SERIALS OF 1939

1-17 Scouts to the Rescue ✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Jackie Cooper, William Ruhl, Ivan Miller D: Ray Taylor, Alan James
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster Bruce Scott and his troop back ace G-Man Hal Marvin in his battle against a gang of counterfeiters in the mountains of the West. In the process they help a criminal's innocent brother clear his name.

1-28 Flying G-Men ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Robert Paige, Adrian Booth D: Ray Taylor, James W. Horne
Four G-Men decide to destroy a spy ring by concocting a masked pilot they call the Black Falcon. They draw lots to see which one will fill the role, agreeing that any one of them might assume the mask if the selected Falcon should fall. One of the four dies in action almost immediately, leaving the survivors to carry on the work, and the mystery.

2-25 The Lone Ranger Rides Again (II) ✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Robert Livingston, Duncan Renaldo D: William Witney, John English
The Ranger poses as a rancher called Bill Andrews in order to better be able to fight those who would take land from honest ranchers, and befriends a Mexican who thinks the Ranger killed his brother.

4-11 Buck Rogers ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Buster Crabbe, Anthony Warde D: Ford Beebe, Saul Goodkind
Buck and his teenage pal Buddy wake up from suspended animation in the 25th century, team up with rebel lieutenant Wilma Deering and scientist Dr. Huer and travel to Saturn to battle power-mad Killer Kane.

5-6 Mandrake the Magician ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 12 Chapters)
Warren Hull, Al Kikume, Doris Weston D: Sam Nelson, Norman Deming
Rich and handsome magician Mandrake uses his ingenuity and daring to try and prevent the mysterious Wasp from gaining control of the nation’s public utilities using a radium energy machine.

6-10 Daredevils of the Red Circle ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Charles Quigley, H. Brix, C. Middleton D: William Witney, John English
Escaping from the penitentiary after fifteen years, Convict #39013 impersonates Horace Granville, the multi-millionaire whose testimony led to his conviction, and imprisons the industrialist in the his own mansion. He proceeds to destroy Granville's investments one by one, taunting him with newspaper accounts of the disasters. But when 39013 destroys the amusement center where the three Daredevils of the Red Circle work as acrobats, killing Sammy, the young brother of one of these athletes, he makes three very dangerous enemies. Guiding them in their investigation are warning notes from the mysterious "Red Circle," someone within the extensive Granville household.

7-4 The Oregon Trail ✦✦✦ (Universal, 15 Chapters)
Johnny Mack Brown, James Blaine D: Ford Beebe, Saul Goodkind
Jeff Scott, famous scout, and his pal Deadwood are assigned to find out what is disrupting wagon trains headed for Oregon. Bull Bragg (the burly wagon master of a caravan that the two plainsmen save from Indians) is quickly recognized as the front man for the saboteurs. The real boss, however, is fur syndicate manager, Sam Morgan.

7-21 Overland with Kit Carson ✦✦✦+ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Bill Elliott, Iris Meredith D: Sam Nelson, Norman Deming
A power-mad outlaw called Pegleg terrorizes the plains with his band of Black Riders. The government asks the great scout Kit Carson to join Lieutenant David Brent in the fight against the brigands. Carson enjoys the challenge, and also the chance to ride the westward trail with Carmelita Gonzales, a grandee's daughter.

9-2 Dick Tracy's G-Men (III)✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Ralph Byrd, Irving Pichel D: William Witney, John English
Zarnoff, an international felon captured by Dick Tracy, beats the gas chamber and, through a powerful drug is resuscitated by his gang, resumes his criminal career and seeks revenge on Tracy.

10-17 The Phantom Creeps ✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Bela Lugosi, Robert Kent D: Ford Beebe, Saul Goodkind
Alex Zorka, an embittered scientist, plans to rule the world using an invincible army of robots. A military intelligence agent, supported by a reporter and a scientist, stands against Zorka's arsenal of scientific weapons.

