All-American Comics #39 is an issue of the series All-American Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1942.
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "The Mystery of the Theatre of Fear"
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson see a play where a kidnapped boy and his nurse are killed when their ransom isn't delivered in time, which terrifies Mrs. Johnson into wanting to make sure their own boy is alright. As soon as they get home, they receive a threatening call to deliver $10k or they'll never see their child again. He gets the money and goes to deliver it, only for the Johnson boy and his nurse to arrive back from the movies as soon as he's gone. Captain Riley's assigned to the case of this swindling and investigates the theater where the Johnsons saw the play, thinking there's likely a connection. He runs into Irene Miller, who's going to be acting in a new production that night, and Alan Scott's on the scene also. The news of the swindle makes Scott suspicious and he decides to be on hand too as Green Lantern. Just as before, after the play, "Radio Bombing," Apex Broadcasting receives a threatening call that they'll be bombed.
Green Lantern and Doiby catch the criminals in the act, and he melts the bomb into nothing with his ring, but the hero is knocked unconscious by a sock full of rocks and the hoods escape with him. Doiby and Captain Riley chase after them in Doiby's cab, and in the course of the chase Green Lantern regains consciousness and in trying to knock him out again one thug hits the driver instead. Green Lantern saves Doiby and Riley from crashing with a wall of force but the crooks get away in the process. They find Forbes, the head of the theater, tied up, and he blames Green Lantern (who's gone back to Apex to make sure Irene Miller's safe). Forbes declares he isn't intimidated by this and plans to go ahead with the next night's production, "The Murdered Police Captain" (which makes Captain Riley nervous).
"The Murdered Police Captain" portrays Green Lantern as a masked gangster out to get the only man who can threaten his racket, Captain Riley, who the actor then dives at with lethal intent. Fortunately he's saved by the arrival of the real Green Lantern, who after quickly subduing the assailant speeds off to Apex Broadcasting, where Forbes has pulled a gun on Irene Miller. She's discovered he was really the one who wrote those plays, and had lied about them being wired in by an author in Arizona. Green Lantern gets there just in time and Forbes' bullet bounces off the hero's body, shielded from harm against all metals, and rebounds back to its source instead, killing Forbes. The next day, Irene Miller's not amused by Alan Scott asking the would-be actress for an autograph after the night she'd had.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "The Mystery of the Theatre of Fear"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Forbes (Dies)
- His gang
Other Characters:
- John Johnson
- Tommy Johnson
- Captain Riley
- Mr. Bigg
Items:
Synopsis for Doctor Mid-Nite: "The Movie Mystery"
Myra and Dr. McNider receive passes to a new film, but McNider begs off because, as he has to explain to Myra, how can a blind man watch a movie?
Meanwhile, the director of the film's confronted by Steven Fink, the very gangster his film mocks. The gangster's about to kill him in retribution when a woman comes in and sees the dirty deed about to take place, causing Fink to retreat. McNider decides to go to the premiere after all, but as Dr. Mid-Nite to make sure nothing happens. However, something does: some of Fink's hoods are at the theater, but somehow Dr. Mid-Nite isn't able to see them escaping him in the dark. Soon after, the hoods release knockout gas into the theater to rob the attendees while they slumber, but Mid-Nite slips a vial of laughing gas into the air conditioner. This wakes everyone up and makes them so invigorated they fight off the thieves themselves. Fink tries to kill the director to at least get his revenge, but Mid-Nite knocks him out before the film goes on as before.
Appearing in Doctor Mid-Nite: "The Movie Mystery"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Steve Fink
Other Characters:
- Sam Oldwinn
Synopsis for Atom: : "The Egg Racket"
Appearing in Atom: : "The Egg Racket"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters: Antagonists:
- Slade and his gang
Other Characters:
- Malcolm (a dairy delivery man)
- Malcolm's wife
- Various other dairymen
Locations:
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Vehicles:
Synopsis for Sargon: "Sargon Smashes a Gambling Casino"
Crooked casino owner "Deuces" Wild roughs up a customer for noticing he's running a crooked operation and fires the dealer whose mistake let it slip. An underling suggests he hire Sargon as the man's replacement, a proposition the heroic wizard finds intriguing, and decides to accept. Of course, this is only an act to get close to the criminals and show them the error of their ways. First he uses magic to enable everyone to win, keeping the house from winning any illicit funds, then creates a flood of paper money in the casino. The chaos that erupts from this causes everyone to realize the folly of gambling and give it up...especially Deuces and his henchman, who start arguing over who gets the want ads to look for an honest job!
Appearing in Sargon: "Sargon Smashes a Gambling Casino"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Flora Styles
Antagonists:
- "Deuces" Wilde (a racket boss) and Mike (his assistant)
Other Characters:
Locations:
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Vehicles:
Synopsis for Scribbly: "Aiding the War Effort"
Appearing in Scribbly: "Aiding the War Effort"
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Synopsis for Hop Harrigan: "The Boy Miracle on Wings"
Appearing in Hop Harrigan: "The Boy Miracle on Wings"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Ikky Tinker
- Miss Snap
- Prop Wash
- Geraldine (Gerry)
Antagonists:
- Mugsy
Other Characters:
- "Surething" Booker
- Cecil Giltedge
- Pat
Locations:
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Synopsis for Red, White, and Blue: "The Puzzle of the Perilous Parachutes"
Appearing in Red, White, and Blue: "The Puzzle of the Perilous Parachutes"
Featured Characters:
- Red, White, and Blue
- Red Dugan, USMC
- Whitey Smith, USA
- Blooey Blue, USN
Supporting Characters:
- Doris West, G2
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
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Vehicles:
Notes
- Published by J.R. Publishing Company
- Also appearing in this issue of All-American Comics were:
See Also
Links and References
