Marvel Mystery Comics #2

(December 1939)

["Look for the SILVER Cover!"] (Table of Contents)

Silver Streak Comics #1 / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Jack Cole

Inks:

Jack Cole

Letters:

?

Indexer Notes

Includes a reproduction of the cover to Silver Streak Comics #1. According to the Timely-Atlas list, Silver Streak was also a Funnies, Inc. production early on, and Frank Motler reports that there is a complementary add for Marvel Mystery Comics #2 (this issue) on the inside back cover of Silver Streak Comics #1.

[Murder At the Racetrack] (Table of Contents)

The Human Torch / comic story / 16 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Pencils:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Inks:

Carl Burgos (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Carl Burgos

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Human Torch (origin retold in flashback); Professor Horton; un-named girlfriend of Blackie Ross (introduction); Johnson (introduction, prison con and former racecar driver); Blackie Ross (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

The Torch must battle a racketeer who wants his racing car to win so badly that he uses an airplane that fires incendiary bullets into the other cars.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

The Human Torch still wears his blue uniform. He doeswn't adopt the Jim Hammond identity until issue #4.

[The Treasure of Alano] (Table of Contents)

The Angel / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Ray Gill ?

Pencils:

Paul Gustavson (signed)

Inks:

Paul Gustavson (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Angel [Tom Halloway]; Jane Framan (introduction); Lelong [as Sumner] (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

The Angel saves a woman's life, all over a map with a curse on it, as it reveals the location of a treasure connected to the lost temple of Alano.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

Writer credit revised from Paul Gustavson to Ray Gill ? by Craig Delich 11-4-08. Gustavson was ONLY an artist. While the Who's Who doesn't list a writer for the strip in 1939, Ray Gill did write the strip in 1940 and MAY be this story's writer.

[Attack On New York City] (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]; Pinkerton; un-named girl; Foley (Policeman, death)

Synopsis:

Namor heads for New York City, and while securing a disguise, a young woman accidently sets her dress ablaze with a cigarette. Deciding that she can be of value to him in his avowed war against the Americans, he kidnaps her from the hospital and takes her to his undersea kingdom.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Marvel Comics 70th Anniversary Celebration Magazine (Marvel, 2009 series) #[nn] ([April] 2009)

Indexer Notes

Story continued in the next issue.

[The Town of Wanted Men] (Table of Contents)

The Masked Raider / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Al Anders [as Anders] (signed)

Inks:

Al Anders [as Anders] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

western

Characters:

The Masked Raider [Jim Gardley]; un-named Sheriff; "Hook" Tebbs (villain, introduction) and his men [Tex, Miguel] (villains)

Synopsis:

The Raiders disguises himself as a fugitive in order to infiltrate a gang that has been harrassing and robbing ranches in several towns.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

Writer revision from Al Anders to ?. Anders was an artist only. The Who's Who does not list a writer for the strip.

[Origin of the American Ace] (Table of Contents)

American Ace / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Paul J. Lauretta (signed)

Inks:

Paul J. Lauretta (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

aviation

Characters:

American Ace [Perry Wade] (introduction); Minisater of Attainia (death); Queen Ursula (villain, introduction), Josef (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

Queen Ursula of Castle D'or, whose empire was shattered when she lost her colonies during WWI, plans revenge.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• from Motion Picture Funnies Weekly (First Funnies, Inc., 1939 series) #1 (1939) [pages 1-6]
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue. Writer revision from Paul Lauretta to ?. Lauretta was an artist only and the Who's Who lists no writer for the strip.

Death-Bird Squadron (Table of Contents)

The Angel / text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

David C. Cooke (signed)

Pencils:

Charles J. Mazoujian [as C.J.M.] (signed)

Inks:

Charles J. Mazoujian [as C.J.M.] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Angel [Tom Halloway]; the Nazis (villains, some die)

Synopsis:

The Angel takes matters into his own hands against the Nazis, who without warning attack the Polish town of Grybow.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

Art ID by Hames Ware and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo via the Timely-Atlas list. Corrected from Claire S. Moe (Henry Andrews 2009-03-08).

[The Battle With Bardak] (Table of Contents)

Advenures of Ka-Zar the Great / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Ben Thompson (signed)

Inks:

Ben Thompson (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

jungle

Characters:

Ka-Zar [David Rand]; Zar (a lion); Sha (lion mate of Zar); Trajah (an elephant); Zoro (a lion cub); Chaka (an ape); Kru (a vulture); Bardak (villain, introduction, an ape, death)

Synopsis:

After the death of his parents, Ka-Zar goes to live in the cave of his friend, Zar, but soon faces Bardak, who has found a mirror in the abandoned tent of De Kraft, and refuses to relinquish it. Ka-Zar takes it from him and Bardak swears revenge.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)

Indexer Notes

Writer revision from Ben Thompson. Thompson was an artist only and the Who's Who lists no writer for this strip.