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Title
Mystery Men Comics
Date | Number: 2 | Lang: English (en)
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File size 49.63mb consisting of 68 pages | Format: EBook
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   By
Walter Frehm had assisted Will Giould on Red Barry; interesting to see the early-Gould influence on Frehm's Green Mask story.
   By
I started reading Mystery Men Comics because of a reference on the Blue Beetle radio show to which I was listening on another site. Although I had read about Victor Fox ("The King of Comics") in various comic book histories and biographies, I realized I hadn't read any. I didn't really expect to enjoy any of them. But with 68 pages and a wide-range of heroes, this title has proved interesting to me. In #2, I realized again that the Chinese mastermind, Chen Chang, was essentially a simplified version of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu from earlier in the century. Richard Kendall plays the Nayland Smith role and, of course, Chen Chang is the notorious criminal mastermind. I really like the realism of Cecilia Munson's inks. In #1, I had thought that the costume of the Green Mask looked familiar. I suddenly realized it was like that of the early cinematic Zorro. In the first film, it appears that Fairbanks wore a red bandanna and black mask (though both looked black in the bw film), but was apparently all black by 1936's Bold Caballero film. And, although the Green Mask comics feature preceded the Green Hornet comic releases, the idea of an incognito vigilante masquerading as a criminal had already been presented in the Green Hornet radio program of approximately 3 years earlier. I'm glad that the Ray Dexter stories are in the title. They seem to be a more far-fetched (if that's possible) mix of a reverse-John Carter of Mars with E. E. Doc Smith technology. The episode in Mystery Men #2 has a plot inconsistency that bothered me, though. In one full frame, Dexter has to take his glove off to fire his "destroyer ray" gun. Yet, there seems to be no consequence to him on this irradiated planet. I wonder if that will appear later or if it was a plot point for which the author ran out of room in developing the story. When I was reading the "Wing Turner" story in #2, I was initially offended at the characterization of the Mexican dialect used by the (apparently, recurring) villain: "wan more plane," "reed of heem," and "weel show" are just a few. Then, I wondered why the villain was Mexican in the first place. After all, Mexico was, at least, an economic ally in World War II and FDR had that "Good Neighbor Policy." Little had I realized till I read this story and it inspired me to do further research that Mexico had nationalized U.K. and U.S. oil properties (as well as 3 million acres of agricultural land owned by U.S. citizens/corporations) in 1938--one year before this volume was published. Who says comic books aren't educational? (Oh, yeah! That was "Dr." Fredric Wertham and the so-called educators and congressmen of the 1950s.) I'm not sure how I feel about Zanzibar the Magician after reading two installments. Although it seems inspired by the syndicated comic strip that started in 1934, Mandrake the Magician. However, Zanzibar has more magical powers than those of illusion and hypnosis used by Mandrake. The Inspector Bancroft story was nice, but I was curious about the author, penciller, and inker--Art Franklin. The comicbookdb.com listing gives him credit for art in #1, #3, #4, and #5 but ignores his contribution to this issue as apparently author and artist. I noticed that the Blue Beetle's "high-powered car" has evolved in this second episode. And, while looking at the art, I discovered why it looked familiar. Not only did it come out of the Eisner shop, but Chuck "Charles Nicholas" Cuidera was the artist on DC's Blackhawk comics and Hawkman features when I was a kid. I didn't see anything particularly memorable in the Waco Kid story and I was only mildly amused by the fictitious names of Duraguay and Gothland in the D-13 Secret Agent story. I was intrigued by the continuing isolationist message a the conclusion of the latter, though. And I wasn't amused at the "Tonto-speak" of the Indian (not Native American) characters in Captain Denny Scott of the Bengal Lancers. And I couldn't help but wonder why these fisticuff-oriented heroes like Lt. Drake of the Naval Intelligence never seem to have heard of the idea of "back-up." All in all, I was impressed with the package put together for this issue. An anthology title such as this is bound to be uneven, but even with its unevenness, this title was significantly better than I expected.
   By
I don't think the message of the D-13 story was isolationist. It was written several months before the war began, and carried a message against the military aggression of, and any alliance with, "Gothland" a.k.a. Nazi Germany. It was pro-peace, for avoiding war - but by containing Germany, not ignoring it. Bob Powell, who wrote and drew the story, was fervently anti-Nazi.
  
