Mystic Comics #1-4

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Mystic Comics #1-4

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MYSTIC COMICS #1 (March 1940)
By Will Harr & Jack Binder

APPEARANCES:
Flexo the Rubber Man (robot made of Rubber), Dr. Joel Williams, Dr. Joshua Williams, Beezle & other gangsters, Dr. Murdo, police

SYNOPSIS:
Drs. Williams want to use radium to experiment on their rubber man, but gangsters steal it from them. The Williams brothers activate Flexo to beat up the gangsters and their boss Dr. Murdo. The radium is returned to the hospital and the gangsters are arrested.

2nd Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Blue Blaze (Spencer Keen, also in fb), Dr. Keen (Blue Blaze’s father, in fb), Butch, Killer Skehan, other gangsters, Prof. Maluski, zombies

FLASHBACK:
1852: Spencer Keen prepares to go to a costume party at the college, but his father wants to show him the Blue Blaze first. Dr. Keen has discovered the Blue Blaze can reanimate the dead and amplify their strength. Suddenly, a tornado destroys the college and pretty much everyone dies, but Spencer is doused by the Blue Blaze and isn’t really dead, but is buried anyway. Over the next 88 years his strength is amplified (and is somehow aware of what’s going on in the world, generally) and he eventually digs himself out of his grave in 1940.
SYNOPSIS:
1940: Spencer Keen emerges from his grave to find two gangsters digging up corpses. He demands to know who’s in charge and eventually meets Prof. Maluski. Maluski employed gangsters to dig up corpses so he could turn them into an army of zombies, he would then use his advanced weaponry and the zombie army to kill the gangsters and take over the world. Blue Blaze destroys Maluski’s equipment; he loses control of the zombies and they revolt. Blue Blaze escapes as the compound explodes, killing everyone.

NOTE:
Blue Blaze/Spencer Keen is from a small college town somewhere “out West.”

3rd Story:
Joe Cal Cagno & Fred Schwartz

APPEARANCES:
Zephyr Jones, Corky Grogan, Prof. Reagan Lexico, Tasi Lexico, Cygnian dwarfs, police, bystanders
SYNOPSIS:
Zephyr Jones and his co-pilot Cory Grogan prepare to fly to Mars, but they’re hijacked by Prof. Reagan Luxico and his daughter Tasi; they want Zehyr to take them to Cygni instead, so he can get some stardust and cure all diseases in the world (it’s better than radium!). They get there, fight some native dwarfs and the professor gets fifty pounds of the stuff.

NOTE:
Zephyr and Corky previously appeared in DARMC 2, but only Zephyr is currently listed.

4th Story:
Robert O. Erisman & Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Maisie Leeds, Carol Carson, Ted (Maisie’s fiancé), 1X, 2X, 3X, Green Terror & his thugs, police, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Another person is kidnapped off the street, so the 3 X’s are called in to crack the case. They discover that the Green Terror is abducting people to drain their blood so he can be immortal. They beat up the Green Terror and hand him and his goons over to the cops.

NOTE:
1X is the detective, 2X is the smart one and 3X is the strong one.

Followed by a text story about Tex Carr.

5th Story:
Norman Daniels & Fred Guardineer

NOTE:
This story is a reprint (and part of a serial). The original seen in Funny Pages v2 #2 (Ultem Publications, 1937) and later Amazing Mystery Funnies v2 #5 (Centaur Group, 1939).

6th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Dakor the Magician, Williams (Dakor’s assistant), John Hargate, George Hargate, Tom Denver, French Foreign Legion, Tuaregs, Chinese bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Dakor is hired to find Tom Denver, who killed John Hargate and stole the Blooded Ruby. Dakor tracks Tom down to the French Foreign Legion, gets the ruby and returns it to China, impressing the heck out of EVERYONE HE MEETS. He’s then paid $50,000 by George Hargate.

7th Story:
By Daniel Peters

APPEARANCES:
Dynamic Man (Curt Cowan), Prof. Goettler, FBI agents (inc chief Hopkins), King Bascom & his hired lackeys, a Nazi official

SYNOPSIS:
Prof. Goettler creates Dynamic Man but died from a heart attack as Dynamic Man awakes. Taking he name Curt Cowan, Dynamic Man joins the FBI. Investigating a case, Dymanic Man discover that rich banker King Bascom is forcing farmers off their land so he can have a monopoly on farmland. Dynamic Man also learns that Bascom is working with the Nazis. He foils their plot and calls the police. Back at FBI headquarters, he claims ignorance of the developments.

