Post by lawrenceliberty on Jul 25, 2020 18:50:05 GMT
Mystery Men of America: World War Too!
Prologue
July 1942
The Hudson River Palisades HQ of the Mystery Men of America looked like nothing more than an abandoned factory as far as passersby on the river were concerned. Little did they know that the interior housed state of the art labs, vehicle hangars, meeting and communication facilities, dorms, and communication systems along with more esoteric features that appealed to the individual needs of such remarkable individuals as Yarko the Great and the Flame.
The Flame (Gary Preston) was a handsome blond man with a bright gold and red costume. He was quiet and considerate and did not allow his family wealth or his unique gifts to make him arrogant or oblivious to other people’s opinions or personal worth. He had been raised by Tibetan monks and had mastered certain ancient disciplines that allowed him to exert total control over flames. He also had a few special tools that he had crafted for his chosen profession of fighting injustice. His special plane was resting in one of the hangars below but he was sitting in his room in prayer. His missionary father had died when he was only an infant but he was a devout man and hoped in some way that this part of his personality made him a little closer to the father he never knew. He knew Linda Dale the attractive young woman he loved insisted that his father would have been proud of him. Linda was his partner in more ways than one since she shared his control of flames as the heroine called Flame Girl.
He smiled and rose up to join his friends in the super team called the Mystery Men of America. He was new to the F.D.R. sponsored team although he had worked with some of the members months before the group came together. He recalled the case that had brought him to the team mere days before. They had fought a number of mesmerized heroes who were in turn being controlled by a powerful ex-hero called Mr. Miracle.
He frowned as he recalled just how powerful the mysterious Mr. Miracle had been. He possessed amazing powers and claimed that nothing could stop him. Why he had turned into a villain was something that puzzled the Flame. He suspected that Miracle’s powers of the mind had driven him crazy. He had heard of such abilities and how careful control of one’s emotions and thoughts were needful in order to safely master unlimited mental might. Such stories had been whispered at the lamasery where he grew up and he believed the truth of the legends.
He knew that it had been Yarko the Great’s awesome power that had prevented Mr. Miracle from killing the team. The powerful wizard had managed to place some kind of mystical mental block in the maddened villain’s psyche that stopped him from using his powers to slay. Mr. Miracle had fled in anger and vowed to get revenge upon all the heroes.
The Flame was not afraid. He felt confident that good would triumph. It always did in his experience. Still, he wondered in passing why Mr. Miracle seemed to dominate his thoughts all of a sudden. Was it a bad omen?
In the HQ’s gym, a handsome man with long blond hair and a brief loincloth costume circled warily as a beautiful woman approached him. She had long platinum blonde hair, a lovely face, and wore a red costume with a white skirt, golden boots, and metallic bands on her arms and below her knees
Samson had no qualms about sparring with the alien powerhouse called Celestia , Queen of Venus. He did not believe in fighting women but she was no ordinary female.
She was the only survivor of her race which had been native to Venus. Invaders had killed all of the others and she had been taken into deep space by her caregiver when she had been a baby. She did not believe there was any point in trying to reclaim her world since no one lived there now but the weird Silvery women who ruled there. She did live by a warrior’s oath and a vow to defeat the Axis forces on this war-weary world.
She smiled and grabbed his arm with astonishing speed. She whirled around and flipped him to the mat. He rolled aside and she lashed out with a kick that missed by inches. He grabbed for her leg but she danced away and jumped over his body to deliver two blows to his chest. He pushed upward and she sailed off of him and landed agilely on her feet.
“By the Stars, you are powerful!” she said. “You could be unstoppable had you more of a warrior’s spirit!” she declared with a grin.
Samson smiled and shrugged his brawny shoulders. “I do my best with what I have. I didn’t grow up as a warrior. I was motivated to use my strength when a college professor friend of mine needed my help. I don’t particularly relish fighting unless it is to help someone else or stop some threat. I hate bullies. Now, if there were Nazis here…!”
“If there were Nazi soldiers here, I’d be seriously worried about our security system!” said the Eagle (Bill Powers) as their leader entered the room. He was a scientist with a huge fortune and a job with military intelligence. He had created their base and the patriotic hero used all of his resources including the chemical formula on his costume that allowed him to defy gravity to fight evil.
Samson laughed a booming laugh and said, “Don’t worry, Eagle. Your nest is safe. Only a strange being like Mr. Miracle could get by your alarms!”
He frowned as he noticed their expressions. Celestia and the Eagle both exchanged troubled glances. Each of them had been thinking of the hooded menace moments before.
Samson was perceptive as well as powerful. As the modern day heir to the legendary powers possessed by the Israelite Judge, he was super strong and durable but he knew that pride and arrogance could be disastrous for any warrior.
“You think Mr. Miracle will return soon?” he asked.
Celestia scowled and drew her gleaming sword. “Should he return he will regret his perfidy.”
At that moment a hooded figure materialized in the air above them! The purpled hooded figure was the villain they had been thinking about moments before. Mr. Miracle had indeed returned! He hovered above them as several of the other Mystery Men appeared with startled looks on their faces! He had apparently plucked them from their various locations with his mental power.
Yarko the Great was a handsome man with a regal manner and a turban. He wore a gleaming amulet around his neck and his intelligent eyes seemed to flash with arcane power. He had felt Mr. Miracle’s presence moments before but even his mystical might could not enable him to react in time to warn the others!
Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) was the daughter of a U.S. senator and she was poised most of the time. Still, the brainy and athletic woman in the brief yellow and green costume was caught off-guard by the appearance of their foe.
“You again? Don’t you know super villains can’t come back for thirty days after their last appearance! Just check any comic book!” she quipped.
Spider-Queen (Shannon Kane) rolled her eyes. The lovely black haired scientist in a blue blouse, red pleated mini skirt and gold high heeled boots was not a fan of
Phantom Lady’s and did not bother to conceal it all of the time. Her late husband had been killed by Russian agents and his amazing web-fluid was her main weapon of choice although she knew it could do little against the powers of Mr. Miracle.
Blue Beetle (Officer Dan Garret) wore a costume of blue chainmail. He was powerful due to the vitamin his friend Doc. Franz had created. The enhanced vitality and strength it gave him made him formidable indeed. He liked his teammates but felt better now that his oldest super hero friends Samson and the Flame had joined the team. He knew how capable the two men were. He thought of their absent friends with his customary compassion. The Moth (Jim Blake) had resigned due to illness caused by his failing powers. Dan had already visited the man and was pleased that he was doing better now that he had given up his strenuous activities. U.S. Jones was away on a private mission as was V-Man who was spending more time overseas in recent weeks. The Black Fury was on leave taking care of his injured teen partner Kid Fury. The boy was healing nicely but slowly and Blue Beetle thought once more of the folly of having a child involved in crime fighting. He couldn’t see himself ever having a child as a partner.
Green Mask (Michael Shelby) strained to free himself from the energy field that held all the heroes in place. His own vita ray enhanced power was amazing but some aspects of it were unreliable like his flying ability. He thought of his own juvenile partner Domino and was glad the brave youth was not with them facing the awesome Mr. Miracle.
Mr. Miracle looked down at them all and pulled back his cowl. “I told you I would return. I admit that the powers of mind I possess have failed me but I am breaking through the walls you dared impose upon me! For now, I may still rid myself of you all like this!”
He gestured and all of the Mystery Men vanished. He laughed harshly for a moment and placed one hand on his face.
“I can’t kill them yet but do I want to do so? What has become of me?” he said in a voice that shook with emotion.
2
The heroes gasped as their environment abruptly altered and they were teleported through space and possibly time itself to find themselves on a bustling city street.
Phantom Lady blinked rapidly as she stared up at a theater marquee.
“The Magnificent Dope! I just saw that Henry Fonda movie two nights ago! I don’t know where we are but at least Mr. Miracle didn’t send us into some kind of Bermuda Triangle!” she said.
Spider Queen said, “New York! We’re in New York. I know this street like the back of my hand!”
The ever perceptive Green Mask frowned as he recognized the street as well but also noticed a troubling expression on Yarko the Great’s face.
“This isn’t really New York is it?” he asked.
Yarko the Great shook his head. “Yes… and no. This is New York but not our New York!”
The Eagle said, “I’ve read a paper or two on the theory of alternate timelines! Are you saying this is some timeframe in which events differ from our known history?
Perhaps, World War II never happened or F.D.R. never became U.S. President?
Yarko said, “No. This is our timeline but not our planet. We are on a planet that approximates Earth in nearly every way but it is not our Earth. My mystical senses tell me that much!”
Blue Beetle said, “I’m afraid my non-mystical senses tell me the same thing. This isn’t our New York unless the Nazis have started an invasion!”
He pointed to where a group of Germans were shouting to one another in their native tongue as they rushed toward the heart of the busy city street. Crowds had already stopped to stare at the costumed heroes but the sight of even plain clothes Nazis caught everyone’s attention! The guns they carried made them even more imposing.
Phantom Lady jumped forward and delivered a kick that dropped one German to the pavement. She spun around to connect with a second one.
“Sorry, boys, but no admission after the movie has started!” she quipped.
The Flame pulled out a stylized gun and fire emerged to hover in mid air before his mental command sent it in a circle to contain several of the Germans! As he mentally increased the temperature of the fiery circle their bullets melted harmlessly on contact.
“Glad to see my powers work on this strange new world!” he thought.
Green Mask was already battling several of them with his own enhanced speed and strength. The blue and green clad hero was a dazzling combatant. He would have been nearly as capable without his sometimes unreliable powers.
Even as Michael Shelby punched and dodged his attackers his keen mind analyzed every detail around him.
