USA Comics #5

(Summer 1942)

["A special message to the boys and girls of America............"] (Table of Contents)

U.S. Savings Bonds and Stamps / public service announcement / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Henry Morgenthau, Jr. (signed)

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Letters:

?; typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

A letter from Treasury Secretary Henry Morganthau, Jr. asking readers to buy ten cent Savings Stamps every week.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Found on the inside front cover.

[Hitler and Hirohito's Hunting Trip] (Table of Contents)

Victory Boys / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Ernie Hart; Al Avison ? (splash page); ? (additional pencilers possible)

Inks:

Ernie Hart; George Klein; ? (additional inkers possible)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Victory Boys [Victor; Maxie Stein; Kurt Erzberger; Gus Weber; Warren Zumwald] (in costume); Adolf Hitler (villain); Hirohito (villain); Benito Mussolini (villain); Hitz (villain); Fritz (villain)

Synopsis:

Hitler and Mussolini need to find a way to hide Germany's difficulties from a visiting Hirohito, so they whisk him off to a castle in the Black Forest. The Victory Boys are nearby, and Maxie is chosen to go hunting for some food for them. He gets captured, and the Victory Boys must confront the three dictators to rescue him.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

The feature last appeared in Comedy Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #10, although the characters did not wear costumes.
Next appearance of the Victory Boys in All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes (Marvel, 2011 series) #1.

Murder, Unlimited (Table of Contents)

The Black Widow / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Mike Sekowsky (signed)

Inks:

George Klein (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Black Widow [Claire Voyant]; John Marriman (actor, death); Satan (villain); Karl Koodamore (villain, introduction, death); Henderson (villain); Pete (villain, death); Sparks (villain, death); Cross-Face Durok (villain, death)

Synopsis:

Satan sends the Black Widow to collect the soul of Karl Koodamore, a man who arranges murders for money. Afer one of Koodamore's henchmen kills an actor on stage the Black Widow appears, killing one henchman, driving another to suicide, and tricking Koodamore into driving off a cliff.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

last appearance in Mystic Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #7;
next appearance in All Select Comics (Marvel, 1943 series) #1;

The prior writing credit of George Kapitan seems unlikely, and is probably the result of no other writer being listed in Who's Who for the feature. Kapitan worked through Funnies, Inc. from 1940-1945 and co-created the Black Widow, but his Who's Who credits for Timely only go as far as 1941 and this story was produced in 1942 by the in-house art team of Sekowsky/Klein. They were likely working with an in-house or freelance scripter rather than splitting the job with a shop.

Tops in Thrills! Mystery! Action! Comedy! Patriotism!! (Table of Contents)

Captain America's Sentinels of Liberty / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Lee King (signed)

Inks:

Lee King (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Captain America [Steve Rogers]

Synopsis:

Illustrated house ad asking readers to join Cap's Sentinels of Liberty.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Art credits added by Craig Delich 2012-4-5.

Hills of Horror (Table of Contents)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Don Rico; ?

Inks:

Al Plastino ?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Jonah Lamb (introduction); Mr. Lamb (introduction, Jonah's father, death); Budd Powers (introduction); Sen Yat (Chinese coolie); un-named Chinese bandits (villains, many die)

Synopsis:

When young Jonah's father dies in an earthquake in Shanghai, Jonah leaves the city to start afresh. He runs into a drifter named Budd Powers, and the two decide to stick together. They run across a village being attacked by bandits, and jump in on the side of the villagers, eventually running the bandits off.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Caniff-esque adventure. There is a teaser at the end for another of Jonah's adventures to be published in the next issue but it never appeared.

Doc Vassallo characterizes this as "primarily by Don Rico" but with "signs of others including Al Plastino".

[The Dog-Nappers] (Table of Contents)

The Fighting Hobo / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Malcolm Kildale (signed); ? (additional penciler present, possibly Fred Kida ?)

Inks:

George Klein ?; ? (additional inker present, possibly Fred Kida ?)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure; humor

Characters:

The Fighting Hobo [Butch Brogan] (introduction); Mrs. Upsnoot (dog owner)

Synopsis:

Butch Brogan, a hobo, finds a book of Shakespeare and feels inspired by it, although his fellow hobos mock him. When he sees a dog kidnapped from a woman for ransom, he volunteers to chase after them and retrieve it.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

At the end, there is a teaser for more adventures of "Butch Brogan, the Happy Hobo" in the next issue, but they never appeared.

Malcolm Kildale credit per Doc Vassalo and signature on a page on the wooden fence in the splash page. Vassallo also notes that Klein may be a "background inker" on the story. The Masterworks edition lists Kildale & unknown on the pencils, George Klein & unknown on the inks, while Who's Who lists Fred Kida as pencils/inks.

[Sandai and the Atom Smasher] (Table of Contents)

The Blue Blade / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Blue Blade; un-named scientist; Nita (scientist's daughter); Sandai (villain); un-named Japanese spy (villain)

Synopsis:

The Blue Blade heads to the Pacific coast as a result of the Japanese joining the war. Once there, he saves an inventor and his daughter from Japanese spies who were trying to steal his atomic smashing machine.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Likely a reworked version of the Fourth Musketeer from Comedy Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #10. The different artist could explain the costume changes. As no background for the character is given at all in this story, it fits well enough (even though the Fourth Musketeer was specifically the spirit of a dead Musketeer risen to fight the Axis).

There is evidence of last-minute re-lettering of the "Blue Blade" name, and the character is referred to as "the Musketeer" twice in this story.

