Marvel Mystery Comics #73

Jul 18

Jul 18 Marvel Mystery Comics #73

Killer Boss of Westport

In the town of Westport, Judge Landers gathers a group of supporters who want to iron out corruption in the city that is run by mobster Dan Grogan who has influenced juries in order to keep his men out of prison. All gathered agree and they decide to have Westport Time's editor Jeff Gravis to write editorials speaking out against Dan Grogan. However, after all the members of the gathering leave, one mysterious member puts a call into Dan Grogan warning him of what transpired, Grogan orders the elimination of Judge Landers. Later that night, one of Grogan's men plants a bomb at Landers' home, killing the judge.

The next morning when the crusaders learn of Landers' death, they decide that they need the help of the Human Torch and Toro. They place a call to the heroes at their home in New York City, and they agree to come out to Westport to help clean up the town. When they arrive, the Torch and Toro meet with Jeff Gravis who tells them that their best bet at getting at Dan Grogan is to go after his minion Ted Lamp, who could talk under pressure, the two heroes are then suggested to stay at the Royal Arms Hotel.

That night as the Torch and Toro settle in their rooms they get a call from Tony Lamp who asks to see them, willing to spill everything they need to capture Dan Grogan. When they arrive at the meeting place they find that someone has murdered Tony and they just narrowly avoid getting blown up by a hidden time bomb. Searching the wreckage of the explosion the Torch and Toro find the galley proof of the days newspaper, tipping the Torch off as to who the killer really is. After making a phone call, the Torch and Toro race off to Grogan's headquarters.

There, Grogan is tipped off that the Torch and Toro are on their way and has his men prepare for their arrival by setting up a bomb at the back entrance. However, when the Torch and Toro arrive the Torch suspects a trap and finds the bomb. Storming the house they are in a brief fight with Grogan who flees the scene, but is killed in an explosion when he accidentally sets off the trap he set for the Torch and Toro.

Knowing who the mastermind that used Grogan as a puppet, the Torch and Toro rush to the newspaper and apprehend Jeff Gravis, who confesses to his crimes and is turned over to the police.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Toro

Politicians' Plunder

The Sub-Mariner swims into a water-side town where there is a celebration going on for the newly elected mayor Mrs. Marshall. Walking among the townspeople, he hears their hopes that she can solve the corruption that is rampant in the city. To his surprise, Namor finds that Betty Dean (decked out in a luminescent necklace) is there to cover the story for her paper. She explains that the town is rife with a gambling operation which the District Attorney is deeply involved in, but the courts have no evidence.

Their conversation is interrupted by a photographer named Raymonde who offers to take the pairs picture. They refuse, and Namor then points out a massive ship that is picture perfect. Raymonde tells them that the yacht is owned by local millionaire Dan Walters and that he took a photo of two men leaving the ship earlier that day. Suddenly, the ship explodes prompting Namor to dive into the water to find survivors. Namor pulls one of the crew out of the water. Mortally wounded, the man tells Namor that he saw the D.A. Barney Benson arguing with Walters before the accident and then dies. Namor then searches for Walter's body, and finds it among the wreckage. He finds that there is a unique triangular shaped cut on his face and also the remains of a time bomb proving that foul play was involved.

Realizing that Raymonde may have photographed the D.A. leaving the ship, they pay a visit to his photography studio and asks to see his photo of Walter's ship. Raymonde tells them that the man he saw leaving the boat was Bensen however it will take 45 minutes to develop his photograph. Namor leaves Betty with Raymonde while he goes to look for the D.A. After Namor leaves a gang of thugs suddenly appear at the photography studio and take both Raymonde and Betty prisoner.

Meanwhile, Namor goes looking through the D.A.'s files and is shot at by Bensen himself who has come into the office with Mayor Marshall. Namor explains that he has evidence that will prove that Bensen is involved in the gambling rackets in town at the photo studio and the mayor agrees to give Namor the chance to prove himself. However, when they find the studio empty, the mayor orders Namor's arrest. Namor however manages to flee into the water and begins trying to find a trace of Betty and Raymonde. Meanwhile, aboard a yacht, Betty and Raymonde are locked below deck. Betty, hoping to lead Namor to the gangs location begins dropping her glowing beads out of the rooms porthole. Soon, Namor finds the trail of beads and follows them to the location of the gangs hideout.

There Bensen and his gang gather and are about to eliminate Betty and Raymonde when Namor attacks. When the fight is over, the mayor arrives with the police, telling them that she believed Namor the whole time and had Bensen followed. When Bensen attempts to escape Raymonde punches him out. Seeing that the blow put a similar triangular mark on Bensen's face -- thanks to Raymonde's ring -- Namor realizes that he was the one responsible for planting the bomb on Walters' boat. With the caper over, Bensen and his men are all arrested. Before the mayor can thank Namor for his help he returns to the open sea.

Recurring Characters

Sub-Mariner, Betty Dean

The Ghoul of the 13th Floor

Madeline Joyce is seeking a hotel for the night and chooses the nicer of the two hotels. When she learns that the only floor with rooms available is the 13th floor, she accepts a room. In the elevator she is warned by the bellhop that the floor is haunted ever since a murder happened there, but the patrons going to that floor dismiss it as superstition.