“They were disguised as ordinary citizens. The fact that they chose to speak in their native tongue in hearing range of passersby makes it clear they want to create panic. I think they want nothing more than to stir up fear and hurt American morale. They could have done a lot more damage with a stealthy act of terror like planting a bomb or something!” he thought.
He flew out of the path of a gunman’s hasty fire and then dropped down to knock the startled man cold.
Spider Queen snagged a gun out of the hand of one German with a skillfully aimed use of her web line. She flipped acrobatically through the air to land upon another one and knocked him out with a series of punches!
“I’m glad the Eagle gave me some boxing lessons!” she mused. “Although I was always the athletic one in the family, I never knew much about pugilism!”
As some of the gunmen fled toward a parked car, Celestia leaped in front of the car and brought her gleaming sword down to smash through the hood and leave it a sparking wreck.
“Your mechanism won’t help you escape me! Now, do you surrender or shall we do battle?” she said with a grim smile as she spun her sword around and around with one hand.
They swiftly surrendered to the warrior woman as Blue Beetle and Samson brought down the remaining Germans. The two super strong heroes needed very little effort to corral the less powerful thugs.
The Eagle came flying down from above as Yarko caught his eye. They nodded in understanding as Yarko the Great said, “A powerful mind approaches!”
The Eagle said, “Yes, and he sure travels in style!” He gestured to a sleek and futuristic looking plane that hovered above them long enough for a dashing man in blue and red to emerge and fly down gracefully.
He wore a red and blue costume with a red mask that covered his eyes but left his dark hair and elegant mustache in plain sight.
“Well done! My partner Roy and I detected those Nazis moments ago but we couldn’t get here in time to stop them. You’ve done a fine job at that very task! My name is the Wizard! Roy is in the plane above us!” he said with a smile that revealed brilliantly white teeth.
Phantom Girl whistled softly. “This guy makes Robert Taylor look like one of the Ritz Brothers!” she thought.
Blue Beetle said, “This may sound crazy but we’re from another planet. We are known as the Mystery Men of America!”
The Wizard grew serious as he drew closer to them and said, “Yes, I know my mental powers usually allow me to sense when Roy or other people close to me are in trouble. In your case something about your arrival reached me in a vision. I felt your arrival and saw a glimpse of it in my mind’s eye. Our worlds are almost identical and apparently exist within the same solar system just on opposite sides of the sun! I dabbled a bit in astronomy and physics in my younger days and your presence confirms some of my theories!”
The Flame said, “We were apparently sent here by an enemy who has mental powers of his own. Perhaps, your own abilities come from a similar source?”
The Wizard said, “Possibly, although I am only the latest member of my family to have such abilities. There was a Wizard fighting for the colonies during the American Revolution. I’m proud to be the current man to serve our nation in this capacity!”
Phantom Lady said, “This all sounds like some kind of Buck Rogers serial! I mean who ever thought there could be another Earth! “
Samson smiled and said, “There might even be another Phantom Lady somewhere out there!”
Phantom Lady smiled and said, “I’m one of a kind!”
Spider Queen whispered, “Thank goodness!”
Celestia grinned briefly and then said, “My people dabbled in travel betwixt worlds and dimensional planes but some of that technology has been lost to us.’
The Wizard said, “I know someone who might be able to return you to your proper world! I was on my way to meet him and other allies. You see, we also form a group of heroes and we are in the middle of a mission! The Nazi agents you faced are merely one part of a scheme on a grander scale!”
Green Mask said, “Perhaps, we could help your group and then you could assist us in getting home!”
Samson said, “I think we all would gladly battle anyone who subscribes to the Aryan creed on any world!”
The Wizard said, “We’d welcome the help!”
3
After a hasty meeting with several other costumed heroes, the Mystery Men divided up and joined various members of this alternate Earth’s Mighty Crusaders.
The Green Mask was a skilled sleuth and was able to understand the Wizard’s explanation about the nature of this different Earth but he left deeper scientific truths to men like the Eagle.
“I could imagine other Earths existing in the same location in space but vibrating at different speeds but this planet within our very own solar system but somehow undetected on the other side of the sun defies logic. I can only assume there are some other dimensional laws in play that are beyond my thinking anyway!”
The Wizard (Blaine Whitney) smiled knowingly and said, “Don’t worry about how strange this must seem to you... We have a job to do and your help is greatly appreciated. My buddy Roy the Super Boy and I often receive tips to various threats to national security from a close relation in military intelligence.
Green Mask grinned back and said, “So, you said you alerted your friends the other members of the Crusaders to certain high profile threats this source of yours d discovered.”
The Wizard nodded and said, “Several Nazi agents were smuggled ashore and those thugs you captured in New York were part of that band. Apparently, when the others were captured, that group decided to go rogue and do as much damage as they could while knowing their original plans could no longer work!”
Roy Carter, a bond boy in a red and white striped shirt and blue pants said, “Yeah! The Wizard and I rounded up the other Ratzi spies before they could meet up with those losers in New York!”
The Wizard said, “Excuse Roy’s enthusiasm. We had plenty of help from my pal the Shield and his own young ally Dusty! In any case, one of the captured agents was willing to talk and he alerted our source to several targets being threatened by various super criminals in league with the Axis forces! They called this mission the Pastorious Operation.”
The Green Mask said, “We just completed a similar case on our earth although the agents used by the Axis were in fact mind controlled action heroes!”
The Wizard said, “Apparently, that was one difference between events on our two worlds! Your Pastorious plot happened a bit earlier than the one we are now facing!”
The three heroes made their way toward a large factory complex. Although night had fallen, the facility was busy with guards, night shift workers and management teams hard at work for the war effort.
“We suspect a part being developed here may be sought after by the Nazis!” said the Wizard.
The Green Mask said, “Why can’t you see what will happen before it does? You seemed to possessed remarkable mental powers!”
Roy said, “Sure! The Wizard has a super brain!”
The Wizard patted the boy on the back and said, “I have certain gifts and a few technological or chemical enhancements that give me various powers but I am limited to receiving brief mental flashes of danger nothing more specific or more directly under my control!”
At that moment the trio heard shouts, gunfire and alarms began to sound across the complex.
They charged forward to see a startling sight. Guards were trying to contain two bizarrely large yet clearly intelligent gorillas! Other factory workers… mainly female… were either running away or bravely helping their coworkers escape from the mutated creatures.
Green Mask said, ‘I take it these overactive monkeys are not normal for this world?”
Roy said, “Well, they would be perfect for working the swing shift! Get it?”
The Wizard said, “They are genetic mutations and their maker is that gentleman in the orange and brown armor. He has use more than one alias but he is better known as Dr. Yar! He is a genius but clearly a mad one!”
Dr. Yar turned to face them although his heavily armored helmet gave his voice a weird emotionless metallic echo
“I expected that dolt Steel Sterling. It shall be a pleasure to match wits with a genius like the Wizard although I have no idea who you are, sir!” he said to the Green Mask.
The Wizard replied, “He’s a friend of mine which means he is your enemy!”
As the Green Mask tackled one of the gorillas he grunted at the impact and struggled to bring the beast down.
“This is one simian powerhouse!” he mused as he twisted to avoid the gorilla’s grasp and slammed him to the ground with a skilled judo throw.
He noticed Roy had also avoided the other gorilla with a display of amazing agility and had kept the creature’s attention long enough for the Wizard to fly forward and lift the huge gorilla into the air and hurl him into a wall.
Dr. Yar raised both arms and bolts of electrical power surged across the factory floor.
The Wizard gritted his teeth and fought to make his way closer to the villain.
“You’ll have to do better than that Dr. Yar!” he said as he struggled against the painful current.
“Costume protects me from some of the juice but not nearly all of it!” he mused.
The Green Mask marveled at his new friend’s determination and courage and vowed to help him as best he could.
“The Wizard is an amazing fellow! I hope I can help him take down that madman in a tin can!”
He concentrated for a moment and then flew upward until he had soared to the roof of the factory. He spotted a huge vat of a molten metal and ripped it free from its constraints and then dropped it on Dr. Yar.
The Wizard leaped backward as the boiling metal enveloped the villain.
As the Green Mask expected, Dr. Yar’s armor shielded him enough to protect him from serious harm but he was dazed and confused and reeled unsteadily as he emerged from the cascade of molten metal.
Dr. Yar glanced around to see his fallen beasts and then the Wizard noticed a faint glow began to surround the armored villain and he stopped the other heroes and yelled, “Get back! He’s activated some energy weapon!”
As Dr. Yar glowed brightly an energy field swelled out from his body only to blink out moments later as the Wizard dived forward and knocked him out.
“Well done, Green Mask! Yar had no idea what you could do!” he said.
Roy recovered some fallen papers that had been dropped by Dr. Yar when the battle first began.
“These plans must be what he was after!” cried the Super Boy.
The Green Mask smiled as Roy rejoined his mentor and he said, “I’m glad I could help but I doubt you two needed me!”
The Wizard said, “Not at all! I’m sure you are needed on your own world but we could use a hero like you here as well!”
4
Celestia, Queen of Venus, had been many things in her lifetime. She had been heir to the throne of Venus, exiled fugitive from the invaders who conquered her world and killed all of her people, and space travelling warrior woman. Now, she was dedicated to winning the war against the Axis forces and while she took this mission seriously the platinum blonde beauty also enjoyed life on Earth! She had friends and adventure and the satisfaction of helping those who could not help themselves.
Thus, she was not fazed when she and her companion Zambini the Magician found themselves locked in combat with a vampire at a munitions plant in New York!
The Monocle was a suavely dressed monster with the fangs and lethal powers of a traditional vampire from folklore. He was also apparently a Nazi since he was readily using his supernatural powers to help their cause!
