Leading Comics #2

"Beware! The Black Star Shines!"

Sylvester Pemberton is to learn about banking. En route to the bank, Pemberton's driver, Pat Dugan, stops the car. City workers have closed the street. The "city workers" open up a water main, aiming the powerful jet of water at the bank's wall, which crumbles. Pemberton III is caught, and immobilized, in the stream. Dugan rescues Pemberton III. Dugan sees the faces of the "city workers", and recognizes them as five of the most notorious criminals in the nation.

To meet the threat, Pemerton III, and Dugan, decide to call a meeting of the Law's Legionnaires. The five crooks receive their order, via filmstrip, from the Black Star. The crooks are tasked with five new heists, in five different locales. The Law's Legionnaires visit the scene of the crime. The Green Arrow follows a trail of gunpowder to a train station. Though the crooks have escaped, the Law's Legionnaires capture their getaway driver, Mowse. Under interrogation, Mowse gives up the Black Star's filmed orders. The Law's Legionnaires split up to take down the crooks.

"Mystery Of The Clowning Criminals."

During Mardi Gras, the Mayor of New Orleans unveils bronze statues, commemorating the city's founders. The"statues" come to life, and rob the onlookers. Fleeing into the crowd, the "statues" doff their costumes, and don more festive attire, to blend into the Marid Gras celebration. The Shining Knight arrives in New Orleans. The thieves attempt to rob the train the Shining Knight is aboard, but run into trouble. After a brief melee, the crooks, led by Falseface, flee the scene. The Shining Knight gives chase, but loses the thieves, amidst the colorful throngs of costumed revelers. The Shining Knight is approached by Mardi Gras officials, and awarded "Best Costume".

The Shining Knight is led away, straight into a trap. Bound to his horse, Winged Victory, the Shining Knight is coated in lime, and left to die. The Shining Knight leaps into a tank of water, to wash off the lime, then cuts his bonds on a mermaid's tail. The Shining Knight meets with J.J. Ennis, the owner of the star sapphire the crooks plan to steal. The Shining Knight sets up a trap for the crooks. Falseface, and his men, pose as private security, outside Ennis' home. Falseface takes several partygoers hostage, then forces Ennis to lead him to the star sapphire. The Shining Knight ambushes Falseface, and quickly subdues the master criminal, and his men. While all eyes are on the Shining Knight, the Black Star surreptitiously enters the scene, and steals a rag doll. Before departing, the Black Star draws the first point of a five pointed star.

"Mystery Of The Santa Claus Pirate!"

Pirates board a luxury liner. Their captain, dressed like Santa Claus, bestows gifts of treasure on the passengers. In short time, the legend of the "Santa Claus" Pirate spreads throughout the Florida Keys. Sylvester Pemberton III's yacht encounters the "Santa Claus" pirate. Once again, all passengers are given gifts of treasure. Pemberton III, and his chauffeur, Pat Dugan, decide to board the pirate ship, as the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy. The Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, battle the pirates. The "Santa Claus" pirate is revealed to be the notorious Captain Bigg.

During the course of the battle, the Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, are knocked overboard by a spar. The Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, search for Captain Bigg's pirate ship, in the Star-Rocket Racer. They spy the pirate ship bearing down on a yacht. The Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, board the yacht, only to discover that it's a trap. Taken prisoner by the pirates, the Star-Spnaged Kid, and Stripesy are strung up, upside-down, in a bell buoy. The bell begins swinging back in forth, to the motion of the ocean, grievously impacting the two heroes' skulls.

Stripesy manages to break loose, and rescue the Star-Spangled Kid. Having heard the legend of the "Santa Claus" Pirate, millionaire Thomas Dolan welcomes him aboard his luxury yacht. This time, though, the "Santa Claus" Pirate has come for treasure, specifically Dolan's. The Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, attack the pirates. After subduing the pirates, they take down Captain Bigg. While all eyes are on the Star-Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, the Black Star surreptitiously boards the yacht, and steals an old corncob pipe. Before departing, the Black Star draws the second point of a five pointed star.

"Mystery Of The One-Man Museum."

Carnival prizes are awarded to losers. The winners, though, are required to sign their names and addresses, before accepting their prizes. Only seemingly well-to-do patrons are allowed to play the games. A man, appearing as a vagrant, is turned away. The crooks running the carnival games are seeking out a Mister Coburn. Having finally drawn out their prey, Coburn is given a special stuffed animal. The Hopper breaks into Coburn's hotel room, to find Coburn dead, from the deadly gas vial stashed inside the stuffed toy. Coburn, though, only has money to steal. He is the wrong Coburn.

The Hopper seeks a different man named Coburn, an eccentric millionaire who hides a small fortune in treasures, on his very own person. The Hopper takes out his anger on his own men. The carnival con is re-established. When the Green Arrow, and Speedy, investigate, they are turned away. Coburn, this time the real mark, is allowed to play the game, Upon winning, by losing, Coburn is taken to see the Hopper. The Green Arrow, and Speedy, rush in to rescue Coburn. The Green Arrow, and Speedy, rush Coburn away from the Hopper.

