Adventure Comics #49 is an issue of the series Adventure Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1940.
Synopsis for Hourman: "The Disappearance of Dr. Drew"
Rex Tyler is visited by Miss Drew whose father, Dr. Drew, had gone missing, and she was asking Rex for his help. Ignoring the "advice" from the local detective warning him to stay clear, Rex prepares his Hour-Man costume underneath his street clothes and heads out to the Drew residence to search for clues.
While Rex is investigating the grounds around the home, a man on the scene mistakes him for a cop, and he is led at gunpoint to a tiny shack hidden a short distance away. Fortunately, Rex is able to slip a Miraclo pill into his mouth while the thug isn't looking, allowing him to become the Hour-Man! Revealing his costume, the Hour-Man intimidates the thug into telling him of the hideout on the top of the hill where Dr. Drew was being held. Meanwhile inside the kidnapper's hideaway, the leader of the gang is growing frustrated with the doctor's refusal to create the formula they need. The boss warns Drew that he has made arrangements to ensure his cooperation. Outside, as the Hour-Man approaches the cabin on the hill, a plane comes down to land in the clearing nearby. Two thugs emerge, with Miss Drew in their grasp. They were hoping to use her to blackmail her father into completing the formula. But they hadn't counted on Hour-Man to be there. Dodging the bullets being fired, Hour-Man takes down the two men before being surprised by a third who uses a ray gun to temporarily blind him.
Hour-Man and Miss Drew are tied up inside the cabin as the doctor works feverishly, under threat that his daughter would be killed if he did not. Only twenty minutes remain before Hour-Man would revert back to his meek alter-ego Rex Tyler. With a great burst of strength, he breaks free of his ropes and leaps upon the two crooks nearest him! The gang leader tries to get away in the plane, but as he starts to take off from the ground, the Hour-Man manages to grab hold of the bottom of the craft and toss it back to the ground in a flaming wreck. The Miraclo's effect beginning to fade, he rushes off back to the laboratory without even waiting for Dr. Drew and his daughter to give their thanks.
Appearing in Hourman: "The Disappearance of Dr. Drew"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Gang of Kidnappers
Other Characters:
- Dr. Drew
- Miss Drew
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Barry O'Neill: "Trap for Fang Gow"
Barry O'Neill and Inspector LeGrand are thinking up of a way to catch their long-time nemesis Fang Gow. Barry believes they may be able to use Fang Gow's greed against him by planting false information that French Intelligence was seeking men with his abilities, and are willing to offer a hefty fee. LeGrand soon sent out one of his spies to relay the information out into the criminal element. Elsewhere in Paris, in a secret hideout, the villainous Fang Gow is in discussion with a representative from a foreign government who is also willing to pay high price for the deaths of O'Neill and LeGrand.
Later that day, Barry and LeGrand visit a Munitions Plant where one of the workers is trying to talk his way past the gate guards, complaining that he feels "too ill" to work. But Barry is suspicious of the employee's behaviour and when he sends LeGrand to the on-site doctor to get a confirmation of his ailment, the man pulls out a gun and threatens them! Barry knows he only has one chance, and so he rushes the frantic worker and knocks the gun out of his hand as they both fall to the ground. Now subdued, the man admits that he was working for Fang Gow and had been ordered to set a bomb in the factory, so Barry and LeGrand force him to take them to the bomb's location. Unfortunately, the bomb was on a timer with less than ten minutes remaining and no way to deactivate it. The duo grab the bomb and race to their car, hoping to get the device as far away from the city as they can so no innocent lives would be lost. At the appointed time, an explosion is seen far off on the hillside by the Plant employees, and by Fang Gow's agent who assumes his master's enemies have finally met their demise. But Barry O'Neill and Inspector LeGrand were actually safe and sound, having managed to get well clear of the area before the blast.
Back at the French Intelligence Office, one of LeGrand's spies informs the Inspector that he had followed the Plant bomber back to Fang Gow's hideout. Excited, he and Barry follow the spy across town.
In a dimly lit room somewhere beneath Paris, Fang Gow was congratulating his agent for the destruction of his two foes. Suddenly to the surprise of both, Barry and LeGrand burst into the hideout entrance and start shooting at the Chinese criminal mastermind. Their bullets never arrive, though, landing harmlessly on a plate of bullet-proof glass that had been placed between Fang Gow and his attackers. A mocking laugh followed by a shout of rage as Fang Gow turns on his own man and shoots him in cold blood for failing in his assignment. But the crook wasn't quite dead, and he limped over to a lever on the wall that controlled the glass partition. With a final gasp, the lever is pulled and the glass rises into the ceiling, allowing LeGrand and O'Neill into the room. But Fang Gow had once again slipped past them through a steel door, escaping for now.
