(February 1940)

Marvel, 1939 Series
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Volume
1
Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
[monthly]
On-sale Date
1939-12-20
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Timely Publications [not printed on item]
Editing
Martin Goodman (editor)

Issue Notes

No indicia in this issue, nor in the other issue Timely published this month, Daring Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #2 (February 1940).

On-sale date from the Marvel Database (https://marvel.fandom.com/).

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Namor the Sub-Mariner / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Alex Schomburg
Inks
Alex Schomburg
Colors
?
Letters
?
First Line of Dialogue or Text
Like lightning, the Sub-Mariner attacked
Genre
superhero
Characters
Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; The Nazis
Universe
Marvel : mainstream
Reprints
Keywords
bondage; Kriegsmarine; submarines; World War II
Cover Thumbnail for Marvel Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1939 series) #4
Edit cover
Cover gallery

Marvel Comics' Free $25.00 Prize Contest (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

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

[New York Hit by Green Flame] (Table of Contents: 2)

Human Torch / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script
Carl Burgos (signed)
Pencils
Carl Burgos (signed)
Inks
Carl Burgos (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Carl Burgos ? (sourced)
Genre
superhero
Characters
Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Inspector Reiss; Clancy (a policeman); Johnson; Maizie (introduction, undercover policewoman); Dr. Manyac (villain, introduction); The Green Flames (villains, introduction for all, some deaths)
Universe
Marvel : mainstream
Synopsis
Torch has to deal with the threat of Dr. Manyac, who plans to use the Green Flames as a tool to exact revenge if his demands are not met.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Torch assumes Jim Hammond's identity, and still wears a blue uniform.

[Butch the Giant] (Table of Contents: 3)

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

Script
Paul Gustavson ? (sourced); Ray Gill ?
Pencils
Paul Gustavson (sourced)
Inks
Paul Gustavson (sourced)
Colors
?
Letters
Paul Gustavson (sourced)
Genre
superhero
Characters
The Angel [Thomas Halloway]; Butch (villain, introduction, death, a giant); Rickie (villain, death); Brink (villain, introduction); Weasel (villain, death)
Universe
Marvel : mainstream
Synopsis
The Angel ventures into the Devil's Playground, which harbors killers, murderers, and every other imaginable menace to civilization, in order to battle a giant who carries out the gruesome activities.
Reprints

[The Sub-Mariner Goes to War] (Table of Contents: 4)

Namor the Sub-Mariner / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script
Bill Everett (signed)
Pencils
Bill Everett (signed)
Inks
Bill Everett (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Bill Everett (signed)
Genre
superhero
Characters
Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; Betty Dean; Tha-Korr; Council of Three (introduction, Atlantean rulers); The Nazis (villains)
Universe
Marvel : mainstream
Synopsis
Betty, concerned with what effect the Nazi submarine warfare has had on ocean-going travel and commerce, enlists the aid of the Sub-Mariner and his aerial subs to deal with the problem.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue.

[The Claim Jumpers] (Table of Contents: 5)

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

Script
Al Anders ?
Pencils
Al Anders (signed as Anders)
Inks
Al Anders (signed as Anders)
Colors
?
Letters
?
Genre
western-frontier
Characters
The Masked Raider [Jim Gardley]; Zeb; Luke; Manuel; Ben; Buck and his gang (villains, some die)
Synopsis
A couple of prospectors discover a large gold deposit on their property but are threatened by local crooks looking for the location of that claim.
Reprints

Warning Enough (Table of Contents: 6)

text story / 1.75 pages (report information)

Script
David Cooke (signed as David G. Cooke)
Pencils
Harry Ramsey (signed as H. Ramsey) (see notes)
Inks
Harry Ramsey (signed as H. Ramsey) (see notes)
Colors
?
Letters
typeset
Genre
detective-mystery
Characters
Steve; Naylor; Jim Stinson; "Slip" Rodney (villain)
Synopsis
Steve picks up a hitchhiker along side a road, not knowing that he is a wanted killer.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

The statement of ownership is printed in the last column of the story.

The artist's first name and note were added by Craig Delich on November 8, 2008.

