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| Part 1 |
Captain Marvel Adventures 61 Universal
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9.4
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Currently the Highest Graded Copy of this Issue. The other Crowley copy is a 9.0. Features the first appearance by long time villain Oggar "The World's Mightiest Immortal". Begins a 6 part serial that lasts until issue 66.
(Published) September 1946
(Cover) C.C. Beck
9 page Captain Marvel story
"The Sleeper Awakes"
(Script) Otto Binder
Billy Batson and some friends are walking in the woods when they decide to have a picnic. They hear someone sleeping and find an old man named Tom Tuttle behind some bushes.His beard is five feet long and his clothes in tatters. Tom hears a radio and smashes it with a cane thinking it's witchcraft. He then start attacking the children thinking they are witches and when Billy transforms to Capt. Marvel he hits him with his cane to no effect. After calming down Tom explains that he believes the year is 1750. When Tom discovers it's 1946 he bemones the fact that all his friends and family are dead and buried by Cap vows to help him.
Cap takes him to the city, puts him in a suit, gets him a trim and then takes him to the courthouse took look him up in the records. Records confirm that Tom Tuttle has been sleeping nearly 200 years. He then remembers that he placed a few hundred dollars in a bank Amazingly the bank and the account still exist and with interest amount to well over one million dollars. This seems highly unlikely for many reasons. One of which is that they accept without evidence that this man IS Tom Tuttle. Later, Billy is reading Rip Van Winkle when he notices something that causes him concern and he rushes to see Tuttle. Meanwhile Tuttle is now living in a plush apartment when his great great great grandson shows up and pulls a gun on Tom. Cap arrives and punches the man out but suddenly the room fills with greedy relatives all wanting Tom's money. He pushes them out the door but Capt. Marvel looks angry and accuses Tuttle of being a fraud.
The is actually kind of clever. When Tom Tuttle first awakens he mentions that he is like Rip Van Winkle but the story of Van Winkle wasn't written until after 1750 cluing Marvel into his duplicity. Tom Tuttle's scheme to get the money from the 200 year old account is revealed and he's sent to jail.
7 page Captain Marvel story
"The Whirling Drawbridge"
Billy is on a riverboat that's going to be used as entertainment for chidlren (even in 1946 a riverboat was a relic). He goes to visit the mansion of Twirler McVolver. He meets McVolver who tells Billy hr made his fortune buying up inventions including a new one he's super proud of which is a revolving barber chair to sooth nerves. As he demonstrates it to Billy it goes haywire and begins spinning out of control. Billy says his magic word and Capt. Marvel stops the chair also damages it. After changing back Billy is lambasted by McVolver for damaging the invention and vows to get even (does he know that Billy is also Capt. Marvel?) As McVolver investigates the damage he discovers he has invented an "ascending reduction gear", the most powerful gear in the world. So apparently he didn't realize this as he was inventing it.
In a rather dumb move Billy does a broadcast on the incident making McVolver a laughing stock, spoiling the sale of his "rocking chair" and enraging him more. He sabotages a bridge of the man who refused to buy his gear and the steam boat Billy and the children will be riding on. The steam boat heads out, kids aboard, and approaches the revolving bridge which turns to allow the boat to pass but it begins to spill like a top prompting Billy to transform and correct the problem. Cap stops the bridge but then the steam boat goes crazy and crashes into shore.
Marvel figures out what happened and grabs up McVolver who now seems quite mad. He puts the inventor back on the rocking chair and spins him in reverse which apparently unwinds his insanity (huh???) The spin "tightened his loose screws". McVolver decides go to into a retirement and all is well in the world.
9 page Captain Marvel story
"The Mental Monster"
(Script) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) Pete Constanza
Billy bikes to a seaside resort at the invitation of Mr. Morris. Resting on the porch Billy and Mr. Morris hear a cry for help. One of the guests of the resort, Jonathan Jaeger shows up claiming a monster chased him on the beach. Billy transforms in order to investigate. Capt. Marvel heads down to the beach and finds nothing but Jaeger sticks to his story literally biting his nails with fear.
Later that night while Billy is reading he hears another scream of 'monster' this time from Mrs. Hipp, Capt. Marvel arrives at Mrs. Hipp's room but the monster has gone. She claims a tentacle tried to grab her from the open window. Cap again searches the beach this time finding some tracks but they lead into a rocky area so they can't be followed, Marvel returns and tells all the guests to go back to bed and he'll keep watch. Another scream for help and a woman claims the monster dragged off her husband. Capt. Marvel gathers all the male guests and sends them out to search for Mr. Jenkins. Later they reconvene and although no monster was found they found some fur, scales and a horn.