But Barry and his ever-loyal friend, LeGrand, will never quit in their pursuit. It would only be a matter of time...
Appearing in Barry O'Neill: "Trap for Fang Gow"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Federal Men: "Crime of a Criminologist"
Nikola Lazzaro pays a visit to the home of wealthy manufacturer, Gabriel Torrence, to offer his services. Mr. Torrence was being indicted on tax evasion based on the testimony of his former book keeper, who was fired a week before. Lazzaro tells Mr. Torrence that he can "get rid of" the former employee for only a thousand dollars. A deal is made and Lazzaro gets to work with an advance of $500 in his pocket.
Later that night, Mortimer Kale was grumbling to himself while walking along the waterfront, his thoughts on the testimony tomorrow and on his rotten boss for firing him from bookkeeping not noticing the figure watching him from the shadows. Lazzaro then steps from the dark alley and bumps into Kale, who struggles to keep from falling into the river beside him. Asking if he was alright, Lazzaro learns that Kale couldn't swim, and a deadly smile suddenly creeps along the killer's face... Mortimer Kale is shoved forcefully over the edge and falls down toward the water below, but luckily his jacket catches a hook, saving him from a cold drowning fate. A helpful passerby rescues the panicked man and drives him to his friend's house to call the F.B.I.
Steve Carson questions Mortimer Kale about his upcoming testimony in court against his former boss, and comes to a conclusion that Mr. Gabriel Torrence may have hired someone to try and silence him. Tampering with the phone lines allows the Bureau to listen in on a call between Torrence and the hired killer, Lazzaro, as they discuss payment for the murder, neither of which suspecting that Kale was still alive. The police, led by Steve, move in to surround Lazzaro's premises and are met by a hail of gunfire. They are forced to respond in kind, fatally injuring the deadly hitman. As for Torrence, Kale's testimony along with an attempted murder charge, results in him getting a life sentence behind bars.
Appearing in Federal Men: "Crime of a Criminologist"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Nikola Lazzara (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Gabriel Torrence (Single appearance)
- Mortimer Kale (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Unknown
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for The Sandman: "Cold Cures and Crime"
Wesley Dodds drops a coin into the cup of a sidewalk beggar, when he suddenly witnesses a man tumble into the street in front of an oncoming car! The vehicle swerves out of the way in time to avoid him, but when Wesley and a cop run over to help the man up they find that he is dead! Oddly, the beggar moves away from the scene in a hasty run, prompting Dodds to shadow him. When he disappears into an apartment, Dodds decides to return home and change into his alter-ego, The Sandman. He soon discovers that the victim was one of Doctor Lovejoy's assistants, and that he was the second one to die that week.
A visit to the Doctor's residence reveals that two thugs had already snuck inside and were planning Lovejoy's murder even as they crept up the stairs. A blast from the Sandman's gas gun puts the two crooks to sleep before they can carry out the deadly scheme. Doctor Lovejoy is grateful to Dodds and tells him that he had developed a cure for the common cold, and that there were likely many who would try to steal it. The Sandman thinks back to the suspicious beggar he saw earlier that day, and thought it was a good time to return to that apartment...
Making sure the phony beggar remains asleep with a burst of gas, the Sandman searches the apartment. A jar full of deadly Black Widow spiders sat on the dresser, and beside it he finds the cup used by the man when he was out on the street. Closer inspection reveals a hidden pressure pad inside the cup that makes a tiny needle shoot out of the side. Could this have been how the beggar killed that man, with a needle dipped in spider venom? A visit to the police station, where the Sandman convinces the commissioner to order an autopsy, reveals that there was indeed traces of black widow venom in the dead man's system. Wesley heads back to Dr. Lovejoy's place, knowing that he was still a target for the gangsters. But when he drives up to the house, a trio of thugs jump into a car with the doctor in their grasp and speed off. The Sandman cautiously follows them, taking care not to drive too close that they could see him.
