Showcase #104

Graves with No Names

At a World War II concentration camp in Poland, Nazi troops will kill 6 captives for every day that the head of the Polish underground, Artur, remains free. The 6 captives ask for Arthur to remain hidden, and that they are willing to die. The 6 are shot dead.

Back in London, the mysterious Control of O.S.S. enlists the aid of the Circus Mazurka. The members of Circus Mazurka (Ignace the clown, Stanislaw the strong man, and trapeze artists Casimir and Jadwiga) agree; all being from Poland, are eager to free Artur from the P.O.W. camp. Back at the camp, more men are murdered.

The Circus sets up camp near the P.O.W. camp. While the Nazis are enjoying the antics of Ignace, Stanislaw, and Jadwiga, Casimir is vaulting over the fence of the P.O.W. camp. He is discovered by one of the watchtower, which opens machine gun fire. Casimir dodges the gunfire, and lobs a grenade, which explodes a portion of the fence. Artur leads the captives against the rest of the guards, and the prisoners all escape.

The Nazi main guard returns, and realizes that the circus was the source of the diversion. The Nazis track down the circus truck, trying to get them before they can leave the Carpathian Mountains. Stanislaw jumps from the truck, using his strength to bring down boulders on the pass. He dies, but buys the escapees time. Ignace the clown follows Stanistaw’s example, dying as well. The remaining escapees make it across the pass, but one of the escapees reveals himself to be an S.S. plant and kills Casimir. Artur kills him, and vows that the three that died will not be forgotten.

Another Pin-- Another Death!

In this story, we find out the origin of the unnamed Control. Control was once an O.S.S. agent, partnered with his wife Dina. The two were agents working in France. While at an outdoor café, Dina makes Control promise that they will never reveal their marriage to the Nazis if captured. Control agrees.

That night, Control and Dina are captured while blowing up the docks. Dina is lined up against the wall, and is going to be shot unless Control can reveal her identity. Control keeps his promise, and watches and wife gunned down. Later, after Control is freed, he is promoted to become “Control.”

The Friendly Killers!

The Nazi’s latest battleship, the “Tiger,” has been wreaking havoc on the English Channel. The small battleship has been using a Norwegian fjord as a hiding spot; one which is very defendable. It has become O.S.S.’s job to destroy the battleship.

Control goes to a dolphinarium in northern Scotland, where he recruits an American dolphin trainer, Davy, and his two dolphins Mickey and Molly. They head to the fjord in a sub, where they prepare to assault the battleship. Davy dons his scuba gear, while Mickey and Molly have magnetic time bombs strapped to their backs; bombs that are set to go off in 30 minutes. Traveling underwater, the trio come across a group of Nazi frogmen protecting the Tiger.

Davy sends the dolphins ahead, while he deals with the three frogmen. Davy kills one, but one of the frogmen wounds him. The dolphins return to rescue Davy, and they knock out the remaining two frogmen. The trio, with their time running out, makes a run for the battleship. They succeed in the nick of time, taking out the battleship and surviving to make it home.

Notes:

• Following this issue the series was cancelled in an editorial decision which has come to be known as the DC Implosion.
• Issue #105 was later published in Adventure Comics #464.
• Issue #106 appeared in The Creeper by Steve Ditko.