12-16 Zorro's Fighting Legion ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Reed Hadley, C. Montague Shaw D: William Witney, John English
Who is the man inside the metal suit whose voice booms from the grotesque helmet, terrifying the Yaqui Indians whom he has virtually enslaved so that the gold from a rich mine can make him Emperor of Mexico? Who is Don Del Oro? Obviously, one of the provincial councilors of San Mendolito. But which? Certainly not the effete Don Diego Vega, visiting down Mexico way from California. But Vega is none other than the infamous Zorro, who with a small group of brave men in masks and capes, bedevils the evil troopers of Del Oro with whip, sword, and twin pistols.

1940

1-5 The Shadow ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Victor Jory, Veda Ann Borg D: James W. Horne
Lamont Cranston and associates attempt to thwart the Black Tiger’s mad scheme to dominate a city’s resources. Cranston actually has two alter egos in this cliffhanger, the cloaked Shadow and the grotesquely made-up Lin Chang.

1-9 The Green Hornet (I) ✦✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Gordon Jones, Keye Luke D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
"Modern Robin Hood" the Green Hornet (secretly publisher Britt Reid of the Daily Sentinel) and his trusted valet Kato, crusade against various rackets: insurance fraud involving faulty airplanes, auto theft, election fraud, and a zoo protection money scheme, among others. Trusty secretary Miss Case believes the Hornet a crime-fighter but the police and others consider him a threat.

3-15 Drums of Fu Manchu ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Henry Brandon, Robert Kellard D: William Witney, John English
A dacoit knife that nearly misses British investigator Nayland Smith's head tips him off that megalomaniac Fu Manchu and his evil Si Fan society are in California. Fu desires a scroll which will lead him to the tomb of Genghis Khan (whose sacred scepter will, he says, help him conquer Asia), and kidnaps Dr. Parker, a scientist who knows its location. The scientist's son and Dr. Petrie go in search of him, and Fu Manchu leaves no stone unturned as he terrorizes and destroys his enemies with poison darts, booby traps, assassins, and ancient torture devices.

4-9 Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (III) ✦✦✦+ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Buster Crabbe, Charles Middleton D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
Flash and his companions from Prince Barin's kingdom of Arboria attempt a daring rescue, aided by men from Frigia, and in doing so learn that polarite, found only in its most remote region, is the only antidote to the "purple death" dust that sadistic emperor Ming of Mongo has begun to sprinkle across the Earth. Flash and his companions Barin, Ronal and Roka encounter all sorts of menaces, in the snow, a fiery land, a rocky desert, and Ming's royal city, including robotic Mechanical Men and men in the "Land of the Dead" who dress like rocks to protect themselves from reptilian monsters.

4-12 Terry and the Pirates ✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
William Tracy, Granville Owen, Dick Curtis D: James W. Horne
Terry Lee, an archaeologist's son, and Pat Ryan, Dr. Lee's assistant, run afoul of Asian warlord Fang, who is more interested in power and treasure than in ancient civilizations. Another victim of Fang's ruthlessness is the Dragon Lady, leader of the last worshippers of Mara, who guard the idol's treasure. Temporarily an enemy of the Americans, the Dragon Lady becomes an ally in the struggle against Fang, Tiger Men, and a peripatetic gorilla.

6-28 Adventures of Red Ryder✦✦✦+ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Don Barry, Tommy Cook, Harry Worth D: William Witney, John English
Super-cowboy Red Ryder and his young sidekick Little Beaver fight boldly to avenge the death of Red's father and disrupt the schemes of a gang of killers who rob, starve or burn honest ranchers off their own property in order to acquire it for themselves before the railroad comes through.

7-2 Winners of the West ✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Dick Foran, Anne Nagel D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
The Hartford Transcontinental Railroad is blocked at Hellgate Pass by King Carter, who considers the land that the line must cross his private empire. Desperate railway builder John Hartford places his fortune in the hands of construction engineer Jeff Ramsay, a leader not afraid to confront Carter in his feudal town. Blackhawk, or to penetrate the village of the Native tribe Carter has stirred up.

7-19 Deadwood Dick ✦✦✦+ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Don Douglas, Adrian Booth D: James W. Horne
When two of his friends are killed in a fight against a masked villain called the Skull, a quiet newspaper editor straps on his guns again and takes up the fight disguised as an avenger called Deadwood Dick.