He had left the plant’s well armed staff of security guards battered and broken on the plant floor and he was ready to depart with documents vital to the defense effort.
At that moment his progress was interrupted by the arrival of the two costumed champion!
Zambini was a slightly plump man in a yellow jacket and green pants. He wore a green turban and a glowing amulet rested on his white shirt. He seemed to be a thoroughly decent man with both courage and compassion! Celestia had battled wizards before and most lack humility and humanity. She approved of what she saw in Zambini so far!
“The Monocle is a killer! Be wary of his hypnotic gaze!” warned Zambini!
Before he could resume his warning the vampire moved with inhuman speed and raised him into the air with one hand closed about his throat!
Zambini struggled but he could little since human contact robbed him of his powers! Even the touch of the walking dead had that effect!
Celestia sliced through the vampire’s arm with her sword and kicked him backward.
“Undead fiend! Your kind are as low as your Nazi masters!” she said.
She blocked a blow from the vampire and as he approached her with glowing eyes that seemed to shine even in the darkened areas of the damaged plant, she stood her ground and swung at him with her blade. It passed through him as he turned into a mist! She jumped backward only to find herself caught in his grip as he had solidified behind her! She felt his grip as he lowered his head over her neck! She slammed her elbow into his chest and pushed his face away from her own!
Zambini struggled to regain his breath and he managed to sit up in time to see the fight and take action! He gestured and one of the conveyer belts on a nearby assembly line snapped and struck the vampire with enough force to separate him from his target.
Celestia wasted no time as she flipped backward through the air and sliced the vampire’s head off before impaling him on a piece of scrap metal from the rubble of the factory.
Zambini gestured once more and ignited the severed head of the vampire!
“That should write a finish to his unholy career!” declared Zambini!
Celestia nodded and said, “I should hope so!”
5
The Hunter was another eager killer. He stalked his victims eagerly and used a wide range of combat skills to dispatch them. The Nazi wore a jungle print tunic and a horned helmet befitting his Nordic ancestors.
The Chrysler Plant in Detroit was a vital part of the war effort since it was manufacturing airplane fuselages! The Hunter enjoyed the setting since it was different from his normal haunts like the concentration camps of Europe!
He smiled cruelly as he and his men destroyed equipment and prepared to burn the plant. Their efforts were abruptly hindered when the lights went out so to speak and an inky darkness covered the specific area where they worked!
“Was ist das?” cried one of the Axis Agents!
A girlish laugh echoed through the darkness and Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) dropped down from above to knock the startled man flat. She rolled nimbly across the floor and bowled over two other agents who were staggering around helplessly in the darkness hr blackout ray had generated.
“Honestly, you boys were clearly not Scouts or you’d know to be prepared for darkness! “she quipped as she kicked another agent in the face.
The Hunter started to tackle her by homing in on her voice but he was blocked and stopped by a big man in a green and blue costume. His cape, gloves, trunks, boots, and cowl were dark blue. He also wore a belt made from a twisted rope. He was the dreaded mystery man known as the Hangman and he was willing to kill if necessary!
The Hangman (Bob Dickering) was fond of shining a light on his foes that displayed the outline of a noose! He felt this enhanced his chances of frightening them since he believed (and often said that “criminals were all cowards at heart!
Dickering had been a college student when his heroic chemist brother John died after becoming a mystery man called the Comet! As the Hangman Bob saw every battle as another chance to avenge his beloved brother’s death! If his efforts were also motivated by some guilt over the fact that he was now romantically involved with John’s former lover reporter Thelma Gordon, he didn’t stop to think about it. He was a man of action and not given to philosophic musings!
He wrestled with the Hunter and grinned as he felt the other man stagger backward.
“What’s wrong, Tarzan? Missing your jungle?” he joked.
The Hunter silenced him by ramming his knee into the Hangman’s stomach!
He followed up by raking his fingers across the hero’s eyes!
Hangman grunted as he received another punch in the throat! He was gasping for breath as the Nazi assault him again and again!
He charged forward and used his head to strike the Hunter in his mocking face!
The tactic worked and the Hunter dropped to one knee for a moment! Hangman belted him again and again and as the Axis killer flailed helplessly under the impact,
Phantom Lady tripped him and brought an engine part down across his skull.
“You don’t play around!” said Hangman as he looked down at the stunned Hunter at Phantom Lady’s feet.
She winked at him and said, “You might find out if we’re here long enough, Big Boy!”
6
Flames threatened the General Motors plant where engines, guns, and tans were being manufactured for the war effort. Two burly men fought the flames desperately as their men rushed to aide them and sirens echoed throughout the facility!
“Watch out, Jake! Those Nazi rats are gonna roast us alive!” cried one of the workers as a wall of flames roe up in front of them!
“Oh no! We’re cut off! Nobody can save us now! Nobody!” cried his friend.
“Just call me Nobody, friend!” said a man in a green and red costume. He wore a green shirt and shorts with a red mask. He appeared from thin air and grabbed them men before teleporting all to safety a few feet away!
“The Phantom! You’re that Phantom guy!” said a grateful worker as he wiped sweat from his face.
“Call me Bob!” said the Phantom with a smile. He turned to where the fires were suddenly going out and he saw a remarkable sight. The gold and red costumed hero the
Flame was drawing the raging inferno into his own body and he was unharmed as the fires crackled around him!
“What a hero! Here I thought I was doing some good with my own teleportation and enhanced durability powers but face it, Walt Whitney, you’re better off sticking to writing your Broadway gossip column when a guy like that is
available!”
Whitney had gained his powers after helping a dying magician who had used the stage name Bob Phantom and in return he agreed to keep the old man’s name alive in
his own crime busting career!
Now, he turned to see the source of the fire: a garishly dressed weird figure in a purple robe and skullcap. His skin appeared to be a sickly shade of green.
He was giggling wildly as he flew around the plant and sprayed a liquid that ignited anything it made contact with in his wake!
“The Vulture! I’m sure that’s the jerk the Shield told me about once! He is as mad as a hatter and killed the Shield’s buddy Dusty’s father!” mued Bob Phantom.
He looked up at the grinning arsonist and calculated where his flight pattern would take him next! He concentrated and then teleported straight up and ahead so he materialized directly in the Vulture’s path and connected with a stunning right cross!
He landed agilely and bent over his fallen foe. The Vulture hissed and then hurled the liquid he was spraying at the hero’s face.
Bob Phantom gasped and staggered backward as he wiped at his eyes and then he head a crash as the Flame dropped down and knocked the villain cold.
“You pretty much took care of business on your own!” said Bob Phantom as he blinked rapidly and regained his sight.
The Flame said, “I wouldn’t say that. I put out the fire but you were the one saving lives by transporting all those swing shift workers to safety. You’re a hero in my book, pal!”
Bob Phantom smiled and said, “Thanks! Working with guys like the Wizard and the Shield doesn’t do wonders for my self-esteem!”
7
The Packard Plant also in Detroit as a vital source for engines for P.T. boats and it was also the next target for the Axis agents. The Japanese agent known as the Executioner brandished a huge ax and wore a red and blue uniform with the emblem of the Rising Sun displayed on his shirt. He was a powerfully built man and he was smarter than many of his allies. He went about his business silently and efficiently as a strange humanoid figure accompanied him and smashed the assembly lines with huge fists that grew and elongated at will.
Yarko the Great scowled as he stared for a moment at the huge creature. He had fought this kind of monster before with a sorcerer from another Earth.
“Obake the Shapeshifter is lethal and his methods of killing an enemy are nearly limitless since he can assume nearly any imaginable form!” he mused.
The Executioner smiled as he saw the Mystery Man and he said, “You are a wizard! Then, you will surely appreciate the power it took for me to summon this creature and enslave him! My masters in the Black Dragon Society drew him here from another dimensional plane all the better to kill you, American!”
Yarko the Great said, “He may try to kill me but he will fail like all do who challenge me!”
A ruggedly handsome blond man in a red and blue costume grinned broadly and thought, “That Mandrake knockoff sure has confidence! Me? I prefer to rely on a good right hook!”
Steel Sterling was an impressive hero in his own right. He had become a hero to avenge his scientist father’s death. He gained super strength and steel-like skin from a chemical process of his own devising. Thus, the muscular titan combined physical might with intellectual superiority. He also enjoyed a good fight!
He dived through the air and slammed into the almost opaque Obake and brought both linked hands down across the beast’s head. The monster simply allowed the blow to sink into his suddenly pliable skin and then he expanded his own body to shove Steel backward.
Steel smiled calmly and grabbed the creature around the hips. As it slithered snake-like through his grasp, he tightened his hold and dug his fingers into the creature’s torso!
The monster struggled to break free and they crashed from side to side around the factory floor. Steel’s body slammed through one mechanical device after another and he thought, “I have t end this now or I’ll end up doing as much damage to the plant as those Japanese goons!”
He released the monster and jumped through the air to where Yarko the Great had been facing down the Executioner! The mystic stood impassively as the Axis killer brought his gleaming axe down at him.
The weapon turned to a cascade of flowers as Yarko smiled confidently and his eyes flashed with a light that temporarily blinded his opponent.
He said, “Perhaps, we should switch foes, Mr. Sterling!”
Steel smiled and said, “I think you got something there!”
He circled the agile Executioner and connected with a series of jabs that snapped the other man’s head backward and left him an opening for another hard punch to the stomach.
Yarko the Great gestured as the Obake swelled up like a living wave and threatened to engulf him. Magical energy surged through the creature and it froze within a sheath of solid ice.
Steel ducked as the Executioner tried to grab him around the neck. He brought his own fist up and stunned the Asian assassin!
“You are good but I have super speed and that makes you just a bit too slow!” he said as he connected with a final blow.
