This weekend’s escapist superhero post from Balladeer’s Blog looks at Timely Comics (later Marvel Comics) stories in February 1942. I reviewed their January 1942 stories HERE.
MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS Vol 1 #28 (Feb 1942)
Story 1: The Poison Pill Suicides
Villain: Izan
Synopsis: The Human Torch (Golden Age) and his mutant sidekick Toro expose and shut down a ring smuggling arms out of the U.S. and selling them to the Axis Nations. The ring operates out of Coney Island amusement park, beneath which the leader Izan has a secret hideout filled with high-tech weapons and booby-traps. The title referred to Izan’s thugs whom he would kill with poison pills if they failed him.
Story 2: The Flying Dutchman
Villains: Kapitan Falkon and his men
Synopsis: The Sub-Mariner (Prince Namor of Atlantis) learns of a ship from South America which is sunk after being robbed of 8 billion dollars in gold from South America. The ship reported seeing an 18th Century vessel before getting destroyed. Sub-Mariner escorts the next gold shipment and sees that the seeming ghost ship is really just a false top attached to a Nazi U-Boat captained by Kapitan Falkon and crewed by his troops.
Namor clashes with Falkon and company but extremely high-voltage barbed wire nets capture our hero for the Germans. He learns that Yvette Dean-McCarthy, married younger sister of Sub-Mariner’s love interest Betty Dean, is being forced to aid the pirates along with her husband. Namor saves the Flying Dutchman’s next intended target, kills Kapitan Falcon, destroys his U-Boat and gets Yvette and her hubby to safety.
Story 3: The Soul Stealer
Villain: Dr. Korbeau and the Guardian of the Spirit World
Synopsis: The Golden Age Vision (Aarkus, alien law-enforcement officer from another dimension) becomes involved when mad scientist Dr. Igor Korbeau is at large. Dr. Korbeau has invented a device which lets him steal the “soul” from people and imprison that soul in the Spirit World while their bodies remain animated as his slaves.
Korbeau is using the slaves as an army to steal more high-tech inventions for him. The Vision clashes with the doctor and his army but is defeated. The Vision then teleports to the Spirit World where he fights the super-powered Guardian to free the souls trapped there by Korbeau. Aarkus wins, frees the souls and kills Dr. Korbeau in their final battle.
Story 4: The Green-Faced Man
Villains: The Green-Faced Man and his men
Synopsis: Consolidated Press reporter Jeff Mace (the costumed hero the Patriot) covers the trial of the supervillain called the Green-Faced Man. He is charged with using his deadly gases to commit murders. One of his minions attacks the courtroom and escapes with his boss. Jeff becomes the Patriot and pursues the villains. After a running battle around the city, our hero emerges triumphant.
CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS Vol 1 #11
Story 1: The Squad of Mystery
Villains: The Squad of Mystery
Synopsis: Captain America and Bucky take on a Nazi “Squad of Mystery” which has been randomly killing and abducting American troops. They trail the squad to their underground HQ and defeat them all, including their leader Herr Grotz.
Story 2: The Feud Murders
Villain: George Brinner, Nazi spy
Synopsis: Drafted male members of two feuding southern families (think Hatfields and McCoys) start killing each other among the units they are serving in. Captain America and Bucky reveal that a Nazi spy named George Brinner has really been committing the murders and framing the opposing family’s men to kill off American soldiers while sowing discord.
Story 3: The Symphony of Terror
Villain: Mephisto
Synopsis: The title SHOULD be Opera of Terror. During performances of an opera version of Faust, a man in a Mephisto costume keeps killing members of the cast and crew, utilizing secret passageways throughout the opera house. Cap and Bucky eventually catch “Mephisto” and expose him as a jealous former member of the opera company.
Story 4: The Scourge of Crime
Villain: “Nails” Riggly and D.A. Drew
Synopsis: Incumbent District Attorney Drew is in the pocket of gangster “Nails” Riggly. When it looks like outsider reform candidate Tom Bryant will win, Riggly has his goons frame Tom for assault. His friend Larry Scott becomes Father Time and goes into action. With his deadly scythe he takes down the gangsters and clears Tom Bryant, who gets elected the new D.A.
FOR MORE MARVEL/ TIMELY HEROES FROM THE 1940s CLICK HERE.
FOR MARVEL/ TIMELY HEROES FROM THE 1940s WHO ONLY APPEARED ONCE CLICK HERE.
