Marvel Mystery Comics #4

(February 1940)

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

The Human Torch / comic story / 12 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 [Jim Hammond]; Inspector Reiss; Clancy (Policeman); Johnson; Maizie (introduction, underecover Policewoman); Dr. Manyac (villain, introduction); the Green Flames (villains, introduction for all, some deaths)

Synopsis:

Torch has to deal with the ransom threats by a Dr. Manyac, who plans to use the Green Flames as a tool to exact revenge if his demands are not met.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Marvel Mystery Comics 70th Anniversary Special (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (July 2009)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Torch assumes Jim Hammond identity, and still wears blue uniform. Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.

[Butch the Giant] (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Script:

Ray Gill ?

Pencils:

Paul Gustavson

Inks:

Paul Gustavson

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Angel [Tom Halloway]; Butch (villain, introduction, death, a giant); Rickie (villain, death); Brink (villain, introduction); Weasel (villain, death)

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: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Writer revision from Paul Gustavson to ?. The Who's Who only lists Gustavson only for art on this strip, and also lists Ray Gill as the only writer in 1940, and this story may be by him. Notes added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.

[The Sub-Mariner Goes To War] (Table of Contents)

Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner / comic story / 10 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; Tha-Korr; Council of Three (introduction, Atlantean rulers); the Nazis (villains)

Synopsis:

Betty, concerned on 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: show reprint note before migration

• in Fantasy Masterpieces (Marvel, 1966 series) #9 (June 1967)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue.

[The Claim Jumpers] (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]; 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 to give them the location of that claim.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Writer revision from Al Anders to ?. The Who's Who lists no writers for this strip and Anders was an artist only. Notes added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.

Warning Enough (Table of Contents)

text story / 1.75 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

David G. Cooke (signed)

Pencils:

Harry Ramsey [as H. Ramsey] (signed)

Inks:

Harry Ramsey [as H. Ramsey] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

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: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

The statement of ownership is printed in the last column of the story. Artist's first name and note added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.

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

statement of ownership / 0.25 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Abraham Goodman; Maurice Coyne (notary)

Letters:

typeset

Editing:

Timely Publications (owner); Abraham Goodman (owner, publisher); Martin Goodman (editor, managing editor, business manager)

Content Information

Synopsis:

Statement of ownership of "Marvel Mystery Comics, published monthly, at Buffalo, New York, for October 1, 1939."

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)

Electro, the Marvel of the Age / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Steve Dahlman [as Dahl] (signed)

Inks:

Steve Dahlman [as Dahl] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

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 humainity by banishing all crime and evil. Electro's first case is to rescue a kidnapped child actress.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Writer revision from Steve Dahlman to ?. The Who's Who lists no writer for this strip. Notes added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.

[Quest For a Crime Boss] (Table of Contents)

Ferret, Mystery Detective / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Stockbridge Winslow (signed)

Pencils:

Irwin Hasen [as I. Hasen] (signed)

Inks:

Irwin Hasen [as I. Hasen] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

mystery

Characters:

Ferret (introduction); Lynn Froehm; Doc Wagner (villain, introduction); Knuckles Johnson (villain, death)

Synopsis:

Our hero faces a challenge from the underworld, who doesn't take a liking to his "crime doesn't pay" articles and is out robbing and killing people for jewelry.

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

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

Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great / comic story / 10 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); Chaka (ape leader); N'Jaga (a leopard); Sinessa (a snake); Kru (a vulture); Trajah (an elephant); Paul De Kraft [aka Fat Face] (villain); Ed Kivlin (villain, introduction); Inkosi (villain)

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. Now De Kraft uses deadly tactics to deal with the natives, who want to desert him because they fear retribution from the "Jungle God".

Reprints: show reprint note before migration

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #1 (2004)
• in Flashback (DynaPubs Enterprises, 1974 series) #26

Indexer Notes

Story continued in the next issue. Bracketed story title found in the last panel of story in Marvel Mystery #3. Writer revision from Ben Thompson to ?. The Who's Who does not list a writer for this strip. Notes added by Craig Delich 2008-11-8.