Power Nelson, Man of the Future (who soon became Power Nelson, Futureman) opens this issue with his first adventure. Our hero used his superpowers to fight the Mongol horde that had conquered all of civilization in the far future year of 1982. The fight would continue (and expand to Nazis and fifth columnists) through issue #23 of Prize Comics. Power Nelson was created by Dick Sprang, with Dick Norris taking over with issue #6. "It is the year 1982, and civilization, exhausted by the second and third world wars, has been conquered by a Mongol horde! The ruler of the world is Emperor Seng I! From his palace in New-New York, he governs with despotic might all civilized people who groan under his oppression! His soldiers and spies are everywhere, and all hope of liberty seems gone, forever!...But in an underground laboratory, hidden from the emperor's spies, there is hope! A scientific way has been discovered to endow one man, and one man only, with tremendous POWER!" You'd better watch out, you stinkin' Mongols!
Ted O'Neill, Barnstormer also makes his first appearance in this issue. Created by Tarpe Mills, his adventures ran through 42 of the first 44 issues of Prize Comics, with several adventures (in issues #8 and 9) being drawn by Jack Kirby. Ted was an American fighter pilot and "flying soldier of fortune" who joined the R.A. F. to fight the Wehrmacht. In this first episode, signed by Nella and King, Ted has crashed his only plane, and is looking for a job. He spies Midge Martins' Air Circus in a field by a small southern town and signs on as a barnstormer and stuntman. Nate Ogden, the nogoodnik previous pilot for the air show, tries to kill Ted, then tries to frame Ted and Midge for the murder of a townsman.
A two-page text story about a rookie firefighter follows, "Flaming Death" by Robert Turner.
Jupiter the Master Magician! sports two antennae spouting from his blond hair, wears red gauntlets, red boots, a red cape, a blue short-sleeved shit, and blue short-shorts, and can fly and become invisible at will. He also made his debut with this issue in a story signed by Grieg Chapian. He lasted for seven issues. Jupiter was sent from his planet (coincidently, it's Jupiter) to the Earth to clean up corruption, more specifically, racketeers. He seems to us his considerable powers by uttering such phrases as "Zingo! Ogniz! Fall11" and "Amoka Akoma Zopok!" He hooks up with Jim Johnson, a reporter, to go after the racketeers. It looks like the start of a beautiful friendship.
Jaxon of the Jungle is another character created by Tarpe Mills for this issue because every good anthology comic book needs a jungle story; the story carries the by-line "Edgar Allen, Jr.". Jaxon is an adventurer and an expert jungle guide. His first name is Mike; he and his girlfriend Dorothy spent six issues of Prize Comics and one issue of Champion Comics fighting savages in the jungle. "Flying over South Africa on an important government mission, Lieutenant Anfre spots signal smoke rising from the tangled jungles of the Congo." [The Congo is in South Africa now, evidently.] Fire from a machine gun hits his plane and he is shot down, although able to radio for help. To the rescue come Jaxon, fighting wild boars and pythons by hand, only to be captured, along with Andre, by unfriendly native, whose language includes such phrases as "Jabberwokie--Ungle --Oo-Wah--Owhay." The natives are in control of evil Saul Albinz, who is determined to get the pans that Andre had been carrying on his mission.
Secret Agent M-11's first story for Prize Comics is signed by "Cardwell"; M-11 would be featured in five more issues before he is dropped. In this tale, M-11 is ordered to combat an international spy ring, which is after $200,000,000 in gold that is aboard an allied ship, the Empress of Aukland. M-11 must prevent any international incident in U.S. waters. M-11's foe, Zola, on board disguised as a minister, is a man with no fingernails on his right hand. Zola thinks he has eliminated M-11, but the Secret Agent is hard to kill.
Douglas Danville, wealthy playboy, is secretly K the Unknown, a mystery man wanted by both the police and the underworld. He wears a mask, black gauntlets, red slippers, tight red briefs, and nothing else. He has a large letter "K" emblazoned (tattooed?) on his chest. (Later iterations have K in a full body suit -- a wise move, methinks.) Danville and college friend ( and possible e-flame) Terri Dane meet up at an alumni ski event, where they stumble upon a corpse hidden inside a snowman. Terri, now a private investigator, decides to investigate on her won, knowing that Danville is just a playboy and would not be of any help. Stupid move on her part, but K the unknown comes to he rescue. It's interesting to see K amble through the snowy fields. Written by Robert Turner and drawn by Pete Riss, the story is credited to "Thomas Brown." This was K's only appearance; in issue #2, Danville changed his costume and appearance and became The Black Owl, while still hankering over Terri Dane, who idolized Black Owl but belittled Danville -- the typical curse of the romantic superhero. Black Owl continued until issue #33, when he joined the army and handed his costume to Walt Walters, the father of Yank and Doodle, who became 16-year-old heroes because they were too young to join the army.
Buck Brady of the FBI was created by Malcom Kildale and appeared in Prize Comics #1-6 and in Roy Rogers and Trigger #131. Buck "would regularly take down your typical crime-type bad guys." In this first episode, however, the bad guy was his own brother, Carter. Ouch.
Finally we have Storm Curtis of the U.S. Coast Guard, created by dick Briefer. Storm is a top Captain in the coast Guard, rescuing those who need it, and fighting crime and spies on a regular basis. He lasted six issues. Here he goes to rescue the stricken freighter Asta during a violent storm. Curtis finds himself and Captain Troy trapped on the freighter and having to wait out the storm, while the freighter drifts further and further away from his coast guard cutter. Morning finds the Asta "surrounded by an island of rotting ships, typical of fur different centuries." This "island" of dead ships turns out to be the perfect hiding spot for a Nazi submarine base, readying to draw the United States into the war. It's up to Storm to bring down this nefarious spy ring.
Enjoy this issue from a simpler time.
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