Marvel Mystery Comics #9

Marvel Mystery Comics #9

by Carl Burgos, Bill Everett, John Compton

Continued from last issue…Namor is still taking his revenge out on New York City! Human Torch has to get creative, because he and the Sub-Mariner appear to be evenly matched!

Genres: Comics, Marvel

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

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Human Torch Versus The Sub-Mariner
Wow, that was actually very fun and super action packed! I'm surprised there was such a clear winner at the end, even if it's only temporary. This is kind of superhero fights at its finest. Two dudes who are still learning their powers are putting everything they have into fighting, barely escaping with their lives at some times. I really liked at the end the comic did the "Hey Kids! Who do YOU think would win? How do YOU think they'd get out of the situation they've both gotten stuck in? Tune in next time to see OUR answer!". This was very fun and I think easily my favourite Marvel thing so far. I loved the symatry at the end, that Namor traps Torch in the same tube he started his robotic life in! (they've definitely forgotten he's a robot). For how confident I was in the Torch's win, Namors brains proved to be fatal to Torch's quick action.

The Angel
So I guess the Angel is our first international hero? Either that or the girl he fawns over took a European vacation and he stalked her across the sea. The Angel stumbles into rumours of prowling Vampires and investigates only to find a Victor Frankenstein type who's putting women's brains into gorilla's for... Reasons? Unsurprisingly the Angel punches them in the face and wins.

The Masked Raider
Should I just stop reviewing Raider? I never have anything new to say. Bandits + Masked Raider = Raider victory

Electro: The Marvel of the Age
This story almost mainly was to show the sheer strength of the robot Electro, pitting him in a war one with extremely low stakes (because its not on Earth). Electro proves to be extremely effective on the side of the alien dragon-men. Until Zog is able to regain control of Electro at which point he singlehandedly pulls the victory for the lion-men against the dragon-men. Way to go. I really don't like that the leader of the lion-men, the obvious good guys, is just a hot Earth chick, like we wouldn't be able to empathize with lion people? Just a weird choice to me, personally.

The Ferret
Ferret solves a crime. The real crime is that Nosey still isn't here. He must be on vacation.

Adventures of Ka-Zar the Great
After a woman gets stranded in the middle of the jungle due only to her own stupidity, Ka-Zar tries to help her out, only to be tracked and chased down by a very racist caricature (haven't gotten sharpened teeth, war hungry native tribesmen in awhile). I was worried, once again, that Ka-Zar would fall in love with the girl, but when she's reunited with his father, he offers Ka-Zar a spot at their outpost, but Ka-Zar tells him "literally no" and goes back home.

[Victor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly drawn and pretty disappointing stories in this issue even for the golden age. The only thing of notice is Ferret's pages who manages to make the most of his unfortunate weakness to the rope element thus gaining him a 2 for the first time. Too bad it's his last appearance.

[Britt Halliburton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love the Namor vs Torch story. You find yourself rooting for both of the, and the way they both try to work out ways to overcome the other gives an interesting angle that doesn’t exist in traditional good guy vs villain narratives. Otherwise, the only other comic I enjoyed was actually Electro, which I have hated up to this point. I think because it’s so incredibly silly, it ends up being way more fun than it has been previously. A space queen who rules lion people fighting lizard men and a random giant octopus. Honestly, the garish Electro robot suddenly fit right in. Ka-Zar had the very racist ‘evil Pygmy Wabis people’ in it, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. But this issue had yet another daughter of a random white guy showing up - was taking your daughters on random explorations of the jungle the fashionable thing to do?

[Riley Sipes · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Marvel Mystery Comics #9 (1940) keeps the pulp fire burning with a blazing battle between the Human Torch and Sub-Mariner that’s as wild and destructive as comic storytelling got in the Golden Age. The showdown turns New York into a warzone—submarines in the streets, fire raining from the sky—it’s bonkers in the best way. Bill Everett and Carl Burgos push their characters to mythic extremes, even if the pacing is chaotic and the motivations thin. Still, there’s no denying the raw energy and early Marvel magic on full display. Pure vintage mayhem.

[Simon Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m enjoying the interactions between The Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. It’s a battle of elements and there’s not clear winner. This is refreshing.

Electro - I have to point out and ask why the Queen in her first appearance is in a wonderful regal outfit and as soon as the Dragonmen invade, she’s been given a dull damsel in distress dress. Then reverts to the regal outfit once saved. It doesn’t make any sense other than stereotyping.

[Hafeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This issue consists of:
1. The Human Torch vs. The Sub-Mariner: The Battle of the Comic Century!
2. The Mad Doctor of Carlburg (The Angel)
3. The Stagecoach Bandits (The Masked Raider)
4. High Steel (short story)
5. On the Planet Ligra (Electro)
6. The Trouble at Stacey Cleaners (Ferret)
7. The Rescue of Rita Grey (Ka-Zar)

[cowboylikejoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

2🌟

The fight between the Submariner and the Human Torch goes on, and it is quite fun to jump from action to action. But still, the other stories lack too much depth since most of them never seem to let go of their stereotypical narratives, especially that infinitely-recycled one: pretty girl captured, handsome blond man comes to save the day.

[K G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, I liked the crossover but I cannot tell you a single thing that happened in half the stories

[Alexis Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The note in the electro comic made me giggle lol

[Natalia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5⭐

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 3 out of 5]

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