Yarko the Great nodded in approval as the frozen Obake vanished now that its master was stunned.
“You fight well Mr. Sterling!” he said.
Steel said, “Thanks! I only wish I had run into my old enemy Dr. Yar or that punk Baron Gestapo! I guess my bad luck will be someone else’s good fortune!”
8
One of the Axis agents Captain Swastika was more than enough to challenge the American heroes the Blue Beetle and his new allies The Shield ( Joe Higgins) and his boy partner Dusty! Captain Swastika was an occasional partner of the Executioner’s but on this night as he prowled around the New Jersey shipyards, he was accompanied by a hulking red robot! The machine had an enormous square head and jagged “teeth” in a mouth that appeared to work on the same premise as a trash compactor!
The Shield wore his famous red, white and blue costume and while it provided him with limited invulnerability he was more comfortable relying on his own chemically enhanced physique and durability; however, he had recently experienced a brief loss of his super human powers and he hoped that they would not fail him again. Not that the courageous champion of American values would have shirked his duty even without his powers. Joe Higgins was a true hero.
He turned to the Blue Beetle and said, “I appreciate your help. I know this isn’t even your Earth!”
Blue Beetle said, “I’d say there are plenty of Nazis to go around!”
They raced forward as the young Dusty grinned and said, “Yeah, but you better move fast if you want to get to them before we get finished with them, right Shield?”
The Shield smiled and said, “He is our guest, son!”
They charged into the Nazi agents and Dusty laughed as he kicked one in the chin and dodged another before leaping into him.
The Shield kept one eye of the body daredevil as he flattened three other Nazis with a flying tackle. He whirled around to see the shadow of the giant robot’s fist coming down on him from above.
He grunted with the force of the crushing blow and he stood firm and lifted the huge harm upward inch by inch!
“Can’t let this thing turn on Dusty or any other innocent bystander!” he thought.
The Blue Beetle was not used to letting someone else handle the most dangerous threat in any given situation but he saw the Shield’s impressive skills and he focused his own efforts on Captain Swastika.
“Foolish, Amerikaner! You presume to don the chainmail of a Teutonic Knight? How absurd!” said the masked Captain Swastika whose gray costume was dominated by the huge swastika emblazoned across his featureless hood.
“My Mord Maschine will destroy you and your patriotic allies! The Shield’s lifeless body will be displayed in the streets of Berlin!” he shouted.
He grappled with Blue Beetle and the exo-skeleton in his suit enabled him to hold back the Azure Avenger!
Still, the Beetle was a capable fighter and he dropped to one knee and flipped the other man over his shoulder. He received a kick into the back of his head and spun around to receive a second one. He grabbed Swastika’s leg and swung him around and around in a circle before the Nazi struggled forward to reach for the Beetle’s arm.
He dropped him and the fight resumed.
Dusty was darting around the robot’s treads and looked for some way he could help his mentor but there appeared to be little he could do until he spotted a series of vents on each side of the robot’s torso!
He smiled eagerly and began to block the heating vents with scrap from the dock. He groaned as he got too closer at one point and the Beetle had to push him to safety with a frantic dive of his own.
“Thanks, sir!” he said.
The Beetle grinned and said, “Be careful, chum!”
Dusty nodded and swung his legs around to suddenly trip the approaching Captain Swastika.
The Blue Beetle grabbed him and hurled him into the dark waters below the pier.
He cried out as his heavier costume caused him to sink!
The Beetle jumped forward and pulled him out of the waters only to receive a swift punch in his face from the struggling Axis agent.
He slammed the other man’s head against the wooden pier and then drew him out on to the wooden dock.
“Ruthless like all Nazis!” he thought.
Meanwhile, the Shield had battered the robot again and again. He had dodged its blows and smashed it repeatedly with his own awesome power! Finally as smoke began to rise from its overheated system and Dusty’s work in blocking the vents on its torso took effect the Mord Maschine shuddered and abruptly collapsed into the waters off the dock!
The heroes congratulated one another and the Shield smiled and bantered with the others as he concealed a troubling fact. Moments after the robot fell, the Shield lost his own powers as well!
“Can I carry on with just normal strength and speed? I have to!” he vowed grimly.
8
The Eagle (Bill Powers) was dodging the whip crackling Captain Murder as the black uniformed concentration camp commander tried to bring the high flying hero down to the ground near the Ohio River Hydroelectric Plant.
The patriotic Eagle knew he could keep up as aerial acrobatics for hours but he also saw that his new ally from the Mighty Crusaders needed help. A gang of the Nazi thugs had surrounded the black clad hero called The Fox (Paul Patton) and the agile photographer was doing his best to hold his ground.
“You punks wouldn’t stand a chance in Central park at night!” he quipped as the sheer weight of his foes threatened to bring him down!
He fought well but he slipped and went down beneath the Axis agents.
The Eagle dive bombed them as they drew closer together over the Fox. He hit them with stunning force and soared back up only to receive a direct hit from Captain Murder’s whip!
He fell to the ground and struggled to rise again. Captain Murder gloated loudly, “I’ve brought down the fool in the gaudy stars and stripes costume. Now, I’ll kill him!”
The Fox said, “Not if one slightly ill-used hero can do anything about it!”
He caught the whip and yanked Captain Murder until the brutal Nazi reeled off balance.
The Fox grinned with pleasure as the Eagle recovered enough to catch the killer with a hard punch to his chin.
He wrapped the whip around Murder and bounded him tightly as the Fox caught his own breath and surveyed the scene.
They had won and this victory was especially satisfying since Captain Murder’s capture spelled some relief for the hapless prisoners he loved to torment back in Germany.
9
At Horseshoe Curve railroad pass near Altoona, PA three other heroes gathered to stop the sabotage!
Samson and Spider Queen were an odd pair. He was earnest and serious for the most part while she was scholarly and occasionally sarcastic. During his quest to help his body buddy David find some of his missing relatives, he had missed interacting with other American heroes but since returning to the States he had enjoyed seeing how many patriotic and valiant heroes and heroines the nation had to offer! Seeing the same thing was true for this alternate Earth encouraged the blond hero and he thought, “I am glad Americans everywhere fight for what is right!”
They were allied with a smiling daredevil called the Black Hood (Kip Burland). He wore a black and gold costume and talked incessantly. He had been a policeman left for dead at the hands of a madman called the Skull. Healed and trained by a kindly hermit he brought his attacker to justice as the Black Hood. He turned to Spider Queen and Samson and said, “This may sound crazy but is there a Black Hood on your Earth? I mean it is possible right?”
“There will not be a Black Hood on this earth when I am done with you!” cried a huge man with a blond crew-cut hair style and a bright green uniform. A jagged scar ran across on eye and he carried himself with a cold pride and cruel demeanor.
“The Hun! He’s super strong and also one of the most notorious of Hitler’s bully boys” declared Black Hood.
Samson said, “I hate bullies and Nazis are the worst!”
He frowned as the Hun hurled a huge piece of metal torn from the nearby rails at them! Samson jumped forward and caught the deadly hunk of twisted metal and casually shoved it aside.
“You’ll have to do better than that!” he vowed as he struck the Nazi and sent him flying across the railways!
The Hun was hardy and he jumped up only to receive a second blow from Samson.
“You fight well but you can’t stand against me!” vowed the Hun as he caught Samson’s arm and twisted it painfully.
Samson planted his feet more firmly and hurled his enemy away with a mighty heave.
“You were saying?” he said!
Spider Queen and Black Hood were equally busy battling attacking Nazi agents who lacked their leader’s raw power!
Spider Queen flipped over one agent’s back and caught another with a spinning kick before receiving a blow to the back of her head.
She fell hard and didn’t get up so the Black Hood raced to her defense and continued the onslaught!
“You goons have a lot of nerve to hit a girl from behind like that!” he said as he ducked and punched his way through the group. He seemed to be everywhere as he countered punches and connected with his own superbly aimed attacks!
As Spider Queen fought to regain her footing she admired his fighting prowess and thought, “This Hood is as good as the Black Fury although not quite as reckless!”
She tripped up a few of the agents with her web line and then saw Samson drive the Hun to the ground with a wrestling hold that left the Nazi stunned.
The Black Hood said, “We did it! If our friends have been as successful I’d say we’ve wrapped up this mission!”
Later, the assembled Mystery Men and the Mighty Crusaders conferred and Zambini gave more detailed advice to Yarko the Great.
The Wizard said, “We owe you a great deal of thanks. Perhaps, we can return the favor someday and help you on your Earth!”
The Eagle said, “I hope so too!”
With their combined power the two magicians sent the Mystery Men back to their own HQ where they found the conflicted Mr. Miracle was still locked in torment battling his own emotional; turmoil!
He started at the heroes with wide eyes. He seemed shocked by their return!
“You were only gone for a few minutes! I may not be able to kill you but I’ll erase your very minds!” he shrieked!
Suddenly, Yarko stepped forward and held up Zambini’s amulet!
The mystical relic could turn any attack against the attacker and it did so with dazzling effect! The powerful Mr. Miracle was downed by his own mental might. He was left with memory loss and stared at the others in confusion.
“Where am I? Who am I?” he cried piteously.
The Flame said, “We’ll get you the help you need. Don’t be frightened.”
He led the now helpless Mr. Miracle out of the meeting room while Yarko nodded in approval as the amulet blinked out of sight and apparently returned to Zambini on his
Earth as the two wizards had previously arranged for it to do.
Yarko the Great faced the others and said, “This has been a strange day indeed. We have seen the Axis evil embodied anew on another Earth and we have seen noble heroes arise to fight it!”
The Eagle said, “I can only pray that the heroes of every possible Earth will eventually triumph over them as we hope to do here!”