10-1 Junior G-Men ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Dead End Kids, Cy Kendall D: Ford Beebe, J. Rawlins
Clean-cut Harry Trent enlists the Dead End Kids as fellow Junior G-Men and Billy Barton, the kids' leader, searches for his father, who bad guys from the "Order of the Flaming Torch," an international sabotage organization, are holding captive because of his scientific know-how.

10-25 The Green Archer ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Victor Jory, Iris Meredith, James Craven D: James W. Horne
A mysterious archer in medieval attire and his imitator—sometimes we don’t know which is which—prowl the grounds of the villain's modern castle while insurance investigator Spike Holland tries to make sense of the whole business. Operating from the castle is a jewel ring run by blackguard Abel Bellamy, who takes over the property after sending his innocent brother to prison for one of the ring's capers.

9-20 King of the Royal Mounted (Sgt. King I)✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Allan Lane, Robert Kellard D: William Witney, J. English
Canadian scientists have discovered Compound X, a cure for infantile paralysis (polio). Axis agents, however, discover that the chemical could add zip to their explosives. When the agents converge upon the chemical mine in Caribou, Sergeant King jumps to protect it.

12-13 Mysterious Doctor Satan ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Robert Wilcox, Eduardo Ciannelli D: William Witney/English
An obsessive scientist, who believes he can dominate the world with an army of robots, duels an equally obsessive opponent, a second-generation masked avenger called the Copperhead.

1941

1-31 White Eagle ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Buck Jones, Ray Hatton, James Craven D: James W. Horne
Dandy Darnell, who sells guns to the Indians, and his riders do everything they can to scuttle the peace treaty just signed by Chief Running Deer, usually by making it appear that individuals or groups are guilty of crimes or attacks they did not commit. Trying to be a bridge between settlers and Indians is White Eagle, a man of both worlds.

3-28 Adventures of Captain Marvel ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Tom Tyler, Frank Coghlan Jr. D: William Witney, John English
In the ancient Tomb of the Scorpion, an ancient wizard gifts young, pure-hearted Billy Batson with powers of the ancient gods. As flying hero Captain Marvel he fights in modern and ancient lands to defeat the schemes of the masked Scorpion and his men to acquire the lenses of the golden scorpion, which when assembled will transform common stones into gold.

4-8 Sky Raiders ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Dead End Kids, Eduardo Ciannelli D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
Captain Robert Dayton and Lieutenant Ed Carey, part of a crack squadron of World War I, form an aircraft company, Sky Raiders, Inc, named after their former unit. The company has developed a superb pursuit plane, and, during the months before the U. S. is drawn into World War II, foreign agent Felix Lynx wants either the aircraft itself or ots plans.

5-9 The Spider Returns (II) ✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Warren Hull, Kenneth Duncan D: James W. Horne
The Gargoyle, an espionage giant with a machine that can see through walls, seeks to paralyze the United States by employing sinister technology. Richard Wentworth, relying heavily upon his Blinky McQuade guise, infiltrates underworld society to bring down the mastermind’s unruly gang.

6-21 Jungle Girl ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Frances Gifford, Tom Neal, Frank Lackteen D: William Witney. John English
Nyoka Meredith, daughter of a jungle physician, with charter pilot Jack Stanton and her young native friend Wakimbu, protect the Masambas' trove of diamonds from the greedy hands of Jack's passenger, Slick Latimer, and his gang. Among those miscreants is the criminal twin brother of Nyoka's father, who takes Dr. Meredith's place after he is murdered. A picaresque ally of Latimer is Shamba, the local shaman who tries to steal a sacred amulet that he believes is the source of the doctor's power. To counter Shamba, Nyoka enlists the aid of the formidable Lion Men, guardians of the amulet.

7-1 Riders of Death Valley ✦✦✦ (Universal, 15 Chapters)
Dick Foran, Buck Jones, Lon Chaney Jr. D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
Joseph Kirby and Rance Davis enlist the guerilla band of Wolf Reade in their campaign to get the gold of the Panamint country, and its mines as well. To counter the depredations of Kirby, Davis and Reade, Jim Benton, along with Tombstone, Pancho, Smokey, Borax Bill, and Tex, form the Riders of Death Valley. Together, they attempt to keep the villains from stealing the gold that a desert rat, Chuckawalla, leaves to his niece, Mary, and free the town itself after Wolf's gang seizes it.

