- Script
- Joe Simon
- Pencils
- Joe Simon (pages 1-3); Jack Kirby (pages 4-10)
- Inks
- Joe Simon
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Marvel Boy [Martin Burns] (introduction, origin); Andrew Burns (Martin's father, introduction); Mrs. Burns (introduction); Jupiter; Hercules; Mars (villain); Bruen (villain, introduction); Schulz (villain, introduction); Stohl (villain, introduction); Richter (villain, introduction); Adolf Hitler (villain); Nazis (villains)
- Synopsis
- The soul of Hercules is reincarnated as Martin Burns, who displays unusual strength from infancy but hides his abilities from his peers. On his fourteenth birthday, Jupiter tells Martin the source of his powers, names him the Marvel Boy, gives him his costume and sends him out against fifth columnists.
- Reprints
Next appearance in USA Comics (Marvel, 1941 series) #7, although Young Avenger in USA Comics #1 is arguably a reworked version of this character as Will Murray notes in the Daring Mystery Masterworks introduction.
Pencils identified by Greg Theakston as Simon and Kirby on "alternating pages". Specific page identifications by Harry Mendryk at http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/category/periods/timel…
According to Kirby Museum, "Joe would do the starting pages of the story and then Jack would do the rest." So Simon penciled pages 1-3 of this story, then Kirby did 4-10. Simon inked it all. http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/637
The first Kirby work on a brand new superhero.
Mendryk believes the inker is different for each artist, possibly with several inkers.
- Script
- Joe Simon
- Pencils
- Jack Kirby (pages 1-4); Joe Simon (pages 5-10)
- Inks
- Joe Simon
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- The Fiery Mask [Jack Castle]; Ab Waltin (introduction, death); Ella Waltin (introduction); The Legion of the Doomed [Legion of the Damned] (villains, name not consistent throughout story)
- Synopsis
- When the demonic Legion of the Doomed force a rural couple to claim a sinister child as their own, the Fiery Mask must solve the crimes it commits in a chase that will lead him into Hell!
- Reprints
Next appearance in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2.
Pencils identified by Greg Theakston as Simon and Kirby on "alternating pages". Specific page identifications by Harry Mendryk at http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/category/periods/timel…
Craig Delich confirms Simon as sole writer and inker from information given to Jerry Bails, although Mendryk believes the inker is different for each artist, possibly with several inkers.
- Script
- Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
- Pencils
- Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
- Inks
- Harry Douglas [as Harry / Douglas] (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- The Man of the Day after To-morrow
- Genre
- humor; satire-parody; superhero
- Characters
- Stuporman [Marmaduke Snood, Jr.] (introduction); Mike Muskrat (villain, introduction); Professor Plotz
- Synopsis
- Stuporman is awakened from his nap to fight a criminal who has brainwashed a genial college professor into creating diabolical inventions to support his crimes.
- Reprints
Next appearance in Joker Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #1, also later in Comedy Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #11.
A black and white Stuporman story, built mostly out of panels from this story (rearranged, with some new panels added), appears in the October 1940 issue of Snap, one of Martin Goodman's pulp magazines. Thanks to Frank Motler for this information.
Contrary to various other published theories including Who's Who and the Masterworks, "Harry / Douglas" was an editor/artist named Harry Douglas, as confirmed by Michael J. Vassallo upon interviewing Harry Douglas, Jr. after the younger Douglas contacted the author of this blog post: http://monomythic.wordpress.com/2009/08/17/marvel-mystery-monday-stuporman…
- Script
- Bill O'Connor [as Okie] (signed)
- Pencils
- Ben Flinton [as Ben] (signed)
- Inks
- Ben Flinton [as Ben] (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Captain Red Ruff (introduction); The Black Ace (villain, introduction, death); Nazis (villains)
- Synopsis
- Captain Red Ruff flies his plane, the Flying Flame, on a mission against the Black Ace who is defending a Nazi castle where all attacking planes mysterious explode upon approach.
- Reprints
Next appearance in Tough Kid Squad (Marvel, 1942 series) #1.