MYSTIC COMICS #2 (April 1940)
By Arnold Lorne Hicks

APPEARANCES:
Master Mind Excello (Earl Everett), Dr. Marko, Axis spies (inc Fritz, Kadash), police

SYNOPSIS:
Master Mind Excello finds and defeats some spies planning to destroy American cities.

NOTE:
He’s supposed to just be really smart, but what he does can really only be explained as telepathic and clairvoyant.

2nd Story:
Jack Binder

APPEARANCES:
Flexo, Dr. Joel Williams, Dr. Joshua Williams, Axis spies

SYNOPSIS:
Drs. Williams finish a secret torpedo propeller for the American government, but it’s stolen by spies. They activate Flexo to get it back. Also, Flexo kills the spies.

3rd Story:
Gus Ricca

APPEARANCES:
Dynamic Man, Dr. Vee, FBI agents (inc chief Hopkins), saboteurs

SYNOPSIS:
Dynamic Man stops some saboteurs from blowing up bridges and trains, then lets the police round them up.

4th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Bob Raleigh, Nibbs, other Space Rangers, Black Hawk & his daughters, Mercurians

SYNOPSIS:
In the year 2300, the Space Rangers police planetary travel. They’re sent after Black Hawk (who lives on an asteroid near Mercury), who has been raiding Plinium Ore (it’s just as good as radium!) in a quest to control the heavens. They eventually kill Black Hawk with his daughter’s help.

NOTE:
Cripes, this is what, the third time in two issues that they’ve mentioned how great radium is?

5th Story:
By Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Blue Blaze, miners, Barko & his henchmen

SYNOPSIS:
Blue Blaze investigates collapsing mines, discovering an inventor (Barko) is sabotaging mines in order to sell his new safety devices.

NOTE:
Blue Blaze now has a hidden mountain retreat and a super charged speedster. The guy’s been legally dead for 88 years… where did he get the money for all of this?

Followed by “Murderer’s Mistake” text story.

6th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Jim ‘Taxi’ Taylor, US government agents, German spies

SYNOPSIS:
Taxi Taylor tries to donate his newly finished fancy transforming taxi to the US government so they can use it against their enemies. They laugh him off, so he decides to use it himself. He picks up fares, and when they turn out to be spies and saboteurs, he defeats them and hands them over to the authorities.

7th Story:
By Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Invisible Man (Dr. Gade), Sporvan, Wymac, a hired assassin, police

SYNOPSIS:
Dr. Gade is experimenting with chemicals when an assassin suddenly shoves him into a furnace. Gade is surprised when the flames don’t burn him, and he discovers he can turn invisible and walk through walls. He follows the assassin and learns he was hired by some rich jerks who didn’t want Gade improving people’s lives through science, because they wanted cheap labor. He kills the assassin then tricks the richies into murdering each other, baffling the police.

8th Story:
By Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Zara (also in fb) & her father (in fb), Capt. Jeff Graves, George, Bwana Gombo, jungle natives

FLASHBACK:
Zara is raised in the jungle by her father. When he dies, she decides to stay in the jungle.
SYNOPSIS:
Capt. Jeff Graves and his pal George want to stop local tribes from fighting each other, so they head into the jungle. He quickly captured and learns that wanted murderer Bwana Gombo has tricked the natives into battling each other, and he plans to rule whoever’s left. Zara arrives, helps Graves escape and they capture Gombo. Graves explains to the chiefs that Gombo tricked them, and he’ll take Gombo to the authorities.

9th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Dakor, Williams, Maj. Sutton, Chinese bandits & bystanders, Murdock

SYNOPSIS:
British Consul Murdock has been captured by Chinese bandits, so Dakor goes in to rescue him while gaining the respect of EVERYONE HE MEETS.

MYSTIC COMICS #3 (June 1940)
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Blue Blaze, Dr. Gair (racketeer), Star-Gazer, Star-Monster

SYNOPSIS:
Racketeer Dr. Gair instructs the Star-Gazer to take care of that pesky Blue Blaze. The Star-Gazer uses starlight and chemicals to create the Star-Monster, which is quickly defeated by Blue Blaze’s MASTERY OF SCIENCE (he covers the thing in lead). Blue Blaze then kills the Star-Gazer and Dr. Gair.

NOTE:
Blue Blaze now has a fancy laboratory in the city.

