DC Special #10 is an issue of the series DC Special (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1971.
Synopsis for "Nightstick"
This story is reprinted from Gang Busters #33.
Thomas Farraday is a patrolman having Christmas dinner with his family. They eat an early meal because Farraday has to go on duty that afternoon. His father and grandfather had both been policemen and they both give him the same advice to carry his nightstick. Farraday takes their advice lightly reiterating that modern police use tools such as teletypes, radio cars and short wave radios. He nevertheless agrees to carry the stick to appease his relatives. He proceeds to go on patrol on Christmas Eve and arrives at a small jewelry store with suspicious activity. He spots a group of men that immediately start to fire at him and shoot Farraday in the arm. Even though he has been shot, Farraday manages to climb into the back of the get away truck to pursue the thieves to their hideout. They arrive in the backstreets of the garment district and Farraday finds himself unarmed with nothing but his nightstick. He charges at the group of thieves as they disembark from the truck and takes them by surprise. He then strikes another thief as he is about to fire his gun straight at Farraday. He swings his nightstick furiously taking out every single assailant. Farraday gets knocked to the ground and he is about to be shot once more but he throws his nightstick at the shooter and breaks a store window. Farraday passes out but when he comes to he is surrounded by police. His nightstick had set off an alarm when it broke the store window and the police had responded to apprehend the thieves. The evening ends with Farrady surrounded by his family describing how he took out the thieves with the old flank attack.
Appearing in "Nightstick"
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Synopsis for "The Three-Foot Sleuth!"
This story is reprinted from Gang Busters #61.
A group of workmen witness a little boy falling into a 30 foot hole. They frantically look for a way to rescue the boy but they have limited options. A small crowd gathers to witness the situation and a small grim faced man steps forward. His name is Little Joe and he is lowered feet first into the hole to retrieve the child. Little Joe successfully pulls the child up and he is quickly mobbed by the press. He reveals that he used to be a part time actor until the day that he witnessed a woman fall through the frozen ice. Little Joe rescues the woman and he is offered a position as a special deputy for life. Little Joe quickly learns that his size and weight are an advantage in so many helpful ways. He can crawl and go into places that are very difficult for full size men to reach. The police constantly call on him to help with special cases that require his skills and abilities. One day Joe hears that the courts are dropping charges against a suspected hijacker Frosty Evans. As fate would have it, Joe spots Frosty's car the next day and crawls into his trunk to pursue him as Frosty drives to his hideout. The car pulls up to a house and Joe crawl out undetected. He manages to get into the suspected hideout through a milk delivery slot. He makes it all the way to the kitchen where he crawls under the stove and listen to Frosty's gang as they discuss plans for their next robbery. One of the thieves then announces that he wants to heat up some chili and this forces Joe to come out of his hideout. Joe runs for his life and escapes up through a chimney. He jumps down into a car and drives away unharmed. He drives straight to police headquarters where he reports Frosty's gang to the authorities. The police later find a sizeable amount of cash in Frosty's hideout which is sufficient evidence to put him away.
Appearing in "The Three-Foot Sleuth!"
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Synopsis for "The Cop without a Gun"
This story is reprinted from Gang Busters #58.
Officer Tom Herrick apprehends a criminal on the run named Leroy Madman Hall. Hall breaks through a police road block and heads towards Herricks direction. Herrick gets the idea to raise a drawbridge just as Madman Hall drives across. His plan works and Hall plunges into the water below where he is apprehended by Herrick without the use of a weapon. On another occasion Herrick is leaving the theater when a robber holds up the the theater ticket box. Herrick shouts at the thief to put down his gun or he will shoot. The thief willingly gives up and puts up his hands as the sound of gunfire erupts all around them. The two men had been standing in front of a theater that was playing a war movie with a loud shooting scene. This had scared the thief into believing that he was being fired upon. In the final scene, Herrick is pursuing a criminal named Jack Shaw near a sports stadium. Shaw surprises Herrick and sticks a gun in his back. He asks Herrick to remove his police uniform so he can impersonate a law officer. He then tells Herrick that he intends to escort him to a nearby car under the pretense that he is transferring a criminal. Shaw feels that no one will question an officer in the line of duty. Herrick then suggests that he keep his gun pointed on him to make it more believable. The two walk towards the stadium parking lot when they run into a couple of police officers. Herrick tells Shaw to identify himself as Officer Tom Herrick. Shaw follows Herricks instructions but the two police officers immediately draw their guns and make Shaw give himself up. The two officers state the they know he is not the real Tom Herrick because that particular officer never uses a gun. They apprehend Shaw but one of the officers then asks Herrick why he never uses a gun. Herrick responds by saying that he immigrated to American from London where he served as a Bobby. He reiterates that English Bobbies never carry a gun.
Appearing in "The Cop without a Gun"
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Synopsis for "The Greatest Villain of All Time"
This story is reprinted from Showcase #5.
Lt Fowler is woken up in the middle of the night by a phone call informing him that there has been a burglary at the Royal Jewelry Exchange. Fowler arrives on the scene and learns that the manager had reported nothing stolen but that a cabbie stated that he saw a strange man dancing a jig and muttering something about a girl named Yvette. Fowler immediately asks if the man had a long beard and if there is a missing hand carved clock with a figurine on it. The manager confirms that indeed there is such a clock missing. Fowler returns to headquarters and pulls out an old scrapbook. He explains that he used to be a Hollywood mystery writer before joining the police force. He turns to a page with the pictures of 4 former associates and remarks that one of them is the person they are looking for. Fowler then arranges for all four men to come to his office the next morning. Three of the men arrive promptly but a man named Otto Sands is missing. One of the men remarks that Sands escaped from a mental institution a couple of years prior and hasn't been seen. Fowler goes on to explain that all of them had been involved in the making of a movie called The Mad Maestro in which the villain entered a jewelry exchange and did a colorful dance while raving about a girl named Yvette. He goes on to explain that someone has gotten the strange compulsion to duplicate the scene from the movie in real life. Fowler suspects that Sands might be the one recreating the old movie scenes especially since he escaped from a Sanatorium and has been missing. The setting then changes to a curio shop where a character named Mr Wink steals a cheap piece of pottery proclaiming that it was a priceless indigo vase. The petty theft is reported to the police but the thief gets away. Fowler is convinced that Sands will attempt to portray the remaining characters from his film which include the Phantom and the Black Knight. Fowler arrives at City Park just in time to witness the Black night scene playing out with the aid of a figure stolen from the Wax Museum. As Fowler watches the Black night he hears a strange clicking sound emanating from the woods. The following afternoon Fowler receives a teletype message informing him that Otto Sands Died in NYC in 1964. He comes to the realization that Sands cannot possibly be their man. He immediately recalls the clicking noises he heard earlier and remembers that his other colleague Leif Conrad used to clock his movie scenes to check on film length. He realizes that Conrad is the man they should be seeking. Fowler later arrives at City Bridge in time to witness the Phantom making an appearance. The Phantom is about to jump off the bridge when Fowler gets the idea to shout Retake, Retake indicating that they will have to shoot the scene all over again. The Phantom AKA Conrad cooperates and comes down. He is taken away by men in white coats leaving Fowler and his partner feeling sorry for him as he descended into insanity in an effort to reclaim his fame.
Appearing in "The Greatest Villain of All Time"
Featured Characters:
- Harry Fowler (Detective-Lieutenant) (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Collins (Detective-Sergeant) (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Leif Conrad (Movie Director) (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Otto Sands (actor) (In a photograph only)
- Ben Gatewood (Movie Producer) (Single appearance)
- Danny Tell (Public Relations) (Single appearance)
- Anne (Cleaning Lady) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Royal Jewelry Exchange
- A Curio Shop
- City Park
Items:
- Indigo Vase
Vehicles:
- Horse
Synopsis for "The Hostages!"
This story is reprinted from Gang Busters #40.
Killer Alan Packer is about to be executed in prison but he arranges to have a gun secretly delivered to him. He uses the gun to escape by taking two hostages to ensure his safety out of the prison. He kidnaps newspaper reporter Bob Harper and another man named James Mccann. The three men head south In a car in an effort to reach Mexico. On the way there they stop at a toy store where Packer purchases lasso rope and sleigh bells. The police are in hot pursuit and they learn about Packers strange purchase from the toy shop owner. In the meantime Packer and the three men stop for the night to rest by the side of the road. As they lie on the ground Packer makes the hostages wrap the Lasso rope around them and attaches the sleigh bells to the ropes. That way the men will set off the bells if they try to escape while Packer sleeps. The three men continue their journey to Mexico. At the next stop Packer wraps the ropes and bells around the two hostages once more. This time Harper tears his shirt as Packer sleeps. He tears off small pieces and uses them to muffle the bells to make their escape. The two men escape but they are quickly recaptured by Packer. The three men continue their journey once more but this time they abandon their car and steal a large cargo truck. They head towards an arched bridge but Harper insists on stopping at a gas station to get gas and inflate the tires on the truck. Packer reluctantly agrees seeing that they are so close to the border. The three men leave the gas station and head back on their route but as they travel under the arched bridge, the truck becomes stuck. Harper had inflated the tires to elevate the truck and cause it to become stuck. Packer realizes he is trapped so he gets out of the truck and makes a running beeline for the border. He is spotted by law enforcement and gets shot as he staggers across the border. He drops dead right on the line between the USA and Mexico.