“Amen!” repeated his friends.
The End
Prologue
July 1942
The Hudson River Palisades HQ of the Mystery Men of America looked like nothing more than an abandoned factory as far as passersby on the river were concerned. Little did they know that the interior housed state of the art labs, vehicle hangars, meeting and communication facilities, dorms, and communication systems along with more esoteric features that appealed to the individual needs of such remarkable individuals as Yarko the Great and the Flame.
The Flame (Gary Preston) was a handsome blond man with a bright gold and red costume. He was quiet and considerate and did not allow his family wealth or his unique gifts to make him arrogant or oblivious to other people’s opinions or personal worth. He had been raised by Tibetan monks and had mastered certain ancient disciplines that allowed him to exert total control over flames. He also had a few special tools that he had crafted for his chosen profession of fighting injustice. His special plane was resting in one of the hangars below but he was sitting in his room in prayer. His missionary father had died when he was only an infant but he was a devout man and hoped in some way that this part of his personality made him a little closer to the father he never knew. He knew Linda Dale the attractive young woman he loved insisted that his father would have been proud of him. Linda was his partner in more ways than one since she shared his control of flames as the heroine called Flame Girl.
He smiled and rose up to join his friends in the super team called the Mystery Men of America. He was new to the F.D.R. sponsored team although he had worked with some of the members months before the group came together. He recalled the case that had brought him to the team mere days before. They had fought a number of mesmerized heroes who were in turn being controlled by a powerful ex-hero called Mr. Miracle.
He frowned as he recalled just how powerful the mysterious Mr. Miracle had been. He possessed amazing powers and claimed that nothing could stop him. Why he had turned into a villain was something that puzzled the Flame. He suspected that Miracle’s powers of the mind had driven him crazy. He had heard of such abilities and how careful control of one’s emotions and thoughts were needful in order to safely master unlimited mental might. Such stories had been whispered at the lamasery where he grew up and he believed the truth of the legends.
He knew that it had been Yarko the Great’s awesome power that had prevented Mr. Miracle from killing the team. The powerful wizard had managed to place some kind of mystical mental block in the maddened villain’s psyche that stopped him from using his powers to slay. Mr. Miracle had fled in anger and vowed to get revenge upon all the heroes.
The Flame was not afraid. He felt confident that good would triumph. It always did in his experience. Still, he wondered in passing why Mr. Miracle seemed to dominate his thoughts all of a sudden. Was it a bad omen?
In the HQ’s gym, a handsome man with long blond hair and a brief loincloth costume circled warily as a beautiful woman approached him. She had long platinum blonde hair, a lovely face, and wore a red costume with a white skirt, golden boots, and metallic bands on her arms and below her knees
Samson had no qualms about sparring with the alien powerhouse called Celestia , Queen of Venus. He did not believe in fighting women but she was no ordinary female.
She was the only survivor of her race which had been native to Venus. Invaders had killed all of the others and she had been taken into deep space by her caregiver when she had been a baby. She did not believe there was any point in trying to reclaim her world since no one lived there now but the weird Silvery women who ruled there. She did live by a warrior’s oath and a vow to defeat the Axis forces on this war-weary world.
She smiled and grabbed his arm with astonishing speed. She whirled around and flipped him to the mat. He rolled aside and she lashed out with a kick that missed by inches. He grabbed for her leg but she danced away and jumped over his body to deliver two blows to his chest. He pushed upward and she sailed off of him and landed agilely on her feet.
“By the Stars, you are powerful!” she said. “You could be unstoppable had you more of a warrior’s spirit!” she declared with a grin.
Samson smiled and shrugged his brawny shoulders. “I do my best with what I have. I didn’t grow up as a warrior. I was motivated to use my strength when a college professor friend of mine needed my help. I don’t particularly relish fighting unless it is to help someone else or stop some threat. I hate bullies. Now, if there were Nazis here…!”
“If there were Nazi soldiers here, I’d be seriously worried about our security system!” said the Eagle (Bill Powers) as their leader entered the room. He was a scientist with a huge fortune and a job with military intelligence. He had created their base and the patriotic hero used all of his resources including the chemical formula on his costume that allowed him to defy gravity to fight evil.
Samson laughed a booming laugh and said, “Don’t worry, Eagle. Your nest is safe. Only a strange being like Mr. Miracle could get by your alarms!”
He frowned as he noticed their expressions. Celestia and the Eagle both exchanged troubled glances. Each of them had been thinking of the hooded menace moments before.
Samson was perceptive as well as powerful. As the modern day heir to the legendary powers possessed by the Israelite Judge, he was super strong and durable but he knew that pride and arrogance could be disastrous for any warrior.
“You think Mr. Miracle will return soon?” he asked.
Celestia scowled and drew her gleaming sword. “Should he return he will regret his perfidy.”
At that moment a hooded figure materialized in the air above them! The purpled hooded figure was the villain they had been thinking about moments before. Mr. Miracle had indeed returned! He hovered above them as several of the other Mystery Men appeared with startled looks on their faces! He had apparently plucked them from their various locations with his mental power.
Yarko the Great was a handsome man with a regal manner and a turban. He wore a gleaming amulet around his neck and his intelligent eyes seemed to flash with arcane power. He had felt Mr. Miracle’s presence moments before but even his mystical might could not enable him to react in time to warn the others!
Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) was the daughter of a U.S. senator and she was poised most of the time. Still, the brainy and athletic woman in the brief yellow and green costume was caught off-guard by the appearance of their foe.
“You again? Don’t you know super villains can’t come back for thirty days after their last appearance! Just check any comic book!” she quipped.
Spider-Queen (Shannon Kane) rolled her eyes. The lovely black haired scientist in a blue blouse, red pleated mini skirt and gold high heeled boots was not a fan of
Phantom Lady’s and did not bother to conceal it all of the time. Her late husband had been killed by Russian agents and his amazing web-fluid was her main weapon of choice although she knew it could do little against the powers of Mr. Miracle.
Blue Beetle (Officer Dan Garret) wore a costume of blue chainmail. He was powerful due to the vitamin his friend Doc. Franz had created. The enhanced vitality and strength it gave him made him formidable indeed. He liked his teammates but felt better now that his oldest super hero friends Samson and the Flame had joined the team. He knew how capable the two men were. He thought of their absent friends with his customary compassion. The Moth (Jim Blake) had resigned due to illness caused by his failing powers. Dan had already visited the man and was pleased that he was doing better now that he had given up his strenuous activities. U.S. Jones was away on a private mission as was V-Man who was spending more time overseas in recent weeks. The Black Fury was on leave taking care of his injured teen partner Kid Fury. The boy was healing nicely but slowly and Blue Beetle thought once more of the folly of having a child involved in crime fighting. He couldn’t see himself ever having a child as a partner.
Green Mask (Michael Shelby) strained to free himself from the energy field that held all the heroes in place. His own vita ray enhanced power was amazing but some aspects of it were unreliable like his flying ability. He thought of his own juvenile partner Domino and was glad the brave youth was not with them facing the awesome Mr. Miracle.
Mr. Miracle looked down at them all and pulled back his cowl. “I told you I would return. I admit that the powers of mind I possess have failed me but I am breaking through the walls you dared impose upon me! For now, I may still rid myself of you all like this!”
He gestured and all of the Mystery Men vanished. He laughed harshly for a moment and placed one hand on his face.
“I can’t kill them yet but do I want to do so? What has become of me?” he said in a voice that shook with emotion.
2
The heroes gasped as their environment abruptly altered and they were teleported through space and possibly time itself to find themselves on a bustling city street.
Phantom Lady blinked rapidly as she stared up at a theater marquee.
“The Magnificent Dope! I just saw that Henry Fonda movie two nights ago! I don’t know where we are but at least Mr. Miracle didn’t send us into some kind of Bermuda Triangle!” she said.
Spider Queen said, “New York! We’re in New York. I know this street like the back of my hand!”
The ever perceptive Green Mask frowned as he recognized the street as well but also noticed a troubling expression on Yarko the Great’s face.
“This isn’t really New York is it?” he asked.
Yarko the Great shook his head. “Yes… and no. This is New York but not our New York!”
The Eagle said, “I’ve read a paper or two on the theory of alternate timelines! Are you saying this is some timeframe in which events differ from our known history?
Perhaps, World War II never happened or F.D.R. never became U.S. President?
Yarko said, “No. This is our timeline but not our planet. We are on a planet that approximates Earth in nearly every way but it is not our Earth. My mystical senses tell me that much!”
Blue Beetle said, “I’m afraid my non-mystical senses tell me the same thing. This isn’t our New York unless the Nazis have started an invasion!”
He pointed to where a group of Germans were shouting to one another in their native tongue as they rushed toward the heart of the busy city street. Crowds had already stopped to stare at the costumed heroes but the sight of even plain clothes Nazis caught everyone’s attention! The guns they carried made them even more imposing.
Phantom Lady jumped forward and delivered a kick that dropped one German to the pavement. She spun around to connect with a second one.
“Sorry, boys, but no admission after the movie has started!” she quipped.
The Flame pulled out a stylized gun and fire emerged to hover in mid air before his mental command sent it in a circle to contain several of the Germans! As he mentally increased the temperature of the fiery circle their bullets melted harmlessly on contact.
“Glad to see my powers work on this strange new world!” he thought.
Green Mask was already battling several of them with his own enhanced speed and strength. The blue and green clad hero was a dazzling combatant. He would have been nearly as capable without his sometimes unreliable powers.
Even as Michael Shelby punched and dodged his attackers his keen mind analyzed every detail around him.