2nd Story:
By Arnold Lorne Hicks

APPEARANCES:
Hercules (David) & his father (Dr. David), Millok, Garton, Bobbie Drew, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Dr. David raises his son in the Arctic to be a perfect physical and mental specimen. Eventually, Dr. David dies (and his son is something like eleven feet tall). Some circus owners hear rumors of a giant living in the Arctic, so they go out and capture him, name him Hercules and put him to work in their circus until Bobbie Drew (a reporter) asks how much he’s getting paid (he’s not). Suddenly, a bull attacks, so Hercules kills it. Worried that Hercules will leave the circus, the owners shoot at Hercules. He beats them up and leaves with Bobbie. Suddenly, a dam breaks, so Hercules saves a town from drowning. Bobbie shows Hercules a newspaper and Hercules wonders if he can do something about protection rackets.

3rd Story:
By E.C. Stoner

APPEARANCES:
Flexo, Dr. Joel Williams, Dr. Joshua Williams, Iron Duke, arsonists, police, firemen, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
The Iron Duke is burning down apartment buildings to get insurance money. Drs. Williams activate Flexo to beat the crap out of Iron Duck and his men.

4th Story:
By Arnold Lorne Hicks

APPEARANCES:
Bob Raleigh, Nibbs, other Space Rangers, Carl Formes & his henchmen

SYNOPSIS:
In the year 2300, Carl Formes (on the planet Glakor) is stealing space ships from New York, so Space Rangers Bob Raleigh and Nibbs are sent in to take care of business. They blow up Formes’ base, killing him and his men.

5th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Master Mind Excello, Borovich & his Russian saboteurs (inc Otto & Fritz), police, Naval Intelligence, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Master Mind Excello stops some saboteurs from destroying major railroad and subway lines. Yay!

NOTE:
Followed by “Thieves Retribution” text story.

6th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Dakor, Lord Twisdon, Anna Twisdon, Balus & his Nordus

SYNOPSIS:
Dakor’s friend’s daughter is abducted by natives, so Dakor goes to rescue her. She’s been hypnotized to be their queen, so Dakor snaps her out of it and leaves a statue for the natives to worship.

7th Story:
By Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Zara, Jeff Graves, slave traders, natives

SYNOPSIS:
Jeff Graves wants to break up a slave trade ring, but doesn’t want Zara’s help because she’s just a stupid girl. She saves his life three different times and defeats the slave traders. Jeff can’t comprehend how she did it.

8th Story:
By Gus Ricca

APPEARANCES:
Dynamic Man, Hood (Willard Thomas, banker) & his thugs, Lamont Lewis (banker), Harold Wallace (banker, corpse), FBI agents (inc Chief Hopkins), police, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Bankers are being murdered! Dynamic Man investigates and discovers one banker is killing the others, because he’s a greedy bastard.

9th Story:
By Alfred H. Newton

APPEARANCES:
Invisible Man, Deadpan Louie & his grave robbing gangsters, cemetery watchman, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
The Invisible Man investigates recent grave robbings and learns gangsters are doing it. He fakes his death, and when they dig up his casket he leap out and defeats them.

MYSTIC COMICS #4 (July/August 1940)
By Harry & Douglas

APPEARANCES:
Blue Blaze, Dr. Vortex & his henchmen (inc Lor, Weasel, Lara), Sen. Coyne, other senators

SYNOPSIS:
Blue Blaze stops two countries from getting into a war by killing Dr. Vortex.

2nd Story:
By Malcolm Kildale

APPEARANCES:
Hercules, Lemo & his henchmen, circus performers & attendees

SYNOPSIS:
Hercules (in a circus again, I guess he’s getting paid this time) saves a bunch of peope when the main tent collapses. Investigating the cause, he finds that Lemo has invented an underground tank that causes localized earthquakes. Hercules kills Lemo and all his men.

NOTE:
Franklin Delano Roosevelt appears on the cover, but not in this story.

3rd Story:
By Klaus Nordling

APPEARANCES:
Thin Man (Bruce Dickson), Olalla & other members of Kalahia, various criminals (inc Clip Walton), police & bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Explorer and scientist Bruce Dickson climbs the Himalayas and finds a hidden utopian city, but passes out. When he awakens he finds the city’s inhabitants have operated on him, allowing him to thin his body out. Eventually Bruce grows bored and wants to return to the outside world. At first they say no, but he explains there’s evil in the world to fight so they agree. Accompanied by Olalla, Thin Man fights crime.

NOTE:
Again, radium is mentioned.

4th Story:
By Bill O’Connor & Ben Flinton

APPEARANCES:
Flexo, Dr. Joel Williams, Dr. Joshua Williams, Prof. Winston (also in fb), a dictator, his secretary & his agents

FLASHBACK:
An enemy agent wants Prof. Winston’s secret formula, but he won’t sell. So, he steals it.
SYNOPSIS:
Prof. Winston goes to the Drs. Williams and asks for their help in getting his formula back. They activate Flexo and topple a dictatorship to get it back.

