Action Comics Vol 1 9

From Hey Kids Comics


Action Comics Vol 1 9.jpg
Published
Released
January 3, 1939
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Appearing in "$5,000 Reward for Superman"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Adversaries:

  • None

Other Characters:

  • Captain Riley (Single appearance)[1]
  • Chief Burke (Single appearance)[1]
  • Mortimer Snoop (Single appearance)[1]
  • Saunders (Single appearance)[1]

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "$5,000 Reward for Superman"Edit

In the Chief of Police's office, the infuriated chief details what happened in the last issue. Superman went on a rampage, destroying slum housing so that it could be replaced with new, modern housing. The chief is demanding that Superman pay the full penalty like any other citizen. With that in mind, he's hired Detective Captain "100%" Riley, from Chicago, to help apprehend Superman.

Back at the Daily Star office, Clark Kent asks Lois Lane out on a date. She reminds him that she finds him contemptible. He tells her that he knows that she's got someone else she's thinking of, and she admits that she's in love with Superman.

Detective Captain Riley comes up with a plan to catch Superman: he promises a $5000 reward to whoever helps capture and arrest Superman. As Superman is helping to stop a mental patient named Saunders from committing suicide, he is noticed by Mortimer Snoop, a small-time crook who read about the reward for his capture. Snoop calls the police and tells them that he saw a man remove his clothes and then jump up into the sky.

Detective Captain Riley hurries to the spot where the clothes are. He and Snoop wait in that spot for Superman to return so that they can catch him. Superman saves the mental patient, then returns to where he left his clothes. They get into an argument and separate, giving Superman time to collect his clothes.

As Riley chases Snoop, Snoop hides in an alley and reads the memo he pulled out of Superman's coat. Snoop makes his way to the address listed on the memo, but is refused entry to the party happening there. He calls the Daily Star and asks to speak with the society editor, but instead is put on with Lois Lane. He tells her that he knows Superman is going to be at a party, and needs help getting inside.

Lois makes her way over to the party, but double-crosses Snoop so that he gets thrown out. In a last resort, Snoop calls Riley. Riley heads over to the party and he and Snoop start looking for Superman. In the mean time, Lois Lane asks Clark Kent to help her find Superman, so that she can warn him of the danger.

Riley decides to line everyone up against the wall and search them. Just as he is about to search Clark Kent, he lets it slip that he has no intention of giving Snoop any of the many. In anger, Snoop turns off the light. When Riley turns the light back on, he is face-to-face with Superman. Both Riley and Snoop jump on Superman to try to catch him, but they only succeed in injuring themselves. Disgraced, Riley returns to Chicago, as Lois Lane once again daydreams about Superman.

Appearing in "The Lefty Laroway Gang (Part I)"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Rusty James

Adversaries:

  • Lefty Laroway (First appearance)
  • The Laroway Gang (First appearance)
    • Mace
    • Spit
    • Stoop

Other Characters:

  • Logan (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • Lefty's getaway vehicle

Synopsis for "The Lefty Laroway Gang (Part I)"Edit

A member of the gangster Lefty Laroway's crew is murdered in an alleyway by his peers for squealing to the police. The noise from the gunshot is heard by Scoop and Rusty as they drive past. They see two men run out of the alley and into a car, speeding off down the road. Scoop memorizes the vehicle's plate while Rusty checks the alley. He finds the body and runs back to tell Scoop. The duo get back in their car and begin searching for the gangsters, but a traffic jam forces them to stop. It wouldn't have done much good anyway, because the gangsters just pressed a button on their dashboard to make their license plate switch out for another. The thugs pull their car into a respectable-looking garage, the mechanical door closes behind them. Soon, a meeting of like-minded gangsters takes place in a room next door. The plan? To break their boss, Lefty, out of prison.

The following day at the county prison, gang-leader Left Laroway is working the harvesting fields with his fellow prisoners, always under the watchful eyes of the guards. Lefty whispers a message to the other convicts, passing it through the convict grapevine that it was nearly time to put their plan into motion. A car began cruising by the road next to the prison work area. Lefty removes his cap and wipes his brow, a signal to the others to begin the plan. A guard nearest Lefty is knocked out, his gun taken. Another inmate drives a tractor through the fence. The car slows to a crawl, allowing the prisoners, with Lefty, to get inside. They wind up having to hijack a second car, though, when in their excitement, they crashed off the road. The gang make it away from the prison and back into the city, miraculously evading the police the whole way.