That night, a cowled figure calling himself the Ghoul appears on the 13th floor and breaks into one of the rooms. The patrons screams awaken Madeline who changes into Miss America and barges into the room too late to stop the Ghoul from killing the guest inside. Knocking the killer out into the hallway, Miss America fails to stop him from running into an unoccupied room and seemingly vanish into thin air. When examining the body of the dead man, Miss America and the other guests and hotel staff realize that he had been robbed of his ring.

Miss America agrees to guard the floor for the rest of the night to insure that nothing happens to any of the other guests. Later that night, Miss America hears another scream and rescues a woman who is thrown out her window by the Ghoul. Catching the woman she learns that he Ghoul had stolen her diamond ring. With this second attack, some of the guests of the hotel begin to leave.

Miss America decides to set a trap for the Ghoul and resumes her civilian guise and puts on a ring to try and entice the killer to come out. Sure enough the Ghoul breaks into Madeline's room and fights her for the ring. Turning off the light, she changes into Miss America and fights off the Ghoul who jumps out the window. Looking out, she sees that the killer leapt into the hotel next door.

There she confronts the owner Joshua Crown about the killer being in his hotel. The owner suspects that it is a man in room number 25. He brings Miss America up there and reveals the hiding spot of the stolen look and Ghoul costume to the shocked guest. However, Miss America, seeing a bruise on Crown's face from her ring nabs him instead and turns him over to the authorities, informing them that Crown created the Ghoul to drive his competition out of business.

Recurring Characters

Miss America

The Case of the Gagging Gangsters

At the offices of the Chronicle, Jeff Mace and Mary Morgan are put in charge of a charity seeking to collect $50,000 for needy children. With $10,000 left to collect and most of the local millionaires already tapped for donations, Jeff tries one last millionaire: practical joker Bandy Cole. However, when he calls Cole, he refuses to donate the money because he is "too busy" and hangs up on him.

When Mary tells Jeff that Cole throws parties often to play practical jokes on the guests, Jeff gets an idea. Rushing to the party as the Patriot, Jeff collects money from the wealthy patrons, who assume that this is all part of Cole's evening joke making. However, the party is soon interrupted by a gang of thugs who rob the party, including the charity money collected by the Patriot. With the party goers threatening to sue Cole, the Patriot agrees to help him recover the stolen money.

Going to the police station to review crime files, he recognizes one of the robbers as Whitey Blake and learns the location of his hideout. He then crashes in on them and easily rounds up the gang and recovers the stolen loot. With the stolen money recovered, a grateful Bandy Cole donates $20,000 to the charity.

Recurring Characters

Patriot, Mary Morgan

The Missing Weapon

Newspaper boy Jimmy Fisk is approached by a man named Dan who offers him a job that will make him more money than a paperboy. Seeking to help out his sister who raises him by earning more money, Jimmy eagerly accepts the job. The man tells Jimmy to wait outside a nearby warehouse and whistle if he sees anyone, telling the boy that he is playing a joke on a friend. However, inside Dan is really robbing the warehouse's payroll. Caught by the night watchman, Dan shoots him in cold blood and flees the scene of the crime.

A rushing police officer arrives and catches Jimmy at the scene and arrests him for the murder of the night watchman. Interrogated, Jimmy tells the police everything he knows, but without a murder weapon they do not believe him. Watching over the interrogation and believing that Jimmy is telling the truth is the Angel who decides to get to the bottom of the mystery.

First, the Angel pays a visit to Jimmy's sister who tells him that he has been a law abiding criminal and that she has been looking after him since their parents died. The Angel promises to clear Jimmy's name and the pair go to the scene of the crime to look for clues. The Angel then finds the diamond to a cuff link pin and believes that it belongs to the real killer.

The Angel then pays a visit to Dan, who refuses to talk to him after being interrogated and cleared by the police. The Angel then crashes in and demands to see his cuff link pins. Dan tries to fight back, but the Angel changes into his costume and defends himself. However, Dan's friend Tom arrives and knocks out the hero from behind and they dump him out the apartment window to the street below.

Meanwhile, Jimmy's sister beings to worry and goes to visit her brother in jail who fears that he will be given the electric chair. She then goes to talk to the chief of police who tells her that the bullet was fired from a .45 calibre gun, and that without it they cannot prove her brothers innocence. Going out to find the Angel, she finds him knocked out on the street and revives him. He climbs back up into Dan's apartment, telling Mary to wait for him in the garage. Inside, the Angel finds the other piece of the pin, proving that Dan is responsible for shooting the night watchman. However, Dan and Tom return to their apartment and attack the hero again. They knock out the Angel and flee the scene to dispose of the murder weapon.

Reviving, the Angel and Mary hop onto the back of the crooks car and follow them out of town where they attempt to bury the gun. The Angel quickly subdues Dan and Tom while Mary recovers the murder weapon. Turning the evidence and Dan and Tom over to the police, the Angel clears Jimmy's name and he is released from jail.