Marvel Mystery Comics #18

(April 1941)

[The Man Who Framed the Torch] (Table of Contents)

The Human Torch / comic story / 15 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Pencils:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Inks:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Toro; Police Chief Ryan; The Brain (villain); Shorty (villain); Buddy (villain); Cliff (villain); Tom (villain)

Synopsis:

A criminal called the Brain uses a costume to impersonate the Torch when he robs the Army payroll. He captures the Torch in a water tank, but Toro forces the Brain to tell him how to release Torch after Toro realizes the Brain can't be the Torch because he can't fly.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

["Special offer for readers of Marvel Comics"] (Table of Contents)

Captain America / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Captain America [Steve Rogers]; Bucky [Bucky Barnes]

Synopsis:

Illustrtaed promotional ad from Captain America and Bucky thanking readers for voting them the most popular hero in comic books, and asking them to join his Sentinels of Liberty if they haven't.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

Sequence added by Craig Delich 2011-1-10.

[The Legion of Loyalists] (Table of Contents)

The Sub-Mariner / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bill Everett (signed)

Pencils:

Bill Everett (signed)

Inks:

Bill Everett (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Bill Everett

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; Betty Dean; Luther Robinson; Lynne Harris; Tha-Korr; Princess Fen; Adra; Sina; Lobro; Police Radioman Regan; The Legion of Loyalists (Betty Dean's "Home Guard" regiment); Bob James (Legion member); the Nazis (villains)

Synopsis:

After meeting up again with Luther and Lynne, and dispensing some justice to the Nazis, Namor returns his prisoners to his undersea kingdom in the Antarctic. However, the two escape, enlisting the aid of Lt. Betty Dean, and the undersea peoples must brace themselves for invasion!

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

continued next issue

["Ahoy Mates----"] (Table of Contents)

Sub-Mariner / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Bill Everett; ?

Inks:

Bill Everett; ?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; The Angel [Thomas Halloway] (inset)

Synopsis:

Illustrated promotional ad for Sub-Mariner Comics #1, on sale March 1, 1942.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

Sequence added by Craig Delich 2011-1-10.

Young Ka-Zar (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ray Gill (signed)

Pencils:

Ben Thompson

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Ka-Zar [David Rand]; Trajah (the elephant); Zar (the lion); Sha (Zar's mate); Nono (the monkey); N'Jaga (the leopard); Paul De Kraft (villain)

Synopsis:

Paul De Kraft, who mudered Ka-Zar's father, returns and captures N'Jaga, whom he paints with luminous paint to scare off those who befriend him.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

This sequence takes place within story in issue #1. The Masterworks edition lists the inker as Ben Thompson. The last half of the 2nd page of the story features an illustrated promotional ad, featuring the Challenger, asking readers to pick up the new and better Daring Comics.

[Beasts of the Black River] (Table of Contents)

Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ben Thompson ?

Pencils:

Ben Thompson (signed)

Inks:

Ben Thompson (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

jungle

Characters:

Ka-Zar [David Rand]; Bogat (un-named in this story)

Synopsis:

Ka-Zar hears of a strange land known as the "Black River" and decides to investigate, and has his life saved from a terrible monster by a giant.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

continued next issue; A question mark has been placed behind the writer's name. The Who's Who and Jerry Bails never indicated that Thompson was anything but an artist on this strip.

[The Stolen Bicycles] (Table of Contents)

Terry Vance, Schoolboy Sleuth / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ray Gill (signed)

Pencils:

Bob Oksner (signed)

Inks:

Bob Oksner (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

detective

Characters:

Terry Vance; Jane; Deadline Dawson; Principal Dikes; Dr. Watson (a monkey); Ike (villain); un-named school janitor (villain)

Synopsis:

Terry must investigate the theft of bicycles, which are then repainted and sold to unsuspecting kids.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

[Menace From the Planet Torga] (Table of Contents)

Electro, the Marvel of the Age / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Dahlman ?

Pencils:

Steve Dahlman (signed)

Inks:

Steve Dahlman (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

science fiction; superhero

Characters:

Electro; Professor Zog; Dr. Horace Forde; The Antons and their King (villains)

Synopsis:

Professor Zog offers the services of Electro to combat the eveil winged inhabitants of the planet Torsa, the Antons.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

A ? has been placed behind the writer's name. The Who Who and Jerry Bails never indicated that Dahlman was anything but the artist for this strip. The last panel of this story is a promotional ad for the new issue of Captain America.

[The Boss of Newton City] (Table of Contents)

The Vision / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Simon; Jack Kirby

Pencils:

Jack Kirby

Inks:

Joe Simon

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Vision [Aarkus]; D.A. Tom Douglas; Big Tim Skelly (villain, political boss); Heinie Myers (villain)

Synopsis:

Political boss Skelly frames the current District Attorney for the murder of Daniel Reardon, a political rival.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

Skelly is a dead ringer for Richard Nixon! The Masterworks edition only credits Jack Kirby on this story.

The Cat's Paw: Chapter 1: Claws of Death (Table of Contents)

The Angel / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Paul Gustavson ?

Pencils:

Paul Gustavson (signed)

Inks:

Paul Gustavson (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Angel [Thomas Halloway]; Dr. Lin (Halloway's friend and teacher, death); The Cat's Paw (villain); Cartier (villain); Hanson (villain); Frank (villain)

Synopsis:

Seeing his friend and teacher killed before his eyes, The Angel attempts to track down the killer and discovers a new and sinister villain behind the killing: The Cat's Paw.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #5 ([December] 2010)

Indexer Notes

continued next issue; A ? has been placed behind the writer's name as the Who's Who and Jerry Bails state that Gustavson only wrote very early humorous features and nothing else.