“I have this sudden kink in my neck!”
Mystery Men Comics #7
Fox Publications, Inc (February, 1940)
Well, thus far this comic hasn’t brought me down. This is back during the good years of rookie patrolman Dan Garret, and the other stories have at least been okay. After that “Supergirl” trailer I could use some good superheroing. So let’s see what we get this time.
The Blue Beetle by Charles Nicholas
A gang has the idea of disguising their hoods as the Blue Beetle so he’ll be accused of the crimes. They should have realized the REAL Blue Beetle would try to stop them. I liked this story. Mike even gets to arrest the Blue Beetle at last…sort of. Mike can be funny without being the butt of the joke. He’s not a bad guy.
Wing Turner by Floyd Kelly: “An Episode With The ‘Devil'”
A guy calling himself the Devil is threatening a man to give him $100,000 or else. (It was worth more back then.) Since he’s using a plane, it’s up to our hero pilot to take him down. Except he ends up taking himself down. A bit rushed and not a lot of excitement. Wasn’t into this one.
Rex Dexter Of Mars by Dick Briefer
On the ruins of last issue’s meteor men attack, Rex oversees the construction of a new city, filled with some…well, let’s just say it breeds laziness and opens one up for propaganda. So of course it needs a good leader, but bad guys try to force their own guy behind the desk. Rex has to save the good candidate and expose the villains so he and Cynde can try to get to Mars again. Not a bad story if you overlook some of the unintentional results of Rex’s utopia.
The Green Mask “And The Crime Syndicate” by Walter Frame
Mob bosses around the country join together to form an international crime syndicate…and then think a superhero is going to join their ranks? It’s amazing to watch villains sow the seeds of their own failure, and it does come back to bite them hard. No complaints on this one.
Chen Chiang: “Buzzards Scream As Death Carves A Feast” by Cecelia Munson
Of course he isn’t dead. Instead he takes advantage of a group of teachers whose boat was sunk in a battle between “yellow races”. Look, I don’t defend them by today’s standards and I’m not defending yesterday’s standards. This is just what happens. Of course Kendall shows up to investigate, is caught, and saves the teachers after Chiang tortures them because he hates white people. Wow, this really didn’t age well, did it?
Lt. Drake Of Naval Intelligence by T Klaus
Drake versus fish pirates. Not much to summarize there, but a good action piece. Light on story, though.
Denny Scott Of The Bengal Lancers by Mayor
A maharajah captures Scott and Captain Dwight Long after killing the rest of the soldiers their with because they’re they main characters he wants information on the Bengal Lancers. Scott manages to escape and Long manages to rally the other prisoners to fight the baddies when the Lancers come to save him. Sort but fits in the run time and overall good.
D-13: Secret Agent by S.R. Powell
A European country friendly with Germany attacks American liners and D-13 plans to stop them. I don’t follow the game plan here. Moravia benefits from the US getting involved in World War II (well, I have great news for you morons) but their friends with Germany and they want to blame the sinkings on a friendly nation despite sending their own “we’re going to sink your boat and you can’t stop us na-na” message. Moravia is not run by intelligent people.
Captain Savage: Sea Rover by Francis Drake
A cursed gem is stolen, shown off to a barmaid in Shanghai who tells a Chinese gang leader, long story short ends up in Savage’s hands, and hilarity ensues…more or less. It’s not funny exactly but it has a happy ending. I think this adventure had to be short before it got ridiculous.
Zanzibar The Magician by George Tuska
This is an odd outing for Zanzibar, and with this guy that’s saying something. In the Sahara, Zanzibar has to match wits with a desert sorcerer to protect his traveling companion because our enemy has the mentality of Bluto/Brutus from the Popeye franchise. This story…ends the comic.
overall
Some odd choices but none of the stories were egregiously bad. Possibly racist in Chen Chiang’s tale, but what else is new? I enjoyed this issue.
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