“They were disguised as ordinary citizens. The fact that they chose to speak in their native tongue in hearing range of passersby makes it clear they want to create panic. I think they want nothing more than to stir up fear and hurt American morale. They could have done a lot more damage with a stealthy act of terror like planting a bomb or something!” he thought.
He flew out of the path of a gunman’s hasty fire and then dropped down to knock the startled man cold.
Spider Queen snagged a gun out of the hand of one German with a skillfully aimed use of her web line. She flipped acrobatically through the air to land upon another one and knocked him out with a series of punches!
“I’m glad the Eagle gave me some boxing lessons!” she mused. “Although I was always the athletic one in the family, I never knew much about pugilism!”
As some of the gunmen fled toward a parked car, Celestia leaped in front of the car and brought her gleaming sword down to smash through the hood and leave it a sparking wreck.
“Your mechanism won’t help you escape me! Now, do you surrender or shall we do battle?” she said with a grim smile as she spun her sword around and around with one hand.
They swiftly surrendered to the warrior woman as Blue Beetle and Samson brought down the remaining Germans. The two super strong heroes needed very little effort to corral the less powerful thugs.
The Eagle came flying down from above as Yarko caught his eye. They nodded in understanding as Yarko the Great said, “A powerful mind approaches!”
The Eagle said, “Yes, and he sure travels in style!” He gestured to a sleek and futuristic looking plane that hovered above them long enough for a dashing man in blue and red to emerge and fly down gracefully.
He wore a red and blue costume with a red mask that covered his eyes but left his dark hair and elegant mustache in plain sight.
“Well done! My partner Roy and I detected those Nazis moments ago but we couldn’t get here in time to stop them. You’ve done a fine job at that very task! My name is the Wizard! Roy is in the plane above us!” he said with a smile that revealed brilliantly white teeth.
Phantom Girl whistled softly. “This guy makes Robert Taylor look like one of the Ritz Brothers!” she thought.
Blue Beetle said, “This may sound crazy but we’re from another planet. We are known as the Mystery Men of America!”
The Wizard grew serious as he drew closer to them and said, “Yes, I know my mental powers usually allow me to sense when Roy or other people close to me are in trouble. In your case something about your arrival reached me in a vision. I felt your arrival and saw a glimpse of it in my mind’s eye. Our worlds are almost identical and apparently exist within the same solar system just on opposite sides of the sun! I dabbled a bit in astronomy and physics in my younger days and your presence confirms some of my theories!”
The Flame said, “We were apparently sent here by an enemy who has mental powers of his own. Perhaps, your own abilities come from a similar source?”
The Wizard said, “Possibly, although I am only the latest member of my family to have such abilities. There was a Wizard fighting for the colonies during the American Revolution. I’m proud to be the current man to serve our nation in this capacity!”
Phantom Lady said, “This all sounds like some kind of Buck Rogers serial! I mean who ever thought there could be another Earth! “
Samson smiled and said, “There might even be another Phantom Lady somewhere out there!”
Phantom Lady smiled and said, “I’m one of a kind!”
Spider Queen whispered, “Thank goodness!”
Celestia grinned briefly and then said, “My people dabbled in travel betwixt worlds and dimensional planes but some of that technology has been lost to us.’
The Wizard said, “I know someone who might be able to return you to your proper world! I was on my way to meet him and other allies. You see, we also form a group of heroes and we are in the middle of a mission! The Nazi agents you faced are merely one part of a scheme on a grander scale!”
Green Mask said, “Perhaps, we could help your group and then you could assist us in getting home!”
Samson said, “I think we all would gladly battle anyone who subscribes to the Aryan creed on any world!”
The Wizard said, “We’d welcome the help!”
3
After a hasty meeting with several other costumed heroes, the Mystery Men divided up and joined various members of this alternate Earth’s Mighty Crusaders.
The Green Mask was a skilled sleuth and was able to understand the Wizard’s explanation about the nature of this different Earth but he left deeper scientific truths to men like the Eagle.
“I could imagine other Earths existing in the same location in space but vibrating at different speeds but this planet within our very own solar system but somehow undetected on the other side of the sun defies logic. I can only assume there are some other dimensional laws in play that are beyond my thinking anyway!”
The Wizard (Blaine Whitney) smiled knowingly and said, “Don’t worry about how strange this must seem to you... We have a job to do and your help is greatly appreciated. My buddy Roy the Super Boy and I often receive tips to various threats to national security from a close relation in military intelligence.
Green Mask grinned back and said, “So, you said you alerted your friends the other members of the Crusaders to certain high profile threats this source of yours d discovered.”
The Wizard nodded and said, “Several Nazi agents were smuggled ashore and those thugs you captured in New York were part of that band. Apparently, when the others were captured, that group decided to go rogue and do as much damage as they could while knowing their original plans could no longer work!”
Roy Carter, a bond boy in a red and white striped shirt and blue pants said, “Yeah! The Wizard and I rounded up the other Ratzi spies before they could meet up with those losers in New York!”
The Wizard said, “Excuse Roy’s enthusiasm. We had plenty of help from my pal the Shield and his own young ally Dusty! In any case, one of the captured agents was willing to talk and he alerted our source to several targets being threatened by various super criminals in league with the Axis forces! They called this mission the Pastorious Operation.”
The Green Mask said, “We just completed a similar case on our earth although the agents used by the Axis were in fact mind controlled action heroes!”
The Wizard said, “Apparently, that was one difference between events on our two worlds! Your Pastorious plot happened a bit earlier than the one we are now facing!”
The three heroes made their way toward a large factory complex. Although night had fallen, the facility was busy with guards, night shift workers and management teams hard at work for the war effort.
“We suspect a part being developed here may be sought after by the Nazis!” said the Wizard.
The Green Mask said, “Why can’t you see what will happen before it does? You seemed to possessed remarkable mental powers!”
Roy said, “Sure! The Wizard has a super brain!”
The Wizard patted the boy on the back and said, “I have certain gifts and a few technological or chemical enhancements that give me various powers but I am limited to receiving brief mental flashes of danger nothing more specific or more directly under my control!”
At that moment the trio heard shouts, gunfire and alarms began to sound across the complex.
They charged forward to see a startling sight. Guards were trying to contain two bizarrely large yet clearly intelligent gorillas! Other factory workers… mainly female… were either running away or bravely helping their coworkers escape from the mutated creatures.
Green Mask said, ‘I take it these overactive monkeys are not normal for this world?”
Roy said, “Well, they would be perfect for working the swing shift! Get it?”
The Wizard said, “They are genetic mutations and their maker is that gentleman in the orange and brown armor. He has use more than one alias but he is better known as Dr. Yar! He is a genius but clearly a mad one!”
Dr. Yar turned to face them although his heavily armored helmet gave his voice a weird emotionless metallic echo
“I expected that dolt Steel Sterling. It shall be a pleasure to match wits with a genius like the Wizard although I have no idea who you are, sir!” he said to the Green Mask.
The Wizard replied, “He’s a friend of mine which means he is your enemy!”
As the Green Mask tackled one of the gorillas he grunted at the impact and struggled to bring the beast down.
“This is one simian powerhouse!” he mused as he twisted to avoid the gorilla’s grasp and slammed him to the ground with a skilled judo throw.
He noticed Roy had also avoided the other gorilla with a display of amazing agility and had kept the creature’s attention long enough for the Wizard to fly forward and lift the huge gorilla into the air and hurl him into a wall.
Dr. Yar raised both arms and bolts of electrical power surged across the factory floor.
The Wizard gritted his teeth and fought to make his way closer to the villain.
“You’ll have to do better than that Dr. Yar!” he said as he struggled against the painful current.
“Costume protects me from some of the juice but not nearly all of it!” he mused.
The Green Mask marveled at his new friend’s determination and courage and vowed to help him as best he could.
“The Wizard is an amazing fellow! I hope I can help him take down that madman in a tin can!”
He concentrated for a moment and then flew upward until he had soared to the roof of the factory. He spotted a huge vat of a molten metal and ripped it free from its constraints and then dropped it on Dr. Yar.
The Wizard leaped backward as the boiling metal enveloped the villain.
As the Green Mask expected, Dr. Yar’s armor shielded him enough to protect him from serious harm but he was dazed and confused and reeled unsteadily as he emerged from the cascade of molten metal.
Dr. Yar glanced around to see his fallen beasts and then the Wizard noticed a faint glow began to surround the armored villain and he stopped the other heroes and yelled, “Get back! He’s activated some energy weapon!”
As Dr. Yar glowed brightly an energy field swelled out from his body only to blink out moments later as the Wizard dived forward and knocked him out.
“Well done, Green Mask! Yar had no idea what you could do!” he said.
Roy recovered some fallen papers that had been dropped by Dr. Yar when the battle first began.
“These plans must be what he was after!” cried the Super Boy.
The Green Mask smiled as Roy rejoined his mentor and he said, “I’m glad I could help but I doubt you two needed me!”
The Wizard said, “Not at all! I’m sure you are needed on your own world but we could use a hero like you here as well!”
4
Celestia, Queen of Venus, had been many things in her lifetime. She had been heir to the throne of Venus, exiled fugitive from the invaders who conquered her world and killed all of her people, and space travelling warrior woman. Now, she was dedicated to winning the war against the Axis forces and while she took this mission seriously the platinum blonde beauty also enjoyed life on Earth! She had friends and adventure and the satisfaction of helping those who could not help themselves.
Thus, she was not fazed when she and her companion Zambini the Magician found themselves locked in combat with a vampire at a munitions plant in New York!
The Monocle was a suavely dressed monster with the fangs and lethal powers of a traditional vampire from folklore. He was also apparently a Nazi since he was readily using his supernatural powers to help their cause!
He had left the plant’s well armed staff of security guards battered and broken on the plant floor and he was ready to depart with documents vital to the defense effort.