At the Bulletin office, Scoop and Rusty hear about the jailbreak on the radio. No longer able to be on the sidelines as the murderers keep getting away, Scoop decides he's going to go undercover and join the Laroway gang!

Appearing in "The Ice Boat Race"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Dick (Single appearance)[1]

Adversaries:

  • None

Other Characters:

  • Jack (Single appearance)[1]
  • Tommy Atkins (Single appearance)[1]
  • Professor Jones (Single appearance)[1]

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • Ice Boat

Synopsis for "The Ice Boat Race"Edit

On a winter's day, Pep, and his pal Dick, are having fun skating over the frozen lake. A shout for help interrupts their fun, and they see that Professor Jones, their Algebra teacher, has fallen through the ice and can't climb back out. If he doesn't get help soon, he may die of hypothermia, but no one can get near him without the ice breaking beneath their feet. Pep has the other skaters lie on their stomachs and holding onto the feet of the person in front of them, forming a line up to the Professor, with Pep at the front. He grabs Jones, telling the others to pull with all they've got. It worked! The Professor is safe, if a little cold. He wraps up in blankets, and Pep helps him home.

The next day, Pep and Dick enter the iceboat race. The boats slide off, Dick manning the till that keeps the sails pointed in the direction of the wind. Their boat seems to be moving at a slower pace than their rival's, but then Pep turns the sails slightly, and their speed increases. They pass by their opponents boat and head to the finish line. A young boy skates unknowingly in front of Pep and Dick's path. Pep weaves the boat out of the way, just missing the boy by a hair! Pep wins the race, his opponent congratulates him. Pep suggests next year they open the race at night, when there won't be any skaters in harm's way.

Appearing in "Adventures of Marco Polo (Part IX)"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Shela
  • Ishar (First appearance)

Adversaries:

  • None

Other Characters:

  • Shela's tribesman

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "Adventures of Marco Polo (Part IX)"Edit

After beating back the Kasan bandits and rescuing his family, Marco takes time out for some fun with his new friends. Shela introduces him to her fiancé, Ishar. Ishar and Marco hit it off like old friends, with him even showing Marco a few new fighting moves passed down from his tribe.

The tribe invite Marco to watch their tournament, which they take their finest warriors an put them in an arena against each other. Though it certainly looked dangerous, using real weapons, it was all in good fun. The warriors rode around on their horses trying to knock each other off and steal their opposing team's pendant, and the crowd loved it. Not content to simply sit idle, Marco sneaks off to grab a steed and enter the tournament himself. He rode into the fray, sword in hand, and fought off all attackers as he grabbed the pennant. Marco made it back to his teams corner, the cheers and applause of the crowd echoing his name in the stands. He rides over to Shela and passes the pennant to her, naming it as a trophy for the "fairest of the fair".

Appearing in "Dr. Kichung's Ape Army (Part II)"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Adversaries:

  • Doctor Kichung (Final appearance; Dies)
  • Koyto the ape (Final appearance; Dies)

Other Characters:

  • Alicia Stockton (Final appearance)

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "Dr. Kichung's Ape Army (Part II)"Edit

(Continued from last issue...)
The trio of Tex, Bob, and Alicia have just escaped the mad Doctor Kichung's clutches by fleeing in a small boat. They row across the great river, towards the foreign beach on the other side. A path leads Tex and gang further inland, where a dense jungle forebodingly awaits. They weren't going to enter until Tex points out the figures of a family of great apes glaring at them menacingly through the trees. It was impossible to know how many more of the beasts there were hiding in the foliage, Tex and Bob decide to take their chances back on the opposite shore, with Alicia in agreement. Tex gambled on being able to sneak away, off Kichung's property, without being noticed. Unfortunately, the good doctor has been waiting for our adventurers to return from their failed escape. His ape-man assistant takes Tex and Bob away, while Kichung brings Alicia back to his laboratory.

