Spy Fighters 1-5 (1951)

[StrayLamb]

SPY FIGHTERS 1 (MARCH 1951)

Story 1: “The Snake of Saigon”

Characters: Federal Agent Clark Mason (also as “Conrad Gorham”); Capt. Roberts; Police Commissioner; Mr. Lamb; his secretary; Tom; a doctor; other agents; Vicki Chase (also as “Tiger Lily Gorham”); Snake of Saigon/Dave Gorham/“Vo Linh”; his bodyguards & servants; Flame LeSeur; members of the Viet Minh

Synopsis: Police Detective Clark Mason is seconded into Spy Fighters, where he undergoes months of rigorous training. Mason is teamed up with Vicki Chase, formerly a WAC Lieutenant, who has undergone substantially the same training as Mason.

Posing a pair of newlyweds, they are sent to search for missing Spy Fighter Dave Gorham, and also to seek out the Snake of Saigon, the evil genius behind the Red master-plan for the conquest of Indo-China. Mason and Vicki are met in Saigon by Vo Linh, who insists they stay at his place in the suburbs. After dinner, Vo takes them to see Flame LeSeur, a dancer at the Pearl of the East with whom Gorham was apparently in love. On the way, they’re intercepted by members of the Viet-Minh, but Mason quickly dispatches them. Mason and Vicki feign a lovers quarrel, and Vicki has Vo drive her home, leaving Mason to work on Flame, who shows him around Saigon. When they’re alone, Flame signals her men to kill him, but Mason quickly grabs her, and uses her as a shield. Flame tells her men to stand down, but they shoot her. Hearing the men say they have to get his wife, Mason waves down a French Viet Nam patrol car, and they reach Vo’s house to find that Vicki had already dispatched the assassins. Suspicious of Vo, Mason and Vicki decide to trick him into taking them to Gorham.

Mason, Vicki and Vo spend a night and a day in the jungle on a tiger hunt, when he reveals himself to be the Snake of Saigon, and Dave Gorham in disguise. The French Viet Nam force, having been tipped off by Mason, open fire on Gorham’s men, but Gorham is killed by a tiger. Mission acomplished, Vicki kisses Mason.


Text Story: “Wanted: A Clue”


Story 2: “The Secret of Comrade Petrov”

Characters: Comrade Petrov; Ander (also as “Lt. Andreyew”); Colonel Orloff; Nina Petrov; Soviet Soldiers; members of Unit 28

Synopsis: Colonel Orloff interrogates Comrade Petrov and threatens to torture his wife, Nina. Petrov asks for two hours to collects his thoughts, and Lt Andreyew escorts him back to his cell, but when he leads him down the wrong corridor, Petrov fears for his life, and offers to return to Orloff and spill what he knows about American counter-espionage. When Andreyew tells him he knows what he can tell, and that he’d be better off dead, Petrov suddenly recognizes him as Ander, who tells him the fate of the entire Spy Fighter organization in Moscow depends upon sealing his lips. Petrov explains that Orloff threatened to torture and kill his wife if he didn’t inform on Unit 28 of the Spy Fighters. Ander tells him that Nina works for Orloff, and takes Petrov where he can see Nina in Orloff’s arms. Petrov gets Ander to return him to Orloff, explaining that he will give him false information, that will keep Unit 28 safe, but asks him not to reveal his secret until a year has passed.

A week later, at a secret meeting of Unit 28, Ander keeps silent as they learn that Petrov has been executed, believing him to be a traitor.


Story 3: “Design for Death”

Characters: Baron Ivan Groza; Dmitri; Mademoiselle Suzanne; Ted, an American Lieutenant; Lenore; Mademoiselle Magda Le Cour; Club Patrons & Staff; Groza’s Henchmen; Lisbon police

Synopsis: At a club in Lisbon, Baron Groza, Magda Le Cour and Dmitri watch dressmaker Suzanne dancing with Ted, an American Lieutenant. When she learns all she can from him, Suzanne feigns a headache, tells Ted she may see him again in a month or two, and returns to her dressmaking shop, while the doorman explains that dozens of men have watched her disappear into the night. At the dress shop, Suzanne tells her seamstress, Lenore, that she has a new pattern for her to make, which will represent the movements of American anti-aircraft units in West Germany.

A few days later, Baron Groza and Magda arrive to pick up the new dress from Suzanne. As Magda gets changed, Groza complains that each of the last two pieces of intel she gave him were worthless, and caused the Soviets lost men, money and prestige, and that another blunder may be fatal. Magda takes off for Bucharest, then as Suzanne speaks to Lenore, Ted appears, but she brushes him off.

Over the next few days, Ted keeps tabs on Suzanne as she goes out with other men, and returns his gifts, then one day, Ted watches as Groza and Dmitri grab Lenore outside the dress shop, and force her to call Suzanne, but Lenore uses a code-phrase, alerting Suzanne to trouble. Dmitri and Groza then kill Lenore. Suzanne arrives, and Groza tells her that she made him the laughing stock of the Soviet Secret Service with her dress patterns that were complete lies, and that he’s learned she’s an American counter-spy. Groza punches Suzanne, when Ted swoops in, belts Dmitri, and shoots Groza. The police arrive and round up Groza’s henchmen.



SPY FIGHTERS 2 (MAY 1951)

Story 1: “Brute of Budapest” by George Tuska

Characters: Clark Mason; Baron Varolyi; Tanila; a Soviet Major & Colonel; Club Patrons; Red Soldiers; Hungarian citizens; a taxi driver

Synopsis: 1948: Club dancer Tanila catches the eye of Baron Varolyi, head of Budapest’s Secret Police, and lures him to her dressing room, where he’s knocked out by Clark Mason, but Tanila shoots the Baron, telling Mason that she’s done her countrymen, and even the Reds, a great service. Tanila then makes up Mason to look exactly like the Baron, his mission being to steal from the Office of the Secret Service those secrets only the Baron would be trusted with. As the disguised Mason leaves the club, he fired on by Red soldiers who hope the Secret Police will think he was slain by the Hungarian Democrats, but he escapes across the square and gets into a taxi, whose driver turns out to be a Democrat. On the steps of the Security Ministry, Mason is met by a woman who tries to assassinate him, believing him to be the Baron. The woman is quickly arrested by Soviet soldiers, but Mason orders her to be released.