At that moment his progress was interrupted by the arrival of the two costumed champion!
Zambini was a slightly plump man in a yellow jacket and green pants. He wore a green turban and a glowing amulet rested on his white shirt. He seemed to be a thoroughly decent man with both courage and compassion! Celestia had battled wizards before and most lack humility and humanity. She approved of what she saw in Zambini so far!
“The Monocle is a killer! Be wary of his hypnotic gaze!” warned Zambini!
Before he could resume his warning the vampire moved with inhuman speed and raised him into the air with one hand closed about his throat!
Zambini struggled but he could little since human contact robbed him of his powers! Even the touch of the walking dead had that effect!
Celestia sliced through the vampire’s arm with her sword and kicked him backward.
“Undead fiend! Your kind are as low as your Nazi masters!” she said.
She blocked a blow from the vampire and as he approached her with glowing eyes that seemed to shine even in the darkened areas of the damaged plant, she stood her ground and swung at him with her blade. It passed through him as he turned into a mist! She jumped backward only to find herself caught in his grip as he had solidified behind her! She felt his grip as he lowered his head over her neck! She slammed her elbow into his chest and pushed his face away from her own!
Zambini struggled to regain his breath and he managed to sit up in time to see the fight and take action! He gestured and one of the conveyer belts on a nearby assembly line snapped and struck the vampire with enough force to separate him from his target.
Celestia wasted no time as she flipped backward through the air and sliced the vampire’s head off before impaling him on a piece of scrap metal from the rubble of the factory.
Zambini gestured once more and ignited the severed head of the vampire!
“That should write a finish to his unholy career!” declared Zambini!
Celestia nodded and said, “I should hope so!”
5
The Hunter was another eager killer. He stalked his victims eagerly and used a wide range of combat skills to dispatch them. The Nazi wore a jungle print tunic and a horned helmet befitting his Nordic ancestors.
The Chrysler Plant in Detroit was a vital part of the war effort since it was manufacturing airplane fuselages! The Hunter enjoyed the setting since it was different from his normal haunts like the concentration camps of Europe!
He smiled cruelly as he and his men destroyed equipment and prepared to burn the plant. Their efforts were abruptly hindered when the lights went out so to speak and an inky darkness covered the specific area where they worked!
“Was ist das?” cried one of the Axis Agents!
A girlish laugh echoed through the darkness and Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight) dropped down from above to knock the startled man flat. She rolled nimbly across the floor and bowled over two other agents who were staggering around helplessly in the darkness hr blackout ray had generated.
“Honestly, you boys were clearly not Scouts or you’d know to be prepared for darkness! “she quipped as she kicked another agent in the face.
The Hunter started to tackle her by homing in on her voice but he was blocked and stopped by a big man in a green and blue costume. His cape, gloves, trunks, boots, and cowl were dark blue. He also wore a belt made from a twisted rope. He was the dreaded mystery man known as the Hangman and he was willing to kill if necessary!
The Hangman (Bob Dickering) was fond of shining a light on his foes that displayed the outline of a noose! He felt this enhanced his chances of frightening them since he believed (and often said that “criminals were all cowards at heart!
Dickering had been a college student when his heroic chemist brother John died after becoming a mystery man called the Comet! As the Hangman Bob saw every battle as another chance to avenge his beloved brother’s death! If his efforts were also motivated by some guilt over the fact that he was now romantically involved with John’s former lover reporter Thelma Gordon, he didn’t stop to think about it. He was a man of action and not given to philosophic musings!
He wrestled with the Hunter and grinned as he felt the other man stagger backward.
“What’s wrong, Tarzan? Missing your jungle?” he joked.
The Hunter silenced him by ramming his knee into the Hangman’s stomach!
He followed up by raking his fingers across the hero’s eyes!
Hangman grunted as he received another punch in the throat! He was gasping for breath as the Nazi assault him again and again!
He charged forward and used his head to strike the Hunter in his mocking face!
The tactic worked and the Hunter dropped to one knee for a moment! Hangman belted him again and again and as the Axis killer flailed helplessly under the impact,
Phantom Lady tripped him and brought an engine part down across his skull.
“You don’t play around!” said Hangman as he looked down at the stunned Hunter at Phantom Lady’s feet.
She winked at him and said, “You might find out if we’re here long enough, Big Boy!”
6
Flames threatened the General Motors plant where engines, guns, and tans were being manufactured for the war effort. Two burly men fought the flames desperately as their men rushed to aide them and sirens echoed throughout the facility!
“Watch out, Jake! Those Nazi rats are gonna roast us alive!” cried one of the workers as a wall of flames roe up in front of them!
“Oh no! We’re cut off! Nobody can save us now! Nobody!” cried his friend.
“Just call me Nobody, friend!” said a man in a green and red costume. He wore a green shirt and shorts with a red mask. He appeared from thin air and grabbed them men before teleporting all to safety a few feet away!
“The Phantom! You’re that Phantom guy!” said a grateful worker as he wiped sweat from his face.
“Call me Bob!” said the Phantom with a smile. He turned to where the fires were suddenly going out and he saw a remarkable sight. The gold and red costumed hero the
Flame was drawing the raging inferno into his own body and he was unharmed as the fires crackled around him!
“What a hero! Here I thought I was doing some good with my own teleportation and enhanced durability powers but face it, Walt Whitney, you’re better off sticking to writing your Broadway gossip column when a guy like that is
available!”
Whitney had gained his powers after helping a dying magician who had used the stage name Bob Phantom and in return he agreed to keep the old man’s name alive in
his own crime busting career!
Now, he turned to see the source of the fire: a garishly dressed weird figure in a purple robe and skullcap. His skin appeared to be a sickly shade of green.
He was giggling wildly as he flew around the plant and sprayed a liquid that ignited anything it made contact with in his wake!
“The Vulture! I’m sure that’s the jerk the Shield told me about once! He is as mad as a hatter and killed the Shield’s buddy Dusty’s father!” mued Bob Phantom.
He looked up at the grinning arsonist and calculated where his flight pattern would take him next! He concentrated and then teleported straight up and ahead so he materialized directly in the Vulture’s path and connected with a stunning right cross!
He landed agilely and bent over his fallen foe. The Vulture hissed and then hurled the liquid he was spraying at the hero’s face.
Bob Phantom gasped and staggered backward as he wiped at his eyes and then he head a crash as the Flame dropped down and knocked the villain cold.
“You pretty much took care of business on your own!” said Bob Phantom as he blinked rapidly and regained his sight.
The Flame said, “I wouldn’t say that. I put out the fire but you were the one saving lives by transporting all those swing shift workers to safety. You’re a hero in my book, pal!”
Bob Phantom smiled and said, “Thanks! Working with guys like the Wizard and the Shield doesn’t do wonders for my self-esteem!”
7
The Packard Plant also in Detroit as a vital source for engines for P.T. boats and it was also the next target for the Axis agents. The Japanese agent known as the Executioner brandished a huge ax and wore a red and blue uniform with the emblem of the Rising Sun displayed on his shirt. He was a powerfully built man and he was smarter than many of his allies. He went about his business silently and efficiently as a strange humanoid figure accompanied him and smashed the assembly lines with huge fists that grew and elongated at will.
Yarko the Great scowled as he stared for a moment at the huge creature. He had fought this kind of monster before with a sorcerer from another Earth.
“Obake the Shapeshifter is lethal and his methods of killing an enemy are nearly limitless since he can assume nearly any imaginable form!” he mused.
The Executioner smiled as he saw the Mystery Man and he said, “You are a wizard! Then, you will surely appreciate the power it took for me to summon this creature and enslave him! My masters in the Black Dragon Society drew him here from another dimensional plane all the better to kill you, American!”
Yarko the Great said, “He may try to kill me but he will fail like all do who challenge me!”
A ruggedly handsome blond man in a red and blue costume grinned broadly and thought, “That Mandrake knockoff sure has confidence! Me? I prefer to rely on a good right hook!”
Steel Sterling was an impressive hero in his own right. He had become a hero to avenge his scientist father’s death. He gained super strength and steel-like skin from a chemical process of his own devising. Thus, the muscular titan combined physical might with intellectual superiority. He also enjoyed a good fight!
He dived through the air and slammed into the almost opaque Obake and brought both linked hands down across the beast’s head. The monster simply allowed the blow to sink into his suddenly pliable skin and then he expanded his own body to shove Steel backward.
Steel smiled calmly and grabbed the creature around the hips. As it slithered snake-like through his grasp, he tightened his hold and dug his fingers into the creature’s torso!
The monster struggled to break free and they crashed from side to side around the factory floor. Steel’s body slammed through one mechanical device after another and he thought, “I have t end this now or I’ll end up doing as much damage to the plant as those Japanese goons!”
He released the monster and jumped through the air to where Yarko the Great had been facing down the Executioner! The mystic stood impassively as the Axis killer brought his gleaming axe down at him.
The weapon turned to a cascade of flowers as Yarko smiled confidently and his eyes flashed with a light that temporarily blinded his opponent.
He said, “Perhaps, we should switch foes, Mr. Sterling!”
Steel smiled and said, “I think you got something there!”
He circled the agile Executioner and connected with a series of jabs that snapped the other man’s head backward and left him an opening for another hard punch to the stomach.
Yarko the Great gestured as the Obake swelled up like a living wave and threatened to engulf him. Magical energy surged through the creature and it froze within a sheath of solid ice.
Steel ducked as the Executioner tried to grab him around the neck. He brought his own fist up and stunned the Asian assassin!
“You are good but I have super speed and that makes you just a bit too slow!” he said as he connected with a final blow.
Yarko the Great nodded in approval as the frozen Obake vanished now that its master was stunned.