8-15 The Iron Claw ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Charles Quigley, Charles King D: James W. Horne
Reporter Bob Lane and photographer Jack "Flash" Strong investigate mysterious doings at the Anton Benson mansion after the murder of Anton's brother and discover that a gangster called Silk and his hoodlums would like the treasure that Anton is desperately trying to move to safer territory. Equally active in mischief is the Iron Claw himself, who thrives on sliding panels and elaborate lethal devices.

10-4 King of the Texas Rangers ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Sammy Baugh, Neil Hamilton D: William Witney, John English
A football pro dons the badge of a Texas Ranger after his father is slain by fifth-columnists. Bolstered by Lt. Pedro Garcia of the Mexican border patrol, Ranger King attempts to track down their ringleader.

10-14 Sea Raiders ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Dead End Kids, Reed Hadley D: Ford Beebe, J. Rawlins
Badgered by the intractable plainclothesman Brack Warren, some boys try to avoid being exiled from their beloved waterfront “for their own good.” Primarily to clear their names, they recover an experimental torpedo boat stolen by the raiders, who comprise a greedy yachtsman, the captain and crew of a barely seaworthy vessel, and a naval cadre from an unnamed foreign belligerent.

11-21 Holt of the Secret Service ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Jack Holt, Evelyn Brent, Tristram Coffin D: James W. Horne
Investigator Jack Holt and fellow agent, tough-talking Kay Drew, pose as gangster Nick Farrell and wife to infiltrate and destroy a gang of counterfeiters.

12-27 Dick Tracy vs. Crime Inc. (IV) ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Ralph Byrd, Jan Wiley D: William Witney, John English
The Ghost, a black-masked mastermind seeks vengeance upon those responsible for the downfall of his deceased criminal brother. As a member of an elite council of distinguished citizens, the Ghost is privy to the plans of special agent Tracy, assigned to break the crime ring. When the Ghost's scientific lieutenant, Lucifer, gives him the power of short-term invisibility, Tracy's task becomes even more difficult.

12-24 The Green Hornet Strikes Again (II) ✦✦✦ (Universal, 15 Chapters)
Warren Hull, Keye Luke, Pierre Watkin D: Ford Beebe, J. Rawlins
Crogan, king of the underworld, is pursued by masked racket-smashers The Green Hornet and Kato.

1942

1-6 Don Winslow of the Navy (I) ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Don Terry, Kurt Katch D: Ford Beebe, Ray Taylor
In the South Pacific, shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor, The Scorpion, still operating independently, has built an underground submarine base on the island of Tongita, hoping to use it as a springboard to world power. Land, sea, air, even ocean bottom, whatever the location, Commander Don Winslow with Lieutenant Red Pennington rushes to confront his arch-enemy and his many agents.

2-15 Captain Midnight ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Dave O'Brien, James Craven D: James W. Horne
Captain Midnight, air ace turned aviation experimenter, duels Ivan Shark and his daughter Fury. The Sharks are after the inventions of Professor Edwards. At Midnight's side are young Chuck Ramsey and lanky mechanic Ichabod “Ikky” Mudd. Shark, a skilled pilot himself, and a master of disguise, has to rely upon a team of frustrated henchmen.

3-31 Gang Busters ✦✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Kent Taylor, Ralph Morgan D: Ray Taylor, Noel Smith
Dr. Mortis, a disgraced scientist, creates the League of Murdered Men by having criminals pronounced dead and then reviving them in his subterranean lair to do his bidding. Detectives Bannister and Logan take the case, and reporter Vicky Logan tries to get the story.

4-4 Spy Smasher ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Kane Richmond, Marguerite Chapman D: William Witney
Spy Smasher, a masked WWII freedom fighter fights Axis enemies in the US and also on a French-governed island in the West Indies. Initially Spy Smasher's aides in his battle against an enemy agent called the Mask are French officer Pierre Durand and his twin brother Jack, whom he encounters stateside on a speeding train. Guidance comes from Admiral Corby, brother Jack's boss in intelligence operations, and the father of Jack's fiancée, Eve.