As Mason stuffs his attache case with secret documents, when a Colonel pulls a gun on him for doing him out of the job of Secret Police Chief of Budapest, but Mason knocks him out and has him arrested. Returning to the club, Mason finds Baron Varolyi is alive and waiting for him. Mason tells them he knew the Baron wasn’t really dead, and that the real Tanila had already been arrested and replaced, and that the Baron wanted to use him to get the documents. Mason signals the guards he left in the corridor, who enter and kill the real Baron. They search the body, finding Clark Mason’s credentials on him. Mason has them arrest Tanila, then he makes for the airstrip outside the city, where he’s picked up at dawn by a British plane.

Note: This story is told in flashback by Clark Mason.


Story 2: “Death Comes to… Mohammed’s Mountain!”

Characters: Clark Mason (also as Major Rupert Scuggins); Vicki Chase (also as Myrna Tydworna); Mr. Lamb; Colonel Munson; Lermakov; a Soviet Radio Announcer; Iranians; Bukhari Tribesmen; Khan of the Bukhari; Hakim; Mvora Tribesmen; Abva

Synopsis: Mason and Vicki are flown to Teheran, where they meet with Mr. Lamb and Colonel Munson, where they learn about Major Rupert Scuggins, a phantom dreamed up by the Russians, who along with his equally imaginary lover Myrna Tydworna, is supposedly committing democratic skullduggery in Northwest Iran. Munson explains that since it was useless to deny Scuggins was just a phantom, they decided to play a practical joke on the Reds by creating their own version of Scuggins, and making the NKVD chase their tails, but that recently one of their agents, Lermakov, caught onto the trick. Munson tells Mason that they want to continue the ruse, so his assignment is to become Scuggins, and Vicki is to become Myrna.

After being fitted out, Mason and Vicki fly north to meet up with the Democratic Bukhari Tribe, then take horse to meet up with their Khan. During dinner with the Khan, an attempt is made on their lives. The assassin takes poison before they can question him, but he’s identified as a member of the Mvora Tribe, headed by a murdering bandit named Abva. That night, Mason is baited by one of the few anti-Democrats in the Bukhari Tribe to a stick dance, the object of which is to break the ankles of the opponent.

Meanwhile, Lermakov, Abva and the Mvora Tribesmen ride thru the night to the Bukhari encampment. Lermakov promises to give Myrna to Abva for his continued loyalty. The Mvoras attack just in time to save Mason from having his ankles broken, but ride thru the camp, slaying men, women and children indiscriminately. Mason tells Vicki to take shelter with the Khan, but Lermakov closes in from the other side, kills the Khan and captures Vicki, then sound the retreat, and the Mvoras ride off into the night.

That night, a challenge is issued over Radio Moscow, saying that Myrna Tydworna has gone over to their side. Mason dresses in Mvora clothing, and three hours later he quietly approaches the Mvora camp, where Vicki is tied to a post and being tortured.

Lermakov discovers Mason, who battles his way to Vicki. Lermakov prepares to toss a grenade, but Vicki kicks him, and he falls on it as it explodes. The Mvoras break and run, straight into the arms of the Bukharis, who avenge their dead Khan by slaughtering them.

Six months later, the Reds are still searching for Scuggins and Myrna.

Note: The entire story, apart from the first inset panel of page 1, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason six months later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 1 & 2 of page 6, making SPYF 2/2 (1:3 - 6:1) an FB-FB (i think that’s right).


Text Story: “Guns Bark for Hank”


Story 3: “Assassin!”

Characters: Inspector Clemenceau Dautille; Cecile Aubert; Jacques Le Gros; Douglas Morrow; Lour; an American Reporter; French Citizens; Members of the Sûreté.

Flashback: Some years ago, Inspector Clemenceau Dautille of the French Sûreté journeys to the rougher sections of Paris to learn if any of the delegates at an international economics conference have been targeted for assassination. He learns from Lour that the American delegate, Douglas Morrow, has been targeted, and the assassin Jacques Le Gros has been hired for the job.

Dautille calls on Cecile Aubert, whose father was also an Inspector in the Sûreté before he was killed. He explains they have to beat Jacques Le Gros at his own game, and that his ego is his weakness.

On the pretense of wanting to have her rich husband killed, Cecile is brought to Jacques Le Gros, telling him the job must be done Friday morning at 10AM. When he tells her he has another job planned that day, she taunts him, saying that her husband is a famous hunter, and that Jacques probably couldn’t kill him anyway.

Jacques takes the job, falling into the trap laid by Dautille. That afternoon, Dautille attends the conference, feeling proud as he listens to Douglas Morrow making his speech.

Synopsis: Last Spring, Inspector Clemenceau Dautille of the French Sûreté receives a visit from an American newspaperman, whose editor wants a series on police methods in other countries. Dautille tells him of one of his cases.


Story 4: “Nightmare in Tokyo”

Characters: Clark Mason (also as Jack Wembley); Vicki Chase (also as Lita Lane); Mr. Lamb; Gus Vinson; Joe and other members of Vinson’s troupe; an American General; Colonel and Mrs Lana Weston; Shiriku and his Hatchet-Men; a Japanese Intelligence Officer; American Air Corpsmen; Members of US Military Intelligence; a Japanese Police Officer

Synopsis: Mr. Lamb briefs Mason and Vicki on their next assignment, to join Gus Vinson’s overseas troupe, which is going to Japan, where HQ believes Vinson will make contact with Soviet spies. Two days later, they join the troupe in San Francisco. Unable to dance, Mason feigns a swollen ankle, but during the flight, a spy tries to toss him from the plane, but lands in the drink himself. Mason warns Vicki they’re onto him.

The plane is met in Tokyo by an American general and members of the Air Corps. Gus and Vicki are billeted with Colonel and Mrs Lana Weston. Mason meets with US military intelligence, arranging to be “killed” in front of Gus and Vicki outside the Ryogoku Theatre at 8pm.

Two hours late, between shows, Gus heads to the morgue to identify the body. Mason then tells the Intelligence Officers that he intends to follow Gus and the Weston’s. They tell him Colonel Weston is one of their most trusted men, and leader of an A-Bomb Squadron, but he tells them that’s all the more reason to follow him.

An hour later, Mason meets with a Japanese Intelligence Officer behind the Ryogoku Theatre, who’s been keeping an eye on Vinson and the Westons for him, learning that the Weston’s, Vicki, and an unidentified Japanes gentleman have left for the Weston’s house.

Mason arrive at the Weston’s home to find Colonel Weston has been tortured to death, and that Vicki has been taken prisoner. He overhears the the Japanese gentleman ordering his men to kill Gus and all of his musicians. Lana Weston tells Vicki she only married the Colonel to get close to the A-Bomb cache, and can wrap the B-29 guards around her finger. Mason pulls a gun, but the Japanese man grabs Vicki as a hostage. S they run from the house, Lana calls out to the Japanese man, Shiriku, but he turns and shoots her. Lana tells Mason that Shiriku is on his way to blow the A-Bomb cache, but dies before she can give him the location.

Lana having cut the phone lines, Mason heads to the show, arriving before the hatchet-men have opened fire. He tells Gus that Lana is dead, and Shiriku has sent assassins to kill him. The assassins open fire, getting Gus and his men, but before Gus dies, he tells Mason that Shiriku is headed for Matsui, where half the bomber fleet is located.

A Japanese Motor-Cycle Officer races Mason to Matsui, where they find a B-29 taxiing towards the hangars. Mason shoots Shiriku thru the cockpit, and Vicki steers the plane away from the hangars.

Mason and Vicki later learn that Shiriku was the Communist Spy Chief in Tokyo.

Note: The entire story, apart from panels 1:3 & 7:7, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason sometime later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between pages 6 & 7, making SPYF 2/4 (1:3 - 6) an FB-FB.



SPY FIGHTERS 3 (JULY 1951)

Story 1: “Roman Ratrace” by Sol Brodsky

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Signora Batti; Signor Locatelli; Brandon; Gina Morina; Dr. Jodi and his stooge; Italian Citizens; Red Spies

Synopsis: Mason and Vicki arrive in Rome, where they’re met by Brandon from the local Spy Fighters HQ, their mission to learn if there’s a leak in the office. Vicki takes opera lessons with Signora Batti, while Mason pretends to be a buyer for a Park Avenue art shop. Retracing the steps of Silvio, an agent who has just been killed, Mason checks out Signor Locatelli’s shop, finding the clerk is a suspicious character. That night, Mason and Vicki compare notes. As they dine, a bouquet of flowers containing a listening device is sent to their table, but Mason is onto it.

Later that night, Mason has Brandon drive him to Villa Locatelli, but finds him dead in the library. Just then, his killers appear from another room, demanding to know how far he’s progressed in breaking their code. Mason kills two of the men with his pen-gun, then as he forces the other to walk outside ahead of him, a machine-gun opens fire, killing the third man. Mason discovers that Brandon’s gone.

Next morning, Brandon shows Mason his bullet-riddled car as he explains he’d been sudenly attacked outside the villa, and tells Gina Morina to show Mason the papers they believe contains the enemy code. They look over hundreds of papers, but Mason can find nothing to indicate the leak is coming out of the office, although intel is getting out somehow.

Mason and Vicki spend days checking up on every diplomat in Rome, then as Vicki heads off for her singing lesson, Mason warns her that the Batti’s could be spies. No sooner has she gone, when Mason receives a mysterious visitor, with a message from a well-known surgeon named Dr. Jodi, who has something to tell him about Brandon.

Jodi turns out to be an agent who says he wants to buy his way back into the good graces of the Democrats by spilling what he knows about Brandon. He tells Mason that Brandon is the leak, and advises him to arrest Brandon before he can commit suicide. Knowing it’s a ruse, Mason phones Brandon from Jodi’s office and warns him he’s being set up for a fall, while someone else in his office is leaking intel. Jodi and his stooge pull their guns on Mason, but he gets the drop on them and shoots the stooge. Jodi takes strychnine, killing himself, when Brandon phones to tell Mason he’s captured two more spies who came for him, and killed another.

Mason ransacks Jodi’s office, discovering some of Brandon’s stationery in the fireplace, and a microdot under the microscope. Mason phones Brandon, asking if Gina Morina has returned from lunch. Brandon tells him she hasn’t, and Mason says he’ll be right over.

Mason tells Brandon he’s figured out the code, explaining that some periods on his papers have been replaced by microdots, and they realize that Gina must be the spy, and that somehow the Batti’s are involved. Brandon phones the police, while Mason goes to pick up Vicki. Arriving at the Batti’s, Mason leaps in thru the skylight, and demands to know where Vicki is. Signora Batti tells him that Signor Batti will phone her in three hours, and if she doesn’t answer, Vicki will die.

At 8:30pm, the phone rings, and with Mason’s gun in her back, Signora Batti tells Signor Batti that Jodi has been killed by the Spy Fighters, and they arrange to meet at the Colosseum. Half an hour later, Mason sneaks into the Colosseum, where he watches as Signor Batti removes a disguise, revealing she’s really Gina Morina, who admits to Vicki that she’s head of the Soviet Spy Organization in Italy.

Mason comes out of hiding, pulling a gun on Gina and her cohorts, telling them the Colosseum is surrounded by police. Gina tells her stooges that Mason’s lying, and to kill him. Mason shoots and grabs Vicki as the others move in for the kill. Mason warns them again that machine-guns are trained on them and to surrender, but they refuse, and Brandon opens fire with his men.

Note: The entire story, apart from panels 1:2 & 8:7, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason sometime later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 5 & 6 of page 8, making SPYF 3 (1:3 - 8:5) an FB-FB.


Story 2: “Desert of Horror”

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Emir of Syrtis; X-17/Kyra Brandon; Grukov; Libyan Tribesmen; Red Spies; Ship’s crew

Synopsis: On a ship one day out of Tripoli, Mason and Vicki, posing as brother and sister tourists, have befriended the Emir of Syrtis. They discuss Libya’s poor economy and her upcoming independence, while watching his favorite harem girl, Kyra, dance. The Emir orders coffee, making a point of mentioning that he detests sugar, when Kyra walks off with a headache. Returning to his cabin, Mason finds it’s been searched. He and Vicki discuss their mission, to find out who’s organizing the Red resistance to Libyan independence.

Next morning, the ship docks at Tripoli, where a beggar sits crying for Bak-Sheesh. Three cars are waiting to take them to Scona, and Vicki rides with the Emir, while Kyra rides in the lead car, and Mason follows along behind. After a while, Mason’s car apparently develops a fault and falls further behind. Holding his escorts at gunpoint, Mason checks the motor, finding nothing wrong with it, when tribesmen ride over the hill, crying out for death to the American spy. Mason shoots his captors and takes off in the car.

Mason reaches Scona by nightfall, and garages the car, when he comes across the beggar from the docks, who calls him by name, and introduces himself as Brandon, British Intelligence Agent X-17, with whom Mason was to attempt to contact. Brandon tells Mason that Vicki and the Emir’s lives are also in danger. Mason heads to the Emir’s palace, while Brandon goes to contact his superior in Malta for further instructions.

The Emir appears shocked by Mason’s story, but when he offers him coffee with sugar, Mason whips out his .38. The imposter peels off his disguise, telling Mason the Emir has been murdered, and Miss Chase is in the dungeon being tortured. Mason shoots the imposter and leaps thru the window onto the balcony, to find the palace being swarmed by the tribesmen he encountered earlier, and he quickly runs out of ammo. Brandon tosses him a rope, but when he climbs down, he finds a gun in his back, and Brandon tells him he’s really Grukov, head of the Red spy cell in North Africa. Just then, Kyra appears, armed with a Tommy-Gun, and mows down the tribesmen, telling Mason that she’s Agent X-17, or Miss Brandon to him.

An hour later, Vicki has been rescued, and Grukov and his men are turned over to the Libyan police.

Note: The entire story, apart from panels 1:2 & 5:9, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason sometime later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 2 & 3 of page 5, making SPYF 3/2 (1:3 - 5:2) an FB-FB.


Text Story: “Counter-Spy!”


Story 3: “The Bribe!”

Characters: Charles Johnson; Joseph Borachek; a Soviet Officer; Red Spies; Harry & other Carson Aero Engineers

Synopsis: Soviet spy Joseph Borachek is tasked with obtaining intel from the Carson Aero Company in Midvale, which is working on a new type of jet plane. Borachek accepts the assignment, believing it will one of easiest he’s had. After two weeks of preparation, Joe boards a freighter flying a false Dutch flag, bound for the US.

Docking in America, Joe is met by one of his colleagues, who has arranged a cover for him as a salesman. Joe books into a hotel in Midvale, and begins to establish himself locally, spending much of his time hanging out at the Grey Turkey Café, where the Carson Aero engineers like to eat. He chooses Charles Johnson as his pigeon, after listening to him griping about not having the money to send his son to California, as well as griping about the Government’s foreign policies.

After befriending him, Joe offers Charles $50,000 for a copy of the plans to the new fighter jet, but Charles give him a piece of his mind, beats him up, and calls the FBI.

Note: This story begins with an action prologue splash panel that takes place between panels 5 & 6 of page 3.


Story 4: “Sabotage!”

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Jinx Ricardo; Jimmy Rattan; Mame Rattan; Paul Vaclav (also as Paul Vance); Lobo; Mr. Lamb; a Police Captain; Joe; Lobo’s Mob

Synopsis: Jimmy Rattan tells his wife Mame that after talking to Jinx Ricardo, and learning that they’ve been hired by Red spies, he’s going to spill to the Feds, but on his way to the FBI office, Jimmy is gunned down by Lobo, head of the local Mob. Mame calls the FBI to spill, mentioning the names Lobo and Vaclav, when Lobo enters her apartment and tosses her out the window, where she falls to her death.

The police captain speaks to Mr. Lamb, telling him the safe was blown at the Trent Laboratory, and the job has all the earmarks of the Underworld’s top safe-cracker, Jinx Ricardo, but he doesn’t know what he would want with Deuterium formulas, which could only be of use to foreign spies. Lamb tells him not to pick up Jinx, and that evening he reviews the situation for Mason and Vicki.

Vicki gets a job as a dancer at a dive, while Mason poses as a hood from LA, and befriends Jinx, who is taken with Vicki. Mason introduces Jinx to Vicki, and she plays up to him. Mason gets Jinx drunk and tells him he needs big dough, fast, so Jinx takes them to Paul Vance’s pad and all-night soiré (stole that from Longmire!). Lobo slaps Jinx around for spilling too much to strangers, but Mason gets stuck into him and his stooges, when Paul Vance appears, and puts a stop to the quarrel, offering Mason a job, then he steals Vicki from Jinx.

Mason takes Jinx home in a cab, while Jinx spills everything he knows about Paul Vance, aka Paul Vaclav, telling Mason that Paul’s blackmailing him into doing his traitor’s work. Jinx tells Mason that Paul gets him to crack safes in labs and government buildings to get secret documents, paying big dough, but that he burns their filthy money. He tells how he enlisted in World Wars One and Two, got wounded, and decorated, but now Paul has him by the balls, and he doesn’t know how to get out.

Mason tells Jinx who he really is, and Jinx tells him the Deuterium formulas are in Paul’s apartment safe right now, along with other stolen secrets. Mason calls the FBI, and a cordon is set up around the building.

Mason and Jinx return to the apartment, but find all the girls have gone, and Lobo’s boys are gathered around the bedroom door. Lobo acts cute with them, and Jinx warns Mason that Paul must be putting the screws to Vicki. Mason and Jinx open fire, and Paul and Lobo head out onto the ledge outside the window, taking Vicki with them. Mason heads out to the ledge, but using Vicki as a shield, Paul shoots at him, keeping Mason at bay, when Lobo appears around the corner of the ledge behind him, trapping Mason between him and Paul. Just then, Jinx leaps onto Paul, and they both fall twelve stories to the ground below. The FBI open fire, killing Lobo and his men.

A week later, Mason and Vicki place an orchid on Jinx’s grave.

Note: The entire story, apart from panel 1:1, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason two months later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 2 & 3 of page 6, making SPYF 3/4 (1:3 - 6:2) an FB-FB.

Note: Jimmy and Mame’s surname is given as Rattan in the narrative, but Jinx Ricardo refers to them as Jimmy and Mame Robinson. I’m going with the name given by the Narrator.



SPY FIGHTERS 4 (SEPTEMBER 1951)

Story 1: “Smoke Over Trieste”

Characters: Clark Mason (also as Pierre Volente); Vicki Chase; Dr. Cardelj; Peter Ostracil; Michael; Residents of Trieste; Customs Officials; Trieste US Troops (TRUST); Spy Fighter Personnel

Synopsis: Mason and Vicki enter Triest by train, Mason posing as Pierre Volente, an importer, and Vicki posing as the daughter of an American TRUST Colonel. Mason notices they are being watched by a chain-smoker as they pass thru customs. The man follows Mason as he makes his way to his previously established olive oil import business, where he meets his contact, who has been briefed by Spy Fighters HQ in Rome. Mason points out he’s being followed, and that the olive oil drums are a camouflage for tons of dynamite to placed aboard seven Italian ships.

