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Daring Mystery Comics #1
Daring Mystery Comics (1940-1942) #1
Dr. Jack Castle investigates a series of murders…and comes to find out that the undead may be responsible.
65 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2017
6 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Joe Simon
357 books26 followersJoseph Henry "Joe" Simon (born Hymie Simon) was an American comic book writer, artist, editor, and publisher. Simon created or co-created many important characters in the 1930s-1940s Golden Age of Comic Books and served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics.
With his partner, artist Jack Kirby, he co-created Captain America, one of comics' most enduring superheroes, and the team worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy, and co-created the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. Simon & Kirby creations for other comics publishers include Boys' Ranch, Fighting American and the Fly. In the late 1940s, the duo created the field of romance comics, and were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics. Simon, who went on to work in advertising and commercial art, also founded the satirical magazine Sick in 1960, remaining with it for a decade. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s.
Simon was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999.
With his partner, artist Jack Kirby, he co-created Captain America, one of comics' most enduring superheroes, and the team worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy, and co-created the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. Simon & Kirby creations for other comics publishers include Boys' Ranch, Fighting American and the Fly. In the late 1940s, the duo created the field of romance comics, and were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics. Simon, who went on to work in advertising and commercial art, also founded the satirical magazine Sick in 1960, remaining with it for a decade. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s.
Simon was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 21, 2019
Very similar themes to Marvel’s first comics. There’s not much excitement here apart from Monako which was refreshingly the first with actual powers.
May 25, 2022
The second Marvel comic in history and I gotta say, I didn't like it as much as the first. I imagine that series is for super-heroic men and this one is just for heroic men. This was fine, but every story felt a little off, and a bit skip-hoppy.
The Fiery Mask:
"That face... So Green!" and thus begins the Fiery Mask! I guess.. This guy was slightly weird. This is about a Detective looking into freaky corpse-looking dudes. He accidentally gets stuck with superpowers after the lead Corpsemen tries to hypnotise him. He then gets weather powers? "all the power of the wind, the rain, the storm and even the sunlight!" But then names himself the Fiery Mask. 0 creativity there.
Soldier of Fortune: John Steele:
Pretty typical war story, I don't much care for war stories but this was fine. It was about this guy who stumbles upon a girl with sensitive info, then he helps to break her out of the war zone, only to be cheesed she didn't fall for him. "Mr. John Steele fails upward" is what I'd call this.
The Texas Kid: Robin Hood of the Range
That is one well trained horse! I still don't care about westerns so... But this was pretty good I guess, it actually has felt the most modern so far so that's alright. But how did no one think the town banker was in on this crime ring, c'mon guys.
Monako: Prince of Magic
Doctor Strange prototype. This one was kind of fun, I liked the colours of the comic and the paneling was kind of interesting. I also love a magic power where the power really is there to just win. My biiiiiggest complaint is that the villain seemed a little... Targeted. Yknow? It's fine though. Also Al probably could have just punched his way outta captivity without help from Magic Boy.
Flash Foster at Midwestern
Marvel? Why you do football? Who cares? Although way to go coming back from a 21-6 point deficit.
Phantom of the Underworld
This one was boring and hard to pay attention to. "Doc" should try harder next time!
Wartime Wonders!
Someone got thrown outta their plane, only to land back in it? That's pretty cool.
Barney Mullen: Sea Rover
Gotta remember that these were being released during war times. Or like right after and right before war times. This was 100% transparently war propaganda "Hey kids! Join the Navy and you'll go on adventures like your favourite comic character, Barney Mullen!". Don't get me wrong, I was entertained, I like when these comic characters just punch people and things to solve problems.
The Fiery Mask:
"That face... So Green!" and thus begins the Fiery Mask! I guess.. This guy was slightly weird. This is about a Detective looking into freaky corpse-looking dudes. He accidentally gets stuck with superpowers after the lead Corpsemen tries to hypnotise him. He then gets weather powers? "all the power of the wind, the rain, the storm and even the sunlight!" But then names himself the Fiery Mask. 0 creativity there.
Soldier of Fortune: John Steele:
Pretty typical war story, I don't much care for war stories but this was fine. It was about this guy who stumbles upon a girl with sensitive info, then he helps to break her out of the war zone, only to be cheesed she didn't fall for him. "Mr. John Steele fails upward" is what I'd call this.
The Texas Kid: Robin Hood of the Range
That is one well trained horse! I still don't care about westerns so... But this was pretty good I guess, it actually has felt the most modern so far so that's alright. But how did no one think the town banker was in on this crime ring, c'mon guys.