5-29 Perils of the Royal Mounted ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Robert Kellard, Kenneth MacDonald D: James W. Horne
Mort Ransome wants to stop the railroad from going through so he can control a rich fur trapping area and get his own railroad contract, so he creates a false band of disguised whites who raid and murder and then hide out under a waterfall. Chief Flying Cloud and medicine man Black Bear are duped by the villain who poses as "The Great Totem” and speaks messages to them. Luckily Sergeant MacLane of the Royal Mounted is around to expose Ransome’s schemes.

6-27 Perils of Nyoka ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Kay Aldridge, Clayton Moore, Adrian Booth D: William Witney
In the Middle East, Nyoka Gordon joins Professor Campbell and Dr. Larry Grayson in their search for the lost Tablets of Hippocrates, which contain both a cure for cancer and a key to a great treasure. It is only the treasure that interests minor desert potentate, Vultura, and her tribal chieftain ally, Cassib, who do all in their power to thwart the efforts of the expedition.

6-30 The Junior G-Men of the Air ✦✦✦ (Universal, 12 Chapters)
Dead End Kids, Lionel Atwill D: Ray Taylor, L. Collins
The Baron and the Black Dragonfly Society are stealing American planes and inventions. Street-smart aviation enthusiast Billy "Ace" Holden and his pals go after the foreign agents when the Black Dragons steal their truck during a getaway. Detective Don Ames tries to direct the kids' efforts into more conventional channels by enlisting the aid of Jerry Markham of the Junior G-Men.

9-4 The Secret Code ✦✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Paul Kelly, Anne Nagel, Trevor Bardette D: Spencer Bennet
Police lieutenant Dan Barton fakes his dismissal from the force and reappears as the masked Black Commando in order to infiltrate an enemy sabotage ring after a secret code that will reveal the secret formula for synthetic rubber. Barton receives aid from his former patrolman partner and a reporter as he fights to expose the leader of the gang.

9-27 Overland Mail ✦✦ (Universal, 15 Chapters)
Lon Chaney Jr., Noah Beery Jr./Sr. D: Ford Beebe
Stagecoaches and pony expresses are robbed and terrorized. Colonel Medford of the U.S. Army calls Jim Lane in because Washington is depending on them to get the mail through. The villains supply guns to Indians to encourage trouble.

10-17 King of the Mounties (Sgt. King II) ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Allan Lane, Anthony Warde D: William Witney
Sergeant King of the Mounties faces three high-level agents, one from each of the Axis powers, who harass the Canadian population with bombing raids by a vertical-takeoff plane that takes off from their volcano headquarters and seems to come from nowhere.

12-17 The Valley of Vanishing Men ✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Bill Elliott, Kenneth MacDonald D: Spencer Bennet
Bill Tolliver and his pal Missouri try to free Bill’s father from the tunnels and secret passages of the hideout of a powerful gun-runner named Kincaid, which is manned by enslaved captives.

1943

1-5 The Adventures of Smilin' Jack ✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Tom Brown, Keye Luke, Sidney Toler D: Ray Taylor, L. Collins
The "Black Samurai,” an Axis spy ring, and dangerous Nazi Fraulein von Teufel try to stop pilot Jack and friends Captain Wing, Tommy, and Janet from foiling their destructive plans.

1-16 G-Men vs. the Black Dragon (I) ✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Rod Cameron, Johnnie Arthur D: William Witney
British secret agent Rex Bennett and Chinese agent Chang are up against the Black Dragon society and its new leader, Haruchi.

4-6 Don Winslow of the Coast Guard (II)✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Don Terry, Nestor Paiva D: Ray Taylor, L. Collins
After the Pearl Harbor attack, Naval Intelligence Commander Don Winslow and Lt. Red Pennington are transferred to the Coast Guard to take on enemy spies and armed forces operating around the Northwest coast. Allied with the Japanese is the Scorpion, who summons his daughter Tasmia so that they can better counter the efforts of Winslow and his team.