Later, at the docks, Mason makes contact with Dr. Cardelj, Professor of History at Trieste University, and Red arch-conspirator, and his henchman Michael, who are unaware that the real Pierre Volente, a master terrorist, is behind bars in a Paris prison. Cardelj has hired Volente to blow up the seven Italian ships to foment war between Italy and Yugoslavia, and leaving the Soviets to pick up the pieces.

As they leave the docks, Mason points out the spy who has been shadowing him since he arrived, believing him to be one of Cardelj’s men, and making him out to be an amateur. Cardelj asks what he’s talking about, but then he recognizes the man, and tells Mason that’s Ostracil, and tells Michael he warned him to keep Ostracil in the office as he’s no good for spy work, and to bring him down to HQ.

Cardelj takes Mason for a two hour dinner, surrounded by his henchmen, during which Mason accepts a cigarette from Cardelj, and he realizes he’s made a mistake concerning the chain-smoking man, when they get a call from Michael, saying that everything’s ready at HQ. Mason says he needs to get to the docks to set the dynamite, but Cardelj tells him HQ is near the docks, and they have plenty of time.

Cardelj takes Mason to a cement works near the harbor, where he’s told Ostracil is taking a cement bath, and Mason realizes he got Ostracil killed. Michael pulls a gun on him, calling Mason by his real name, while Cardelj explains that his slip about being followed made them realize he was being body-guarded, and that prior to that they had no idea he wasn’t the real Volente. Cardelj tells Mason that Michael had the man tortured until he confessed to being a member of the Yugoslav Secret Police, assigned to guard him from attacks, and that Mason made another mistake in accepting a cigarette during dinner, as Volente doesn’t smoke and is alergic to tobacco.

Cardelj heads off to set the dynamite himself, leaving Michael in charge of preparing a cement mold for Mason. Just then, Vicki appears and starts shooting. Mason punches out Michael, and Vicki explains that Ostracil contacted her ten minutes before he was kidnapped by Cardelj’s thugs.

Mason and Vicki head to the wharf, accompanied by TRUST troops, but Cardelj refuses to surrender and shoots into the dynamite, but nothing happens. Mason explains that the dynamite shells contain nothing but sand. Cardelj dives overboard, but falls smack into the ship’s turning prop.

At dawn, Mason and Vicki watch the Italian ship sail off into the horizon.

Note: The entire story, apart from panel 1:2, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason two months later. The Splash panel on page 1 is representative only in this story as it depicts Michael on the ship.

Note: Wow! Mason screws up badly in this episode, getting a member of the Yugoslav Secret Police killed.


TEXT STORY: “Spy Secrets”


Story 2: “South Sea Slayers!” by Sol Brodsky

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Prof. Terrence Redgrave; Liana; Malay Joe; Nolan; Newton; Club Patrons; Ship’s Crew; Red Spies; South Sea Islanders

Synopsis: In Singapore, Mason and Vicki pose as rich relatives of missing guided missile expert, Prof. Terrence Redgrave, who supposedly perished in a typhoon off the New Guinea coast two months ago. The sultry Liana offers info for a price, and Mason books passage to Rabaul. That night, an assassination attempt is made on Mason, but he kills his assassins.

For two days Liana does her utmost to be irresistible to Mason. On deck, beneath a full moon, they note the sharks that follow the ship, when two of the crewmen pull guns on Mason. Liana tells him that Redgrave is very much alive, and constructing guided missile stations all along the South Pacific shipping routes.

Vicki appears, shooting the men, while Mason tussles with Liana, who falls overboard. Mason rips off his shirt, preparing to jump after her, but Vicki stops him, telling him it’s too late. Mason tells the surviving crewman to talk, or be thrown overboard, and they learn that Redgrave is building a missile base on the volcanic island of Aru, off the coast of New Guinea.

A week later, Mason and Vicki outfit a pearling ship with a picked crew of loyal natives, headed by Malay Joe. At sea, they come across a derelict, and start heading towards it, when a missile blows the derelict out of the water.

At 8pm, two war canoes, with a white man seated in each, approaches their pearler, but Mason has Malay Joe ram them. They rescue one of the white men, Newton, learning that he deserted the Navy in 1944, and was listed as MIA, then as dead. Having trained as a pharmacist’s mate, Newton had been living among the cannibals, having been allowed to live after having saved the lives of their chief and his daughter, with whom he fell in love, then Redgrave came along and forced him to do his dirty work.

Newton tells Mason that Redgrave has the chief’s daughter locked up as a hostage, and shows them where to beach the pearler before dawn. He proves to be a good commando assistant to Mason as they take out the guards. Coming to a clearing filled with firing platforms, rocket dumps, and anti-aircraft emplacements, Newton explains that Redgrave is being supplied by regular drops from Red subs. Together, they make their way to Redgrave’s dorm, and wake him up at the point of a gun.

As they march him to the pearler, the ground shakes and flames leap from the volcano. They board the pearler, when a Red sub appears, signaling them to surrender or be torpedoed. Acting on a signal from Newton, Mason hands over his gun to Redgrave.

Returning to the village, Redgrave demonstrates how he keeps the cannibals in line, by periodically offering human sacrifices to the volcano god, while Newton rescues his girlfriend. They reach the top of the volcano, when Mason sees Newton returning, and belts one of his guards. Newton opens fire, yelling for Mason to grab a gun. Vicki practices her Jiu-Jitsu on Redgrave, kicking him into the volcano’s mouth. As Redgrave’s men try to escape, they’re caught in an explosion of molten lave that breaks thru the thin crust.

Escaping the volcano, Mason and Newton use one of Redgrave’s rocket guns to blow the Red sub out of the water, and board the pearler with Vicki and Newton’s girlfriend. They head out to sea, when the volcano blows its stack, taking the island with it.

Note: The entire story, apart from panel 1:2, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason two months later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 1 & 2 of page 8, making SPYF 4/2 (1:3 - 8:1) an FB-FB.


Story 3: “The Man Who Lived Dangerously!” by Cal Massey

Characters: Mr. Deems; US Troops & Residents

Synopsis: As the US prepares to send troops across the Atlantic during World War One, unassuming Mr. Deems plants a bomb in a cake for the US troops to take aboard the ship, but when they decide to cut into it straight away, he warns them it’s a bomb, and dies from a stroke.


Story 4: “Deadliest of the Species!”

