Showcase #5 is an issue of the series Showcase (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1956.
Synopsis for "The Greatest Villain of All Time"
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 Two Faces of Mr. X"
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 "The Human Eel"
The Eel is an international criminal who travels the globe in his crime spree, so named because of how easily he slips through the cops fingers. He is equipped with a special electric device underneath his coat that lets him shoot sparks. Agent Frank Drew has been chasing after the Eel since the criminal first trapped him New York. A trap that resulted in Drew having respiratory trouble wherever the air was thin. The Eel used that weakness to his advantage, whenever Drew would chase him, he'd simply shock the gun out of Frank's hand and then lead him on a chase up a tall structure, forcing Drew to follow until he could no longer breathe, allowing the Eel to always evade his capture.
Appearing in "The Human Eel"
Featured Characters:
- Agent Frank Drew (Flashback and main story) (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Eel (Flashback and main story) (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Zorac (Criminal/Eel's Rival) (Flashback only)
- Captain Georges (French police officer) (Single appearance)
- Aksar Ben (Cairo Police Commissioner) (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Paris
- Egypt
- South Africa
- Panama (Flashback only)
- Argentina (Flashback only)
- New York City (Flashback only)
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- Helicopter
Notes
- This issue features a one-page Casey the Cop strip.
See Also