Green Hornet Comics vol 1 1

The debut issue of Green Hornet Comics was a comic book published by Helnit Comics. It was released in November 1940 with a December cover date. The issue contained ten Green Hornet features, a single page text introduction inside the front cover and nine stories, a record for both the most Green Hornet-related features and stories, in any issue of the series. The stories are as follows: an eight paged untitled story, the eight paged "Murder in the Offing", the eight paged "Measure for Measure", the eight paged "Accidents on Purpose," the two paged text story "Sins of the Fathers," the eight paged "Racketeers go to the Dogs (8 pp)," the eight paged "A Copyright on Chiseling," the six paged "Graft beyond the Grave," and the eight paged "No Sale in Premiums." All of the features were written by Fran Striker, with art by Bert Whitman Associates, except for "Sins of the Fathers," which contained no illustrations. This is the only issue in the series to not include any non-Green Hornet features.

Untitled[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Jacques (one-off character)
Lenore Case
Britt Reid, the Green Hornet
Unnamed doctor (one-off character)
Bill Gunnigan (mentioned only)
Catro (one-off character)
Dutch (mentioned only, one-off character)
Lefty (one-off character)
Kato
Sergeant Moran

Locations[]

The City
Unnamed restaurant
Daily Sentinel offices
Lefty's office
Warehouse
Police station
1640 W. 82nd St.

Misc.[]

Waiter's Union
Unspecified heart medication (mentioned only)
The Daily Sentinel newspaper (mentioned only)
Stolen Waiter's Union funds
Hornet Gun
The Black Beauty
Sergeant Moran's police car

Synopsis[]

Britt Reid, publisher of The Daily Sentinel newspaper is out with his secretary, Lenore Case, celebrating her birthday at a restaurant. Britt notices that their waiter, Jacques appears ill. Recently, Jacques has been hard at work to get his chapter of the Waiters Union out from underneath the thumb of the corrupt director Catro. Suddenly, Jacques collapses. One of the restaurant patrons happens to be a doctor, but he is unable to do anything and Jacques dies.

Later, at the offices of the Daily Sentinel, reporter Michael Axford informs Britt that the coroner's office has determined that Jacques was murdered via an overdose of his heart medication. Britt makes the incident the newspaper's front page story, which in turn causes the Waiters Union to vote Catro out from his position as one of its directors. Catro plots with his associate, Lefty, to flee the city with the half million dollars that he's stolen from the Union's treasury.

The Union works to put together evidence that will incriminate Catro, but Britt worries that the process will take long enough to allow Catro to cover his tracks and escape. That evening, Britt suits up as the Green Hornet, a masked vigilante whom the police department and criminal underworld both believe to be a notorious gangster. He and his crime-fighting partner, Kato, roam the city in their supercar, the Black Beauty until they locate Lefty. Britt then tails the criminal on foot, until they arrive at the warehouse were Catro has stashed the stolen money. The Green Hornet reveals himself and the encounter causes Lefty to believe that the Hornet and Catro are working together and intend to use him as their fall guy.

The Green Hornet uses his gas gun to render Lefty unconscious then sends an anonymous tip to the police department's Sergeant Moran. The Hornet then visits Catro and likewise gasses him. Both criminals are taken into police custody and Lefty turns state evidence, testifying of Catro's theft and involvement in Jacques' murder.

Back at the Daily Sentinel, Axford races to tell Britt the news, remarking that the events all unfolded as Britt was napping in his office. Britt asks to let him go back to sleep, remarking that he'll simply read all about it in the morning paper.

"Murder in the Offing"[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Ms. Marubury (one-off character)
Britt Reid, the Green Hornet
Bill Gunnigan (mentioned only)
Ed Lowry
Lawfirm of Michael, Palmer, and Grafton (one-off entity)
- Michael (one-off character)
- Palmer (one-off character)
- Grafton (one-off character)
Soda stand proprietor (one-off character)
Soda stand patrons (one-off characters)
Lenore Case
Kato
Police department

Locations[]

The City
- Daily Sentinel offices
- Law offices of Michael, Palmer, and Grafton (one-off location)
- Soda stand (one-off location)
- Britt Reid's residence
- Palmer's residence (one-off location)
- Michael's residence (one-off location)

Misc.[]

Synopsis[]

Ms. Marbury, a wealthy widow, visits Britt Reid at his office at The Daily Sentinel. She claims that her lawyers, the firm of Michael, Palmer, and Grafton, have been embezzling funds from her and have began making attempts on her life since she asked for an audit of her funds. Reid has long expected this particular law firm of corruption and agrees to have the newspaper investigate the matter and to arrange for a police guard for her until the audit can be completed. Britt is subsequently visited by reporter Ed Lowry, who further confirms his suspicions about the law firm's crooked nature.