2 page text story
"The Last Fight"
(Script) Joseph Millard
10 page Captain Marvel story
"The Cult of the Curse Ch.1: The World's Mightiest Immortal"
(Appearance) Oggar [first]
(Script) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) Pete Constanza
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| Part 2 |
Captain Marvel Adventures 62 Universal
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9.0
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Second Highest Graded Copy of this Issue. Continues 6 part serial from issue 61
(Published) October 1946
(Cover) C.C. Beck
10 page Captain Marvel story
"The Great Harness Race"
(Script) Bill Woolfolk
Mr. Morris calls Billy into his office to tell him about a famous race horse that was just bought.for 100 grand by a wealthy fellow named Harrison Graham. Billy decides to interview Graham and finds out he bought the horse, Black Bounty, for his son to race on his own private track. Harrison's nephew Curtis secretly gloats over the fact that he planted a firecracker on the tracker to spook the horse. The firecracker goes off and Billy needs to transform to stop the frightened horse but despite his best effort the young man is injured bad enough that he may never walk again. Harrison wants to put the horse down but his son begs him not to do it and Capt. Marvel suggests they have Black Bounty race to give the boy confidence. Harrison tells him he'll fix the race to ensure Black Bounty wins and Marvel seems to have no issue with this. Meanwhile, Curtis plans to make sure the horse loses banking on the shock killing Harrison's son. Seems HIGHLY unlikely.
Later, Captain Marvel suggests the race should be legit but Harrison doesn't agree. When Cap is walking around he hears Harrison's nephew hiring someone to sabotage the race. Marvel breaks in to the conversation and cleans house sending the crooks running. As he chases them down Cap passes Harrison's son in a wheelchair who mentions how happy he'll be to see Black Bounty win a race. Curtis bursts in and tells the young man the race is fixed as revenge and Marvel threatens to knock his brains out before flying him to jail but the damage is done and the boy is distraught. In order to ensure the race is legit the boy wants Capt. Marvel to guide the sulky because Marvel never lies. This seems like a really bad idea if for nothing else than Marvel looks like a very heavy man. I'll bet the factor is never mentioned.
On the day of the race when people see Black Bounty being ridden by Capt. Marvel all the bets go on Cap's horse which is actually one of the more clever and realistic turns I've ever seen in a Capt. Marvel comic. With all the money on Black Bounty the two crooks who originally conspired with Curtis decide to carry through with the plan to sabotage the race in order to make a killing on the bet. The race starts with Black Bounty in last place and Cap with no confidence. However, Capt. Marvel's superior brain allows him to pick up the subtleties of racing and he starts to move up. The crooks throw a firecracker causing Black Beauty to crack up but Marvel uses his speed to rebuild the broken sulky and get himself back in the lead winning the race. Harrison's son is so thrilled he jumps from his wheelchair and walks again. The crooks are captures and Harrison learns he should spend his money on doing good.
10 page Captain Marvel story
"Terror Rides the Train"
(Appearance) the Three Lt. Marvels
(Script) Otto Binder
The story opens on Billy doing a broadcast from an ultra modern high speed train. Later, Billy is wander the magnificent train when he runs into the three other Billy Batson's, Tall Billy, Hill Billy and Fat Billy who with one magic word are capable of changing into the three Marvel Lieutenants. Billy visits the mail room which is carrying a half a million in radium when some armed crooks break in led by Choo Choo Charley (yeah, seriously), The crooks seem ignorant of Capt. Marvel's invulnerability but he sends them running. One might think a guy with the speed of Mercury would have little trouble nabbing thieves on an enclosed vehicle but running away from Marvel is often a winning strategy.
They run past Fat Billy who transforms and squirts one guy with a fountain and smashes a Coke bottle over the head of another. Amazingly two of the crooks get away again. Predictably they then run past Hill Billy who transforms and knocks them over with a bowling ball followed by a crushing blow to the skull to one of the thieves. Obviously Choo Choo manages to get away so that Tall Billy can capture him. Choo Choo proves to be more elusive and Tall Billy more retarded as Choo Choo hides in a dark room. The original Marvel spots him but as he goes in for the grab the dimwitted Tall Lieutenant Marvel bumbles into him. Choo Choo climes on the train roof and calls another associate in a helicopter. Choo Choo is grabbed and Marvel has to drop down as the train goes through a tunnel. The four Marvels transform back and Billy does his final broadcast.
So let's do the math. Four Marvel's versus four crooks and they fail to get the ringleader. Also, Tall Billy was worse than useless. This may be the first story I've seen where the crook gets away. Sad day for the Marvels.
