Spy Thrillers #1

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CGC records 10 graded copies for Spy Thrillers #1 (1954). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

The Double Identities!

After completing a rigorous training course during the Secret Service training school, Rick Davis passes each test with flying colors. He is introduced to Secret Service agents Jim Wayne and Mike Denver who immediately assign him to a dangerous mission. As they ride to Washington, Rick is informed of a secrets that are being leaked out of a program where a new H-Bomb that was being worked on by scientist Alfredo Costa. His mission is to keep an eye on Costa and find out the source of the leak.

Rick is introduced to Alfredo who has to shake with his left hand as he has poison ivy on his right. As they head to Costa's car, Costa explains how his new H-Bomb design will work. When they get to the car they are surprised when his driver turns out to be a communist spy who demands that both men get in the car. Rick is easily able to knock out the spy and then calls Jim and Mike to take the spy away.

Going back to headquarters they learn that the spy is named Kurt Stenska a Moscow operative who has been operating the Red cells in the area. Learning that there is a meeting of Communist operatives at a local literary club, Rick goes in Kurt's place as he resembles the spy in order to infiltrate the cell. He is surprised when he finds that one of the spies is really Alfred Costas -- or rather an impostor who has infiltrated the H-Bomb project -- Surprised he hasn't been recognized, Rick leaves to drop a note for his informant hiding outside, pretending to want to go outside for a cigarette.

However when Rick returns to the club he finds that he has been found out. However Rick holds his own until the rest of the Secret Service storm the office and capture the spies, they find the real Alfredo Costas tied up in the cellar.

| Appearing1 = **Featured Characters:** * Rick Davis) **Supporting Characters:** * United States Secret Service) ** Jim Wayne) * Mike Denver) **Antagonists:** * Kurt Stenska) **Other Characters:** * Alfredo Costa) **Races and Species:** * Humans) **Realities:** * Earth-616

| StoryTitle2 = The Purple Pyramid! | Writer2_1 = Joe Gill | Penciler2_1 = Joe Sinnott | Inker2_1 = Joe Sinnott | Colorist2_1 = | Letterer2_1 = Sam Rosen | Editor2_1 = Stan Lee | Synopsis2 = Rick Davis is sent to Cairo, Egypt to obtain important documents from a Communist agent. Going to meet with his informant to to find Communist spy he is to get the important documents from by posing as a Communist spy. He is attacked by a man with a knife, but easily defeats him. When his attacker realizes that the man he attacked is American, he introduces himself as Josef his informant.

Josef fingers the man Rick is supposed to meet and Rick goes to the meeting. As the papers are being exchanged, Rick detects a strange odor in the room and realizes too late that it is being pumped full of ether and passes out. As he does so he sees a large man sneaking into the room and then blacks out. He is revived by Josef who informs him that the man he came to meet is dead and they begin searching for the papers. Rick leaves empty handed and returns to his room where he finds the fat man waiting for him. The man introduces him as Demetrius who had come seeking the papers in order to sell them to the highest bidder. Rick pretends to offer to pay him but then pulls the rug out from under the fat man and takes his gun and orders him to take him to where the papers are being kept.

Demetrius takes Rick to the site of the purple pyramid where he buried the documents, but Demetrius also buried a gun there and trains it on Rick. Suddenly Josef appears behind Demetrius with a gun and orders him to turn the papers over to Rick. After he does so, Josef sneaks up behind Rick with his gun and reveals that he is really the communist spy he was assigned to pose as, and that he killed Rick's informant in order to get the papers himself. However, Demetrius jumps Josef and knocks the gun out of his hands. But as Demetrius reaches for his gun Josef pulls out his knife and throws it at Rick, Demetrius then jumps in the path of the knife. Rick then knocks out and ties up Josef. Demetrius, saved by his bulk is then taken to the hospital and Rick turns the papers over to his superiors.

| Appearing2 = **Featured Characters:** * Rick Davis)

**Antagonists:** * Josef **Other Characters:** * Demetrius **Races and Species:** * Humans) **Realities:** * Earth-616 **Locations:** * Egypt ** Cairo)

| StoryTitle3 = Spy At Work | Writer3_1 = | Penciler3_1 = | Inker3_1 = | Colorist3_1 = | Letterer3_1 = Typeset | Editor3_1 = Stan Lee | Synopsis3 = Text story.

| Appearing3 =

| StoryTitle4 = The Eyes of Death! | Writer4_1 = Joe Gill | Penciler4_1 = Chuck Winter | Inker4_1 = Chuck Winter | Colorist4_1 = | Letterer4_1 = | Editor4_1 = Stan Lee | Synopsis4 = Spy story.

| Appearing4 =

| StoryTitle5 = The Ticking Death | Writer5_1 = Joe Gill | Penciler5_1 = Joe Sinnott | Inker5_1 = Joe Sinnott | Colorist5_1 = | Letterer5_1 = | Editor5_1 = Stan Lee | Synopsis5 = In Switzerland, Rick Davis is on a secret mission. While admiring the sights he is attacked by two communist agents, but is able to fight them off and flee. Rick continues on his mission to locate Johannes Schmidt a scientist who was forced by the Nazis during the war to invent a concentrated explosive and triggering mechanism before escaping and fleeing to the Alps.

Going to the clockmaker shop where Schmidt now works, Schmidt quickly changes the subject of his visit into a regular watch transaction while his daughter Anna hands Rick a note telling him they will not talk until he shows them some identification. They pass notes in order to exchange the information while vocally talking about buying a watch in order to trick any listening ears. They take him into the back room where they can talk freely, leaving Rick to worry about the communist spies who have been trailing him from the beginning.

Getting into the back room, Johannes explains that he will sell his device to the Americans in exchange for Rick getting his daughter Anna safely to America. Suddenly the communist spies burst in and knock out Rick and take Johannes prisoner. When Rick comes to, Anna frees him after having fled capture and gives Rick a gun and tells them where the communists took her father. Rick rescues Schmidt from the communists but he is dying he tells Rick that the plans are hidden in his pocket watch and asks Rick to help get Anna to America, Rick tells him that one of the communists stole it but promises that he will get Anna to safety.

While trying to flee on a gondola, they are attacked by communist agents, but they are suddenly killed in an explosion. Rick reveals to Anna that he set the explosives in the watch to go off.

| Appearing5 = **Featured Characters:** * Rick Davis)

**Antagonists:** * Communist spies

**Races and Species:** * Humans) **Realities:** * Earth-616

| Notes = | Trivia = *This issue was not renewed for copyright after 28 years, effectively making its debut stories and characters public domain under United States law. | Recommended = | Links =

Creative credits

Writers: Joe Gill, Joe Gill, Joe Gill, Joe Gill

Interior art: Joe Sinnott, Carl Burgos, Joe Sinnott, Chuck Winter, Joe Sinnott

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

COMICBASE: comicbase:1014146

GCD: 75952

PANEL PROFITS: 4270805