“You fight well Mr. Sterling!” he said.
Steel said, “Thanks! I only wish I had run into my old enemy Dr. Yar or that punk Baron Gestapo! I guess my bad luck will be someone else’s good fortune!”
8
One of the Axis agents Captain Swastika was more than enough to challenge the American heroes the Blue Beetle and his new allies The Shield ( Joe Higgins) and his boy partner Dusty! Captain Swastika was an occasional partner of the Executioner’s but on this night as he prowled around the New Jersey shipyards, he was accompanied by a hulking red robot! The machine had an enormous square head and jagged “teeth” in a mouth that appeared to work on the same premise as a trash compactor!
The Shield wore his famous red, white and blue costume and while it provided him with limited invulnerability he was more comfortable relying on his own chemically enhanced physique and durability; however, he had recently experienced a brief loss of his super human powers and he hoped that they would not fail him again. Not that the courageous champion of American values would have shirked his duty even without his powers. Joe Higgins was a true hero.
He turned to the Blue Beetle and said, “I appreciate your help. I know this isn’t even your Earth!”
Blue Beetle said, “I’d say there are plenty of Nazis to go around!”
They raced forward as the young Dusty grinned and said, “Yeah, but you better move fast if you want to get to them before we get finished with them, right Shield?”
The Shield smiled and said, “He is our guest, son!”
They charged into the Nazi agents and Dusty laughed as he kicked one in the chin and dodged another before leaping into him.
The Shield kept one eye of the body daredevil as he flattened three other Nazis with a flying tackle. He whirled around to see the shadow of the giant robot’s fist coming down on him from above.
He grunted with the force of the crushing blow and he stood firm and lifted the huge harm upward inch by inch!
“Can’t let this thing turn on Dusty or any other innocent bystander!” he thought.
The Blue Beetle was not used to letting someone else handle the most dangerous threat in any given situation but he saw the Shield’s impressive skills and he focused his own efforts on Captain Swastika.
“Foolish, Amerikaner! You presume to don the chainmail of a Teutonic Knight? How absurd!” said the masked Captain Swastika whose gray costume was dominated by the huge swastika emblazoned across his featureless hood.
“My Mord Maschine will destroy you and your patriotic allies! The Shield’s lifeless body will be displayed in the streets of Berlin!” he shouted.
He grappled with Blue Beetle and the exo-skeleton in his suit enabled him to hold back the Azure Avenger!
Still, the Beetle was a capable fighter and he dropped to one knee and flipped the other man over his shoulder. He received a kick into the back of his head and spun around to receive a second one. He grabbed Swastika’s leg and swung him around and around in a circle before the Nazi struggled forward to reach for the Beetle’s arm.
He dropped him and the fight resumed.
Dusty was darting around the robot’s treads and looked for some way he could help his mentor but there appeared to be little he could do until he spotted a series of vents on each side of the robot’s torso!
He smiled eagerly and began to block the heating vents with scrap from the dock. He groaned as he got too closer at one point and the Beetle had to push him to safety with a frantic dive of his own.
“Thanks, sir!” he said.
The Beetle grinned and said, “Be careful, chum!”
Dusty nodded and swung his legs around to suddenly trip the approaching Captain Swastika.
The Blue Beetle grabbed him and hurled him into the dark waters below the pier.
He cried out as his heavier costume caused him to sink!
The Beetle jumped forward and pulled him out of the waters only to receive a swift punch in his face from the struggling Axis agent.
He slammed the other man’s head against the wooden pier and then drew him out on to the wooden dock.
“Ruthless like all Nazis!” he thought.
Meanwhile, the Shield had battered the robot again and again. He had dodged its blows and smashed it repeatedly with his own awesome power! Finally as smoke began to rise from its overheated system and Dusty’s work in blocking the vents on its torso took effect the Mord Maschine shuddered and abruptly collapsed into the waters off the dock!
The heroes congratulated one another and the Shield smiled and bantered with the others as he concealed a troubling fact. Moments after the robot fell, the Shield lost his own powers as well!
“Can I carry on with just normal strength and speed? I have to!” he vowed grimly.
8
The Eagle (Bill Powers) was dodging the whip crackling Captain Murder as the black uniformed concentration camp commander tried to bring the high flying hero down to the ground near the Ohio River Hydroelectric Plant.
The patriotic Eagle knew he could keep up as aerial acrobatics for hours but he also saw that his new ally from the Mighty Crusaders needed help. A gang of the Nazi thugs had surrounded the black clad hero called The Fox (Paul Patton) and the agile photographer was doing his best to hold his ground.
“You punks wouldn’t stand a chance in Central park at night!” he quipped as the sheer weight of his foes threatened to bring him down!
He fought well but he slipped and went down beneath the Axis agents.
The Eagle dive bombed them as they drew closer together over the Fox. He hit them with stunning force and soared back up only to receive a direct hit from Captain Murder’s whip!
He fell to the ground and struggled to rise again. Captain Murder gloated loudly, “I’ve brought down the fool in the gaudy stars and stripes costume. Now, I’ll kill him!”
The Fox said, “Not if one slightly ill-used hero can do anything about it!”
He caught the whip and yanked Captain Murder until the brutal Nazi reeled off balance.
The Fox grinned with pleasure as the Eagle recovered enough to catch the killer with a hard punch to his chin.
He wrapped the whip around Murder and bounded him tightly as the Fox caught his own breath and surveyed the scene.
They had won and this victory was especially satisfying since Captain Murder’s capture spelled some relief for the hapless prisoners he loved to torment back in Germany.
9
At Horseshoe Curve railroad pass near Altoona, PA three other heroes gathered to stop the sabotage!
Samson and Spider Queen were an odd pair. He was earnest and serious for the most part while she was scholarly and occasionally sarcastic. During his quest to help his body buddy David find some of his missing relatives, he had missed interacting with other American heroes but since returning to the States he had enjoyed seeing how many patriotic and valiant heroes and heroines the nation had to offer! Seeing the same thing was true for this alternate Earth encouraged the blond hero and he thought, “I am glad Americans everywhere fight for what is right!”
They were allied with a smiling daredevil called the Black Hood (Kip Burland). He wore a black and gold costume and talked incessantly. He had been a policeman left for dead at the hands of a madman called the Skull. Healed and trained by a kindly hermit he brought his attacker to justice as the Black Hood. He turned to Spider Queen and Samson and said, “This may sound crazy but is there a Black Hood on your Earth? I mean it is possible right?”
“There will not be a Black Hood on this earth when I am done with you!” cried a huge man with a blond crew-cut hair style and a bright green uniform. A jagged scar ran across on eye and he carried himself with a cold pride and cruel demeanor.
“The Hun! He’s super strong and also one of the most notorious of Hitler’s bully boys” declared Black Hood.
Samson said, “I hate bullies and Nazis are the worst!”
He frowned as the Hun hurled a huge piece of metal torn from the nearby rails at them! Samson jumped forward and caught the deadly hunk of twisted metal and casually shoved it aside.
“You’ll have to do better than that!” he vowed as he struck the Nazi and sent him flying across the railways!
The Hun was hardy and he jumped up only to receive a second blow from Samson.
“You fight well but you can’t stand against me!” vowed the Hun as he caught Samson’s arm and twisted it painfully.
Samson planted his feet more firmly and hurled his enemy away with a mighty heave.
“You were saying?” he said!
Spider Queen and Black Hood were equally busy battling attacking Nazi agents who lacked their leader’s raw power!
Spider Queen flipped over one agent’s back and caught another with a spinning kick before receiving a blow to the back of her head.
She fell hard and didn’t get up so the Black Hood raced to her defense and continued the onslaught!
“You goons have a lot of nerve to hit a girl from behind like that!” he said as he ducked and punched his way through the group. He seemed to be everywhere as he countered punches and connected with his own superbly aimed attacks!
As Spider Queen fought to regain her footing she admired his fighting prowess and thought, “This Hood is as good as the Black Fury although not quite as reckless!”
She tripped up a few of the agents with her web line and then saw Samson drive the Hun to the ground with a wrestling hold that left the Nazi stunned.
The Black Hood said, “We did it! If our friends have been as successful I’d say we’ve wrapped up this mission!”
Later, the assembled Mystery Men and the Mighty Crusaders conferred and Zambini gave more detailed advice to Yarko the Great.
The Wizard said, “We owe you a great deal of thanks. Perhaps, we can return the favor someday and help you on your Earth!”
The Eagle said, “I hope so too!”
With their combined power the two magicians sent the Mystery Men back to their own HQ where they found the conflicted Mr. Miracle was still locked in torment battling his own emotional; turmoil!
He started at the heroes with wide eyes. He seemed shocked by their return!
“You were only gone for a few minutes! I may not be able to kill you but I’ll erase your very minds!” he shrieked!
Suddenly, Yarko stepped forward and held up Zambini’s amulet!
The mystical relic could turn any attack against the attacker and it did so with dazzling effect! The powerful Mr. Miracle was downed by his own mental might. He was left with memory loss and stared at the others in confusion.
“Where am I? Who am I?” he cried piteously.
The Flame said, “We’ll get you the help you need. Don’t be frightened.”
He led the now helpless Mr. Miracle out of the meeting room while Yarko nodded in approval as the amulet blinked out of sight and apparently returned to Zambini on his
Earth as the two wizards had previously arranged for it to do.
Yarko the Great faced the others and said, “This has been a strange day indeed. We have seen the Axis evil embodied anew on another Earth and we have seen noble heroes arise to fight it!”
The Eagle said, “I can only pray that the heroes of every possible Earth will eventually triumph over them as we hope to do here!”
“Amen!” repeated his friends.
The End