Next appearance in The Twelve (Marvel, 2008 series) #1, in which he was given the name "Roy Chambers", although he has no civillian name in this story.

The Masterworks edition lists the artist as unknown; in his extended online notes, Michael J. Vassallo comments that "The art is unknown but wild speculation is that this could be an early appearance of Carmine Infantino and/or even Gil Kane." Given the phrasing, this speculation is best left in the notes and not in the credits where they would appear too definitive, even with question marks.

Dead Man's Warning (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Cliff Prentiss (death); Pete Lawson (greenhorn prospector); Sheriff McKinley; Andy Cramer (villain)

Synopsis:

The death of an experienced explosives expert in a mountainous area teeming with gold leads Pete Lawson to suspect Andy Cramer, who has been wanting to buy out the claim once held by Prentiss.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Terror In the Sky! (Table of Contents)

Roko the Amazing / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Melville Henry (signed)

Pencils:

Jack Alderman (signed)

Inks:

Jack Alderman (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Roko the Amazing [Lon Crag] (introduction, origin); Joe; Menalaos (introduction); Mike; Pete; Mr. McClure (villain, owner of McClure Realty)

Synopsis:

Lon Crag sees some other kids reading Captain America Comics at school and wishes he could be that kind of hero. In art class, his teacher compliments him on his painting of Menalaos, and Lon stays after school to complete it. When he is done, the painting comes to life and offers to grant him a wish. When he says the word "Illium", 16-year-old Lon becomes an adult superhero named Roko with "the wisdom of Ulysses, the battle-prowess of Aggamenon [sic] and the invulnerability of Achilles", and with Achilles's weakness as well.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Only appearance. At the end, Roko addresses the readers and asks them to write to him. The Masterworks edition lists Alderman as penciler and the inker unknown, while Who's Who lists Alderman as pen/ink.

Like a Comet! (Table of Contents)

Krazy Komics #2 / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters:

Toughy Tomcat

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Includes a small version of the cover to the issue, plus additional illustration.

[Encounter With a Giant] (Table of Contents)

Gypo and Bobby / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Ed Winiarski

Inks:

Ed Winiarski ?; Don Rico ?; ? (additional inker possible)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Gypo (a gypsy giant, introduction); Bobby (introduction); Bobby's un-named mother (introduction); Gypo's un-named wife (introduction); Gypo's pet dragon (introduction)

Synopsis:

Bobby disobeys his mother by going into the forest where he meets Gypo, a giant who tries to scare him. Bobby is unimpressed, and Gypo feels like a failure, even more so when his normal-sized wife shows up and forces him to come home and deal with his pet dragon who is acting up again.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

At the end there is a blurb asking readers to write in if they would like to see more of Gypo and Bobby. While the Masterworks contents only credits Winiarski with pencils, Vassallo's introduction refers to him as the "artist" with some inks by Don Rico, which implies that Winiarski likely at least partially inked the feature.

[Fish Face Friday] (Table of Contents)

Sergeant Dix / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

war

Characters:

Sergeant Dix [Jeff Dix]; Fish Face Friday (a cook, introduction); Mrs. Dix (Jeff's mother); Joe Dix (Jeff's brother); the Japanese (villains, some die)

Synopsis:

Corporal Jeff Dix's furlough is cut short and he is deployed to Panama. Now a Sergeant, he runs into his old friend Fish Face Friday who is the cook on the ship. While on their way to Panama they are attacked by the Japanese, one of whom runs afoul of Fish Face when he tries to poison the food in the galley.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

This feature was called "Corporal Dix" in the previous issue. The Masterworks edition lists writer and artist as unknown.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Patent Pending / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Lou Paige (signed)

Pencils:

Lou Paige (signed)

Inks:

Lou Paige (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Lou Paige

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

Numerous one-panel gags about silly inventions.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Writer verification and letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2012-4-6.

[The Origin of El Gaucho] (Table of Contents)

The American Avenger / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Vince Alascia (signed)

Inks:

George Klein; ? (additional inker possible)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

El Gaucho [Don Caldwell aka the American Avenger] (introduction, origin); Carelos Ramerez (Don's best friend); Baron Girbel (villain, introduction); The Baron (villain); the Nazis (villains)

Synopsis:

Don Caldwell, an exchange student in South America, comes to love his new home and studies the legend of their protector El Gaucho, who died many years ago. An old man hears him speak of this, and gives him El Gaucho's costume to carry on the tradition. After defeating Nazis in South America, Don feels he must return to the U.S. to fight Nazis there, becoming the American Avenger.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

The cover of Atomic Comics #2 swiped from splash page of this story. Ink credit according to Doc Vassalo. The Masterworks edition also lists an unknown as an additional inker, but Vassallo's extended notes published online only mention Klein. In the published introduction, he mentions that Klein may have done background pencils.

Thrills! (Table of Contents)

Marvel Mystery Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Toro; Sub-Mariner [Namor]; Angel [Tom Hallaway]; Terry Vance; Jimmy Jupiter; Patriot [Jeff Mace]; Vision [Aarkus]

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover.

["Yeow"] (Table of Contents)

Terry-Toons Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Lee King [as Lee] (signed)

Inks:

Lee King [as Lee] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Sarge

Synopsis:

Illustrated ad for the new issue of Terry Toons Comics, on sale July 1st.

Reprints:

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age U.S.A. Comics (Marvel, 2007 series) #2 ([December] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Found on the back cover. Art credits added by Craig Delich 2012-4-6.