Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leave tall buildings at a single bound. Look! Up in the sky! Yes, it's Superman, strange visitor from another world, who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. Superman, who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel in his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way. But before we join Superman, here is an important message. Yes, fellas and girls, here is an important message for you. A message direct from our fighting Marines in the Solomon Islands. Echoed by our blue jackets on the high seas, by the boys who wear our army and navy wings, our tank troops in Africa, our commandos in England. In fact, by every man in the American armed forces, no matter where he may be. And here's the message. We're going to win this war, they say. We're going to wipe Hitlerism and fascism off the face of the Earth. We've taken on the job, and we're going to see it through, but we can't do it alone. We can't do it without the help of every boy and girl and every man and woman back home. Now, we know the one way we can help those boys fight this war to a victorious finish is to see that they get all the guns and tanks and ships and planes they need. But those things require a lot of money, and that's where you and I come in. We help our government to buy those war materials by lending them our money, by buying all the war stamps we possibly can as often as we can. Why, right at this moment, there may be a detachment of American commandos carrying through a raid on occupied France, and they're equipped with guns and tanks and protected by planes and ships that you help to buy. That is, if you've been buying war-saving stamps regularly. So let's make a promise to ourselves right now. Let's promise to buy war-saving stamps as often as we can. Tell mother and dad about it. See if you can't get them to give you a dime a day for a war stamp, or even a dime every other day. Because remember that every dime is important, because ten cents will buy five .45 caliber bullets. Five dimes will buy enough fuel oil to take an American destroyer one full mile closer to its objective. And a dime a day from all the fellows and girls in the United States will buy enough fast-pursuit planes to blast Hitler's Luftwaffe out of the sky. So do your share to help win this war. Every time that you've got a dime, buy a war-saving stamp. And now, the adventures of Superman. Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen are now in Arabia involved in some strange and mysterious adventures. In our last episode, we heard how a certain Countess Wajeska had been abducted by a band of Arab desperados headed by a man known only as the Red Fez. We also heard how Sir Mycroft Bittersweet, a penniless Shakespearean actor, had disguised himself as a fortune teller so that he might learn something of the Countess' whereabouts. As Kent, Jimmy, and Sir Mycroft returned to the hotel where the actor had left Lois, our friend saw Count Wajeska, the Countess' husband, moving stealthily along the street. Kent decided to shadow him and accordingly left the others. When Jimmy and Sir Mycroft arrived at the hotel, they found that Lois had gone, leaving a message which said that she was on her way to an old Arab mosque, an abandoned temple. Now, as our story continues today, we find ourselves in a room outside the old mosque, seated at a table as the man in the Red Fez. He is talking with one of his henchmen. Listen. Soon, Abu, this business will be finished. With the money we shall receive, we shall then be able to retire from a mode of life which, I assure you, to one of my delicate temperament is highly distasteful. You were always one for making high and mighty speeches, Master. You talk too much. It has been in my mind, Abu, for many a moon to curb your tongue. You do not accord me the respect that is due my position as leader of our little band. You will get from me all the respect you deserve. Which is none at all. Oh, you wound me deeply, Abu. Can it be that you dislike me? Who can dislike what does not exist? I understand you not. I will explain. When first I joined your band, you were a good, clean, honest desperado. If someone wanted someone else put out of the way, we did the job quickly and efficiently in the best business-like manner, is it? The job was done, the money paid, and there was none to it. Cut and dry business. No imagination. That may be, but who wants imagination? I want money. Oh, such a thing to say. Had I known you felt this way, I should never have permitted you to join my band. Not have permitted me. Ah, you begged me to join. You literally came to me on your hands and knees. Join my band, Abu, you said. Please join my band. No one can cut throats like you can. But that's true. Well, I'm sick of you and your red fairs and your theatrical productions. We're given the job of putting the countess for Jessica out of the way. Do we do a workman-like job of it? No, no, no. We have to hire a fortune teller and some long-haired flute player. For what, I ask you? For what? To lend an air of mystery to the proceedings. To give the man who hired us a little something for the large sum of money he will pay. All you were asked to do was to put the countess out of the way. She is still, so far as I can see, in very good health. We shall take care of that in good time. There is no better time than the present. Come. I will go into the next room and take care of her at once. You will do nothing of the sort. I've arranged a perfect finale for this little business, and I... Someone is knocking at the door. Obviously. Open it. Open it yourself. Careful, Abu. Remember who is master here. Open that door. Open it yourself. Abu, I prefer not to use force. Come another step toward me and I will give you this knife. Really, Abu, I sometimes think... I have a beard of Allah. How long does it take you to open a door? Now, now, C.D. Now, now, yourself. I bring with me a beautiful captive in the best traditions of our business and I'm forced to rap until my knuckles are raw. A beautiful captive? You say you bring a beautiful captive? Yes, it's true. I caught her snooping around outside. Bring her in, ma'am. Take your hands off me. You hear what I said, you tin horn imitation of a... Well, Miss Lane, we meet again. Allah, be merciful. It's the girl we mistook for the countess. This means more trouble. Trouble for Miss Lane, I'm afraid. All right, C.D., take your men and go. Uh, before we go, when do we get paid? As soon as we get rid of the countess. Ah. All right, I go. Come, then. We're fine. Well, Miss Lane, I suppose you tell us what you