They call him The Phantom Bullet! And the 68-year-gap between his first and second appearances may not be a record, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of Daring Mystery Comics #2 awaits!

DARING MYSTERY COMICS #2

Writer:  Joe Simon
Penciler: Joe Simon
Inker: Joe Simon
Colorist: Uncredited
Letterer: Joe Simon
Editor: Martin Goodman
Publisher: Timely Publications (Marvel Comics)
Cover Price: 10 Cents
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $40,000.00
Release Date: December 15, 1939

Previously in Daring Mystery Comics: Daring Mystery Comics debuted with the first appearances of The Fiery Mask (2 appearances, revived 2009), John Steel (1 appearance, revived 2009), The Texas Kid (1 appearance, never revived), Monako, Prince of Magic (4 appearances, revived 2009), Flash Foster (1 appearance, revived 2011), The Phantom of the Underworld (1 appearance, never revived), and Barney Mullen, Sea Rover (1 appearance at Marvel, 1 appearance in the pages of Centaur Comics Funny Pages, never revived). It’s actually par for the course for Golden Age Timely/Marvel books, especially the earliest titles, which mostly packaged the work of Funnies, Inc. and Harry “A” Chesler studios as publisher Goodman slowly gathered what would become the Marvel Bullpen. One of those early creators was a twenty-six-year-old Joe Simon, whose character, The Fiery Mask, was the lead feature in Daring Mystery’s first issue. This time around, Simon stays in the Adjective Noun naming category, giving us the debut of The Phantom Bullet.

The offices of the Daily Bulletin once again echo with the shouting of the City Editor, wondering where the independently wealthy ace reporter Allan Lewis has gone, as there’s been a murder. But not just ANY murder, my friends. This one is a locked-room mystery, where a millionaire in his twentieth-story apartment was strangled by someone with SEVEN fingers. In short, this whole story is the very definition of “a hat on a hat.” Allen vows to investigate but avoids police attention by leaping from the next building over to get in. That same afternoon, a genius inventor contacts him to tell him about a new gun the man has created… a gun that fires untraceable bullets of ice!

Donning a cape and jodhpurs (but, you might notice, NO mask), Allen names himself after his patented disappearing ammunition, and The Phantom Bullet is born. Things get weirder when he discovers that a new victim has been targeted by strange, seven-fingered bird creatures.

This… this story is starting to buckle under the strain of the setup.

The Phantom Bullet beats up a homeless person, then races to a graveyard in search of his quarry, only to figure out that the secret is… disappearing ink?

I’ve officially lost the plot here, but young Joe is delivering some interesting layouts, especially for the straightforward comic book scene of 1940.

Having finally tracked down the killer, one Dr. Monez (who, by the way, has never been mentioned before in the story), Phantom Bullet discovers that his “bird-men” are in fact just some unpleasantly monster creatures, and while they are superhumanly strong and able to climb up sheer walls with their unusual feet, they’re not the brightest bulbs in the barrel. The Bullet is able to lead them to their doom with ease. As for Dr. Monez, well, The Phantom Bullet knows exactly what to do with him.

Murder, by the way. The answer is murder. As the story ends, our recalcitrant journalist-turned-detective-turned-costumed-slayer-of-men kicks up his feet at a job well done. It’s hard to believe that this is the man who would create Captain America just a few months later, but these early days of comics are the proverbial Wild West. With this being one of Joe’s first professional jobs and the rules of comics being written a page at a time, Daring Mystery Comics #2 is an interesting study, with strong art for the era, earning 2 out of 5 stars overall. If you’ve never heard of The Phantom Bullet, well… There’s a reason for that.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.