Tex and Bob take a moment to assess their predicament while locked in the guardhouse. At the lab, Doctor Kichung tells his ape-man, Kyoto, that he will soon have a mate, referring to the girl. back in the guardhouse currently serving as a prison, Tex notices how the door is made of a hard wood. And wood burns. Using two plain sticks, Tex rubs them together until a fire sparks forth. He lets the flames lick at the exit. And soon, he and Bob are able to barrel through the door after it has been weakened by fire. Freedom! Now to save Miss Alicia and escape once and for all.

All is quiet at the house, no sign of the ape-guards anywhere. Bob is boosted into the second floor window, keeping a lookout while Tex follows. They hurry towards the lab, but find it to be empty, no hint of Alicia anywhere. Another door attracts their attention, but before they can open it, Doctor Kichung appears from behind a curtain, holding a gun. He offers to show them what's behind the door, pressing a button on the wall. The door swings open, revealing Alicia strapped to the wall, blindfolded and gagged. Tex threatens that if he hurts her in any way, there'll be trouble. The madman doctor is about to begin his experiment on Alicia, when a loud howl, like that of a primate, echoes from outside the window. The yell is followed by others, each varying slightly in pitch, but all sounding as though they are coming closer. Tex makes a move during the distraction, delivering a haymaker on Kichung. The doctor is out cold. The two men find the hidden compartment where Alicia is held and set her free. The three of them together again, they make a run for it. Back to where the boat was left. Tex and Bob gape at the remarkable sight that passes them, a shrewdness of apes, howling as they head towards the house. Luckily, they pay no mind to Tex, Bob, or Alicia. The apes' primary goal is Doctor Kichung. And meanwhile, back at the house, Kyoto, the doctor's loyal ape-guard, tries halting the group of primates, but the sight of one of their own wearing clothes and speaking in a foreign manner enrages them. The apes tear Kyoto apart, then continue inside to the laboratory where the doctor had just awoken. He looks in sheer terror as the creatures advance on him. Kichung looks around but sees no escape, the apes have him. With one last motion, he ties flinging a vial of chemicals. The reaction causes a devastating explosion!

Tex and his friends look back to see the house of Doctor Kichung blow sky high. They're not going to have any more trouble from him.

Appearing in "Chuck Dawson: The 4-G Gang (Part 9)"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Blacky (Chuck's horse)

Adversaries:

  • 4-G gunmen
    • Slug Rhodes (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Diamond-H owner

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "Chuck Dawson: The 4-G Gang (Part 9)"Edit

(Continued from last issue...)
Chuck has managed to lead the 4-G gunmen away from the Diamond-H Ranch, but upon returning, he learns that the owner's daughter Virginia has been taken. Her brother, Zebe, went out to look for her awhile back and hasn't returned. Chuck promises the owner that he'll find them both and bring them back home safely.

A trail of footprints were left behind by the kidnappers, so Chuck follows them as they lead over the canyon trail. In the distance, partially hidden on the ridge, Chuck spots the glint of steel reflected from the sunlight. He races the gunman to the head of the canyon so he can capture him before getting cut off. A bullet whizzes past him unexpectedly from behind, throwing Dawson off his steed. They think they've got him pinned in, but he's more resourceful than they know. Using the crystal face of his pocket watch to reflect the sunlight, Chuck creates a fire in the dry grass nearby. The smoke provides perfect cover for him to escape up the rim of the canyon. The smoke works in distracting the two gunslingers behind Chuck, but the gunman on the ridge has a better view of the action, and he goes around the ridge to meet Chuck when he makes it up top. The man catches Chuck's horse around the hooves with a lasso, send Blacky and Chuck sprawling to the ground. He approaches and pulls out his gun. Chuck grabs a nice-sized pebble and flings it, knocking the gun out of his attacker's hand. Now that he has the advantage, he pounces, knocking the kidnapping scoundrel on his back. Chuck grabs him by the collar and asks where he's keeping the girl.