Characters: James S. Doring; Eve Clements; Prof. Yul Ashley; Ann Armbruster; General Abner F. Lane; Agent Crosby

Synopsis: During the latter half of 1949, FBI Agent Crosby screens a number of atomic scientists for General Abner F. Lane, and gives him the list of the four best applicants, 37yo Graduate Student James S. Doring, 26yo Eve Clements, daughter of the late great scientist Arthur Clements, 48yo Atomic Specialist Prof. Yul Ashley, and 30yo Nuclear Bomb Specialist Ann Armbruster. The four selected scientists begin working on an improvement to the Atomic Bomb under the supervision of General Lane.

One night in November, Ann has trouble sleeping and takes a walk outside, being careful not to wake Eve, with whom she shares a dorm, when she sees what appears to be Eve taking a package from the lab and placing it into a parked station wagon. Returning to the dorm, Ann finds Eve’s bed stuffed with pillows.

Ann confronts Eve, who pulls a gun on her. Prof. Ashley, who knew that Eve’s father was a Red spy, has been watching and grabs her, but Eve reaches into the wagon and grabs the package of chemicals, ripping it open. Ashley grabs Ann, telling her to run, and the package explodes, destroying the wagon and killing Eve.

Note: The splash panel for this story is representative only.


Story 5: “Urn of Fire” by Sol Brodsky

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Captain Ignacio Lazaro; Maria Ramirez; Romeo Ramirez; Luis Torres; Manuel; Fernando; Dr. T. Jenner (BTS); Major Newton (BTS); Andre Vaughn (BTS); C.B. Ellender (BTS); Club Patrons; US Sailors; Mexicans

Synopsis: Mason and Vicki have flown to Mexico City, where a number of important vacationing scientists, military men, diplomats and journalists have been mysteriously disappearing. Police Captain Ignacio Lazaro takes them to a nightclub, where dancer Maria Ramirez had been seen with several of the men before they went missing.

Leaving Mason to question Maria, Lazaro takes Vicki to meet Luis Torres, another man suspected of enemy espionage. When Maria gets angry with Mason’s questions, a bunch of cavaliers swarm to her aid, led by the big orchestra leader, her brother Romeo Ramirez. Some American sailors come to Mason’s aid, and a brawl ensues, while Maria takes off.

Mason phones Lazaro to get Maria’s adress, and learns that Vicki hasn’t yet returned, so he goes to Luis Torres’ curio shop to look for her. Luis tells him that Vicki bought a copy of an antique Aztec burial urn and left half an hour ago, but Mason notices Vicki’s red handkerchief, a danger signal, and demands to know what Luis has done with her. Luis calls on two of his henchmen, but using Luis as a shield, Mason shoots them, and takes off in the car with Luis. At a secluded spot, Mason beats up Luis, who passes out before talking.

Mason visits Lazaro at his home near Alameda, and he puts out a BOLO on Vicki, while Mason heads to Maria’s house. As he tries to question her, Romeo and a henchman appear, holding Mason at gunpoint. Maria swears she knew nothing about the abductions, and she belts her brother with a candlestick, while Mason defenestrates the henchman. Mason phones Lazaro and finds Vicki’s there.

As Mason, Romeo, and Maria approach Lazaro’s house, they see smoke billowing from the chimneys, even though the night is warm. Maria tells Mason that centuries ago, Alameda was the site of an old Indian slave market, and the first auto-da-fé took place there in 1574. Lazaro greets them at gunpoint, admitting he’s behind the abductions, and that all two dozen of the missing men are there, along with Vicki. Lazaro points out a burial urn in waiting for each of them, including one which already houses the remains of Luis Torres, whom Lazaro considered unreliable.

When Lazaro threatens to add Maria to those about to die, Romeo turns into a wild man, shoots one of the henchmen, and holds Mason at bay, while he plunges Lazaro and his crew into the furnace. More of Lazaro’s men race in from another room, shooting Romeo, while Mason holds them off with gunfire as he escapes with Vicki and Maria.

Note: The entire story, apart from panels 1:2 & 6:8, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason months later. The splash panel for this story is representative only.



SPY FIGHTERS 5 (NOVEMBER 1951) [Cover by Sol Brodsky]

Story 1: “Dirigible of Doom!” by Sol Brodsky

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Major Vavlov; Colonel Stepanski; Spy Fighter Operatives; English Residents; Red Soldiers, Intelligence Officers and Airship Captain.

Synopsis: Spy Fighter Operatives deep in Poland report on at least three new dirigibles they’ve sighted. Mason and Vicki head to Spy Fighters London HQ, where they arrange for transport to Poland, parachuting out over the Mazovian Lake Country, guided by a flare from an operative, who’s discovered and killed by the Reds.

Mason and Vicki are chased thru the marshes by a Red patrol with dogs, but they get the drop on them and steal their uniforms, before making their way to the immense dirigible hangars, where they find men and equipment being loaded aboard the airships. After disposing of Major Vavlov and Colonel Stepanski, and taking their uniforms and papers, Mason and Vicki board one of the ships.

Mason makes enquiries of the captain, learning that the ships are using hydrogen, as helium is too expensive to produce, but when they land, he’s arrested as a spy. Vicki is joined by a Polish operative, and with Mason they take off in a fighter plane, firing on the airships, before dropping bombs on the hangars and flying to Gatow Airfield near Berlin.

Note: The entire story, apart from panels 1:2 & 8:7, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason sometime later. The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 2 & 3 of page 7, making SPYF 5 (1:3 - 8:2) an FB-FB.


Story 2: “Arsenal for R-Day”

Characters: Captain Caduro; Major Ancanca; Perez; Santiago Police; Red Spies

Synopsis: Captain Caduro and his men raid a Santiago textile factory, which the Communist underground is using as a cache for arms. Learning of an enormous cache elsewhere in town, Caduro has Major Ancana place him in the Hajula Shoe Factory next to Perez, suspected of being head of the Communist cell, but when Caduro turns up for work, Perez is shot and killed by an unknown assassin.

Cadura passes word to Ancanca that he’s staying behind after work. He discovers a hidden arms cache, and contacts Ancanca, who turns up and begins firing on Caduro and the arms, to prevent him from discovering the location of the main arms store. When Caduro threatens to blow the store of dynamite, Ancanca refuses to talk, but his own men kill him and spill that the main cache is buried in the cemetery.

Note: The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between panels 6 & 7 of page 4, making SPYF 5/2 (1:2 - 4:6) a FB.


Text Story: “The Countess”


Story 3: “Mister X” by Robert Q. Sale

Characters: Professor Hylan; Atomic Energy Show Patrons and Officers

Synopsis: On Monday morning at the Atomic Energy Show, Professor Hylan gives a lesson on the serious threat of atomic war.

Note: The Splash panel on page 1 is representative only.