The crook's vehicle pulled up to a house on the outskirts of the city. Doctor Lovejoy was pushed inside, where the gangsters had prepared a small room for him. He would be forced to remain there until he gave them the formula for the cure, which they would then sell on the black market to wealthy buyers. The Sandman had parked his car behind some trees and proceeded on foot to the side of the residence. Climbing up the side with little difficulty, Dodd's reached the attic window and crept inside, listening for the doctor's voice below... He removed a section of the floor and peered down into the small room where Dr. Lovejoy was held, then reached out his hand to help the good doctor up. When one of the thugs entered to check on their hostage, he found the Sandman standing there instead, ready with a shot from his gas gun. The other two quickly rushed in with their guns raised, but they're brashness only earned them a hard fall from a roundhouse kick.
The police had finally arrived on the scene after following the Sandman's trail. The thugs are arrested, and Dr. Lovejoy asks the Sandman if there was anything he could do to repay him. Wesley sneezes behind his mask, replying that it would help if he could get a prescription for the doctor's cold cure...
Appearing in The Sandman: "Cold Cures and Crime"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Gangsters
Other Characters:
- Doctor Lovejoy
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- Automobile
Synopsis for Socko Strong: "Mr. Krieger Vanishes"
A transcontinental plane carries Socko Strong and Jerry Indutch back from their Hollywood adventure. Sometime during the flight the stewardess notices that one of the passengers, a noted financier by the name of Benjamin Krieger, has mysteriously disappeared. She worries that he may have fallen out of the hatch that he was seen leaning against earlier. Socko asks the pilots to land, but they were too close to the destination to risk a landing now.
The local sheriff and his officers from the precinct met the flight after it landed at the Albuquerque Airport. They were there to arrest one of the passengers, Ben Krieger, who was wanted for embezzlement, to be told by the pilot how the man had vanished from the flight a few miles back. Perhaps he knew they were waiting for him and jumped out of the plane to try and escape? The men began to form small groups to start combing the region to look for the fugitive, and though Jerry protested that they were going to miss the connecting flight, Socko offered to help with the search. A spare car was provided for the two, along with a description saying that Benjamin Krieger sported a full beard, and they followed along with the rest of the search party to the approximate location that the plane was passing over when Mr. Krieger jumped. From there, the team splits up to cover more ground, with Socko and Jerry to look along the roadway. Another vehicle approaches and is stopped by Socko, who asks the driver if he had seen anybody that looked suspicious. The man responds that he did not, and drives away, but Jerry heard something odd in the his dialect. It was as though he had switched from a southern drawl to city-speak in mid-sentence. It was strange as well as suspicious. Was the driver the man they were looking for?
As Jerry makes a call to the detective via radio, Socko follows the other vehicle at a distance, until they come to a small cabin. Inside, Socko looks around and discovers a recently used shaving razor. The man they had followed appeared to be clean-shaven, perhaps having removed his beard to avoid suspicion... A sound is heard at the front door! Quickly, the duo get in a position to surprise the cabin's owner. When the man they had seen earlier crosses the threshold, they are upon him, bringing him down to be held by Jerry while Socko goes off to get something. Some stuffing from the bed is used to make a fake beard that Socko applies to the man's face and, sure enough, he suddenly matched the description of Mr. Benjamin Krieger! The sheriff arrives a few moments later and finds that Socko and Jerry already had the suspect in their grasp. One look at the man in the false beard, and the detective is certain that they found their man! Krieger is taken away in handcuffs and Socko and Jerry are finally able to continue their flight home to New York...
Appearing in Socko Strong: "Mr. Krieger Vanishes"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Jerry Indutch
Villains:
- Benjamin Krieger
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- Automobile
Synopsis for "A Sleepy Capture"
(text story) A lion escapes from a traveling circus into the small town of Centerport. A search was conducted but they were unable to find any trace of the beast. Young, twenty-something Billy Clark later comes across the lion while stoking a furnace below the county orphanage. It had him trapped, but with some quick thinking, a burning broom, and a nearby coal-bin, he was able to trap the creature and exit the basement to call the police...
