Marvel Mystery Comics #7

(May 1940)

[The Human Torch -- Policeman] (Table of Contents: 1)

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

Script

Carl Burgos (signed)

Pencils

Carl Burgos (signed)

Inks

Carl Burgos (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

Carl Burgos ?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Human Torch [Jim Hamond]; Johnson; un-named Police Captain; Roglo (villain); Red (villain, death)

Synopsis

The Torch joins the police department and is given a free hand to wage his campaign against the criminal Roglo and others like him.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)
• in Decades: Marvel in the '40s - The Human Torch vs. the Sub-Mariner (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
• in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Human Torch by Carl Burgos Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue (1st hint of Torch / Sub-Mariner clash). Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2008-11-11.

[Marked for Murder] (Table of Contents: 2)

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

Script

Paul Gustavson ?; Ray Gill ?

Pencils

Paul Gustavson

Inks

Paul Gustavson ?; Joe Simon ?

Colors

?

Letters

Paul Gustavson

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Angel [Tom Halloway]; Betty Martin; Henry Martin; Emma Martin (villain, introduction, death); Hank (villain)

Synopsis

The Angel and Betty are nearly killed by being run off a cliff but soon discover why: Betty's aunt is planning to kill her and her father for his money.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

Indexer Notes

The art of this issue is different from previous appearances, and Gustavson may not have inked this story. The Who's Who indicates Joe Simon and penciler and inker for the strip in 1940 and he may have contributed the inks here.

Gustavson credits from Terry Gustafson, son of Paul Gustavson.

[Rampage in New York] (Table of Contents: 3)

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)

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Namor, you have been cheated and mistreated by the treacherous Americans

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; Tha-Korr; Fiorello LaGuardia; Betty Dean

Synopsis

Because Namor has been cheated and mistreated by the Americans, he decides to use New York as his base while destroying the entire continent.

Reprints

• in The Great Comic Book Heroes (Dial Press, 1965 series) (1965)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)
• in Decades: Marvel in the '40s - The Human Torch vs. the Sub-Mariner (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)
• in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett - The Pre-War Years Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue (2nd hint of Torch / Sub-Mariner clash).

[The Framing of the Masked Raider] (Table of Contents: 4)

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

Script

?

Pencils

Bill Allison

Inks

Bill Allison

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

western-frontier

Characters

The Masked Raider [Jim Gardley]; Lightning (Raider's horse); Nat Parker; un-named federal marshal (villain, introduction)

Synopsis

After saving the lives of Nat Parker and his son from outlaws, the marshal accuses the Raider of the attack.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

Blasting Bombers (Table of Contents: 5)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

David Cooke (signed)

Pencils

Frank Thorne (signed)

Inks

Frank Thorne (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

adventure; aviation

Characters

Lou Herbert; the Nussian airforce (villains, many die)

Synopsis

American flier Lou Herbert takes matters into his own hands when an enemy air force attacks Sinki.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

Indexer Notes

Artist credits added by Craig Delich 2008-11-11.

[The Felons and the Flood] (Table of Contents: 6)

Electro / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Steve Dahlman ?

Pencils

Steve Dahlman (signed)

Inks

Steve Dahlman (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Electro; Professor Zog; Jim [one of the Operatives]; "Boss" Sarpo (villain, introduction); Sarpo's gang [Joe; Red] (villains, introduction for both)

Synopsis

Severe floodinonby the Ohio River endangers the life and property of many, so Professor Zog instructs two of his Operatives to take Electro to the scene to help out.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

[Kidnapped by the Duke] (Table of Contents: 7)

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

Script

Bob Davis (signed as Stockbridge Winslow)

Pencils

Irwin Hasen (signed)

Inks

Irwin Hasen (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Ferret; Nosey [a ferret]; Cynthia Bryant; The Duke (villain, introduction); Broderick (villain, introduction); Batty (villain, introduction)

Synopsis

Ferret is taken prisoner, as candy heiress Cynthia Bryant had been, and is told to authorize payment of $50,000 ransom for his release.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

[The Deadly Scheme of "Red" Skelton] (Table of Contents: 8)

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]; Professor Rice (introduction, death); Mara Rice (Professor's daughter); Zar (a lion); Trajah (an elephant); "Red" Skelton (villain, introduction, death)

Synopsis

Ka-Zar notes the arrival of Professor Rice, a botanist who has come to the Belgian Congo to search for certain rare species of plant life. Unfortunately for the good Professor, his pilot is a thief and murderer, who not only intends to blackmail the Professor for $100,000, but also to marry his daughter.

Reprints

• in Marvel Milestones: Black Panther, Storm & Ka-Zar (Marvel, 2006 series) (2006)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #2 ([March] 2006)
• in Golden Age Marvel Comics Omnibus (Marvel, 2009 series) #1 (2009)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2012 series) #2 ([December] 2013)

Indexer Notes

Character created by Bob Byrd.