Appearing in "The Mad Lama"Edit

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Adversaries:

  • Jerbel (Only appearance; dies)
  • Henri (Henchmen) (Single appearance)[1]
  • Lala Gor (Henchmen) (Single appearance)[1]

Other Characters:

  • None

Locations:

Items:

  • None

Vehicles:

  • None

Synopsis for "The Mad Lama"Edit

The Grande Lama Jerbel, a great and wicked monk with strong mental powers, has plans to take over the world. He is currently awaiting the arrival of his lieutenants who will help keep control over his new world. Elsewhere, in the skies above, a passenger plane carries Zatara and his manservant Tong to their next adventure. Jerbel, in a test of his powers, causes the plane's occupants to fall under a deep sleep, and bringing the plane into a steep descent. The passengers are all unaware of their predicament... all but Zatara, who managed to block the effects of the spell from his mind. He's able to land the plane on a bare plateau without it sustaining any damage. He then goes and wakes up Tong, so together they can investigate who or what caused the accident. Zatara strains his mind's eye to scan out across the land, looking for the source of the hypnotic spell. A monastery lies to the north, and whatever caused everyone to sleep was inside. Walking would have taken too long, so Zatara makes himself and his companion, Tong, fly over the mountain path to the monastery. Oddly, it would seem their arrival was expected. A servant calls out to them, and escorts them to his master, Lama Jerbel. Things begin to make sense when Zatara and Jerbel meet, as the master of mental powers mistakes the magician for a high-ranking Major in the English army, one of his expected guests. Zatara decides it's best to play along for now, asking the Lama what he needed of him. Jerbel explains his plan of world takeover, boasting that his power and wealth combined will allow him to rule over all. But, he needed lieutenants of particular talent to help in the maintaining of his world order. Zatara and Tong are shown to their room, where they'll be staying. Once they're alone, Tong expresses his concern for their hosts power. Zatara agrees, he felt a very strong will emanating off him. Jerbel may truly have the power to conquer, and Zatara wasn't sure if he was strong enough to stop him. Some time later, a servant enters their room to announce that dinner was ready.

Downstairs, in the monastery's grand dining hall, several VIPs from all across the world are gathered together. Tong notices a familiar face in the crowd. The Tigress was here, seen mingling with the other guests. Zatara casts a spell on himself and his manservant, so that the Tigress will not recognize them and blow their cover. She sees him and approaches, swearing that he looked familiar to her. Jerbel happily introduces them to each other, calling her "Madame La France", an alias she is apparently using. The Lama Jerbel then bids everyone to take a seat and let dinner be served. He starts with a toast to himself and his oncoming rule. Then he goes around the table, making the introductions of his chosen lieutenants, hypnotists all. He starts with a patron of India, Lalla Gor, who will enslave all of India's residents by making them fall in fear at his phantom armies, which he can summon from his mind. Next up, Monsieur Henri, of France, who can trick people into believing they are succumbing to poison gas in the air. And now, it was time for Zatara, or "Major Lee", to show what he can do. The magician "demonstrates" by growing to giant-size and acting to crush the others beneath his boot. He interprets a mental command from the Lama to make him stop, so Zatara pretends to yield, and shrinks back down to normal. Jerbel is displeased by the realization that Zatara was able to hypnotize him as well, something the other guests couldn't manage, and decides to have him killed rather than threaten his reign.

Zatara and Tong are thrown in the dungeon. But they're easily able to escape thanks to Zatara's astral projection form. On the way out, Zatara and Tong run into the Tigress. Zatara no longer wore the illusion spell, so she immediately recognized him. To his surprise, she was begging him for help! Lama Jerbel blamed her for bringing the magician here, and he has sent his guards to scour the monastery looking for her. He and Tong bring her with them as they sabotage Jerbel's plan. First, Zatara hits the mad monk's treasure room, and with a spell, turns all his wealth to ash. Now it was on to the Lama himself. Dispatching a bevy of guards, and magically disposing of the Lama's trusted lieutenants. The last obstacle in their path is a mental force field. Zatara can't break it on his own, but when Tong and Tigress join hands with his, together they give off enough mental energy to burst through. Lama Jerbel awaits in his study. It comes down to a battle of minds between the Lama and the magician. They stand before one-another, each straining their minds to breach the will of the other. Soon, Jerbel falters and begs for mercy. Zatara can not allow him to live and try again with his plan, so he destroys the Lama in fire.

The threat of the Lama Jerbel has been neutralized, and so Zatara, Tong, and Tigress leave the monastery, heading back to the plane.

NotesEdit

  • Includes a two-page filler story called "The Diddle Family" by Paul Gustavson.


TriviaEdit

  • No trivia.

See Also[edit source]



  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks