| Characters |
Marvel Boy [Martin Burns] (introduction, origin); Andrew Burns (Martin's father, introduction); Mrs. Burns (introduction); Zeus; Hercules; Mars (villain); Bruen (villain, introduction); Schulz (villain, introduction); Stohl (villain, introduction); Richter (villain, introduction); Adolf Hitler (villain); Nazis (villains) |
| Synopsis |
The soul of Hercules is reincarnated as Martin Burns, who displays unusual strength from infancy but hides his abilities from his peers. On his fourteenth birthday, Zeus tells Martin the source of his powers, names him the Marvel Boy, gives him his costume and sends him out against fifth columnists. |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Script |
Joe Simon |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby (pages 1-3); Joe Simon (pages 4-10) |
| Inks |
Joe Simon |
| Notes |
Next appearance in USA Comics (Marvel, 1941 series) #7, although Young Avenger in USA Comics #1 is arguably a reworked version of this character as Will Murray notes in the Daring Mystery Masterworks introduction.
Pencils identified by Greg Theakston as Simon and Kirby on "alternating pages". Specific page identifications by Harry Mendryk at http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/category/periods/timely/page/4
Craig Delich confirms Simon as sole writer and inker from information given to Jerry Bails, although Mendryk believes the inker is different for each artist, possibly with several inkers. |
| Reprinted |
in Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #2;
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |
| Characters |
The Fiery Mask [Jack Castle]; Ab Waltin (introduction, death); Ella Waltin (introduction); The Legion of the Doomed [Legion of the Damned] (villians, name not consistent throughout story) |
| Synopsis |
When the demonic Legion of the Doomed force a rural couple to claim a sinister child as their own, the Fiery Mask must solve the crimes it commits in a chase that will lead him into Hell! |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Script |
Joe Simon |
| Pencils |
Jack Kirby (pages 1-4); Joe Simon (pages 5-10) |
| Inks |
Joe Simon |
| Notes |
Next appearance in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2.
Pencils identified by Greg Theakston as Simon and Kirby on "alternating pages". Specific page identifications by Harry Mendryk at http://kirbymuseum.org/blogs/simonandkirby/archives/category/periods/timely/page/4
Craig Delich confirms Simon as sole writer and inker from information given to Jerry Bails, although Mendryk believes the inker is different for each artist, possibly with several inkers. |
| Reprinted |
in Complete Jack Kirby (Pure Imagination, 1997 series) #2;
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010)
|
| Characters |
Stuporman [Marmaduke Snood, Jr.] (introduction); Mike Muskrat (villain, introduction); Professor Plotz
|
| Synopsis |
Stuporman is woken up from his nap to fight a criminal who has brainwashed a genial college professor into creating diabolical inventions to support his crimes. |
| Genre |
superhero; humor; satire |
| Pencils |
? [as Harry / Douglas] (signed, see notes) |
| Inks |
? [as Harry / Douglas] (signed, see notes) |
| Notes |
Next appearance in Joker Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #1, also later in Comedy Comics (Marvel, 1942 series) #11.
A black and white Stuporman story, built mostly out of panels from this story (rearranged, with some new panels added), appears in the October 1940 issue of Snap, one of Martin Goodman's pulp magazines. Thanks to Frank Motler for this information.
Who's Who theorizes "Harry / Douglas" to be Harry Ramsey and either Douglas Grant or Douglas Ryan. However, various art spotters who examined this for the Masterworks credits concluded that this is not the case. Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. observes that the artist on this feature could arguably be the same as the "Harry / Douglas"-signed Blue Blaze story in Mystic Comics (Marvel, 1940 series) #4, but that the similarly signed Blue Blaze story in issue #1 is a different art team altogether. He and Dr. Michael J. Vassallo theorize that "Harry / Douglas" is simply a shop name. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |
| Characters |
Captain Red Ruff (introduction); The Black Ace (villain, introduction, death); Nazis (villains) |
| Synopsis |
Captain Red Ruff flies his plane, the Flying Flame, on a mission against the Black Ace who is defending a Nazi castle where all attacking planes mysterious explode upon approach. |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Script |
Bill O'Connor [as Okie] (signed) |
| Pencils |
Ben Flinton [as Ben] (signed) |
| Inks |
Ben Flinton [as Ben] (signed) |
| Notes |
Next appearance in Tough Kid Squad (Marvel, 1942 series) #1. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010)
|
| Characters |
Sheriff Sam Reynolds; Texas Pete (death); Baldy; Dan Hobart; Giles Norton (villain) |
| Synopsis |
Texas Pete has been found murdered and the claim map he carried is missing. But the clue to his killer is found in a most unlikely place: inside Pete's body! |
| Genre |
crime |
| Script |
John H. Compton (signed) |
| Pencils |
Harry Ramsey [as H.R.] (signed) |
| Inks |
Harry Ramsey [as H.R.] (signed) |
| Letters |
typeset |
| Notes |
The winners from the Daring Comics Contest on the inside front cover of issue #2 are announced in a box at the bottom of the 2nd page. However, no indication of which characters they picked is given. Murray Forman won the 1st Prize of $5, Jackie Gorman won 2nd Prize of $2, and there were 18 other winners of $1 each. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |
| Characters |
The Falcon [Carl Burgess]; Tony Wells; James Buttersworth (villain, introduction); Bo Schustak (villain, introduction) |
| Synopsis |
Carl Burgess interrupts the getaway from a bank robbery, and as the Falcon goes after the gang that committed the crime. |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Pencils |
L. Bing (see notes) |
| Inks |
L. Bing |
| Notes |
next appearance in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2
There is some confusion as to whether this story was drawn by L. Bing or Munson Paddock, as they had similar styles. Who's Who first recorded Bing, then revised to Paddock. Hames Ware and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr., while compiling the Masterworks credits with Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, discussed the possibilities and decided that the artist was indeed L. Bing as was originally thought. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |
| Characters |
Monako; Pere (introduction); an old Hag (villain, introduction) |
| Synopsis |
Monako spots a drugged man being held by thugs at one of his shows. Monako and his friend Pere must rescue the man's sister from a mysterious old hag.
|
| Genre |
occult |
| Pencils |
Larry Antonette (signed) |
| Inks |
Larry Antonette ? [as Larry Antonette] (signed) |
| Notes |
Last appearance. There is a teaser for a Monako story in the next issue, but it never appeared. However, a "Mantor the Magician" story appeared in Human Torch (Marvel, 1940 series) #2 alongside other Daring Mystery orphans, which looks suspiciously like a reworked Monako, although by Al Gabriele instead of regular Monako artist Larry Antonette.
Notes from Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, Hames Ware and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. on the Timely-Atlas list indicate that an inker other than Antonette may have worked on this story. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010)
|
| Characters |
Dynaman [Lagaro] (introduction, origin); Korugians (introduction, death); Pharoah Khufor; Chief Ribur [Tibur] (introduction, villain, death, name not consistent through story); Gurbans (villains) |
| Synopsis |
Larago, whose name means "Dynaman", grows up in the ancient advanced land of Korug displaying amazing strength of body and mind. When Korug abruptly sinks beneath the waves, only the flying Dynaman escapes. Finding the civilization of Egypt, helps the Pharaoh Khufor defend it against the barbarian Gurbans. |
| Genre |
superhero |
| Script |
Steve Dahlman ? |
| Pencils |
Steve Dahlman |
| Inks |
Steve Dahlman |
| Letters |
Steve Dahlman ? |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |
| Characters |
Tigerman (introduction); Professor Carson (introduction, death); Louise Carson (introduction); Rangoo (introduction, an ape, Tigerman's friend); King Kuu (villain, introduction); Monolink Men (villains, introduction) |
| Synopsis |
Tigerman tries to rescue Professor Carson and his daughter Louise from an attack by the Monolink men, but all three are overwhelmed and taken to the underground kingdom of the Monolinks. After one failed attempt, Tigerman and the Carsons must brave an underground river to escape. |
| Genre |
superhero; jungle |
| Pencils |
Mike Roy [as Roy] (signed) |
| Inks |
Mike Roy [as Roy] (signed) |
| Notes |
The introductory blurb talks about Tigerman's "tamed Bengal tiger, Balu", further indicating a connection to the Trojak, the Tiger-Man feature that appeared in issues #2-5. However, Balu does not actually appear in the story, and the supporting cast and plot are different than the continuing story and cast of Trojak. |
| Reprinted |
in Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Daring Mystery (Marvel, 2008 series) #2 (2010) |