Appearing in "The Hostages!"
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Synopsis for "The Two Faces of Mr. X"
This story is reprinted from Showcase #5.
The FBI hires billboard model Don Reed to portray a known criminal overlord, Alex Tate. Tate is supposed to be receiving a list from his lieutenants naming all the underlings in his employ. The FBI captures Tate so that Reed can switch places with him. But unbeknownst to all, Tate was also scheduled to have plastic surgery that day, so that he could change his appearance.
Fortunately, the surgeon, Doctor James, was being forced by the thugs to do the job, so while Reed and the doctor were back in the surgery room, the two of them came up with an exit strategy. While Reed, wearing bandages over his face, distracted the criminals, Doctor James came out with the knockout gas canister and sprayed the men with it's contents. Afterwards, the FBI came charging in, arrested Tate's thugs, and retrieved the lists of underlings.
Appearing in "The Two Faces of Mr. X"
Featured Characters:
- Don Reed (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Jackson (F.B.I. Agent)
Antagonists:
- Alex Tate (crime boss) (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Doctor James (surgeon) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Unnamed City
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Fireman Farrell: "Fire under the Big Top"
This story is reprinted from Showcase #1.
Fireman Farrell reports to Lieutenant Reiner's office where Farrell is informed he will be tagging along with Reiner to perform some fire inspections in the city. Their first destination is the carnival where a major fireworks display will be performed that evening. They confront the manager, Phil Baylor, over the fact that he has not registered with the department. Furthermore they point to the fact that Baylor has not consulted with a fireworks expert regarding the safety of his fireworks show. The two fireman inform Baylor that he will have to cancel his pyrotechnic display unless he hires an expert to oversee safety. Baylor's workers complain that he is more concerned with making money rather than making sure customers are safe, but the unscrupulous manager shrugs off their concerns, refusing to hire a fireworks expert in order to save the $100 fee. Farrell and Reiner continue their inspection, but the lieutenant soon leaves to complete paperwork, making Farrell work alone. Later, night falls with Farrell still at work, and he is startled from his inspection tour by a fireworks explosion. The fireworks go off course, landing in a big circus tent and starting a fire. Farrell calls for help and rushes to the scene only to find that a child has been left inside. The brave fireman rescues the child and is told that the circus animals are now in danger. While people work to rescue the animals, other local firefighters soon arrive, and Farrell suits up. A lion escapes, but Farrell makes short work of it with the water hose. As the firemen work to check the spread of the blaze, they notice an elephant trapped on the track of a roller coaster. Using the firetruck and ladder like a crane, Farrell rescues the baby animal and lowers it to safety on the ground. Baylor is arrested for his negligence and taken to jail.
Appearing in Fireman Farrell: "Fire under the Big Top"
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Supporting Characters:
- Fire Lieutenant Reiner (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Phil Baylor (ringmaster) (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Tony (animal tamer) (Single appearance)
- George (a child) (Single appearance)
- Caesar (a lion) (Single appearance)
- Toby (a baby elephant) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Center City
- Funland Carnival
Items:
- Safety Belt
Vehicles:
- Firetruck
Synopsis for "Swamp Dragnet"
This story is reprinted from Gang Busters #65.
Detective Ed Kent pursues three criminals into the swamps of the Everglades. He enlists the help of two park rangers to assist him in locating the outlaws in the Okapi swampland. The park covers over one hundred square miles but the rangers indicate that there are only nine possible dry areas where the criminals could be holed up. The three men fly over the swamp looking for areas where deer and water fowl have not been disturbed. They finally locate a desolate area known as island number seven. The rangers point to the fact that the swamp animals normally graze all over the island but they now seem to be missing. This indicates that they have been disturbed by humans. They cannot land on the swamp due to heavy swamp weed so the three men parachute down. Once there, they notice that their supplies and Hydroplane are missing from their designated location. The men put together a crude raft and they also create a swampblock to capture their prey. As they raft across the swamp, the three outlaws show up and ram the raft causing the men to fall into the water. Kent swims to safety but the two park rangers are suddenly attacked by alligators. Kent shoots at the gators with his gun allowing the two men to escape to safety on the banks of the swamp. The three men gather to discuss their dire situation but detective Kent suddenly comes up with an idea to flush out the outlaws. They locate the criminals as they camp at night and create a splashing sound in the swamp. The three criminals investigate and find numerous footprints in the mud. They assume they are surrounded by law enforcement and they make a run for their hydroplane. As they take off on their boat, they run into the swampblock that the rangers had assembled earlier and they fall into the water. They are immediately apprehended by law enforcement as detective Kent and the two park rangers look on.
Appearing in "Swamp Dragnet"
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