Statement of ownership, management, circulation, etc. (Table of Contents: 7)

statement of ownership / 0.25 page (report information)

Script
Abraham Goodman; Maurice Coyne (notary)
Letters
typeset
Editing
Abraham Goodman (owner, publisher); Martin Goodman (editor, managing editor, business manager); Timely Publications (owner)
Synopsis
Statement of ownership of "Marvel Mystery Comics, published monthly, at Buffalo, New York, for October 1, 1939."
Reprints

Indexer Notes

All addresses for Martin and Abraham Goodman as well as for Timely Publications given as 330 W. 42nd St., N. Y. C.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 8)

Electro / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script
Steve Dahlman ?
Pencils
Steve Dahlman (signed as Dahl)
Inks
Steve Dahlman (signed as Dahl)
Colors
?
Letters
?
First Line of Dialogue or Text
Prof. Philo Zog, mechanical wizard...
Genre
superhero
Characters
Electro (introduction, origin, a robot); Prof. Philo Zog (Electro's creator); the twelve Secret Operatives (introduction); Dick Gardner (secret operative #3); Little Joyce Lovely; Hymie "The Weasel" Pazetto (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
Professor Zog creates a marvelous robot, all-powerful and intelligent, as a means of helping humanity banish all crime and evil. Electro's first task is to rescue a kidnapped child actress.
Reprints

[Quest for a Crime Boss] (Table of Contents: 9)

Ferret, Mystery Detective / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Bob Davis (signed as Stockbridge Winslow) (sourced)
Pencils
Irwin Hasen (signed as I. Hasen)
Inks
Irwin Hasen (signed as I. Hasen)
Colors
?
Letters
?
Genre
detective-mystery
Characters
Ferret (introduction); Lynn Froehm; Doc Wagner (villain, introduction); Knuckles Johnson (villain, death)
Synopsis
Our hero faces a challenge from the underworld, which hasn't taken a liking to his "crime doesn't pay" articles and is out robbing and killing people for jewelry.
Reprints

Fourth Episode [Return of the Oman] (Table of Contents: 10)

Ka-Zar the Great / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script
Ben Thompson ?
Pencils
Ben Thompson (signed)
Inks
Ben Thompson (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?
Genre
jungle
Characters
Ka-Zar [David Rand]; Zar (a lion); Sha (lion mate of Zar); Chaka (ape leader); N'Jaga (a leopard); Trajah (an elephant); Paul De Kraft [aka Fat Face] (villain); Ed Kivlin (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
De Kraft returns to the Belgian Congo, where, years earlier, he had killed Ka-Zar's parents, and when Ka-Zar spots him, he swears revenge. De Kraft uses deadly tactics to deal with the natives, who want to desert him because they fear retribution from the "Jungle God."
Reprints

Indexer Notes

The story continued in the next issue.

Bracketed story title found in the last panel of the story in Marvel Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1939 series) #3 (January 1940).

Rush Coupon for Mammoth Catalog (Table of Contents: 11) (Expand) /

Johnson Smith & Co. Catalog / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Money and Big Prizes (Table of Contents: 12) (Expand) /

The Crowell-Collier Publishing Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Editing
Issue at my.comics.org
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. ["Like lightning, the Sub-Mariner attacked"]
    Namor the Sub-Mariner
  2. 1. Marvel Comics' Free $25.00 Prize Contest
    Marvel Comics
  3. 2. [New York Hit by Green Flame]
    Human Torch
  4. 3. [Butch the Giant]
    The Angel
  5. 4. [The Sub-Mariner Goes to War]
    Namor the Sub-Mariner
  6. 5. [The Claim Jumpers]
    The Masked Raider
  7. 6. Warning Enough
  8. 7. Statement of ownership, management, circulation, etc.
  9. 8. ["Prof. Philo Zog, mechanical wizard..."]
    Electro
  10. 9. [Quest for a Crime Boss]
    Ferret, Mystery Detective
  11. 10. Fourth Episode [Return of the Oman]
    Ka-Zar the Great
  12. 11. Rush Coupon for Mammoth Catalog
    Johnson Smith & Co. Catalog
  13. 12. Money and Big Prizes
    The Crowell-Collier Publishing Co.
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Hrayr Abazyan
  • Henry Andrews
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • David Bruce
  • Craig Delich
  • Jay Flash
  • Kauldi Gilibert
  • Katy Hayhurst
  • Hunter Johnson
  • Ferit Kartal
  • Clint Maxwell
  • Darrel McCann
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Mark Q
  • Tony R. Rose
  • Jim Van Dore
  • Michael Vance
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