Marvel Mystery Comics #22

(August 1941)

[Now on sale. The two New smashing comic magazine sensations] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

USA Comics and All Winners Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

[The Invasion of Alslavia] (Table of Contents: 2)

Human Torch / comic story / 15 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Burgos (signed)

Pencils

Carl Burgos (signed)

Inks

Carl Burgos (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Toro [Thomas Raymond]; Kapula (Alslavian Embassy personnel]; Sahlous [Alslavian Embassy personnel]; the Nazis [Eric, others un-named](villains, many die)

Synopsis

The small European nation of Alslavia appeals to Torch and Toro for aid against the Nazis. On arrival, they encounter the Nazi invasion wall, a large armored wall mounted on tank treads. After destroying the wall, the Torches head out to sea where they spot a Nazi submarine. When they investigate, they determine that there is no one aboard. Diving down below, they discover a terrifying Nazi undersea fortress lying in wait for the British and Alslavian cruisers sent out to sink the sub. Torch destroys the fortress and all aboard her perish.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)
• in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Human Torch by Carl Burgos Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

Indexer Notes

The Masterworks edition lists inker credit as unknown.

[Namor's Flying Bantam Car] (Table of Contents: 3)

Namor the Sub-Mariner / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Everett (signed)

Pencils

Bill Everett (signed)

Inks

Bill Everett (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

Bill Everett

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; Tony (junk yard owner); Herr Krauss (villain); Wilhelm (villain); Paul (villain)

Synopsis

While passing through a small mid-western town, Namor muses about how to stop the subversive activities of the Nazis and develops a special miniature field car, somewhat along the lines of one developed by the Army, but with some novel twists.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)
• in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Sub-Mariner by Bill Everett - The Pre-War Years Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

[The Nazis' Death Gas] (Table of Contents: 4)

Ka-Zar the Great / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Ben Thompson ?

Pencils

Ben Thompson (signed)

Inks

Ben Thompson (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

jungle

Characters

Ka-Zar [David Rand]; the Nazis (villains, some die); the Italians (villains)

Synopsis

Ka-Zar battles the Nazis who are using a chemical spray to kill off the vegetation in the jungle, and who hope, along with the Italians, to establish a post in, and eventually control, Central Africa.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Story continued next issue.

The feature is titled "Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great".

The Strange Case of Captain America and the Hangman: Who Killed Doctor Vardoff (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

Captain America / promo (ad from the publisher) / 2 pages (report information)

The Mystery of the Phantom Killer (Table of Contents: 6)

Terry Vance, the School Boy Sleuth / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Ray Gill (signed)

Pencils

Bob Oksner (signed)

Inks

Bob Oksner (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Terry Vance; Dr. Watson (a monkey); Deadline Dawson; Clancy (a policeman); un-named circus employee (villain)

Synopsis

Terry investigates jewel robberies by a person known as the Phantom Robber and discovers that the thefts occur in towns being visited by the circus.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 7)

The Patriot / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Ray Gill

Pencils

Art Gates

Inks

Art Gates

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

You took your life in your own hands when you punched the clock at the Croxton Tank Factory. as the Patriot soon discovered...

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Patriot [Jeffrey Mace]; Casey; Smitty (villain)

Synopsis

The Patriot battles a Nazi saboteur who has the intention of stalling production of a new, streamlined tank.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)

Indexer Notes

The Masterworks edition identifies the artist as Alan Mandel.

Dunkirk Incident (Table of Contents: 8)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee (signed)

Pencils

Harry Ramsey ? (signed as R.)

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

superhero; war

Characters

Human Torch [Jim Hammond]; Toro [Thomas Raymond]; Sub-Mariner [Prince Namor]; the Nazis (villains, some die)

Synopsis

Torch relates the story of how British soldiers at Dunkirk received help against the Nazis from "some unknown source!"

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)

Indexer Notes

Story Behind the Cover. The Masterworks edition identifies Harry Ramsey as penciler and inker.

[Khor, the Black Sorceror] (Table of Contents: 9)

The Vision / comic story / 5.5 pages (report information)

Script

Jack Kirby ?; Joe Simon ?

Pencils

Jack Kirby; Al Avison ? (see notes)

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

Howard Ferguson

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Vision [Aarkus]; Khor, the Black Sorcerer (villain)

Synopsis

The Vision attempts to save the lives of the crew of the U.S.S. Olympus which vanished in Antarctica.

Reprints

• in Marvel Mystery Comics (Marvel, 1999 series) #1 (December 1999)
• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)
• in Timely's Greatest: The Golden Age Simon & Kirby Omnibus (Marvel, 2019 series) (2019)

Indexer Notes

The Masterworks edition identifies unknown writer, Jack Kirby doing the title page, Al Avison on pencils and an unknown inker. Art credits per Michael J. Vassallo. Previous indexer credited Kirby as sole penciller and Joe Simon on inks.

[Special Offer for readers of Marvel Comics] (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[The Revenge of Sphinx Henchel] (Table of Contents: 11)

The Angel / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Al Gabriele (signed)

Inks

Al Avison (signed); Chu F. Hing; ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Angel [Tom Halloway]; Judge Lind (death); Dr. Van Horn; unnamed district attorney; "Sphinx" Henchel (villain, death); Henchel's gang [Nick; Trigger] (villains)

Synopsis

The Angel investigates a bizarre case in which a grotesque, wild-eyed man crashes into an operating room and prevents the surgeons from saving the life of a judge.

Reprints

• in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics (Marvel, 2004 series) #6 ([September] 2011)

Indexer Notes

The Masterworks edition identifies Chu Hing and an unknown as additional inkers.