“Yesterday’s” Comic> Judomaster #91

Introducing for the first time the next character to die.

Judomaster #91

Charlton Comics Group (October, 1966)

“Man Without A Country!”

STORY/ART: Frank McLaughlin

Sarge Steel: Case File 110 “Case Of The Double Agent”

No credits, but it might be McLaughlin. In the letters section there’s also a brief bio on him, and it turns out he did learn judo. Didn’t know to ask him about that.

General Hawkins arranges transport for Judomaster to return to the island he trained on. After reuniting with his friends, Rip returns to the US and is assigned to investigate a spy operation in a Japanese detention camp, as in the ones the US were doing to Japanese and Japanese-born Americans at the time. (I don’t defend it. I just acknowledge it.) Under cover at as a guard, Rip learns that the Cat is there, being aided by an orphan Japanese-American boy who doesn’t get named. Rip challenges the Cat, and the boy sees him change into Judomaster. After a long-going kendo fight, the boy realizes his hero is actually dishonorable and that he’s American, cheering on Judomaster instead. The Cat fall from a cliff while Hawkins’ people find out that the caucasian cook wasn’t giving information to the Japanese but the Nazis. Rip heads overseas to shut the operation down, and the learns the boy snuck onto the plane.

What they got right: There is no commentary about the internment camps. They’re just there to be used for Judomaster to have a mission, not to defend or condone them. These are just war stories, not about war.

What they got wrong: Not sure how the kid is going to fit into this. He’s too young to be a sidekick (yes, there was an age limit). Also curious how they’re going redeem Judomaster in the eyes of the US troops and clear his good name.

Sarge Steel returns in the back-up. After exposing a spy among the astronauts, he gains the attention of a lady spy for the commies. She takes over as his secretary but he sees through her stunts and plans a trick of his own, making her think he’s just in this for the money. Then she gathers false evidence that he’s a traitor that she’ll use unless he agrees to be a double agent.

In other words we’re just repeating the plot Judomaster is going through, being a falsely accused traitor to expose the villains’ plans. It’s nice to see Sarge back and this story continues next issue, but we’ll see where this one goes.

What I think overall: Still an interesting series, a World War II superhero story made in the 1960s.