Additional Information
 
NameMystery Men Comics 2 (paper/2fiche) | Published
PublicationPrice: 0.10 USD | Pages: 68 | Frequency: monthly
NotesMYSTERY MEN COMICS. Vol. 1, No. 2, is published monthly by Fox Publications, Inc. Office of publication, 29 Worthington Street, Springfield, Mass. Editorial and Executive offices, 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, N. Y. Entered as second-class matter at the Post Office at Springfield, Mass., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Price 10 cents per copy. Subscription rates: 12 issues in the United States, and its possessions, Mexico, South America, Spain, $1.50. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited material. Copyright, 1939, by Fox Publications, Inc. Contents must not be reproduced without permission. No actual person is named, or delineated in this fiction magazine. The names of all characters that are used are fictitious. Use of a name which is the same as that of any living person is accidental. Printed in the U.S.A.

On sale date from the publication date found in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Part 2, Periodicals, New Series, Volume 34, 1939, Number 3. Class B periodical. Copyright number B 422098. Copyright given to Bruns Publications, Inc.
 
Cover1 page
PencilsLou Fine
InksLou Fine
 
Comic StoryThe Tong War of San Sin / The Green Mask (9 pages)
SynopsisThe Green Mask, alarmed at the Tong wars erupting in Chinatown, seemingly joins forces with the nefarious San Sin in order to find a way to rescue Fong Lee's daughter from his evil clutches.
GenreSuperhero
CharactersThe Green Mask [Michael Shelby]; "News" Blake (reporter); Chu Fan (antique dealer, death); Foo Young (merchant, death); Sing Tew (merchant, death); Fong Lee (former King of Chinatown, introduction); Lotus Lee (Fong Lee's daughter, introduction); San Sin (villain, introduction); Lo Fang (villain, San Sin's henchman, introduction)
PencilsWalter Frehm (signed)
InksWalter Frehm (signed)
 
Comic StoryCrisis on Capris / Rex Dexter (6 pages)
SynopsisA mysterious plague threatens to destroy all life on Earth, and the only cure is radium. But the Earth doesn't have sufficient quantities to deal with the disease. Therefore, Rex and Cynde head to the planet Capris to obtain the valuable material.
GenreScience Fiction
CharactersRex Dexter; Professor Landar; Cynde (spaceship pilot); The Caprisians (villain, monsters, introduction for all, many die)
Script (signed)
PencilsDick Briefer (signed)
InksDick Briefer (signed)
NotesStory time frame is 2000 A.D..
 
Comic StorySo I close this meeting of junior detectives... (2 pages)
SynopsisButch and his pal see easy dough by snatching Billy for ransom.
FeatureBilly Bounce
GenreChildren; Crime
CharactersBilly Bounce; Butch (villain); un-named crook (villain)
Script (signed)
PencilsFred Schwab (signed)
InksFred Schwab (signed)
Notes"Norman Lee" was a pen name according to the Who's Who.
For this story only, the Feature Logo is "Billy Bounce, the Kid Detective".
 
Comic StoryRiver Lily the Pirate / Chen Chang (6 pages)
SynopsisRiver pirate Chang orders his thugs to capture Kendall and take him to the mysterious River Lily aboard the "Dragon Heart".
GenreAdventure; Crime
CharactersRichard Kendall; Chen Chang (villain); Chang's thugs [Wong; rest un-named] (introduction for all); River Lily (villain, introduction)
PencilsMunson Paddock (signed)
InksMunson Paddock (signed)
 
Comic StoryThe Stolen Transport Planes / Wing Turner (3 pages)
SynopsisWing is called in to discover the whereabouts of six missing transport planes.
Pencils? [as Floyd Kelly (byline)]
Inks? [as Floyd Kelly (byline)]
GenreAviation; Detective-mystery
CharactersWing Turner; Senor Zanko (villain, smuggler, introduction); Chico (villain, introduction)
NotesJim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. notes that George Tuska did not draw this story (2009-2-28).
For this story only, the Feature Logo is "Wing Turner, Air Detective".
 
Text ArticleBen Rosenberg
SynopsisDetective Ben Rosenberg tracks down two notorious robbers that have been commiting crimes on Broadway in 1932.
FeatureReal Life Personal Interviews with Famous Detectives
PencilsLee Harris (signed)
InksLee Harris (signed)
GenreNon-fiction; Crime
CharactersBen Rosenberg; Charles "Pal" Palatino (villain); Vincent Ceffelli (villain)
NotesPart text and part spot illustrations.

Harris also signed this feature as "Harris".
 
Comic StoryFamed Statue Missing / Zanzibar (4 pages)
SynopsisZanzibar investigates the theft of the famed statue, the Venus de Milo.
GenreFantasy
CharactersZanzibar; Zeus (introduction); Hercules (introduction); Venus (introduction); Greek warriors (villains)
PencilsGeorge Tuska
InksGeorge Tuska
NotesTuska created this feature.
 