5th Story:
By George Kapitan & Harry Sahle

APPEARANCES:
Black Widow (Claire Voyant), James Wagler, Patricia Wagler, Mrs. Wagler, Satan, police

SYNOPSIS:
Claire Voyant helps a family contact a dead relative, but they’re unhappy with the results. Enraged at their lack of gratitude, Claire places the curse of Satan on them. Two of the three die in a car crash on the way home. The survivor returns and murders Claire. Satan brings Claire to hell and empowers her as the Black Widow. She enacts revenge and kills her murderer. Satan gives her a mission of bringing wicked and corrupt souls to him.

6th Story:
By George Harrison

APPEARANCES:
Invisible Man, Janet Wayne (corpse), Mary, Fatty & his thugs (inc Slade), police

SYNOPSIS:
Famous actress Janet Wayne has drowned and the police declare it suicide. Suspicious, Invisible Man follows the group who identified her and quickly learns Fatty murdered her. Invisible Man kills the criminals.

NOTE:
Invisible Man now has to press a button on his belt to turn invisible.

Followed by a “Devil-God” text story.

7th Story:
By Russ Lanford

APPEARANCES:
Merzah the Mystic, Diana (Merzah’s asst.), Jose (Merzah’s driver), Communist agents (inc Ivan, Nasaki, Matsu, Togo), bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Communist spies wreck a train in an attempt to kill Merzah. When it doesn’t work, they lure Merzah to them and abduct him. Merzah’s friends help free him, and they kill the agents.

8th Story:
By ???

APPEARANCES:
Dynamic Man, Prof. Monte & his jewel thieves, chief Hopkins, Prentiss, bystanders

SYNOPSIS:
Dynamic Man investigates jewel thieves who only steal gold. He discovers Prof. Monte has built a blimp with magnets that only attract gold, but is too late to stop them from robbing Fort Knox. He blows up the blimp, killing the villains.

NOTE:
Followed by an activities page.

For the Key:
MYSC2 - MYSTIC COMICS vol. 2 - 1944-1945

Chronologies!

1X
MYSC 1/4

2X
MYSC 1/4

3X
MYSC 1/4

BLACK WIDOW/CLAIRE VOYANT
*TWELVE 8 (2:4 - 6)-FB
{MYSC 4/5}
*TWELVE 8 (7)-FB
MYSC 5/5
……

BLUE BLAZE/SPENCER KEEN
MYSC 1/2-FB
MYSC 1/2
MYSC 2/5
MYSC 3
MYSC 4

DAKOR
MYSC 1/6
MYSC 2/9
MYSC 3/6

DAVID, DR.
MYSC 3/2

DESTROYER II/BRIAN FALSWORTH/"KEEN MARLOW"
INV 19-FB
**{MYSC 1} (delete)
*{MYSC 6}
USAC70A
ALLWC 2/3
……

DYNAMIC MAN/CURT COWAN
*MYSC 1/7 (1 - 3:1)
*TWELVE 10 (11:1 - 11:2)-FB
*MYSC 1/7 (3:2 - 3:2)
*TWELVE 10 (11:3 - 11:4)-FB
*MYSC 1/7 (3:3 - 3:4)
*TWELVE 10 (11:5 - 11:6)-FB
*MYSC 1/7 (3:5 - 11)
MYSC 2/3
MYSC 3/8
MYSC 4/8
TWELVE:SH
……

FLEXO
MYSC 1
MYSC 2/2
MYSC 3/3
MYSC 4/4

GOETTLER, PROF. SIMON
TWELVE 10 (9:1 - 9:3)-FB
{MYSC 1/7 (1 - 3:1)}
TWELVE 10 (11:1 - 11:2)-FB
MYSC 1/7 (3:2 - 3:2)
TWELVE 10 (11:3 - 11:4)-FB
MYSC 1/7 (3:3 - 3:4)
TWELVE 10 (11:5 - 11:6)-FB

GRAVES, CAPT. JEFF
MYSC 2/8
MYSC 3/7

GREEN TERROR
MYSC 1/4

GROGAN, CORKY
DARMC 2
MYSC 1/3

*HERCULES II/DAVID (change name to HERCULES IV/VAREN DAVID)
MYSC 3/2
MYSC 4/2

*HERCULES III (renumber to be the second)
DARMC 6

*HERCULES IV (renumber to be the third)
USAC 7/3

HOOD/WILLARD THOMAS
MYSC 3/8

*HOOD (renumber to be the second)
ALLWC 1/2

*HOOD II/BARON STRUCKER LMD (renumber to be the third)
See Baron Strucker LMD

*HOOD III/PARKER ROBBINS (renumber to be the fourth)
HOOD 1
……

HOPKINS
MYSC 1/7
MYSC 2/3
MYSC 3/8
MYSC 4/8

HUMAN TORCH/JIM HAMMOND
……
CA5 3-FB
**[MYSC 1/2] (delete)
*[MYSC2 1/2]
**[MYSC 2/2] (delete)
*[MYSC2 2/2]
[HTC 17]
……