5-1 Daredevils of the West ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Allan Lane, Kay Aldridge, Robert Frazer D: John English
Cavalryman-on-special-assignment Duke Cameron offers to help lovely June Foster build a stage line through the Comanche Strip after her father is slain in a wagon train attack masterminded by crooked land baron Martin Dexter. Dexter and his henchmen Ward and Turner, and crooked lawyer Silas Higby relentlessly conspire and attack Cameron and Foster, who are forced to try and survive an exploding runaway stagecoach, a flaming prison, powder kegs in a runaway mine car, a plunge into a vat of flaming alcohol, being shot at the edge of a cliff, trapped in a covered wagon and sentenced to death by fire by the Indians, among other perils.

7-16 Batman (I) ✦✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Lewis Wilson, J. Carroll Naish D: Lambert Hillyer
Daka, a Japanese master spy, hiding out under a carnival horror tunnel with his gang, turns men into zombies who obey his every command. One of these is Dr. Warren, a prominent scientist that Batman and Robin must rescue before he becomes part of Daka's "new order." A remakable visualization of the wartime fantasy that the Japanese would conquer the United States with mind-control powers. Introduced the “Bat’s cave” with its grandfather clock-staircase entrance and a leaner Alfred to the Batman mythology.

7-24 Secret Service in Darkest Africa (II) ✦✦✦+ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Rod Cameron, Duncan Renaldo D: Spencer Bennet
In North Africa secret agent Rex Bennett is pitted against Nazis who infiltrate a sultan's palace. No longer working in a business suit, Bennett now sports a trim military uniform in his pursuit of the Casablanca Nazis under Baron von Rommler who don't want the kings, chiefs, and sultans of the area to form an alliance with the United Nations. To that end Rommler captures Sultan Abou Ben Ali and assumes his identity. Warming up by going after an ancient dagger and scroll, Rex, with support from his friends Pierre LaSalle of the Free French and Janet Blake, eventually takes on what seems like all the Nazis and munitions dumps in Africa. A strong influence on settings and characters in the feature Raiders of the Lost Ark.

9-7 Adventures of the Flying Cadets ✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Johnny Downs, Eduardo Ciannelli D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
Dead End Kids-style flyboys, Nazis, and a killer called the Black Hangman seek the map to the secret cave of An-Kar-Ban, which contains a large reserve of helium.

11-6 The Masked Marvel ✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Tom Steele, Johnnie Arthur D: Spencer Bennet
The Masked Marvel, secretly one of four insurance investigators, fights Mura Sakima, a Japanese spy who killed Alice Hamilton’s father.

12-24 The Phantom ✦✦✦+ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Tom Tyler, Kenneth MacDonald D: B. Reeves Eason
Geoffrey Prescott takes over as the new Ghost-Who-Walks and finds himself in a struggle to protect an expedition director, Professor Davidson, and Davidson's niece, Diana Palmer, from the machinations of two sets of villains. One unscrupulous gang believes that there is treasure in the lost city of Zoloz, for which Davidson is searching. The other miscreants, foreign agents, want to keep travelers from discovering the secret airfield they are constructing in the jungle.

1944

2-5 Captain America ✦✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Dick Purcell, Adrian Booth, Lionel Atwill D: John English, E. Clifton
A serial killer known as “the Scarab” drives former members of an archaeological expedition to suicide using “purple death” poison. Relentless District Attorney Grant Gardner decides he’s going to go after the fiend dressed as a comic book character, gets ahold of a Captain America costume missing its shield and boots and he and his trusted secretary Gail Richards work hard to put a stop to the Scarab's seemingly never-ending crime spree related to his quest for Mayan treasure.

3-17 The Mystery of the River Boat ✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Robert Lowery, Mantan Moreland D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
Something valuable lies within the Louisiana swampland near Duval's Landing and two crooked factions want to take that land from its unknowing owners. Attorney Steve Langtry (son of one of the landowners) sets out to unravel the mystery, with the aid of another owner, riverboat captain Ethan Perrin, and his daughter Jenny.

