Sarge Steel #3 is dated April-May 1967. Created by Pat Masulli with script by Joe Gill, Illustrations by Dick Giordano and Letters by Jon D'Agostino, the issue features a cover by Giordano. The title still has the "Private Detective" label attached.
Case #103 "The Heritage of Hate" begins with a splash page featuring Sarge fencing with a man wearing a swastika on his fencing mask with the Smiling Skull shooting a bullet between them while a beautiful redhead lingers on the floor. The story starts in Sarge's office with Sarge late for an appointment charging across town avoiding parking tickets and speeding to make a date with Rocky. Rocky it turns out is an ex-light-heavyweight boxing champ with whom Sarge spars twice a week. After the bout Sarge shows off his steel fist to an interested party by smashing a bathroom wall, then goes to his locker to find a man stealing his signature steel luger. He breaks his wrist and sends him packing. Later at his office he listens to Bessie's recorded notes about the clients of the day, but is interrupted by three thugs. Sarge battles them and defeats all three but then is slugged from behind by an unknown party. He awakes in the arms of a beautiful redhead named Inga Ross. Then police appear and tell Sarge that while they don't suspect him, they need him to come with them to answer questions since bullets matching his gun have turned up in regard to two homicides. He discovers that his luger has a silver twin with the same serial number and almost identical and ballistics patterns. That silver Luger reportedly owned by Rudolf Wolk. Then after leaving the police office Inga pulls a gun and forces Sarge onto a plane headed south.
Part II is titled "The Smiling Skull" and opens as Rudolf Wolk, the Smiling Skull approaches Sarge's plane in a military style jet. Both planes land on a field in a "banana republic". After a few words, Wolk uses his signature silver luger to demonstrate his shooting skill by shooting at Sarge who is unimpressed. After trading a few bon mots Sarge and Wolk come into conflict with Sarge deflecting Wolk's shot with his steel fist and then knocking out the Nazi. Taking Wolk's gun and running out the window, he finds Inga hanging out another window and re-enters the building. She says her father is being held captive and then thugs appear with guns. Sarge shoots them as they head to the dungeons in the network of tunnels under the base. Sarge and Inga encounter a fencer wearing a swastika on his fencing mask just as Sarge realizes his silver Luger is empty.
"C.I." is a two-page text piece about the training and expertise needed to do the job of Criminal Investigator in the military. The essay is narrated by Major John William Henry.
"Doomsday" is a one-page story by artist Bill Molno about the threat of nuclear war and speaks of bombers, submarine missiles and the future threat of missiles launched from the ocean floor.
Part III is titled "The Silver Luger" and begins as Sarge defeats the fencer, blocking his sword with his fist then he and Inga head into the dungeon as Wolk appears with another gun. They find bars blocking the way, but Sarge is able to use his fist to bust through them. The pair run into a staging area filled with jet planes and other equipment which Inga explains is the secret weapons cache of the Smiling Skull and includes nuclear weapons. Sarge reloads the silver luger and then releasing fuel sets fire to the weapons cache. Fleeing the raging fire they find Inga's father just as they come under fire from a machine gun, but Sarge dispatches the gunner. He then gets Inga's dad and other released prisoners to use the machine gun to hold the Nazis at bay while and Rudolph Wolk the Smiling Skull face off. Again Sarge deflects the bullet with his fist and fires at Wolk seemingly killing him. But a caption says Wolk will be held for trial as the battle is won and the wannabe Nazis are defeated. Sarge gets a kiss from Inga but the final panel shows him returning to his office where Bessie waits. He brings the silver Luger with him.
Finally there is "The Sport of Judo" a three-page feature written and drawn by Frank McLaughlin featuring Sarge Steel telling the reader all about the basics of judo and how it should be seen more as a sport requiring specific discipline rather than just a deadly secret science.
This is a solid issue of Sarge Steel. The format of the story has more of the spy flavor from the second issue and less of the noir feel of the first. The Smiling Skull is a memorable baddie and it's always good when the good guys are cleaning out a nest of Nazis. Back in the 60's there were plenty of these unrepentant types to subdue it seems. Sarge really depended on his steel fist in this one using it many times to deflect bullets a now common trick, and as a shield of sorts in the fencing bout. It's a great all-purpose weapon in these stories and as a mace is perfect. Sarge's strength seems a bit amplified this time, but I guess we can write some things off to metal fatigue.
More to come.
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