Appearing in "A Sleepy Capture"
Featured Characters:
- Bill Clark
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Dash (a lion)
Other Characters:
- Joe Brooks
- Bennett
- Captain Smythe
Locations:
- Centerport (fictional)
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Steve Conrad, Adventurer: "The Tiger-Men"
Steve Conrad and Chang investigate a series of plantation burnings by a tribe known as the Tiger-Men. The morning after witnessing one of the plantations go up in flames, they follow the trail of the natives back to their hideout inside a temple. Only instead of natives, they find several dozen tins of gasoline. Steve gets an idea, and so later that day he and Chang arrive at another plantation, which hasn't been burned yet, with the gasoline tins in hand. They spied the Tiger-Men waiting in a field of tall grass for the sun to go down... it was exactly as Steve had hoped. He told Chang to help him form a circle around the natives by using the gas from the canisters, and to leave a small break near the front so that their would only be one way to escape. With this done Steve lit up the circle with a match, surrounding the Tiger-Men in a roaring blaze! The tribe's chief found the small gap in the flames and led his men through it. However, they were met with thuds on the head from long sturdy pieces of wood held by Steve and Chang. The smoke from the fire attracted the nearby authorities and the Tiger-Men were rounded up and apprehended.
Appearing in Steve Conrad, Adventurer: "The Tiger-Men"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Chang
Villains:
- The Tiger-Men
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Rusty and His Pals: "Mansion of Murder: Part 4"
Continued from last issue. The folded up paper turned out to be a map that led to an island somewhere across the sea. Seeking an explanation, Angus starts to glance through his late uncle's diary, a look of surprise and shock on his face as he rereads the entry to Rusty and his friends.
A few years ago, a traveling circus where John Rankin was working at the time had found itself stranded without money in a strange country. It was during this time when Rankin first met Tino the dwarf, Karl the strong man, and Zoroff the lion tamer. Becoming partners, they had started calling themselves the "Unholy Four", and plotted a way to make some money in the primitive land. And then, while touring the country one day, the four of them heard the sound of drums echoing through the jungle. Following the sound through the brush, they sight upon a group of natives worshipping a jewel encrusted golden idol. It was their ticket to fortune... With a few quick gunshots the natives were dealt with, and the "Unholy Four" made off with the idol in their possession! But later that night, in an act of betrayal, Rankin stole away with the idol while his comrades slept. It was too big for him to carry around, though, so he decided to hide it away somewhere and draw a map so he can find it later...
As Angus finished reading, Rusty and the others became excited at the prospect of a new adventure, to find the hidden idol that was sought by natives and thieves alike. And as they made their way down the rest of the passage, Angus and the three boys discovered a schooner tied to a hidden dock, left behind by the dearly departed John Rankin. However, as they were packing to leave, Tubby spotted movement by the window and shouted a warning to his comrades. Natives were climbing into the house! Story continues next issue.
Appearing in Rusty and His Pals: "Mansion of Murder: Part 4"
Featured Characters:
- Rusty
- Specs
- Tubby
Supporting Characters:
- Angus McHeather
- John Rankin (Flashback only)
Villains:
- Natives (Flashback and main story)
- Tino (Flashback only)
- Karl (Flashback only)
- Zoroff (Flashback only)
Synopsis for Anchors Aweigh: "On the Track of Serge Kano"
Don Kerry and Red Murphy were on the trail of foreign agent, Serge Arno. Coming to an old Spanish inn that Serge was known to frequent, the two friends disguise themselves as laborers and head inside for a stakeout. It isn't long before Serge appears, but when Don and Red try to apprehend him they find that he isn't alone and were soon forced by two armed thugs to drop their guns. With Don and Red tied up in the backseat, Arno and his hired goons take his car and drive off down a deserted road deep into the jungle. When they've gone far enough, Serge stops the vehicle and walks off through the brush, saying he wants to make sure that everything is ready for their demise... Red wants to try and escape, but Don comes up with a plan when he notices the men that Serge hired are not mentioned in the reports, meaning they must be new. First he tries to explain to them that they were working for a known criminal, but they replied that as long as the pay is good, they don't care. Playing on their greed, Don then told them about the reward Arno would fetch if he were caught, which was far more than what he was paying them. He said if they would untie him and Red, the reward money would be theirs once Serge was arrested. The thugs, dreaming of the riches, agreed and undid Don and Red's bonds. Unfortunately, Serge Arno returned before either of them could retrieve their firearms. Disappointed by his men's betrayal, Serge leads the group into the thicket with his gun, saying he had prepared a suitable punishment for all of them.