Monako: Prince of Magic
Doctor Strange prototype. This one was kind of fun, I liked the colours of the comic and the paneling was kind of interesting. I also love a magic power where the power really is there to just win. My biiiiiggest complaint is that the villain seemed a little... Targeted. Yknow? It's fine though. Also Al probably could have just punched his way outta captivity without help from Magic Boy.
Flash Foster at Midwestern
Marvel? Why you do football? Who cares? Although way to go coming back from a 21-6 point deficit.
Phantom of the Underworld
This one was boring and hard to pay attention to. "Doc" should try harder next time!
Wartime Wonders!
Someone got thrown outta their plane, only to land back in it? That's pretty cool.
Barney Mullen: Sea Rover
Gotta remember that these were being released during war times. Or like right after and right before war times. This was 100% transparently war propaganda "Hey kids! Join the Navy and you'll go on adventures like your favourite comic character, Barney Mullen!". Don't get me wrong, I was entertained, I like when these comic characters just punch people and things to solve problems.
January 9, 2024
Not every story was entertaining but still that was solid
September 21, 2025
I enjoyed the origin story to Fiery Mask far more than I anticipated, however, when he gets his costume at the end… yikes, it is hideous.
The Soldier story isn’t so interesting and he keeps punching dudes. Like, my guy, you’re in a war, pick up a bloody gun. Human Torch and Namor are killing crooks in droves back in New York, while this guy is just knocking out enemy soldiers on the battlefield. While comparing to the other series, I can appreciate that Texas Kid is much better than Masked Raider. Unfortunately, I hate these cowboy stories and this one drags on and on. As if cowboys wasn’t boring enough, there’s also a story about American Football. Thugs kidnap the guy’s girlfriend to make him throw the match. He rescues her, returns to the match and wins the day. I have no idea how you’d turn that into a running comic.
I really liked Monako, though with all these magic powers, I feel like he should have been able to wipe the floor with these random mob guys. Still, his wide array of powers makes it interesting to follow along an otherwise standard narrative. The Phantom of the Underworld has a far more dramatic name than it deserves. Copper is also a doctor and pretends to be a crooked doctor to work for a gang and then uses some kind of injection to blind the crooks. It was okay.
The last story isn’t about a sea captain. I didn’t find it interesting.
When compared to Marvel Mystery Comics, I can see why it outlasts Daring.
The Soldier story isn’t so interesting and he keeps punching dudes. Like, my guy, you’re in a war, pick up a bloody gun. Human Torch and Namor are killing crooks in droves back in New York, while this guy is just knocking out enemy soldiers on the battlefield. While comparing to the other series, I can appreciate that Texas Kid is much better than Masked Raider. Unfortunately, I hate these cowboy stories and this one drags on and on. As if cowboys wasn’t boring enough, there’s also a story about American Football. Thugs kidnap the guy’s girlfriend to make him throw the match. He rescues her, returns to the match and wins the day. I have no idea how you’d turn that into a running comic.
I really liked Monako, though with all these magic powers, I feel like he should have been able to wipe the floor with these random mob guys. Still, his wide array of powers makes it interesting to follow along an otherwise standard narrative. The Phantom of the Underworld has a far more dramatic name than it deserves. Copper is also a doctor and pretends to be a crooked doctor to work for a gang and then uses some kind of injection to blind the crooks. It was okay.
The last story isn’t about a sea captain. I didn’t find it interesting.
When compared to Marvel Mystery Comics, I can see why it outlasts Daring.
March 8, 2026
Story included in this issue are:
1. The Fantastic Thriller of the Walking Corpses
2. Soldier of Fortune, John Steele
3. The Texas Kid, Robin Hood of the Range
4. The Menace of Mr. Muro
5. The Thundering Terror of Gold Creek
6. The Football Fixing Scheme
7. Case of Perrone
8. Wartime Wonders
9. The Rotterdam Run
1. The Fantastic Thriller of the Walking Corpses
2. Soldier of Fortune, John Steele
3. The Texas Kid, Robin Hood of the Range
4. The Menace of Mr. Muro
5. The Thundering Terror of Gold Creek
6. The Football Fixing Scheme
7. Case of Perrone
8. Wartime Wonders
9. The Rotterdam Run
October 16, 2024
Where are you, Stan Lee? I need good writing again.
March 28, 2025
Only the Fiery Mask was to capture my attention. All the other ones were boring
March 8, 2026
I liked Monako but that was about it
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews