Presenting the transcription feature, Superman. Up in the sky, look, it's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman. Oh, Superman, mighty visitor from another world who came to Earth when the planet Krypton was destroyed by quakes and explosions. Superman, who can twist steel in his bare hands, leap tall buildings at a single bound, race a speeding bullet to its target, and who walks about among human beings as champion of the weak and the oppressed, disguised as Clark Kent, news reporter. As our story opens today, Kent has returned from Bridger Field after solving the mystery of the wrecked airplanes and is about to pick up a new assignment. He is in the private office of City Editor Perry White of the Daily Planet, and White is staring at him across the desk in some surprise. Listen. Do you honestly mean to tell me you've never heard of Buffalo Hills? Well, only just this minute, Chief. No fooling. What is it, a national game preserve? Buffalo Hills, Kent, is about to become a national shrine. Oh, now I remember. It's where they carved the pictures in the side of a mountain. Well, now you're waking up. Uh-huh. Enormous sculptures, Kent. Scenes representing the early history of the pioneers. Carved in granite half a mile up in the air in the face of the cliff. Yes, haven't they been at it for five years or something? Oh, more than that. Now they've finished. Next week comes the big unveiling. Uh-huh. Oh, you'll like Buffalo Hills, fine air, wonderful views. And, of course, that's Al Carson's state. Al J. Carson, the reform governor? Oh, so that's what it is. You think there may be trouble, eh? I didn't say so, Kent. Oh, I understand, Mr. White. Well, Carson's had a fight on his hands. He's cleaned up the state, but there's a certain gang that's sworn to get him. Yes, wasn't he shot at just last week? Yes, for the third time, they send a heavy police guard wherever he goes. I don't know. Now, if I were a crook and wanted to get a well-known public figure, well, what would you do? I'd pick a time when he was out in the open with lots of people. Just so. Now, for instance, the ceremony's at Buffalo Hills where Governor Carson will make the chief address. See? Uh-huh. Steady Rome, White. Hats. Well, what is he? Oh, yes, yes, certainly I know him, certainly. All right, let him come out. All right, Mr. White, I'll be running along then. Gotta get tickets and expense money. Stick around, Kent. You ever meet Aza Hatch? The old man who takes pictures? He's an old friend of mine, Kent. Pioneer, Indian fighter, scientist, scholar. Probably the best landscape photographer in the country. And besides that, he's a regular amateur detective. What? You heard me. Amateur Sherlock Holmes. Also, volunteer traveling correspondent for the Daily Planet. Ah. You'd better stick around and meet him, Kent. Men like Aza Hatch are scarce. I had no idea he was in town. Perry, my dear, dear fellow, the very man I want to see. Come in, come in, Aza. Come in and shut the door. Kent, pull up a chair. My dear Perry, the story of a lifetime. Front page, absolutely. Now, Aza, sit down and stop bubbling like a fountain. Meet one of my bright young men, Clark Kent. How do you do, Mr. Hatch? I'm delighted, charmed. Perry, stop the presses. How long before you go to bed? Me or the paper? The paper. Ah, ten minutes ago. What's on your mind? A sensation, believe me. Look at me, Perry. Mr. Kent, if that's the name. That's it. Observe me up and down and sideways. Do I appear dangerous, vicious? Dangerous? Aza, what are you talking about? Is there anything about me to stir people to rage, homicidal frenzy? I'm afraid I don't... In words of one syllable, is there any reason why anyone should want to kill me? Kill you? Aza, what are you talking about? Well, my dear fellow, I'm doing my best to tell you, kindly don't interrupt, merely listen. Yes, yes, we're listening. I said don't interrupt. I arrived in this metropolis of yours from the south and went to the station to purchase a ticket for the west, to be explicit for Boulder City. Boulder City? Perry, are you going out to Buffalo Hill? Of course, my dear fellow, if you insist on interrupting, I shall take myself and my story to the Daily Express. Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Aza. It's merely that Kent's going out to Boulder City, too. You'll be company for him. Certainly, Perry. If he enjoys traveling with a corpse... What? The word was corpse. One who has departed this life. Now, Aza, look here. Would you mind telling us what in heaven's name you're talking about? Not at all. I've been trying to for some minutes. Then what is it? My hat. What? My hat. There it is. Look at it. Mr. Kent, you look at it. I... Well... Well, it looks all right, Mr. Hatch. A little dusty on one side, but... Natural consequence of being plucked from the gutter. And what was it doing in the gutter? Lying there, gentlemen, after being shot from my head. What? Shot from your head? Quite so. Look at it closely. A hole in the crown, yes. That hole was made by a bullet. What? Please, Perry, your remarks have a certain monotony. The last three have been what, what, what? But I don't understand. Look, Perry, I came out of the station, walked by an alley, and someone shot my hat off with a rifle. Yes, but who did it, and why? Did they take you for a gangster? How do you know it was a rifle? Well, please, gentlemen, one at a time. I don't know who did it, nor why, nor whether they took me for a gangster, and I merely guessed that a rifle was used. Why? Because I saw no sign of the perpetrator and heard