Story 4: “The Man in Black”

Characters: The Man in Black; Simeon Akazan; Skippy; New Yorkers; a Secret Service Chief

Synopsis: The Man in Black enters a café, and becomes friendly with Simeon Akazan. Over a number of weeks, the Man in Black lures Akazan into betraying himself as a spy, then pulls a badge and gun, revealing himself to be working for the US Secret Service.

Note: The Splash panel on page 1 is a flash-forward that occurs between pages 1 & 2, making SPYF 5/4 (1:2 - 1:3) a FB.


Story 5: “Appointment in Albania” by Sol Brodsky

Characters: Clark Mason; Vicki Chase; Vucje; General Glamo; Karl; Albanians; Yugoslavs; Red troops

Synopsis: Mason and Vicki investigate Albanian propoganda of Yugoslav refugees entering the country to avoid oppression, believing they may be Communist troops in disguise, but checking out a train supposedly filled with refugees, they find it empty. They meet up with Vucje, a suspected Red mountain guide, but he’s onto them, however the Yugoslav police arrive in time to save Mason and Vicki.

The police lieutenant provides them with a guide, who takes Mason and Vicki across the mountains into Albania, but they’re caught, and their guide is killed. Mason and Vicki are taken prisoner aboard a cable car, where they learn that General Glamo is crossing from the other end, and they take over the car. Firing over the general’s head, Mason forces him to brake his car and climb into theirs. When the cable-car docks, holding the General at gunpoint, they take off with him in high-powered car.

At dawn, Mason knocks out the General, and he and Vicki jump aboard a train bound for Durazzo, where they take pics of hundreds of Red troops arriving by train at the docks. They jump aboard a fishing boat and return to Yugoslavia. A week later, they learn that General Glamo has mysteriously gone missing.

Note: The entire story, apart from panel 1:2, is a flashback, narrated by Clark Mason sometime later. The Splash panel on page 1 is representative only.


Dossier on Clark Mason:

Seconded from the police dept of a large East Coast city (SPYF 1), or possibly the FBI (as implied in SPYF 5), Detective Clark Mason is a member of Spy Fighters, headed by Mr. Lamb, which is disguised as the Institute for Boll Weevil Research. Mason has an old childhood scar behind his right ear, from when he was stitched up after falling out of his Uncle Ned’s apple tree when he was 7 years old. Mason played footbal in college, and was engaged to be married to a nurse named Mary Leeds in 1944, but she tossed over for another man while he was seeing action overseas. He was the All Eastern Police Champ in Jiu-Jitsu.

Mason is familiar with all types of radio and communications equipment, all types of firearms, is an excellent marksman, and is fluent in English, French, German, Chinese, and particularly Russian. He has received training in Cryptography and Decyphering.

Mason is a smoker, can’t sing, and doesn’t dance. He’s very fond of Vicki Chase and doesn’t seem to play the field. He’s not above making mistakes, as evidenced by his slip in SPYF 4, which led to the torture and death of a member of the Yugoslav Secret Police.


Dossier on Vicki Chase:

Vicki Chase was a former WAC Lieutenant, who underwent substantially the same Spy Fighters training as Clark Mason. Vicki is a passable singer and accomplished dancer.


CHRONOLOGIES:

ABVA
SPYF 2/2 (1:3 - 6:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/2-FB
SPYF 2/2 (6:2 - 6:6)-FB

AKAZAN, SIMEON
SPYF 5/4

ANCANCA, MAJ.
SPYF 5/2-FB
SPYF 5/2

ANDER/“LT. ANDREYEW”
SPYF 1/2

ARMBRUSTER, ANN
SPYF 4/4

ASHLEY, PROF. YUL
SPYF 4/4

AUBERT, CECILE
SPYF 2/3-FB

BATTI, SIG.RA
SPYF 3-FB-FB

BORACHEK, JOSEPH
SPYF 3/3-FB
SPYF 3/3

BRANDON
SPYF 3-FB-FB
SPYF 3-FB

CADURO, CAPT.
SPYF 5/2-FB
SPYF 5/2

CARDELJ, DR.
SPYF 4-FB

CHASE, VICKI/“TIGER LILY GORHAM”/“MYRNA TYDWORNA”/“LITA LANE”
SPYF 1
SPYF 2/2 (1:3 - 6:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/2-FB
SPYF 2/2 (6:2 - 6:6)-FB
SPYF 2/4-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4-FB
SPYF 3-FB-FB
SPYF 3-FB
SPYF 3/2-FB-FB
SPYF 3/2-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB
SPYF 4-FB
SPYF 4/2 (1:3 - 8:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 4/2 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 4/2 (8:2 - 8:7)-FB
SPYF 4/5-FB
SPYF 5 (1:3 - 8:2)-FB-FB
SPYF 5 (1:2)-FB
SPYF 5 (8:3 - 8:6)-FB
SPYF 5/5-FB

CLEMENTS, EVE
SPYF 4/4

CROSBY, AGENT
SPYF 4/4

DAUTILLE, INSPECTOR CLEMENCEAU
SPYF 2/3-FB
SPYF 2/3

DEEMS, MR.
SPYF 4/3

DMITRI (* All other Dmitri’s move up one)
SPYF 1/3

DORING, JAMES S.
SPYF 4/4

ELLENDER, C.B.
SPYF 4/5-FB-BTS

EMIR OF SYRTIS
SPYF 3/2-FB-FB
SPYF 3/2-FB

GLAMO, GEN.
SPYF 5/5-FB

GORHAM, DAVE/“SNAKE OF SAIGON”/“VO LONH”
SPYF 1

GROZA, BARON IVAN
SPYF 1/3

GRUKOV
SPYF 3/2-FB-FB
SPYF 3/2-FB

HAKIM
SPYF 2/2-FB-FB

HYLAN, PROF.
SPYF 5/3

JENNER, DR. T.
SPYF 4/5-FB-BTS

JODI, DR.
SPYF 3-FB-FB

JOHNSON, CHARLES
SPYF 3/3-FB
SPYF 3/3

KHAN OF THE BUKHARI
SPYF 2/2-FB-FB

LAMB, MR.
SPYF 1
SPYF 2/2-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB

LANE, GEN. ABNER F.
SPYF 4/4

LAZARO, CAPT. IGNACIO
SPYF 4/5-FB

LE COUR, MAGDA
SPYF 1/3

LE GROS, JACQUES
SPYF 2/3-FB

LENORE
SPYF 1/3

LERMAKOV
SPYF 2/2 (1:3 - 6:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/2-FB
SPYF 2/2 (6:2 - 6:6)-FB