*INVISIBLE MAN/DR. WILLIAM D. GADE
MYSC 2/7
*MYSC 3/9
*MYSC 4/6
ALLWS:BH 2-FB
……

IRON DUKE
MYSC 3/3

JONES, ZEPHYR
DARMC 2
*MYSC 1/3

KEEN, DR.
MYSC 1/2-FB

MASTER MIND EXCELLO/EARL EVERETT
TWELVE 12-FB
{MYSC 2}
MYSC 3/5
TWELVE:SH
……

MERZAH
**[MYSC 4] (delete)
*MYSC 4/7
ALLWS:BH 2-FB
……

OLALLA
**MYSC 4 (delete)
*MYSC 4/3
M/PRM 29

SATAN/"MARDUK KURIOS"
SAVSCO 19/2-BTS
*TWELVE 8-FB
*{MYSC 4/5}
[M/MC 34/6]
CAC 21/3
[ALLWC 8]
ST 8/3
……

TAYLOR, JIM "TAXI"
MYSC 2/6
ALLWS:BH 2-FB
……

THIN MAN/BRUCE DICKSON
**MYSC 4 (delete)
*MYSC 4/3
M/PROJECT 5
……

TORO/TOM RAYMOND
……
YALLIESC70A-FB
**[MYSC 1/2] (delete)
*[MYSC2 1/2]
[M/MC 60]
……

WILLIAMS
MYSC 1/6
MYSC 2/9

WILLIAMS, DR. JOEL
MYSC 1
MYSC 2/2
MYSC 3/3
MYSC 4/4

WILLIAMS, DR. JOSHUA
MYSC 1
MYSC 2/2
MYSC 3/3
MYSC 4/4

ZARA
MYSC 2/8-FB
MYSC 2/8
MYSC 3/7

EARTH-4096

BLACK HAWK | EARTH-4096
MYSC 2/4

RALEIGH, BOB | EARTH-4096
MYSC 2/4
MYSC 3/4

NIBBS | EARTH-4096
MYSC 2/4
MYSC 3/4
-Daron Jensen
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Re: Mystic Comics #1-4

Post by vanhornluke »

Col_Fury wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 3:45 am
5th Story:
Norman Daniels & Fred Guardineer

NOTE:
This story is a reprint (and part of a serial). The original seen in Funny Pages v2 #2 (Ultem Publications, 1937) and later Amazing Mystery Funnies v2 #5 (Centaur Group, 1939).
So? The handbooks make clear Dave Dean is a 616 character.
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Re: Mystic Comics #1-4

Post by Somebody »

Col_Fury wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 3:45 am 4th Story:
[...]
Followed by a text story about Tex Carr.

5th Story:
Wait, don't we count text stories in story numbering?
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Re: Mystic Comics #1-4

Post by vanhornluke »

I've wondered about that, too. Leaving them out of the numbering is misleading, especially when many of them feature 616 appearances of characters like Cap, Namor, etc.
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Re: Mystic Comics #1-4

Post by Col_Fury »

My understanding is that text stories have always been considered extras like activity pages or letters pages, etc. They're bonuses, not "stories" if you get the difference (yes, they're stories, but you know what I mean. I hope).

The MCP hasn't included any text stories that I'm aware of, but if we ever got around to it I'd imagine they'd be listed like

MYSC 3/TEXT

or something like that, so it wouldn't affect story numbering.

As I understand it, at least. :wink:
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Re: Mystic Comics #1-4

Post by vanhornluke »

Col_Fury wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:20 pm My understanding is that text stories have always been considered extras like activity pages or letters pages, etc. They're bonuses, not "stories" if you get the difference (yes, they're stories, but you know what I mean. I hope).

The MCP hasn't included any text stories that I'm aware of, but if we ever got around to it I'd imagine they'd be listed like

MYSC 3/TEXT

or something like that, so it wouldn't affect story numbering.

As I understand it, at least. :wink:
I'm definitely of the opinion that text stories should be analyzed and included. It just seems wrong to classify them as "extras" like activity pages, since activity pages aren't canonical, whereas the text stories are. It seems to be a weird prejudice to exclude stories within the comics themselves (not external stuff like novels).
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