Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #12
Published 1999
Cover Price 6.95 USD
Pages 52
Editing Bill Black

Cover Details

Characters Yarko the Great
Genre Superhero

1 page text article "Men of Mystery 12"

Characters Blackhawk (all seven members); Blackhawk
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Black ?
Pencils Charles Cuidera; ?
Inks Charles Cuidera; ?
Notes Text article containing information on each character featured in this issue of Men of Mystery, an original illustration of all seven members of Blackhawk and another illustration of Blackhawk only.

9 page Espionage Starring Black X story "Devil's Island"

Characters Black X; Dean (death); Batu; Moran; M'sieu Rolande (death); Camille; Commandant of Devil's Island; Rene (death)
Synopsis A thief named Moran has sole possession of the secret to a new gun. When he is captured for murder and sent to Devil's Island Black X has to go along to keep him from giving the secret to the French.
Genre Spy
Script Will Eisner [as Will Erwin]
Pencils Will Eisner
Inks Will Eisner
Editing Ed Cronin (original editor)
Reprinted from Smash Comics (Quality Comics, 1939 series) #13 (August 1940) [originally in color]

6 page The Human Bomb story "Roy Lincoln, son of a famous explosives expert..."

Characters Human Bomb [Roy Lincoln] (Introduction; Origin); Professor Lincoln (Death; Roy's father); Roy Lincoln; Fritz (death); Axix Consul (death)
Synopsis The origin of the Human Bomb [Roy Lincoln].
Genre Superhero
Script Paul Gustavson [as Paul Carroll]
Pencils C. C. Beck
Inks C. C. Beck
Editing Ed Cronin (original editor)
Notes Restoration/homage to the Human Bomb story from Police Comics #1 illustrated by Paul Gustavson.

7 page Stuart Taylor in Weird Stories of the Supernatural story "Dr. Hayward's amazing time machine speeds..."

Characters Stuart Taylor; Doctor Hayward; Laura; Queen Starina; Lina (death)
Synopsis Somewhere in the past Stuart Taylor has to rescue Dr. Hayward and Laura from the clutches of Queen Starina and her wizard.
Genre Science Fiction
Script ? [as Curt Davis]
Pencils Louis K. Fine
Inks Louis K. Fine
Editing Malcolm Reiss (original Editor); William S. Eisner (Original Art Director); S.M. Iger (Original Feature Editor)
Notes The GCD records for this story in Jumbo Comics #22 show the artist as swiping Louis Fine, Bill Black reports the artist for the story as Louis Fine.
Reprinted from Jumbo Comics (Fiction House, 1938 series) #22 (December 1940) [originally in color]

6 page Dr. Fung story "Upon leaving England for the Malay Jungle..."

Characters Dr. Fung; Dan Barrister; Og; Lady Williston
Synopsis Dr. Fung and Dan Barrister search the Malay Jungle for Lady Williston, the lost daughter of the Earl of Williston. After they find her they have to help her leave the tribe she has been living with.
Genre Adventure
Pencils Bob Powell
Inks Bob Powell

4 page Charles Cuidera text article "I Wouldn't Change a Thing"

Characters Blackhawk
Script Bill Black; Mark Heike; Charles Cuidera
Pencils Charles Cuidera; ? (photo); Will Eisner; Charles Cuidera; Dick Dillin
Inks Charles Cuidera; ? (photo); Will Eisner; Charles Cuidera
Notes First part of an interview with Chuck (Charles) Cuidera about his life before comics, working with Victor Fox, Will Eisner, Quality and his time in the military. The piece includes a Blackhawk illustration from Military Comics #1, a photo of Chuck (Charles) Cuidera, a reprint of the cover to Military Comics (Quality Comics, 1941 series) #1 (August 1941), pencils for an unpublished Police Comics cover and a reprint of an unidentified splash page for a Blackhawks story from the early 50's by Dick Dillin and Charles Cuidera.

6 page Death Patrol story "Five escaped convicts and airlines pilot Del Van Dyne..."

Characters Death Patrol [Gramps; Slick; Del; Hank; Butch]; Zazzy (first appearance; joins the Death Patrol); Slick (death); Emil
Synopsis Death Patrol is called in to discover how bombs are falling on london when no planes are visible. During their mission one of them are killed.
Genre War; Aviation; Humor
Script Jack Cole
Pencils Jack Cole
Inks Jack Cole
Editing Will Eisner (original editor)
Reprinted from Military Comics (Quality Comics, 1941 series) #3 (October 1941) [original title: "[The Stratosphere Bombs]", originally in color]

8 page Yarko the Great story "Tibet--Land of Mystery...a barren expanse surrounded..."

Characters Yarko the Great; Li Wan; Wang; Lailani and other vampiresses (Villain; Intro)
Synopsis Yarko and Li Wan go to Tibet in search of the Hoshai Plant (a flower with human blood). They are captured by Lailani and her group of vampiresses and Yarko has to pit his power of hypnotism against hers.
Genre Occult
Script Will Eisner [as Anthony Brooks]
Pencils Will Eisner
Inks Will Eisner
Editing Victor Fox (original editor)
Reprinted from Wonderworld Comics (Fox, 1939 series) #6 (October 1939) [original title: "[The Blood Flower]", originally in color]

2 page text article "Collector's Corner"

Characters The Flash [Jay Garrick]; The Fiddler; Star Sapphire; The Thinker
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Black
Pencils Lee Elias; Harry Lampert; E. E. Hibbard; Lee Elias; Carmine Infantino
Inks Moe Worthman; Harry Lampert; E. E. Hibbard; Lee Elias; Carmine Infantino
Notes This article covers the various artists that drew The Flash (Jay Garrick version). It ends with a review of the stories in All-Flash (DC, 1941 series) #32 (December-January 1947-8).

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Golden Age Greats / Golden Age Men of Mystery"

Script ? (promo copy)
Pencils Various
Inks Various
Notes House ad for Golden Age Greats and Golden Age Men of Mystery comics (and others) detailing the contents of each issue, with reprints of the covers to Golden Age Greats #4,6,8,11-13, Golden-Age Men of Mystery #2, 4-8, 10 and 11, Official Golden-Age Hero & Heroine Directory, Senorito Rio TPB, All Hero Retro Annual #1, Best of the West #1, Western Sampler and Roy Rogers Western #1.

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Golden-Age Greats Volume 14"

Characters Rulah
Notes Promo for Golden-Age Greats Volume 14 featuring the Comic Book Jungle using the cover art and an interior panel to promote it.