A dug out pit was where Don Kerry and Red Murphy had been lead to. Several snakes slithered about at the bottom, with Serge explaining that they were all very poisonous and able to kill a man with one bite. He would force each of them, his own hired thugs included, to cross through the pit. If they made it to the other end alive, they were free to go. First off, he shoved one of his own traitorous men into the pit, watching as the poor fellow was attacked by the venomous serpents and fell to the ground. His comrade went into the pit next, making a dash for the other side. He had climbed up the slope to the top in victory when suddenly a snake bit into his boot, and he, too, was killed. Sneering, Serge decided to wear the fallen crook's boots for himself, not wishing to let a fine pair go to waste. Red Murphy was sent into the snake-pit at gunpoint, while Don was pleading for this mad game to stop! Red had nearly made it all the way out, when a snake leaped up and bit him on the neck, causing him to fall! Don yelled in despair and Serge laughed menacingly. He was about to lift his gun towards Don to force him into the pit, when suddenly his body seized up and he collapsed to the ground, dead! Kerry managed to squeeze out of his ropes and quickly rushed to Red's side. Amazingly, his friend was alive and merely startled by the snake. A close inspection revealed that it was the same creature that had bit into the hired-goons' boot, losing it's fangs in the process.
It would seem that the fangs still had some venom when Serge slipped the boots on, and he was most likely poked by the tip, letting the poison into his system...
Appearing in Anchors Aweigh: "On the Track of Serge Kano"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Red Murphy
Villains:
- Serge Arno (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Pablo (Single appearance; dies)
- Juan (Single appearance; dies)
Synopsis for Cotton Carver: "At the Polar Zone"
Cotton Carver and Deela are still passed out in the snow from exhaustion after their harrowing climb to escape the ape-men. Neither of them notice the earthquake until it physically flings them down the mountain, in opposite directions from each other! Cotton lands on the other side of the mountain with only a few scrapes and bruises. His first concern was to find Deela before she freezes to death in the arctic cold that had already begun to creep up along his own body. Luckily he still had his gun with him and was able to take down a polar bear and skin it's hide to wear for warmth. Meanwhile, a group of arctic traders come across Deela, barely conscious lying in the cold. Red Mike, the leader, notices the necklace of emeralds that she wore around her neck and, tempted by the fortune it would bring if sold, rips it off her person. Deela wakes up in a panic, calling Cotton's name, asking the other men what happened to him, but they don't answer. She is tied tightly and placed in the group's sled, rushing along the mountain path as Red Mike explains that she'll be going with them until she tells him where they can get more of the precious jewels like the ones on the bracelet. Farther back, Cotton retraced his steps to the mountain top where they had fallen, and then started following the trail left by Deela, across the chasm and down the other side. When he reaches bottom, he kneels to inspect a set of tracks left in the snow, and discovers a piece of the gemstone Deela wore around her neck. Knowing how valuable the emeralds were to someone who saw them, Cotton grows more concerned. He hastens along, following the tracks and hoping that Deela was still safe...
A few hours later, Cotton came across the traders' camp where sentinels were stationed as lookouts. He would need a plan if he wanted to get Deela out of there. Inside the tent, one of Red Mike's men rushes in claiming to have seen a great white bear that walked on two legs! He was frantic and afraid, which in turn frightened his comrades, but Mike was not amused. He sent the men outside with their guns to keep an eye out for whatever was skulking around. Up above on a snowy mound, Cotton waited for the rest of the men to step outside before continuing his ruse. Cloaking himself beneath the bear skin, he waited until all were present and then appeared once again, growling in a deep threatening voice. The traders panicked and ran off in every direction yelling about the bear spirit, Red Mike was powerless to stop them. During the commotion, Cotton found Deela tied up in the sled and undid her bindings, sending her away to safety before he confronted the leader. Red Mike was furious at his cowardly men for abandoning him because of a foolish myth. He set out to investigate on his own, exactly as Cotton wanted it. It was easy to come up behind Red Mike and startle him with the bear skin, putting enough fear into him to make him drop the shotgun. With a single punch, Cotton knocks the greedy villain onto his back and said that he was going to turn him in to the authorities for kidnapping. Mike pleaded that he gave up, but as Deela came running up to be at her hero's side, another quake shook the earth beneath their feet. All three were tossed into an opening chasm, there yells echoing across the walls as they fell to their next adventure...
Appearing in Cotton Carver: "At the Polar Zone"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Deela
Villains:
- Red Mike
Locations:
Notes
- "The Disappearance of Dr. Drew" is reprinted in The JSA All Stars Archives #1
- "Cold Cures and Crime" is reprinted in the The Golden Age Sandman Archives Vol. 1
See Also