true, as at the silver and goldsmith's shop, a mobster named Fingers is working quickly to alter the stolen jewels to resemble the stolen treasure of legend, planning on burying in Williamsport so that they can "discover" it and make money selling it at the gift shop in town. Finger's discussion with Big John is interrupted when the master craftsman John Goldsmith walks in on them. Big John murders him and then leaves to dump the body while Fingers resumes his work.
Meanwhile, Sub-Mariner and Namora work with Mayor Waddle to narrow down who might be behind the theft and learn that Big John and the gold/silver smith had been hired a few months ago and that the renewed rumours of lost treasure were renewed once they appeared in town. Namor and Namora pay a visit to the gold smith but find his apprentice, Fingers. He quickly dismisses the two heroes and as they leave, they find blood stains on the pavement and decide to investigate further. The Sub-Mariner and Namora follow the trail of blood to the waters outside of town. Diving down into the water the find the body of John Goldsmith pinned down with rocks. When they return to the surface they are knocked out by Fingers and Big John. They place Namor and Namora in a cave with a keg of TNT that will explode in an hour and then set about their plans to "find" the "lost treasure".
Meanwhile, Namor and Namora manage to roll away from the explosives and they go off without harming the pair. They free themselves and find a hidden cavern unearthed by the explosion. Inside thy find a skeleton and a small lock box. Soon Mayor Waddle, Big John and Fingers arrive to investigate the sound of the explosion. When they arrive, Namor and Namora knock out Big John and Fingers. They explain what happened and when they open the lock box, they find that it is a note from Captain Jack Black's wife. Apparently, in 1689, shortly after Jack had left, his crew took the stolen treasure and fled, leaving her to die in the cave. With Fingers and Big John turned over to the authorities, and the mystery solved, Namor and Namora return to the ocean.
Recurring Characters
Sub-Mariner, Namora
