Mystery Men Comics #1 is an issue of the series Mystery Men Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1939.
Synopsis for Green Mask: "A Modern Robin Hood"
Appearing in Green Mask: "A Modern Robin Hood"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Rex Dexter: "Origin of Rex Dexter of Mars"
Appearing in Rex Dexter: "Origin of Rex Dexter of Mars"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Billy Bounce: "How to Become a Detective"
Appearing in Billy Bounce: "How to Become a Detective"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Chen Chang: "The Coming of Chen Chang"
Appearing in Chen Chang: "The Coming of Chen Chang"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Wing Turner: "Skullduggery on Smokey Mountain"
Appearing in Wing Turner: "Skullduggery on Smokey Mountain"
Featured Characters:
- Wing Turner
Synopsis for Zanzibar: "Trapped by the Top"
Appearing in Zanzibar: "Trapped by the Top"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Hemlock Shomes and Dr. Potsam: "The Case of Tintype's Will"
Appearing in Hemlock Shomes and Dr. Potsam: "The Case of Tintype's Will"
Featured Characters:
- Hemlock Shomes
- Doctor Potsam
Synopsis for "The Haunted House"
(text story)
Appearing in "The Haunted House"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Waco Kid: "Trouble at Gun Hollow"
Appearing in Waco Kid: "Trouble at Gun Hollow"
Featured Characters:
- Waco Kid
Synopsis for Inspector Bancroft: "Another Bombing Outrage"
Appearing in Inspector Bancroft: "Another Bombing Outrage"
Featured Characters:
- Inspector Bancroft
Synopsis for Blue Beetle: "The Coming of the Blue Beetle"
Police Officer Dan Garret dives to the sidewalk as a speeding sedan goes by pumping machine gun ammunition sporadically and shoves a man out onto the city street. Ignoring his wound, Garret checks on the man who turns out to be banker Mr. Vander, who along with his daughter and secretary, were recently kidnapped. Vanders' last words turns out to be his informing Garret that his kidnappers were the White Face Gang. Garret learns that the sedan that Vander was pushed from, has been found and he investigates the car, to discover that the identification number has been filed off. Garret uses a chemical that reveals the number on the vehicle and he learns that the vehicle is owned by a garage owner, Mike Ravani. Garret makes his way to a drug store, owned by his friend Abe, to change into his guise as the Blue Beetle. In another part of the city, Vander's daughter is being tortured for the combination of her father's bank vault. One of the thugs is shocked to see a blue beetle emblem on the desk and they quickly discover that the Blue Beetle has crashed their little party. The Beetle tells the gang that he has the combination to the vault so they don't have to torture the girl anymore. The telephone rings and one of the thugs speaks to an unknown person. Beetle gives them the combination and the thug informs everyone that that is the same combo that he had just received from someone on the phone. They gang heads for the bank and given a brief moment alone, The Blue Beetle calls the police station on a wireless telephone that he invented, to let them know that the Blue Beetle, apparently a wanted criminal to the police, would be at Vander's bank at midnight. When the Beetle and the White Face gang arrive at the bank they are all gathered up by the waiting policemen, except for the Blue Beetle, who uses a smoke screen to make his escape. It is revealed that John Brandes, Mr. Vander's secretary, was actually the leader of the conspirators. Later, Dan speaks to Abe, who apparently knows of Garret's dual-identity, and he thanks him for making that call to the thugs that reiterated the same vault combination, thus making them more likely to trust the Beetle and lead to their capture.
Appearing in Blue Beetle: "The Coming of the Blue Beetle"
Featured Characters:
- Blue Beetle (Dan Garret) (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Mike Mannigan (First appearance)
- Abe (Friend of Dan Garret) (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- The White Face Gang
- John Brandes
Other Characters:
- Mr. Vander (Banker)
- Ms. Vander (Banker's daughter)
Locations:
Items:
- Wireless Telephone
Vehicles:
- Beetle's High-Powered Car
- White Face Gang's car
Synopsis for D-13: "The Panama Canal Affair"
Appearing in D-13: "The Panama Canal Affair"
Featured Characters:
Synopsis for Capt. Danny Scott: "The Valley of the Dead"
Appearing in Capt. Danny Scott: "The Valley of the Dead"
Featured Characters:
- Captain Danny Scott
Synopsis for Lt. Drake: "Saboteurs on the S.S. Regina"
Appearing in Lt. Drake: "Saboteurs on the S.S. Regina"
Featured Characters:
- Lt. Drake
Notes
- 64 pages
- The only story in this issue that is owned by DC Comics is the Blue Beetle story, therefore it is the only story that is completely indexed.
- "The Coming of the Blue Beetle" was reprinted in Blue Beetle #1.
- The Blue Beetle's costume is noticeably different in this issue than it is in subsequent appearances. This issue also predates the use of his special bulletproof costume and Vitamin 2-X as provided by pharmacist Doctor Franz.
- This issue is the first appearance of Earth-Fox.
Trivia
- The Blue Beetle's name and concept was largely inspired by the Green Hornet, a popular "Mystery Man" created by George W. Trendle in the 1930s.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Blue Beetle Recommended Reading
- Blue & Gold (Volume 1)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 1)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 2)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 3)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 4)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 5)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 6)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 7)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 8)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 9)
- Blue Beetle (Volume 10)
- Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (Volume 1)
- Justice League America (Volume 1)
- Justice League Europe (Volume 1)
- Justice League International (Volume 1)
- Mystery Men Comics (Volume 1)
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.