4-25 The Great Alaskan Mystery ✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Milburn Stone, Martin Kosleck D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
A scheming businessman and his underlings attempt to steal the powerful Peratron ray from its inventor. Ex-Marine Jim Hudson helps balance the odds in an adventure that ranges over land and sea of the far North.

5-12 The Desert Hawk ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Gilbert Roland, Kenneth MacDonald D: B. Reeves Eason
Hassan, the cast-out identical twin of Kasim, the rightful caliph of the land, assumes his brother's identity through treachery. Unknown to Hassan. Kasim survives the midnight coup and, posing as a near-legendary outlaw called the Hawk, works his way back to the throne, after some rugged detours caused by a band of robbers known as the Brothers of the Sword.


5-27 The Tiger Woman ✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Linda Stirling, Allan Lane, LeRoy Mason D: Spencer Bennet
In an uncharted jungle region of South America, the Tiger Woman, mysterious ruler of an ancient tribe fights to defend her people against the encroachments of evil white men who are ruthlessly slashing a path of destruction through her country, attempting to exploit the fabulous wealth of the oil lands encircled by her domain. She is really Rita Arnold, daughter of a millionaire who perished in a plane accident. Attorney Walton wants the oil land. Engineer Allen Saunders tries to stop him from getting it.

7-25 Raiders of Ghost City ✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Dennis Moore, Lionel Atwill D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
Near the end of the Civil War, Confederates use a ghost town as a hideout for raids on gold shipments; Northern undercover agents led by Army Lt. Steve Clark are assigned to stopping the thefts and villainous Alex Morel and Trina Dessard are stealing the gold and blaming it on Captain Clay Randolph's Confederate brigade. Cathy Haines runs the Oro Grande Wells Fargo line Clark must protect, despite their formidable adversaries, who have planted a spy in the Wells Fargo office.

8-26 Haunted Harbor ✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Kane Richmond, Kay Aldridge D: Spencer Bennet
Troubled captain Jim Marsden comes to a south sea island on the trail of Kane, a murderer for whose crime he has been framed. Accompanied by sailor friends Yank and Tommy, Marsden rescues from a storm-tossed boat Patricia Harding and her physician father, who are on the island to help the natives. Fearing that Dr. Harding will expose him as a criminal, Kane has the kindly doctor slain. Patricia joins Jim, Yank, and Tommy in the pursuit of the man Jim knows only as "Carter."

10-20 Black Arrow ✦✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Robert Scott, Kenneth MacDonald D: Louis Friedlander
Black Arrow, son of a Navajo chief, is framed for the crimes of smooth-talking ex-carpet-bagger Jake Jackson and run out of his own tribe, then aided by his pal Pancho and a kindly Indian agent.

12-16 Zorro's Black Whip ✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Linda Stirling, George J. Lewis D: Spencer Bennet
Criminals who wish to retain power are attempting to block Idaho's entrance into the Union. Standing almost alone against them is Randy Meredith, who dons a caballero outfit and mask for his missions. When Randy dies after returning to his headquarters behind a waterfall, his sister Barbara takes his place as the vigilante named the Black Whip, after her weapon of choice, and helps undercover agent Vic Gordon fight the outlaws.

1945

1-23 Jungle Queen ✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Edward Norris, Ruth Roman D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
In "Middle Africa" on the eve of World War II, American agents face Nazis sent to turn the Tonghili against the British. Appearing miraculously to tilt the balance toward London is jungle goddess Lothel, who prances through flames in a diaphanous gown before addressing the natives or effecting Athena-like rescues.

1-26 Brenda Starr, Reporter ✦✦✦+ (Columbia, 13 Chapters)
Joan Woodbury, Kane Richmond D: Wallace Fox
Gangster Joe Heller dies leaving a message in code with Brenda Starr as the only clue to the whereabouts of loot from a robbery. The comic newshound pokes into one hornet's nest after another as she and Heller's gang pursue each other, knowing that, if necessary, long-suffering Detective Larry will come to her rescue.

