The Thunder Child

Science Fiction and Fantasy
Web Magazine and Sourcebooks

Vol 1, Issue #10
"Stand By For Mars!"
October, 2006


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The Adventures of Superman

Batman's Great Mystery

Chapter 10 of 11 - February 16, 1948


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Dated Death


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CD: Sensational guitars of Dan and Dale
Highly recommended!

Narrator

Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Look! up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Superman!

Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from the planet Krypton who came to Earth with amazing physical powers far beyond those of mortal men. And who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, wages a never ending battle for truth and justice.

And now, The Adventures of Superman.



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Narrator (over organ music)

Having learned that the famous Batman and the wealthy Bruce Wane were one and the same person, a mysterious man who called himself Mr. Jones persuaded Batman to go away with him under the threat of revealing his secret. Then, holding Batman prisoner, Jones sent a man who looked very much like Batman, and who had been trained to impersonate him, to Metropolis, where he made un-American speeches and led Robin, Batman's young companion, into an ambush. While Superman was trying to locate Jones, who he had learned was really a rabble rouser named Mort Veeler, Batman and Robin, chained to the wall in an old Revolutionary barracks, knocked out a henchman of Jones's who ventured to near and searched him, hoping to find a gun with which they could free themselves from their chains. But the man was without a gun. Their last hope gone, the dynamic duo can only stand by helplessly as Jones entered the long, dimly lit room, and Jones did have a revolver.

Jones

What are you two up to, eh?

Robin

Don't mind us, Jonesy. We're just playing patty-cake with your gorilla.

Jones

 

Robin

 

Batman

Really? well, you won't play anymore games, because I'm going to take care of

OVER:

Here he comes, Batman

Quick, Robin, drop to the floor behind Jones' pal.

Robin

RATTLE OF CHAINS

What gives, Batman?

Jones

Say, what are you two up to now?

Batman

Drop your gun, Jones, I've got you covered.

Robin

Holy smokes!

Jones

What? Don't make me laugh, Batman.

Batman

This is no joke. I've got your gorilla's gun!

Robin

What a bluff!

Jones

Help! RUNNING

Ed, Jerry, Harry!

DOOR SLAMS

Batman

Stop, Jones, stop or I'll shoot!

Jones

Help!

Robin

He's gone, Batman! He fell for the old shell game!

Batman

 

 

Jones

Sure, he's yellow. I never knew a rabble rouser that wasn't.

OVER

Harry, After them!

Robin

What do you think he'll do now?

Batman

He'll probably come back with reinforcements.

OVER

Jones yelling

Robin

Here he comes!

Batman

Stand back! The first guy who pokes his head in here gets a bullet in his head.

DOOR SLAMS

Robin

Now what, Batman? We won't be able to fool them forever.

Batman

Yeah, I know. Up on your feet, chum. Come on.

RATTLE OF CHAINS

Robin

What's the gimmick?

Batman

We're got to make another try to snap these chains.

Robin

Are you kidding? We've already tried for hours.

Batman

I know, but we've got to try again. Now, come on now. Put your foot against the wall and then throw yourself backward.


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Robin

Okay.

VARIOUS GRUNTS, GROANS AND CHAIN RATTLINGS

It's no use, Batman. They won't break.

Batman

I guess you're right, Robin. We're not getting any place.

Robin

I wonder what friend Jonesy is up to now.

Another qallusion to Hamlet? 'There's something rotten in the state of Denmark.'

Batman

Something rotten, you can bet your bottom dollar on that. SNIFFS. Hey, wait, what's that. OVER SOUND OF BURNING. Do you smell smoke?

Robin

SNIFFS. Gee whiz, yes!

Batman

Yeah, and now I hear something burning, too. Listen!

Robin

Holy smokes! This joint is on fire!

Batman

POUNDING ON DOOR.

What's that?

Jones

MUFFLED FROM BEHIND DOOR. Batman and Robin! If it gets too hot in there, call up the fire department.

LAUGHTER.

Robin

COUGHING. Batman! Jones set this place on fire, to finish us!

Batman

COUGHING. Right, Robin. Yes, it looks as if we've jumped right out of the frying pan into the fire.


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Narrator, over organ music

Coughing as the smoke begins to swirl through the long, low room, Batman and Robin realize that their final desperate ruse has now also ended in failure. Meanwhile, in the farm house of William Hemple, where papers are strewn all over the floor, Superman and Hemple have been unable to locate the envelopes bearing the name and address of Mort Veeler, alias Mr. Jones.

Superman

YOU SAID YOU WERE SURE THOSE ENVELOPES WERE HERE, MR. HEMPLE.

Hemple

Well, they was, Superman. Like I told ya, Veeler sent 'em, asking for contributions to his no good society.

Superman

WELL THEN, WHERE ARE THEY?

Hemple

Beats me. All I can think is maybe me or muh wife through 'em out.

Superman

GREAT SCOTT, WHAT'LL I DO? I'VE GOT TO FIND JONES, I MEAN VEELER'S ADDRESS, BECAUSE I'M SURE HE'S HOLDING BATMAN AND ROBIN SOMEPLACE.

Hemple

Shore wish I could help ya, Superman.

Superman

WAIT, MR. HEMPLE. YOU SAY THIS MAN VEELER GOES AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE MAKING SPEECHES AND TRYING TO GET SUPPORT FOR HIS 'LET EUROPE STARVE' CAMPAIGN.

Hemple

Yep. Then he sends letters to the people who heard him speak, asking for money.

Superman

WELL, IF HE'S SPOKEN AROUND HERE AND SENT YOU LETTERS, HE MUST HAVE SENT LETTERS TO SOME OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, TOO.

Hemple

Why, shore. I was speaking to Sam Hoffmeyer just the other day about it. Sam says he got a letter, but he..

Superman

WHERE DOES HOFFMEYER LIVE?

Hemple

His farm's just the other side of Mayfield, down the turnpike.

Superman

GOOD. I'LL FIND HIM.

OPENS WINDOW.

SEE YOU LATER, MR. HEMPLE, AND THANKS. UP, UP AND AWAY!

FLYiNG

Superman

MR. HEMPLE SAYS YOU GOT A LETTER FROM THIS MAN, MORT VEELER, TOO, MR. HOFFMEYER, ASKING YOU TO CONTRIBUTE TO HIS UN-AMERICAN CAMPAIGN.

Sam Hoffmeyer

Yep, I did Superman...

Superman

WELL TELL ME HAVE YOU...

Hoffmeyer

But he won't get no money from me.

Superman

NO. BUT...

Hoffmeyer

I always say we gotta help them poor folks over there.

Superman

YES, YES, OF COURSE WE DO. BUT WHAT, WHAT ABOUT THE LETTER? DO YOU STILL HAVE IT?

Hoffmeyer

I .....let see here, I reckon so.

Superman

WILL YOU SHOW IT TO ME, PLEASE? IT WILL GIVE ME VEELER'S ADDRESS AND THEN I CAN..



Batman pocket watch

Hoffmeyer

Superman .

Hoffmeyer

Now hold on...hold on...seems to me I seen it over here in the fruit bowl.

OH?

Yeah, usually we keeps all letters and papers and things here.

Superman

WELL, IS IT THERE?

Hoffmeyer

Nope, don't seem to be here now..

Superman

UH OH, NOW HOW WILL I FIND VEELER?

Hoffmeyer

Wait a minute, wait a minute, I kinda recollect takin' it upstairs to Sarah, the other day.

Superman

SARAH?

Hoffmeyer

Yeah, that's my wife. She's been ailin' some, so I took her up whatever letters and papers was around for her to pass the time.

Superman

Yes, YES. will you please see if the letter's upstairs, Mr. Hoffmeyer?

Hoffmeyer

Ayuh, I'll go right up now. You just wait here.

Superman

I will but hurry, please, every second counts.


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Narrator, over organ music

Anxiously, Superman waits for Sam Hoffmeyer to seek out the precious letter from rabble rouser Mort Veeler, alias Mr. Jones. Meanwhile, the ancient prison barracks, set in a vast, desolate country side, is blazing furiously, as Batman and Robin chained in the center of the burning structure, are helpless.

Outside the blazing wooden structure, a half dozen of Mr. Jones' followers stand, watching in awe. While to one side, smiling broadly, the rabble rouser stands with Ed, the man who was trained to impersonate Batman.

Jones

Heh heh heh. Ed, that's the end of Batman and Robin.

Ed

It's a tough way to go, Mr. Veeler.

Jones

Eh? Feel sorry for them, do you?

Ed

Well, kind of.

Jones

Well, you'll get over it when we start spending Batman's money. Heh heh heh. Ed!?

Ed

What's the matter?

Jones

Where are the suitcases?

Ed

What suitcases?

Jones

The ones with Batman's money!

Ed

Jones

Why, why I thought you brought them out!

I thought you did!

Ed

Holy smokes!

Jones

Come on! We've got to get them!

Ed

No, wait! We can't go back in there! The roof will go down any minute!

Jones

We've got to! There's over a million dollars worth of securities in those suitcases. They'll be burned up!

Ed

But we'll be killed! It isn't worth...

Jones

No, we won't! The suitcases are in the kitchen near the door. For heaven's sake, hurry!

Ed

Well, alright!


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Music from 1966 series

Narrator, over music

As Jones and Batman's impersonator rush into the rear of the blazing barracks, risking their lives to rescue their stolen loot, there is a rending crash, and the roof above them crashes down upon them.

CRASH

FLYING

And at that moment, having finally learned the address of Jones' headquarters, Superman streaks through the skies towards the burning barracks, then plummets downward to land in the mass of the blazing, collapsing wreckage where he finds Batman and Robin who lie unmoving. Has Superman arrived too late to save the dynamic duo? Has the rabble rouser Jones and Batman's impersonator who, driven by greed and bigotry, pulled down destruction upon their own heads, destroyed the courageous Batman and Robin too? There are more thrills and surprises in tomorrow's smashing climax of our story, fellows and girls, so don't miss it! Tune in same time, same station, for the final chapter of

The Adventures of Superman!

Sources/Links
DC Comics Official Superman radio site
SupermanCollectors and SuperPlanet Chronicle
The Adventures of Superman