At their own offices, two of the law firm's partners, Michael and Palmer lament the fact that their crimes will soon come to light. They have indeed stolen money from Ms. Marbury and, despite their efforts to cover their tracks, her accounts will still be $100,000 short by the time the audit it complete. They soon realize that, if they kill Grafton, his life insurance policy will pay out the exact amount they require.

That evening, the three partners grab dinner together. Unbeknownst to Grafton, Michael and Palmer drugged his drink and he falls asleep as the trio pull over at a soda stand. They then arrange for the driverless car to crash into an oncoming train as they look on seemingly helplessly with the other patrons of the soda stand.

With the insurance money, Michael and Palmer are able to balance Ms. Marbury's accounts before the audit concludes. At The Daily Sentinel offices, Britt's secretary, Lenore Case correctly deduces what Michael and Palmer have done and is exasperated at the thought of their getting away with their scheme. At that moment, Ms. Marbury bursts into Britt's office holding a threatening note which she's received from the Green Hornet. The implication seems clear: the Green Hornet has been in league with the lawyers since the beginning.

That evening Britt, and his valet, Kato change in to their vigilante personas and travel in their supercar, the Black Beauty to Michael's office. As the Green Hornet, Britt confronts the lawyer, who assumes that the masked man is in league with Palmer. Britt extorts Michael's share of Ms. Marbury's money money from him and then gasses him, before repeating the same ploy with Palmer. Both lawyers write statements attesting to their embezzlement and murder of Grafton, hoping to use the threat of confession as a safeguard against their partner further double-crossing them. However, the Hornet steals Palmer's statement then tips off the police and calls Michael, demanding that he meets him at Palmer's home. The police arrive at the scene to find an unconscious Palmer and Michael soon joins them. As Palmer reawakens, he panics and confesses the extent of his and Michael's crimes to the police. The Green Hornet and Kato speed off into the night in the Black Beauty, content that the criminals have been apprehended and they can return Ms. Marbury's stolen funds.

"Measure for Measure"[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]

Ed Lowry
Lenore Case
Britt Reid, the Green Hornet
Kato
Mulhouse (one-off character)
The Monk (one-off character)
Alton (one-off character)
D.A. (only mentioned)
Danny (one-off character)
Joe (one-off character)

Locations[]

The City
Daily Sentinel offices
Britt Reid's residence
Mulhouse's butcher shop (one-off location)
Alton's offices (one-off location)

Misc.[]

The Black Beauty
Monk's handgun (one-off object)
Hornet Gun

Synopsis[]

Reporter Ed Lowry informs his employer, The Daily Sentinel publisher Britt Reid, about a suspected racket involving the Bureau of Weights and Measures. One of the Bureau's inspectors, Alton, is suspected of extorting money from the business owners in his jurisdiction. With Lowry busy with another case and Britt leaving for the evening, the latter's secretary, Lenore Case decides to investigate the situation herself.

Lenore visits an honest butcher, Mulhouse, who complains that someone sneaked buckshot into some chicken he was selling. Alton then threatened to pull Mulhouse's business licence. When Lenore asks questions about Alton, Mulhouse begs her to leave, but she instead hides. At that moment, Alton's enforcer, The Monk, enters the shop and demands that Mulhouse begin paying weekly protection money to Alton. Mulhouse reluctantly hands over the money and Lenore leaps out from her hiding spot to snap a photograph of the interaction. Alton chases her down the street, but is stopped by the Green Hornet.

The next day, Lowry remarks to Lenore that he's impressed with her camerawork which has caused a fervor among the public. However, Britt throws some damp water on the scene when he reveals that Mulhouse, fearing retribution, has denied the story and claims that the photograph simply depicts him handing change to a paying customer. A dejected Lenore returns to her secretarial duties.

Meanwhile, the Monk meets with Alton and is surprised to learn that his boss is not in league with the Green Hornet. Fearing exposure from the attention that Lenore's photograph has drawn, Alton orders Monk to kill the woman. The Monk determines to infiltrate the Sentinel offices and do so that very evening.

After consulting with his valet and crime-fighting partner, Kato, the duo race in the Black Beauty to the Daily Sentinel offices, where Lenore is working late. Britt makes his presence known to her, then disappears to change into his Green Hornet attire. The Monk arrives minutes later and threatens Lenore at gun point. She is saved by the Hornet, who uses the Hornet Gun to gas her assailant. Lenore alerts the office as Britt makes his escape and tosses his Green Hornet paraphernalia out the window to an awaiting Kato. Britt then makes his way through the gathered crowd to examine the unconscious Monk, as one of the Sentinel' employees, Danny, notifies the police. Joe, the elevator operator, informs Britt that just before the Monk's arrival he saw the Green Hornet bring Mulhouse to the building. The butcher then makes his entrance and announces that, after seeing that Alton was willing to kill Lenore, he is now willing to testify to the police. Between the Monk's impending arrest and Mulhouse's testimony, Britt considers the racket smashed and plans to grab a cup of coffee with Lenore.