The article on Leonard Sansone indicates that Sansone did inks or some of them on this story (Alter Ego #121, November 2013).
- Script
- John H. Compton (signed)
- Pencils
- Harry Ramsey [as H. R.] (signed)
- Inks
- Harry Ramsey [as H. R.] (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- typeset
- Genre
- crime
- Characters
- Sheriff Sam Reynolds; Texas Pete (death); Baldy; Dan Hobart; Giles Norton (villain)
- Synopsis
- Texas Pete has been found murdered and the claim map he carried is missing.
- Reprints
The winners from the Daring Comics Contest on the inside front cover of issue #2 are announced in a box at the bottom of the 2nd page. However, no indication of which characters they picked is given. Murray Forman won the 1st Prize of $5, Jackie Gorman won 2nd Prize of $2, and there were 18 other winners of $1 each.
- Script
- ?
- Pencils
- L. Bing (see notes)
- Inks
- L. Bing
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- The Falcon [Carl Burgess]; Tony Wells; James Buttersworth (villain, introduction); Bo Schustak (villain, introduction)
- Synopsis
- Carl Burgess interrupts the getaway from a bank robbery, and, as the Falcon, goes after the gang that committed the crime.
- Reprints
next appearance in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2
There is some confusion as to whether this story was drawn by L. Bing or Munson Paddock, as they had similar styles. Who's Who first recorded Bing, then revised to Paddock. Hames Ware and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr., while compiling the Masterworks credits with Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, discussed the possibilities and decided that the artist was indeed L. Bing as was originally thought.
- Script
- ?
- Pencils
- Larry Antonette (signed)
- Inks
- Larry Antonette ? [as Larry Antonette] (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- adventure
- Characters
- Monako; Pere (introduction); an old Hag (villain, introduction)
- Synopsis
- Monako spots a drugged man being held by thugs at one of his shows. Monako and his friend Pere must rescue the man's sister from a mysterious old hag.
- Reprints
Last golden age appearance. There is a teaser for a Monako story in the next issue, but it never appeared. However, a "Mantor the Magician" story appeared in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2 alongside other Daring Mystery orphans, which looks suspiciously like a reworked Monako, although by Al Gabriele instead of regular Monako artist Larry Antonette. Next appearance in The Marvels Project (Marvel, 2009 series) #2.
Notes from Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, Hames Ware and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. on the Timely-Atlas list indicate that an inker other than Antonette may have worked on this story.
- Script
- Steve Dahlman ?
- Pencils
- Steve Dahlman
- Inks
- Steve Dahlman
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Steve Dahlman ?
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Dynaman [Lagaro] (introduction, origin); Korugians (introduction, death); Pharoah Khufor; Chief Ribur [Tibur] (introduction, villain, death, name not consistent through story); Gurbans (villains)
- Synopsis
- Larago, whose name means "Dynaman", grows up in the ancient advanced land of Korug displaying amazing strength of body and mind. When Korug abruptly sinks beneath the waves, only the flying Dynaman escapes. Finding the civilization of Egypt, helps the Pharaoh Khufor defend it against the barbarian Gurbans.
- Reprints
- Script
- ?
- Pencils
- Mike Roy [as Roy] (signed)
- Inks
- Mike Roy [as Roy] (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- jungle; superhero
- Characters
- Tigerman (introduction); Professor Carson (introduction, death); Louise Carson (introduction); Rangoo (introduction, an ape, Tigerman's friend); King Kuu (villain, introduction); Monolink Men (villains, introduction)
- Synopsis
- Tigerman tries to rescue Professor Carson and his daughter Louise from an attack by the Monolink men, but all three are overwhelmed and taken to the underground kingdom of the Monolinks. After one failed attempt, Tigerman and the Carsons must brave an underground river to escape.
- Reprints
The introductory blurb talks about Tigerman's "tamed Bengal tiger, Balu", further indicating a connection to the Trojak, the Tiger-Man feature that appeared in issues #2-5. However, Balu does not actually appear in the story, and the supporting cast and plot are different than the continuing story and cast of Trojak.