3-17 Manhunt of Mystery Island ✦✦+ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Roy Barcroft, Linda Stirling, Richard Bailey D: Spencer Bennet
Claire Forrest asks private investigator Lance Reardon to help her find her kidnapped father. The inventor of the Radiatomic Power Transmitter is held prisoner on Mystery Island by one of its four owners, who conceals his identity by transforming himself into Captain Mephisto, a pirate ancestor. As the villain harasses Forrest into completing the device that will give him control of world industry, Lance and Claire follow Mephisto's trail throughout the island, while death narrows the number of suspects from four to two.

4-18 The Master Key ✦✦✦+ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Dennis Moore, Milburn Stone D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
In pre-World War II United States, a Nazi espionage ring—each member possessing a key to a headquarters control device—takes direction from a never-seen leader, the Master Key. The focus of their efforts is Professor Henderson's Orotron device, which can extract gold from sea water. Federal agent Tom Brant heads a spy-fighting trio that includes police detective Jack Ryan and reporter Janet Lowe.

4-20 The Monster and the Ape ✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Robert Lowery, George Macready D: Howard Bretherton
The monster is a robot, the Metalogen Man, developed by scientist Professor Arnold. The ape is a resident of the local zoo, surreptitiously uncaged now and then at the bidding of mad scientist Professor Ernst. Ernst covets the robot, making the serial a scramble for possession of the mechanical man, as well as for the rare mineral needed for manufacturing more of the robot line. Arnold and his cheery daughter Babs need the help of company rep Ken Morgan to sustain the struggle against Ernst and his human/simian gang.

7-7 Federal Operator 99 ✦✦✦ (Republic, 12 Chapters)
Marten Lamont, George J. Lewis D: Spencer Bennet
Master criminal Jim Belmont escapes from the law and, with the help of Rita Parker, resumes his bold thievery. However, he underestimates sleuth Jerry Blake, who proves to be a formidable adversary.

7-24 Secret Agent X-9 (II) ✦✦✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Lloyd Bridges, Keye Luke D: Ray Taylor, Lewis Collins
Japan's Black Dragon agents try to obtain a Professor Raymond's unsuccessful explosive 722, which, when mixed with distilled water, becomes a perfect aviation fuel. The spy organization's head, a woman named Nabura, directs operations from Shadow Island, near the China coast. Alerted to the scheme by Australian counterspy Lynn Moore, X-9 joins her, and Chinese secret operator Ah Fong, to scuttle the operation. All three Allied agents employ covers or disguises to fool the Black Dragons.

9-14 Jungle Raiders ✦✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Kane Richmond, Charles King D: Lesley Selander
A doctor’s daughter and his colleague Dr. Horace Moore search for him and the source of a medicinal fungus in the jungle, and an entrepreneur would rather steal the treasure of the Arzecs than help them out, as Dr. Moore does, but high priestess Zara is jealous of Moore’s influence upon the Arzecs and becomes his unlikely ally.

10-6 The Purple Monster Strikes ✦✦✦ (Republic, 15 Chapters)
Dennis Moore, Roy Barcroft, Linda Stirling D: Spencer Bennet
The Purple Monster, a hostile Martian tells Dr. Cyrus Layton that he intends to return to his planet in a jet plane that he will construct from the scientist's designs. Then, with a fleet of such planes, Mars will invade and conquer Earth. After killing Dr. Layton and taking over his body, The Purple Monster sets out to assemble his spacecraft, and is resisted primarily by Craig Foster, attorney for Layton's scientific organization, and Sheila Layton, the dead scientist's niece.

10-34 The Royal Mounted Rides Again ✦✦ (Universal, 13 Chapters)
Bill Kennedy, Milburn Stone D: Ray Taylor
There's trouble in the Klondike town of Canaska around the year 1900 and Corporal Wayne of the RCMP is determined to clear his father of suspicion regarding the murder of a gold mine owner.

12-13 Who's Guilty? ✦ (Columbia, 15 Chapters)
Robert Kent, Charles Middleton D: Howard Bretherton
A dead man in a burning car, a mysterious voice from a secret panel, a mysterious character dashing about in a cape, and other mysteries of the sort we’ve seen many times before must be solved by investigator Bob Stewart in this heavily padded who-will-inherit-the-Calvert-fortune story.

1912-1918 | 1919-1922 | 1923-1929 | 1930-1938 | 1939-1945 | 1946-1956