no shot. Too far for a pistol. Now then, what I should like to know is, what next? Well, Mr. Hatch, have you reported this to the police? Not so far, Mr. Kent. I prefer to come straight to my old friend, White. As I said before, front page story. Distinguished photographer shot in dark. Attempted murder in the night. Well, Perry? Hey, sir, when did this happen? This evening, barely 20 minutes ago. Have you been anywhere since? I told you, I came straight here. I walked across the park, and here I am. The window! The dickens left by Mr. Hatch. Stand back from that window. Get back. Are you hurt? No, no, I think not. Mr. White, that was a bullet. Someone fired a bullet at Mr. Hatch through the window. Call the police. Call the press room. Get out there and do something, Kent. I'm going, Mr. White. Hey, you men out there. Ferguson, Moore, get in here. Call the police. No, no, no, no, don't call the police. Robin, out of sight in the hall. I think it's time Clark Kent changed into Superman and did a little detective work. If that was a bullet, I know just about where it came from. Now, out of these clothes. For the window. And out we go. Out and away. Came through the window and hit the wall across the office near the ceiling. So whoever it was fired it from below and almost directly opposite. Down we go. Down. Down to that empty floor in the loft across from the planet building. Down. Down. Down on that ledge. Hope I make a good landing. Here we go. Almost slipped that time. I wish they'd make these ledges a little broader. Six inches wide and 40 feet above the street. Now then, if I can just edge along a bit. I think that's an open window just ahead. It is. Open just an inch or two. Oh. Something's coming out of it. It's a rifle barrel. Great Scott, he's going to try again. That lighted window in White's office is a perfect target. Oh, no, you don't, my friend. Not twice in the same place. Not while Superman's around. No time for crawling. I have to burst in there and knock that gun down. Down that gun. Where'd you come from? Stand back. I said put down that gun. I won't say it again. You bet you won't say it again. Don't come any closer. All right. Take it. The bullets just bounce and so will you. What are you doing? Get away. Get away. Quick. Talk and talk fast. Why did you shoot at Aza Hatch? What do you know about Aza Hatch? Why did you shoot at him? Who sent you here? None of your business. Oh, is that so? Well, I'm making it my business. I told you once before to drop that gun. Get away from me. Get away. I won't talk. You can't let me. Quick. The police will be here in a minute. I hear them downstairs already. Talk. I said talk. Out. Out. Let me go. Let it out. Stop that. I won't give you another chance. Look out for that gun. Oh. Oh. Oh. Got me. Oh. Oh. Oh. I told him to watch out. Listen. Hell, what is it? Quick. Someone's coming. I'm going. I'll talk now. Listen. Quick. Quick. They sent me. Yes. Florey. Al Kors. Whose floor is? Get Hatch. Florey. Yes. Nothing I can do for him now. I can't be found here either. One more second, they'll be piling through that door. Out the window. Back to the planet office. Up. Up. And away. I can't understand where he went. I told him to get the police and find out what was going on. I'm in. There he is. Speak of angels, Perry. And you hear the flutter of their wings. Can't. Can't. Come in. Plan of life. Where have you been? Mr. White. They got him. They got the man who did the shooting. Good work. Who was he? I can't tell you that. He was hiding in an empty loft across the street. And when the watchman broke in and cornered him, he shot himself. Shot himself? Why? Well, nobody knows. Mr. Kent, did he have any remark to make on the reason for the shooting? Mr. Hatch, he did say something. He mentioned two names. Ah. What were they? Flores. He said Flores and then Carson. Carson? Great Scott. Did he mean Al Carson, the governor? Don't be on a doubt. Go on, Mr. Kent. Mr. Hatch, that's all. It was all he said. What were his exact words, Kent? As near as I remember, he said, they sent me. Flores. Carson. I don't believe it. It can't be true. Carson, the governor of a state, sending gunmen to murder innocent people back east? It can't be the governor. Oh, it isn't, Perry. It isn't. But Flores, Pete Flores, I know him well. You do? But what have they got against you? Mr. Hatch, what's it all about? My dear Mr. Kent, I haven't the slightest idea. But I can promise you one thing. You said something about traveling west with me to Boulder City? Yes, that's right. He's covering the celebration at Buffalo Hills. London, Mr. White. Yeah? Well, what is it? Great Scott, look here. More trouble at Boulder City. What? Governor Carson's automobile wrecked in a head-on smash. Ah. Was he hurt? No, just a few scratches. Very lucky. Just how lucky. Even he doesn't know. Yes, as I was saying, Mr. Kent, about your trip to Buffalo Hills for the celebration. Well, what about it, Aza? Whatever else it may be, it won't be dull. Oh, dear me, no. And as far as celebrations are concerned, Mr. Kent, I think, I say I think, you can prepare more for something like the 4th of July. Mystery piling on mystery. What is Aza Hatch talking about? Who is Pete Flores? And what is the connection between Flores and Governor Carson? And why should anyone train a rifle on an elderly scientist and photographer? Tune in next time and follow the story of Superman. Up in the sky! Look! It's a bird! Superman! Superman is a copyrighted feature appearing in Action Comics Magazine. Set! Get! Set! Set! Let's do it! vet! Get!