Comic StoryThe Spookington Castle / Hemlock Shomes (4 pages)
SynopsisHemlock and the good doctor visit Spookington Castle in order to try and collect a $10 reward for the return of the kidnapped Mrs. Spookington.
GenreHumor; Detective-mystery
CharactersHemlock Shomes; Dr. Potsam; Dr. Spookington (mention only, introduction); Mrs. Spookington (introduction); un-named criminal (villain, introduction)
Script (signed)
PencilsFred Schwab (signed)
InksFred Schwab (signed)
LettersFred Schwab
NotesLetterer credit by Craig Delich.
 
Text StoryThe Long Arm of Vengeance (2 pages)
SynopsisThe crew of the Falcon spot a derelict or ghost ship off the starboard bow and Barney, Marlin and Clark go aboard to investigate, discovering the corpse of the Captain of that ship......a Captain that promises justice for Marlin.
Pencils? (spot illustrations)
Inks? (spot illustrations)
Letterstypeset
GenreAdventure; Crime
CharactersBarney (seaman); Eban (helmsman); Captain Clark (death); Marlin (villain, 1st Mate, death)
Script
 
Comic StoryWanted: The Waco Kid / Waco Kid (4 pages)
SynopsisAs the Waco Kid rides along, he spots a wanted poster for himself, wanted for bank robbery and murder.
GenreWestern-frontier
CharactersThe Waco Kid; Sheriff Elliot; Killer Barkus (villain); Barkus' gang (villains)
PencilsArt Peddy (signed)
InksArt Peddy (signed)
 
Comic StoryBaron Garza's Plan / Inspector Bancroft (4 pages)
SynopsisBancroft is summoned by letter to a derelict house, to find a dying man who says he was shot by Baron Garza. Investigating, Bancroft discovers the baron and his thugs are behind a gun smuggling racket.
GenreDetective-mystery
CharactersInspector Bancroft; Chief Inspector Grainger; un-named man (death); un-named Customs Officer; Baron Garza (villain, introduction); Garza's thugs (villains, introduction for all)
Script (signed)
PencilsArt Pinajian (signed)
InksArt Pinajian (signed)
NotesArt identification by Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. (2009-2-28).

Script credit suggested by the Who's Who.

For this story only, the Feature Logo is "Inspector Bancroft, Ace Investigator of Scotland Yard".
 
Comic StoryThe Armored Truck Robbery / Blue Beetle (4 pages)
SynopsisA group of thugs rob an armored car of its $80,000 payload and capture the Beetle in the process.
GenreSuperhero
CharactersThe Blue Beetle [Dan Garret]; Mannigin (policeman); Tim (newsboy); un-named chief of police; a group of thugs [Jake; Blackie; rest un-named] (villains)
Script ?
PencilsCharles Nicholas (signed)
InksCharles Nicholas (signed)
NotesBlue Beetle has a costume similar to his official one, but wears no mask.
 
Comic StoryThe Peace Pact Problem / D-13 (6 pages)
SynopsisThe airplane carrying Captain Anthony and Sir Norbert is suddenly attacked by other aircraft and forced to land in Duraguay, a South American country interested in an alliance with Sir Norbert's country. Agents of Gothland hope that the failure of Sir Norbert to appear will lead the Duraguyans signing a treaty with Gothland.
GenreSpy
CharactersD-13 [Captain Richard Anthony]; Sir Norbert Chandler (European Statesman, introduction); un-named King of Duraguay (introduction); Von Wenger (villain, introduction); Hans (villain, introduction)
Script (signed)
PencilsBob Powell (signed)
InksBob Powell (signed)
NotesScript credit from Craig Delich.
 
Comic StoryThe Trap of Sula Khan / Denny Scott (4 pages)
SynopsisCaptain Scott and James enter the town of Gulam, unaware that a sinister figure named Kahn and his men are out to kidnap the boy.
GenreAdventure
CharactersCaptain Denny Scott; James (young boy); Doctor Ellis (mention only, death); Sula Kahn (villain, a slave dealer); Afanga (villain)
PencilsJohn Lindermayer (signed)
InksJohn Lindermayer (signed)
NotesArt credits suggested by the Who's Who.
For this story only, the Feature Logo is "Captain Denny Scott of the Bengal Lancers".
 
Comic StoryThe Alien Smugglers / Lt. Drake (5 pages)
SynopsisLt. Drake is put onto a case involving the smuggling of oriental aliens into San Francisco, and he discovers that the aliens are being sewn into large fish to avoid detection.
GenreAdventure; Military
CharactersLt. Drake; un-named whaler captain (villain); whaler's crew (villains)
Script (signed)
PencilsKlaus Nordling (signed)
InksKlaus Nordling (signed)
NotesScript credit from Craig Delich.
 
The data in the additional content section is courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under a Creative Commons Attribution License. More details about this comic may be available in their page here
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