were doing in this vicinity. Does it really matter? No, I don't suppose it does. Abu, would you be good enough to bind her hands behind her back? Since you put it that way, not at all. There's no need to tie me up. There's every need, Miss Lane, which will not only bind you, but gag you as well. I would rather you and the countess Jessica did no talking while you are together. You mean I'm to be placed in the same room at the countess? Of necessity. It is the only room left beside this one since the mosque was practically torn down stone by stone by that amazing individual in the red cape. And the countess is still alive. Yes, worse luck. We could have put her out of the way long ago. Now, hold still while I make these knots secure. Abu, will you... And I'd tie knots and answer doors as well. I am the master here. It is I again. What is it this time, Ziti? I have two more captives. Only this time they are not beautiful. Two more? So. One looks like a fortune teller but talks like an Englishman until I gagged him. Now, there's a boy. He did not talk so much but I gagged him anyway. Jimmy, it must be Jimmy and Sir Microck. Bring them in. With pleasure. Bring them in, man. We bring... Jimmy. Jimmy. Sir Microck, why did you call me here? I should never have left that message. They cannot answer you, I'm afraid, since they are well gagged and we had best leave them that way. That is right. There's too much talk around here as it is. With this I agree. Too much talk and too little action. Already all of Mecca is beginning to descend upon us here. I say, let's stop talking and do our job. Let us put the Countess and the rest of these people out of the way. No, let us... Let us not be rash. We must wait until our employer arrives. I've arranged a finale the like of which... A fuck's on you and your finales. Was it in our agreement with our employer that we were to stage an entertainment form as well? No. No, get rid of the Countess is what he said and get rid of the Countess is what we should do. No more, no less. Wait a minute. You mean that you were hired to do this job? You didn't kidnap the Countess to hold her for ransom? Of course not, my child. You see, enough of this, Master. Yes, Abel. Henceforth, you are no longer the Master. What? I hereby call upon the members of this band to join me in rising up against you. If anything is to be done, it must be done now. Let us get rid of the Countess and these others at once. We must wait until... We wait for nothing. C.D., you others, are you with me? Excellent. Stand back, Master. We now take matters into our own hands. You will regret this. You will regret it more than us if you do not hold your tongue. C.D., bring the Countess in here. At once. You mean that you... You're going to kill her? All of it? I, uh, regret, but, uh, that is exactly what I mean. You can't do that. You can't. Do you hear? You can't. Pennelly! Gag her! Stop it! I... Here's the Countess, Abel. Good, good, good. Now then, place them all against the wall. The Countess, Miss Lane, the boy, the old man. We shall make short work of them. Oh, hark, listen. The temple bells strike the hour of midnight. Even the time is ripe. As the Arab Desperados prepare to put an end to Lois, Jimmy, the Countess, and Sir Mycroft, Clark Kent is shadowing Count Wajeska through the narrow, windy streets of Mecca. Suddenly, Kent stops short, steps into a doorway, and in a moment emerges in the blue and red costume of Superman. Now we'll take care of that Count. Who let go of me? Not until we have a little talk, Count Wajeska. How do you know my name? Who are you? Never mind that. What are you doing sneaking along this street? What business is it of yours? I'm going to make it my business. To begin with, where is your wife? Stand back or I'll blow you to pieces. With that little toy pistol, don't make me laugh. Stand back, I said. Stand back. Now, I'll relieve you of that ugly weapon. Oh, give me back that gun. No, you might hurt yourself. Guns are dangerous things. Now suppose you tell me what you're up to. Let me go, you're killing me. Not quite yet, but I will, unless you start explaining a few things in a hurry. Stop, I will tell you anything you want to know. Talk fast. Who kidnapped your wife? Where is she? Who's holding her for ransom? Nobody is holding her for ransom. She was kidnapped because I wanted her put out of the way. Why? I have been dependent on her for as long as I can remember for any money I ever had. To make more money, I tried gambling, lost heavily. I have many debts which must be paid or I shall go to jail. Disgraced forever. I knew my wife would never give me the money if I asked for it. There was only one other way. Her money, all of it, comes to me when she dies and so I hired this band. Why, you... Please, please don't hit me again. Where's the Countess now? Quick, where is she? There is an old and abandoned mosque on the edge of the town. Yes, I know it. Is that where she is? Yes, yes. That is the headquarters of the Arab band. Thanks for the information. And now, just so you won't see more than is good for you... Now then, I've got to get to that mosque and fast. Red Cloak, flying in the wind, Superman wings through the night on his way to the abandoned mosque, little realizing how precious is every second. Is he already too late? Be sure to hear tomorrow's thrill-packed episode. Tune in tomorrow and every day, Monday through Friday, same time, same station, and follow The Adventures of Superman. Superman! Fellas and girls, don't ever get the idea there's nothing you can do to help win this war. Of course, we can't all be members of Uncle Sam's armed forces because, well, because some of us are too old or too young. But that doesn't mean we can't get into this fight. No, sir. Because there is one big important thing we can do. We've got to see that our fighters are supplied with all the bullets and guns and the tanks and ships and planes they need to wipe Hitlerism and fascism off the face of the earth. How? By buying all the war-saving stamps and bonds we possibly can. Because every time we buy a war-saving stamp or bond, we lend our government money with which to finance the fight. So remember, talk with mother and dad tonight about giving you an extra dime every day or every other day for war-saving stamps. Talk about it with all your friends. Get them to make a pledge with you to buy war-saving stamps regularly. Faster than a speeding bullet. Moving to the single bound. Follow the adventures of Superman every day, Monday through Friday, same time, same station. Superman is a copyrighted feature appearing in Action Comics magazine. This is mutual.