LESEUR, FLAME
SPYF 1

LIANA
SPYF 4/2-FB-FB

LOBO (* All other Lobo’s move up one)
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB

LOCATELLI, SIGNOR
SPYF 3-FB-FB

LOUR
SPYF 2/3-FB

MALAY JOE
SPYF 4/2-FB-FB
SPYF 4/2-FB

MAN IN BLACK
SPYF 5/4-FB
SPYF 5/4

MASON, CLARK/“CONRAD GORHAM”/“MAJOR RUPERT SCUGGINS”/“JACK WEMBLEY”/“PIERRE VOLENTE”
SPYF 1
SPYF 2-FB
SPYF 2
SPYF 2/2 (1:3 - 6:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/2 (1:2)-FB
SPYF 2/2 (7:1 - 7:6)-FB
SPYF 2/2
SPYF 2/4 (6:2 - 6:6)-FB
SPYF 2/4 (1:3 - 6)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 2/4
SPYF 3 (1:3 - 8:5)-FB-FB
SPYF 3 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 3 (8:6 - 8:7)-FB
SPYF 3
SPYF 3/2 (1:3 - 5:2)-FB-FB
SPYF 3/2 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 3/2 (5:3 - 5:8)-FB
SPYF 3/2
SPYF 3/4 (1:3 - 6:2)-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 3/4 (6:3 - 6:7)-FB
SPYF 3/4
SPYF 4-FB
SPYF 4
SPYF 4/2 (1:3 - 8:1)-FB-FB
SPYF 4/2 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 4/2 (8:2 - 8:7)-FB
SPYF 4/2
SPYF 4/5-FB
SPYF 4/5
SPYF 5 (1:3 - 8:2)-FB-FB
SPYF 5 (1:2)-FB
SPYF 5 (8:3 - 8:6)-FB
SPYF 5
SPYF 5/5-FB
SPYF 5/5

MICHAEL (* All other Michaels move up one)
SPYF 4-FB

MORINA, GINA
SPYF 3-FB-FB
SPYF 3-FB

MORROW, DOUGLAS
SPYF 2/4-FB

MUNSON, COL.
SPYF 2/2-FB-FB

NEWTON
SPYF 4/2-FB-FB
SPYF 4/2-FB

NEWTON, MAJ.
SPYF 4/5-FB-BTS

NOLAN
SPYF 4/2-FB-FB

ORLOFF, COL.
SPYF 1/2

OSTRACIL, PETER
SPYF 4-FB

PEREZ (*Note - existing PEREZ becomes PEREZ II)
SPYF 5/2-FB

PETROV, COMRADE
SPYF 1/2

PETROV, NINA
SPYF 1/2

RAMIREZ, MARIA
SPYF 4/5-FB

RAMIREZ, ROMEO
SPYF 4/5-FB

RATTAN, JIMMY
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB

RATTAN, MAME
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB

REDGRAVE, PROF. TERRENCE
SPYF 4/2-FB-FB
SPYF 4/2-FB

RICARDO, JINX
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB

ROBERTS, CAPT.
SPYF 1

SHIRIKU
SPYF 2/4-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4-FB

SMITH, GEN. WARREN J.
SPYF 1-BTS

STEPANSKI, COL.
SPYF 5-FB-FB

SUZANNE, MLLE.
SPYF 1/3

“TANILA”
SPYF 2-FB

TORRES, LUIS
SPYF 4/5-FB

VACLAV, PAUL/“PAUL VANCE”
SPYF 3/4-FB-FB
SPYF 3/4-FB

VAROLYI, BARON
SPYF 2-FB

VAUGHN, ANDRE
SPYF 4/5-FB-BTS

VAVLOV, MAJ.
SPYF 5-FB-FB

VISON, GUS
SPYF 2/4 (1:3 - 6)-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4 (1:1)-FB
SPYF 2/4 (7)-FB

VUCJE
SPYF 5/5-FB

WESTON, COL.
SPYF 2/4-FB-FB

WESTON, LANA
SPYF 2/4-FB-FB
SPYF 2/4-FB

X-17/KYRA BRANDON
SPYF 3/2-FB-FB
SPYF 3/2-FB

[StrayLamb]

To be continued..

[StrayLamb]

To be continued..

[Russ Chappell]

MICHAEL (* All other Michaels move up one)
SPYF 4-FB

I'm just using Michael as an example...

Based on this, we wouldn't add a listing for Michael. We don't list characters where we only know their first name--assuming they have a surname--unless they appear in more than one title.

I realize this is only a partial analysis of the series, and having a placeholder for Michael here is perfectly appropriate, but don't add it to the listings, unless a surname is forthcoming.

[Midnighter]

Also, "Signora Batti" is not a name, is italian for "Mrs. Batti"

[StrayLamb]

MICHAEL (* All other Michaels move up one)
SPYF 4-FB

I'm just using Michael as an example...

Based on this, we wouldn't add a listing for Michael. We don't list characters where we only know their first name--assuming they have a surname--unless they appear in more than one title.

I realize this is only a partial analysis of the series, and having a placeholder for Michael here is perfectly appropriate, but don't add it to the listings, unless a surname is forthcoming.

Roger that.

Also, "Signora Batti" is not a name, is italian for "Mrs. Batti"

That's true, but she isn't referred to as Mrs Batti, but as Signora Batti.

We list numerous characters as NAME, MRS. Let me know the correct abbreviation for Signora, and i'll use that.

[Midnighter]

Also, "Signora Batti" is not a name, is italian for "Mrs. Batti"

That's true, but she isn't referred to as Mrs Batti, but as Signora Batti.

We list numerous characters as NAME, MRS. Let me know the correct abbreviation for Signora, and i'll use that.

It should be BATTI, SIG.RA

[StrayLamb]

It should be BATTI, SIG.RA

Okay - i'll go with that then. Thanx!

[Somebody]

MR./MRS. listings are, per the Stylebook thread, only used in limited circumstances. I presume the same should be true for Signora

Do not use the following honorifics:
A. Mr./Mrs. EXCEPTION: Only use these if both of the following two statements are true:

• a. We only know their last name; AND

• b. They are the parent or spouse of another character whose full name IS known.

[StrayLamb]

In the case of Signora Batti, that's a title she uses as a singing instructor, as in "Signora Batti's Singing School," so in this instance i would say that entitles her to a listing under that title, or possibly as SIGNORA BATTI. What do you think?