Coburn, though, trusts no one, and violently shoves the Green Arrow, and Speedy, away from him, and to their deaths. The Hopper abducts Coburn. The Green Arrow, and Speedy, having easily saved themselves, pursue the Hopper, and Coburn, into the "Castle Of Fear". The Green Arrow, and Speedy, subdue the Hopper, and his men. Coburn is less than grateful, still distrusting the Green Arrow, and Speedy. Unnoticed by all, the Black Star steals his way inside the "Castle Of Fear, and pockets a broken watch. Before departing, the Black Star draws the third point of a five pointed star.

"The Case Of The Twisted Twins!"

In Twin City, the annual twin convention is taking place at the famous Hotel Double. The Crimson Avenger, and Wing, discover criminals pumping gas into the hotel's air conditioning vents. When the Crimson Avenger's path is barred by a massive mound of coal, the crooks flee. The Crimson Avenger finds a percussion scalpel, dropped during the melee. Incredibly, overnight, all of the twins have ceased to look alike. The Crimson Avenger tracks the percussion scalpel to it's manufacturer. The medical instrument was made for, and sold to, a Doctor Carse. The Crimson Avenger, and Wing, pay Carse a visit.

Unbeknownst to the Crimson Avenger, his investigation in being monitored by the Black Star, who reports the Crimson Avenger's progress to the Brain. Carse is speaking with a Mister Bandler, via closed circuit television, when the Crimson Avenger confronts him. Carse denies any wrongdoing. The Crimson Avenger accuses Carse of lying. Wing discovers coal dust in Carse's washroom. The Brain enters the room. After a quick scuffle, the Brain gets the upper hand, holding the Crimson Avenger, Wing, and Carse, at gunpoint. The Brain orders Carse to tell Bandler that the Brain has what Bandler wants.

Carse brings the Crimson Avenger, and Wing, to meet Bandler. Suffering from helium poisoning, Bandler needs a transfusion, from a boy named Bobby Leeds. Carse initiated the gas attack, so that Leeds could be identified. The Brain, however, has abducted Leeds. The Crimson Avenger offers to help Bandler, for Leeds' sake. The Crimson Avenger, and Wing, storms the Brain's lair, and recover Leeds. The boy is brought before Bandler, and given the choice to aid him. Not taking chances, Bandler orders his hired thugs to subdue the Crimson Avenger, and Wing, then force Leeds to give Bandler what he needs.

The Brain enters with the real Leeds. The boy the Crimson Avenger rescued was Leeds' twin brother, Billy. The Crimson Avenger, and Wing, break loose, and subdue all the criminals in the room. Bandler is revealed to be the Brain's twin brother. Leeds offers to donate the necessary blood to save Bandler's life. Unnoticed by all, the Black Star steals into the room, and pockets a glowing silver dollar.

"The Sixty Kiddie Club."

The Vigilante, and Billy "Pop" Gunn, discover the Rattler's latest murder victim. With his dying breath, the man tells the Vigilante to go to the Sixty Kiddie Club. Gunn goes undercover at the Sixty Kiddie Club, to flush out the Rattler. The Rattler's men, dressed as indians, set fire to the Sixty Kiddie Club. The Vigilante, and Gunn, drive off the Rattler's men. The Vigilante, and Gunn, track the men back to the Rattler's lair, only to be taken prisoner by the Rattler.

The Vigilante, and Gunn, are tied, prone, to stakes, next to a sleeping rattle snake, which has also been staked down. The Vigilante uses his boot spurs to dig up the stake holding his feet down. The rattle snake stirs. Awakened, and upon realizing that it has been tied down, the rattle snake angrily attacks. The Vigilante, and Gunn, are just able to free themselves, to deflect the rattle snake's attack. The Vigilante, and Gunn, attack the Rattler, and his men, but are subdued. The Vigilante returns to the Sixty Kiddie Club.

The Vigilante identifies the Rattler, by the red dust on his hands. The Rattler is beaten into unconsciousness. The proprietor, Wilkins, reveals where he hid the key that the Rattler was looking to steal. Suddenly, the Black Star appears, and steals the key before anyone can react. The Vigilante brings Wilkins before the assembled Law's Legionnaires. Wilkins reveals that the Black Star now has all the components needed to build an enlargement ray. The Black Star is revealed to be Mowse, the criminals' getaway driver.

The Black Star bathes himself in the power of the enlargement ray, growing bigger and stronger. The Black Star dares the Law's Legionnaires to apprehend him. Upon their approach, the Star Spangled Kid, and Stripesy, are attacked by enormous sparrows. The Green Arrow, and Speedy, drive the sparrows off. The Crimson Avenger, and the Shining Knight, battles against giant ants. The Vigilante guns down a massive rabbit. The Shining Knight cuts his way through a veritable jungle of enlarged flora, to finally reach the Black Star.

The Black Star enlarges a house spider to gigantic proportions. The spider spins it's web around the Law's Legionnaires. The Vigilante manages to set the web ablaze, freeing the team. Stripesy punches the Black Star back into the enlarging ray. The Black Star grows so large, and heavy, that he collapses the flor. The Black Star dies, having destroyed the enlarging ray, as well. The Law's Legionnaires pledge to combat evil wherever it can be found.

Way to Freedom (text story by Norman Goss)

King Kale (gag page by Henry Boltinoff)