My mistake, Billy's broadcast led me to believe the story was over but Choo Choo Charley hasn't given up. He dynamites a bridge ahead of the train. The four Marvels head out and hoist the train over the gap. Capt. Marvel then punches Choo Choo Charley in the face and all the crooks are arrested. Billy does a second final broadcast and everything is wrapped up.
10 page Captain Marvel story
"The Cult of the Curse Ch.2: The Arena of Horror"
(Appearance) Oggar
(Script) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) Pete Constanza
4 page Captain Kid story
"Bridges The Gap"
(Script/Pencils/Inks) Al Liederman
8 page Captain Marvel story
"His Great Invention"
(Script) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) Pete Constanza
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| Part 6 |
Captain Marvel Adventures 66
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9.2
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Tied with One Other Comic for Highest Grade
(Published) October 1946
(Cover) C.C. Beck
11 page Captain Marvel story
"The Atomic War"
(Writer) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) C.C. Beck
Billy Batson is doing a broadcast announcing that the world is at total peace when Mr. Morris breaks in with an announcement that Chicago was just completely destroyed by an Atomic bomb. Capt. Marvel flies to Chicago to find it indeed in total ruin. He rescues a woman and her baby but they die from radiation poisoning nonetheless, As he flies back to WHIZ he runs into a barrage of Atomic bombs headed towards Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is blown up and Cap can only hold his head in grief. City after city is destroyed until even Billy's own city is obliterated, Cap stands on the wreckage asking who is the culprit and why is America not responding.
A General shows up and tells Cap that no response has been launched because they don't know where the bombs are coming from. Marvel is sent out with a radio to try and locate the source. All over the world, countries are confused as to the source of the bombs and start firing off their own atomic bombs. Eventually, every person on the planet except Capt Marvel is dead.
In the end, it turns out this was all a television program meant to show the horrors of all out atomic war. It's basically an anti-war message suggesting the next world war could be the last. She changes the goat back to Billy with an intention of turning him into a worm but he transforms and flies away before she can react.
8 page Captain Marvel story
"The Cult of the Curse Chapter 6: The Battle of the Century"
(Script) Otto Binder
(Pencils/Inks) C.C. Beck
Capt Marvel is trying to track down Oggar on a desert island when he comes across a decrepit female hermit who is startled by his appearance. It turns out she's Circe the witch and she was cursed with immortality by Oggar when she refused his advances. As she aged without dying she developed a hatred for men and learned to turn them into animals. She turns Marvel into a half horse so he changes back to Billy to reverse the effect. She turns Billy into a goat and kicks him away. Billy is unable to say his magic word but worse, Oggar has spotted him and starts lobbing spears in his direction. Oggar misses on purpose but then pulls out a magic rifle and puts Billy goat down.
Turns out Oggar killed the wrong goat and Billy returns to Circe butting her in the rear. Cap finds Oggar and punches him in the back of the head, then grabs up his notebook before tearing it up. This takes away Oggar's magic tricks but he can still go toe to toe with Marvel on a physical level and the two start duking it out. Cap acts like he's scared and lures Oggar to Circe who proceeds to change Oggar into a boar. He dashes off a cliff, presumably dying on the rocks. With Oggar dead the curse on Circe is lifted and she turns to bones. Thus ends the World's Mightiest Immortal.
9 page Captain Marvel story
"The Return of Aunt Minerva"
(Script) Bill Woolfolk?
Aunt Minerva is in jail writing her 10th love letter of the day to Capt. Marvel. When she gets a return letter from Cap telling her to leave him alone she furiously clunks her guard on the head and escapes. She goes immediately to Billy Batson's office demanding to see Marvel and smacks the lad to the ground. Angry, Billy speaks has magic word but when Cap arrives he plans to change back believing it was a mistake for Billy to call on him. Too late. Minerva, seeing Cap hangs off hiss neck and pummels the cops who arrive. When things get too hot she shoots out a light and makes her escape.
Later, Capt. Marvel makes a fruitless search of the city but when he returns to Billy's office he finds the place filled with flowers. Minerva arrives and proposes to Cap giving him 10 minutes to decide. Cap leaves and returns as Billy telling her Marvel isn't interested (how cowardly). In response, she knocks Billy unconscious and ties him up. She threatens to kill Billy if Capt. Marvel doesn't show up but then makes the mistake of removing his gag in order to hear his response to her mocking. Billy transforms and Cap sprays Minerva with a knockout perfume she had prepared. He then takes her to jail.
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