Marvel Mystery Comics #6

Marvel Mystery Comics #6

by Carl Burgos, Joe Simon (Editor), Alex Schomburg (Cover artist)

The Sub-Mariner is on DEATH ROW! How will he escape the harsh penalty of death for a crime he didn’t commit?!

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Superheroes, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Classics, Adult

68 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

Max Finkelstein created Jim Hamond, the Human Torch, for Timely Comics (later evolved into the Marvel Comics) in 1939, using the pen-name Carl Burgos. He also created the Thunderer for Daring Mystery Comics. Both series were published by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel. He was drafted in 1942 and did mostly commercial art in subsequent years, occasionally drawing science fiction stories for Marvel, by that time known as Atlas. He also drew the first story featuring the Beetle (Abner Jenkins) in Strange Tales #123, starring Johnny Storm, the second Human Torch. Two years later, in Fantastic Four Annual #4, Marvel published a battle between the two Human Torches, resulting in the death of Jim Hamond. Although his daughter tried to preserve as much as possible, Burgos set fire to much of the Human Torch materials he had retained from the 1940s, considering the story an excuse to reassert trademark on a character they were not using simply to spite him.

Reviews

[Victor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe wear a mask instead of threatening people to kill them when you try to save them. Also those days when kidnapping people for a couple of minutes before you took their valuables, seem interesting.



And time was more forgiving back then.

Too bad Ferret's comic didn't stick to the previous look, I suspect the previous one was remodeled/redrawn.

Also, Ka-Zar's episode is the first one I rated with 3*. Maybe it's too much but setting a proper trap by cooperating with the "blacks" is on a whole other level that deserves encouragement.

Really dissapointed in Namor's drawing this episode. It seemed rushed and the story is...oh, mercy!

[Britt Halliburton · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the whole, I felt the main stories were all decent in this issue; Namor, Human Torch and Ka-Zar.

I have no idea why The Masked Raider continues to exist, but not the far better American Ace. Ferret is dreadful too. Electro is awful, but this one was better than prior instalments because it has the added element of the human needing to identify the headquarters before he could call in the robot. The Angel was mostly good, but he threatens to kill this woman that recognises him and at the end it seems they’re maybe dating? What?

[Mars Fargo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This issue marks comics book HISTORY. I was tempted to give it a higher rating, simply because the one great story in it almost completely overshadows the other awful stories. You guys know I am, of course, talking about Namor's story.

NAMOR's story presents what I think is the first ongoing story arc we've ever seen in a comic book conclusively come to an end in comic history, rather than continuing into inconsequential perpetuity. The character conflict and story established for him in the first issue of Marvel Comics comes full circle here, as after a complex series of twist and turns covering several issues he returns to the his former motivation; to wipe out the human race. This presents a nice bookmark ending, as we reflect on everything that has changed between then (when he first wanted to kill the human race) and now (when RETURNS to wanting to kill the human race). This is character storytelling at its finest, and it is what I signed up for when I first picked up a comic book.

It's somewhat of a tragic irony, as its the last time we will see a complex multiple issue story-arc for a while in the comic medium with America's entrance into WWII fast approaching. From that point on, all American comics books uniformly become cookie-cutter condemnations of Japanese people during a time of intense Asian racism, which I think really betrays what this character was designed to stand for. Best to get off the ride while its still great now then continue into that regrettable turn of events in comic history.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Human Torch
This guy just keeps getting better. The Torch is on maybe his 5th or 6th adventure, and our boy is starting to get cocky with his fire powers. It's been pretty fun seeing Torch learn what all his fire powers can influence. He puts out a forest fire by shouting and is pretty good at defensive timing; when he was tackled off a cliff unflamed, he flamed on, saving himself, but letting the other guy crash to the bottom. I also like when he fireman rolled on the road in front of an escaping car, melting the road and getting them stuck in tar. Also the paneling is getting pretty solid.

The Angel
So the Angel nowadays is just strolling from bar to bar, looking for brawls that he can end, he also seemingly starts dating every single damsel he saves, bar threatening to rip off head or no.

Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner
After saving a bank from robbery in the last story, Namor is arrested for murdering the robbers (like he knew better). Then he's told that humans (at least Americans) have to be decided guilty before you can kill 'em, so they're going to arrest Namor for trial. He agrees as his girlfriend promised it would be safe. He was quickly sentenced to death, broke out of the prison, and redeclared war on America, especially his girlfriend. Also, Namors new suit looks so goofy.

The Masked Raider
I know you immediately gave the translation after saying it but please don't call your cattle Wranglin' operation "Wet Beef" even if you are walking your cattle through a river. Also, Lightning the horse is officially the best character in Masked Raider

Electro: The Marvel of the Age
So in this story Electro just straight up puts an end to the entire narcotics industry by arresting like 10 people and putting them in jail. Electro also received an upgrade! As he was about 6 - 7 ft last story, he now towers above people and scoops them up in his claw-hands. Aside from some racism toward Asian folks, this was about as boring as most Electro stories.

Ferret: Mystery Detective
Alright Ferret, you had me last issue, but now that the writers have decided having an actual pet Ferret isn't interesting enough, they incidentally took all of my interest away at the same time.

Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great
Continueing his quest to keep his jungle home clear of those god damn Oman (white dudes), Ka-Zar strikes out to stop a poacher from leading an entire herd of elephants to their death. Obviously he's after the ivory tusks, and obviously Ka-Zar hates that, and so do the man's slave tribe who, after Ka-Zar rallies them, betray the man. Leading to his fate of being trampled to death by an entire herd of bull elephants.

[Hafeez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This issue contain:
1. The Forest Fire Felons (The Human Torch)
2. The Execution of the Sub-Mariner
3. The Border Dictator (Masked Raider)
4. The Shrinking Spy (short story)
5. The Voice's Dope Racket (Electro)
6. Murder of a Cosmetics Queen (Ferret)
7. Revenge for a Blind Man (Ka-Zar)

[Simon Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are getting a bit better. Some are quite repetitive and mentioned before, contain backdated social views about race.

[Dylan Torres · Rating 2 out of 5]

Give the Ferret his ferret back! Namor getting the chair and then surviving was cool though.

[Maddux Snyder · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.45/5 for me

[cowboylikejoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5🌟

I mean, okay, it's fine. I just hope we start getting more intertwined stories between heroes.

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a pretty good Marvel series, mostly just love and enjoy the Human torch and Kazar comics😄😻👍