Post by DocQuantum on Sept 24, 2023 2:54:43 GMT
by Doc Quantum, adapted and greatly expanded from Adventure Comics #159 by Jack Miller and Ralph Mayo
Prologue:
Johnny Chambers, an ace cameraman for Sees-All Tells-All Newsreels, never let a little problem like a police cordon keep him from getting a perfect shot. As he perched precariously on an iron beam on a construction site, capturing the raging inferno of a burning building across the street, his dedication to his craft was evident.
With a hint of determination in his voice, Johnny mused, "The people who see this film will never realize the trouble I went to in order to get it!"
However, whenever danger reared its head and emergencies loomed large, Johnny possessed a secret formula that could alter the fabric of reality, turning him into the indomitable Johnny Quick, King of Speed.
"3X2(9YZ)4A..."
In a whirl of motion Johnny transformed, his familiar attire replaced by a striking red and yellow costume emblazoned with an insignia of wings, along with a black mask to shield his identity. Now transformed, Johnny Quick soared into the air at breakneck speed, glorying in his incredible abilities.
Yet, the origins of Johnny Quick's extraordinary powers were shrouded in more than just scientific curiosity. Witness a tale of epic proportions, the untold story of how Johnny Quick first demonstrated his mastery over speed nearly two years before his official debut as a mystery-man. It was a saga that revealed the genesis of his incredible powers -- and the rival who dared to challenge his supremacy.
***
It was the autumn of 1939, when the leaves began to turn various shades of yellow, orange, and red, and a chill swept through the city. Johnny Chambers had been settling into his role as an ace cameraman for Sees-All Tells-All, capturing the biggest stories on film for just a few months, but the weight of his past still lingered.
Johnny's days were a whirlwind of news coverage, long hours, and the camaraderie of the newsroom. But despite his apparent success, his nights were haunted by memories of a devastating car accident from his childhood, a tragic event that had left his parents dead and him in the care of the brilliant but ailing Professor Ezra Gill.
Now, Johnny's life took an unexpected turn. Professor Gill's old friend, Professor Eugene Bradley, a brilliant physicist with whom Gill had shared his groundbreaking research, sought Johnny out. Bradley was aware that Johnny held the formula in his memory but had never used it.
In a meeting with Johnny, Professor Bradley listened as Johnny recounted his painful memories and the overwhelming guilt that had plagued him for years.
"It's like a never-ending nightmare," Johnny admitted, his voice heavy with the weight of his past. "I watched Professor Gill wither away after making me memorize his space and time formula. But even with such power at my hands, I couldn't save him in return -- I just wasn't smart enough to make it work for me more than once, and because of that he died. That guilt, it's been eating at me for years. I've long wanted to use that formula for good, just as Professor Gill had wanted me to, but my fear of the formula failing to work at the wrong time has stopped me time and again."
Professor Bradley, a refined-looking elderly man with white hair and a goatee, nodded sympathetically, his eyes filled with understanding. "Johnny, your burden is indeed a heavy one, but perhaps we can find a way to alleviate it. You see, the formula holds great power, but it also holds the key to a better future. Professor Gill believed in you, and so do I."
Johnny's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I believe that you can be a protector, a force for justice," Bradley explained. "But to do that, we need to remove these heavy burdens that still hold you back. I propose using hypnosis to wipe both the formula and the associated guilt over it from your mind. It will be a fresh start, Johnny, a chance to be the hero that Professor Gill hoped you could be."
Johnny hesitated, his gaze fixed on Bradley. The prospect of shedding the pain of the past was tempting, but it also meant relinquishing the knowledge of a formula that had the power to change everything, something that had been entrusted to him alone.
"Can I trust you, Professor Bradley?" Johnny asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Bradley's expression was resolute. "You can, Johnny. Ezra and I were close friends, and even better collaborators. While he had been working on the mathematical angle of the space and time formula, I was working on the same problem from a more mechanical angle using my knowledge of advanced physics. Thanks to our collaboration, I have now succeeded in devising a formula of my own. Unlike Ezra's, however, this formula only works on a temporary basis, but despite that limitation it also holds some unique qualities unknown to Ezra's formula, as you may soon see.
"It is my formula that I will share with you at first. I will watch over you, guide you as you use this formula for good. If you prove yourself worthy, Ezra's original formula can be shared once more with you -- and only you -- and this time, you can use it for the good as Ezra had intended."
With a mixture of relief and trepidation, Johnny agreed to the proposal, and Bradley committed the formula to memory for safekeeping. Under Bradley's guidance, Johnny underwent the hypnotic procedure and soon felt a profound weight lifting from his shoulders. When he awoke, Johnny had no recollection of the formula or the guilt that had bound him for so long.
As the days progressed, Johnny found himself a new man. He was free from the burden of the past and remembered only that Professor Bradley had something for him, something that could potentially bring out the best within him. But Bradley was cautious; he vowed to watch Johnny closely, unsure if the young man could prove himself as an honest and just protector of the power he had once held.
***
A few days later, in the heart of Professor Bradley's laboratory, a dimly lit sanctum of scientific wonder, Professor Eugene Bradley held up one index finger as if he was in a lecture hall, addressing his students. "Johnny, my formula will make you the fastest human alive. But I'm warning you -- there may be danger!"
"I'll take the chance, Professor!" Johnny Chambers replied resolutely. "All I want is an asbestos suit, so that the speed won't set my clothes on fire!"
Bradley, his voice laden with wisdom and concern, cautioned, "Don't be in a hurry, my boy. You may not be able to control your speed! I'm going to give you a formula that will work only temporarily--"
"So that in case anything goes wrong, I'll slow down anyway -- good idea!" interrupted Johnny, his eagerness to embrace his newfound speed palpable.
The Professor, aware of the moral dilemma that might arise with these newfound abilities, wrestled inwardly with an unspoken concern. Besides, he mused, when you get these new powers, you may turn out to be dishonest -- but I can't tell you that!
Nonetheless, with a profound sense of responsibility, Professor Bradley handed Johnny the formula.
Having been mentally conditioned for the responsibility, Johnny Chambers chanted the arcane incantation, "ZYMO4N13/1," and the laboratory was set ablaze with transformation.
As if by magic, Johnny now found himself wearing a radiant asbestos-lined costume of red and yellow, thanks to Professor Bradley's unique variant of the space and time formula. Wearing the costume that had come from his subconscious mind, he began to fly up to the rafters of the spacious laboratory, exulting in his new abilities.
Astonished by the sight, Bradley said, "It's working!" But he was still cautious, and continued his lecturing tone as he said, "Remember, Johnny, you're being tested. Make good use of your speed!"
"I will, Professor," said Johnny. "I promise!"
"And be back here at noon as we'd planned!" reminded Professor Bradley as he watched Johnny exit through the window and ascend into the heavens, embracing his newfound role as the King of Speed, even if it might only be for a day. He had a few ideas about how he would test out his speed, but first he had to drop in at the office so he wouldn't risk losing his job.
The city's heart pulsated with life that morning as Johnny Chambers, soon to be known as Johnny Quick, the Mile-a-Moment Marvel, dashed through its bustling streets toward a certain building. His vibrant red and yellow circus acrobat costume gleamed like a beacon amidst Manhattan's sea of humanity, though he was far too fast for anyone to even catch a glimpse of him. The towering skyscrapers framed his electrifying run, their steel and glass forms bearing witness to his lightning-quick journey.
***
Later, the brash young cameraman strolled into the cluttered Sees-All Tells-All News office, where various employees were engrossed in meticulously editing footage from the latest events. The low hum of machines and the occasional clatter of typewriters formed a chaotic symphony around him. Johnny Chambers found himself feeling a new appreciation for his work. Suddenly, the office door swung open, revealing Tubby Watts, his loyal colleague.
Tubby, his round face flushed with excitement, exclaimed, "Johnny, you won't believe the tip I got! There's a bald miser, loaded with cash stolen from the poor, living in a creepy mansion uptown! The police can't touch him without any evidence, but his mansion is built like a fortress to keep everyone out!"
Johnny's piercing blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as he looked at his partner. "A miser, Tubby?" he replied, realizing this might be his first real chance to test out his speed. "That's a rarity, indeed. Let's not waste any time. We need to check this out."
After calling the police to meet them at the address, Johnny and Tubby soon arrived by car outside the eerie mansion, which loomed ominously under the clouded skies, a grotesque silhouette against the muted light. A forbidding wrought-iron gate and wild, overgrown bushes added to the air of malevolence that enveloped the place.
With practiced stealth, they approached a shattered window close to the street. Through the jagged glass they spotted the bald miser, his hunched figure reminiscent of the infamous Scrooge from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This old miser was named Edwin Skinner, and he was surrounded by a grotesque hoard of glittering coins and crumpled dollar bills.
Johnny leaned in, whispering to Tubby with urgency, "Stay here, Tubby, and keep that camera ready for action. I'll handle this."
Once out of sight, Johnny uttered, "ZYMO4N13/1," transforming into his costumed identity and granting himself super-speed with Professor Bradley's temporary formula.
In the blink of an eye, Johnny dashed through the mansion's labyrinthine interior, his movements a blur as he deftly sidestepped an array of treacherous traps and pitfalls meant to keep out all intruders.
Like a lightning bolt, Johnny streaked through the interior of the mansion, which was bathed in dim, sinister light. Rifling through filing cabinets, he soon found that they were filled to the brim with damning documents that exposed the miser's criminal exploits.
Quickly scanning several of the documents, Johnny frowned as muttered to himself, "Usurious moneylending... predatory property acquisitions... extortion rackets... unscrupulous employment practices... even dealing in opium and narcotics -- why, this guy's a one-man crime wave!"
Grabbing a stack of incriminating papers, Johnny dashed toward the heart of the mansion, where the miser, Edwin Skinner, sat at a table piled high with ill-gotten cash. With a cocky grin, Johnny burst into the dimly lit room, confronting the miser as he shouted, "Time to put an end to your money madness, Skinner!"
Skinner, startled by Johnny's sudden appearance, clutched a bag of money protectively. "Wh-who are you?!" he said indignantly, his eyes wide with surprise.
"The guy who's here to deliver justice, at the speed of sound!" Johnny replied sarcastically, ready to confiscate the ill-gotten wealth. His voice crackled with righteous indignation as he said, "I won't let greed rule this city!"
"You won't take this from me!" Skinner said defensively. "I earned every penny!"
"'Earned', huh?" Johnny said in a mocking tone. "And by that you mean swindling, cheating, and crushing the hopes of the poor and desperate?"
Raising the revolver he always kept at his side, Skinner grumbled, "Details, details..."
In the fraction of a second it took for the miser to utter those words, Johnny was already upon him, disarming Skinner at lightning speed and securing the bag of money. "Rob the poor, eh? You can't take it with you!" he declared, his voice dripping with disdain.
Holding up the sheets, Johnny added, "The police will love these papers. It's time to pay for your sins, Skinner."
"You're just like the rest of them," Skinner grumbled. "Trying to bring me down. But I won't go quietly, I tell you!"
A whirlwind of motion and fury was suddenly unleashed as Skinner ducked for cover and triggered a barrage of deadly traps with the flip of a switch beneath the table.
Coins and razor-sharp blades looking like banknotes whizzed through the air like lethal projectiles, but Johnny moved with the agility and precision of a seasoned acrobat, dancing effortlessly between them.
Beginning to recognize the futility of his resistance, Skinner attempted to make a hasty escape, but a blur of red and yellow motion thwarted his plans. "Not so fast, you old miser!" Johnny said, his words echoing with determination.
Catching up to him quicker than ever, Johnny bound the miser in a makeshift cage of banknotes, contracts, and swirling coins, rendering him incapacitated. "Gotcha!" he quipped triumphantly. "You're not going anywhere."
Defeated, Skinner growled, "You may have won this time, whoever you are, but the world's full of greedy souls like me."
"And I'll be ready for every one of them," Johnny replied determinedly.
The wailing sirens of approaching police cars heralded the impending arrival of the authorities, and police officers soon swarmed the scene. The officer in charge was astounded to find old Edwin Skinner, the Money-Mad Miser himself, sitting tied up outside the gates of his house, surrounded by proof of all of his many crimes.
His hands bound by handcuffs, the miser was led away by the police. Edwin Skinner would be left to ponder the consequences of his insatiable greed as he was placed into the back of a police car.
Meanwhile, Tubby Watts had finally noticed that Johnny Chambers was nowhere to be found. Looking left and right, Tubby was startled when he suddenly felt a tapping on his shoulder. Spinning in place, the rotund cameraman found a grinning Johnny standing right behind him.
"Oh, there you are, Johnny!" exclaimed Tubby, too excited to ask where he'd been. Wielding his camera like a triumphant trophy, he added, "I got the whole arrest on tape, Johnny! This is going to make one heck of a news story!"
A hint of pride in his voice, Johnny replied, "Great job, Tubby."
As Tubby Watts rushed back to the office, Johnny excused himself, knowing he would only have his super-speed abilities for a limited time, and said, "ZYMO4N13/1."
With a burst of lightning speed, the Mile-a-Moment Marvel rocketed off into the sky, his senses ever vigilant, ready to face whatever new adventure might await him. But first he had to keep an appointment with Professor Bradley.
***
Outside the laboratory, a dark-haired man with a mustache silently crept up and listened at the door to his office. Professor Bradley was seated within at his desk, trying to read a book, but his thoughts were still filled with the implications of his experiment. "I can't test an important formula like this on just one person," he muttered to himself. "I must try it on at least one other subject!"
Charles Drake, the unassuming assistant to Professor Bradley, stepped forward then, a glimmer of ambition in his eye. He had dropped by at the right time, even if he hadn't known it. "Why not on me, Professor? I wouldn't mind being a speed demon!"
Interrupted from his thoughts, Professor Bradley considered the idea for a moment. Drake had been his assistant for a few months now, and he believed he knew the man quite well after that time. With a nod of his head, he held up a note containing his formula and said, "All right, Charley, I'll try you out, too! Here's the formula!"
Over the next hour, the Professor explained to his assistant what the formula meant, since it wouldn't work for anyone whose mind hadn't been conditioned to use it first. A quick study with a fair amount of education under his belt, Charley Drake began to grasp the concepts much quicker than Johnny Chambers had as a child under Professor Gill's tutelage.
Finally, his mind now prepared to grasp Bradley's formula, Charley Drake read it aloud. "ZYMO4N13/1." With that, he found himself transformed, wearing a skintight black outfit that had come straight out of his imagination. With that, another contender was born, and Charley Drake reveled in his newfound powers. Now Professor Bradley would need to put them to the test.
Johnny Chambers, still in his red and yellow outfit and black mask, soon returned to Professor Bradley's laboratory by noon that day as he had promised. After explaining his proposal, the Professor arranged for a race between the two figures at a nearby college racetrack that he knew wasn't being used that day.
Within moments, the stage was set for a momentous test of human potential. Professor Bradley, the ingenious mind behind this daring experiment, stood holding a stopwatch, his eyes filled with anticipation. Before him, two figures, Johnny Chambers in his colorful outfit and Charley Drake in his black outfit, poised at the starting line, ready to race into history.
However, almost immediately after shouting, "Go!" to the two speedsters in order to begin racing a hundred times around the track, the race was already over. They had both reached the finish line neck and neck for the hundredth time before the ribbon even had a chance to fall to the ground, proving that the tremendous speed they each possessed was equal to each other.
Professor Bradley, his voice tinged with awe and excitement, mused aloud, "I don't know which is faster -- they both finished before I could clock them!"
"Thanks for the race, buddy," Johnny said, shaking Drake's hand. "Now, Professor, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue using this speed while I still can!"
"By all means, Johnny," assured the Professor. "As for you, Charley, I'm sure you're eager to do the same, but if you would care to complete the day's work first, I would be most appreciative."
"Not a problem, Professor," Drake replied. Inwardly, he thought, What do I care, anyway? Soon I won't need this crummy job -- or any job ever again!
***
Elsewhere, the city streets thrummed with chaos as an armored truck, its siren blaring like a dire warning, thundered through the bustling thoroughfare as it evaded threats from nearly every corner. Panicked pedestrians scattered in its wake, seeking refuge from the impending danger.
High over the scene, Johnny's masked gaze locked on to the ongoing armored car chase on the streets far below, recognizing that an organized criminal operation had been set up along the truck's route.
"An armored truck robbery in progress downtown, huh?" he muttered. With newfound determination, he added, "Time to spring into action." In an instant, Johnny prepared to confront the impending threat before any innocent bystanders could be harmed.
With unparalleled swiftness, Johnny soared down from the clouds above, his form a mere blur of red and yellow streaking through the urban landscape. The city itself seemed to bend to his will as he traversed its streets at lightning speed.
Arriving at the scene of the planned heist, he discovered a criminal armed with a menacing machine gun, apparently the final threat planned along the route. The miscreant had taken refuge in a manhole, from which he launched the latest vicious attack on the armored truck from the Thirteenth National Bank.
Johnny, his voice brimming with authority, called out, "Back to the sewer, rat!"
The criminal, taken aback by the unknown speedster's sudden and unexpected arrival, hesitated for a fleeting moment.
In a breathtaking display of his superhuman speed, Johnny harnessed his extraordinary powers. He disarmed the crook with blinding precision, sending the machine gun spiraling into the air.
The crook, now disarmed and stunned, stumbled backward, teetering dangerously on the precipice of the manhole, before plummeting into its depths.
With grace and efficiency, Johnny raced along the speeding armored car, astonishing the guards. He declared with unwavering assurance, "You can slow down now, fellas -- I got the last crook on your tail!" Augie and Jeff, the driver and the guard in the passenger seat, respectively looked at each other, not sure what to think.
In moments, police officers arrived at the scene and, with practiced efficiency, apprehended the defeated criminal. Before he could be spotted by the police, Johnny flew off into the sky. "Tubby sure would be disappointed to know he wasn't able to get all of the action on film," he mused.
As the criminal was led away in shackles, Johnny took a moment to savor the accomplishment. And with that, Johnny returned to the skies above, keeping an eager eye out for any further signs of danger this day might bring.
***
Elsewhere, the newfound rival to Johnny Chambers soared into the sky away from Professor Bradley's laboratory, propelled by his newfound speed and a dangerous agenda.
With a sneer, Charley Drake flew away as the Professor watched from the window. "The Professor thinks I did this for science," he laughed, thinking back on what his boss had explained earlier. "The sap doesn't realize that this speed will help me clean up! But the formula's only temporary -- I'd better work fast!"
Soon, amidst the shimmering jewels and opulent displays of a nearby jewelry store, the stage was set for a daring spectacle. Drake, clad in his skintight black costume, soared above the elegant glass counters, a master thief in flight. The venerable owner, adorned in a black business suit with a crown of white hair, presented a glittering array of diamonds to a beautiful young lady, her attire a striking ensemble of green.
The lady, her eyes widening with astonishment, watched in disbelief as the diamonds vanished before her very eyes. Her voice quivering, she cried, "Wh-what happened to the diamonds?"
Charley Drake, levitating above them with the stolen diamonds clutched in his left fist, couldn't resist a boast. "It's simple, lady -- my hand is quicker than your eyes!" he said with a smirk before vanishing as quickly as he had come.
***
The sun cast a warm, golden hue over Central Park as the outdoor jazz festival continued to weave its enchantment. The rhythmic hum of music now seemed like a heartbeat, pulsing with the vibrant energy of the audience.
Families lounged in foldable chairs, their faces lit with joy, while others surrendered to the rhythm and danced barefoot on the grass, twirling to the intoxicating melodies that filled the air. Johnny Chambers, however, remained aloft, suspended in midair by the power of flight, his lithe figure a shadow against the setting sun.
On this bustling day, Johnny decided to become just another face in the crowd. Descending gracefully to the earth, he blended seamlessly with the festival-goers, his bright costume making him seem like one of the performers that often plied their trade along the edges of such gatherings. With an effortless grin, he immersed himself in the music, letting the jazz musician's soulful performance wash over him.
Piero Piccolo, the enigmatic performer more popularly known as Mister Melody, commanded the stage beneath a dazzling halo of spotlight. With each melodious note from his gleaming trombone, he spun a captivating tale that captivated the audience's senses. Yet, hidden within that very instrument lay a sinister secret -- a concealed compartment harboring a deadly payload of bullets.
As Mister Melody's fingers danced across the trombone's gleaming surface, his gaze roamed the crowd, settling ominously on a wealthy, elderly gentleman donned in a tuxedo and a top hat, a snowy white mustache adorning his upper lip. Mister Melody's eyes, shrouded by the brim of his hat, glinted with malicious intent.
Johnny's keen instincts caught the subtle shift in the musician's demeanor, his frown deepening. Amidst the carefree crowd, he alone sensed the impending danger. Swiftly, he sprang into action, his figure a blur as he raced forward to confront the imminent threat.
Mister Melody, startled by the sudden appearance of a challenger hurtling toward him, discharged the concealed firearm when it was still aimed too high. The gunshot cracked through the air, slicing through the music. The bullet whizzed over Johnny's left shoulder as he deftly evaded its path, moving with fluid grace. It merely grazed the top of the wealthy man's hat before finding its final resting place in the bark of a nearby tree, a silent testament to the danger averted.
With a wry grin, Johnny quipped, "You'll be playing a different tune soon!"
The audience, jolted by the gunshot, erupted into a frenzy of motion as Mister Melody tried to eliminate his newfound adversary. Johnny's unparalleled speed allowed him to dodge the succession of bullets, each one released in rapid sequence from the treacherous trombone. They all soared harmlessly into the sky, far above the panicked crowd, following Johnny's rapid trajectory.
In a daring maneuver, Johnny seized a nearby microphone stand, his movements precise as he aimed to disarm the murderous musician.
But in the climax of their confrontation, Mister Melody's desperation led to a catastrophic misfire. His rigged trombone backfired in a dazzling burst of sparks and smoke.
Renewed panic swept through the crowd like wildfire as people scrambled for safety. Yet, in a heartbeat, Johnny shielded them from the explosion's aftermath and the cascading debris.
As the smoke dissipated, it revealed the speedster standing triumphantly over a defeated Mister Melody. Johnny's voice held unwavering determination as he declared, "Your deadly music ends here, Melody."
To his surprise, the audience began clapping, thinking this might all have been part of the show. With a flourish, Johnny played along and took a deep bow. Already several police officers, alerted by the gunshot, were rushing forward to apprehend the disarmed musician. Without waiting to be questioned, Johnny performed his vanishing act at super-speed and ascended high into the sky, feeling a surge of relief and pride. Reflecting on the day's events, he thought to himself, Another crisis averted, and it's not even dinnertime!
As the bustling city continued its daily hustle, the resolute speedster soared overhead, ever watchful and ready for the next unforeseen challenge. But first, there was a meeting with Tubby Watts for an assignment at the Museum that afternoon, a reminder that duty and adventure were constants in his extraordinary life.
***
Meanwhile, having robbed the jewelry store, the keen-eyed Charley Drake spotted his next mark -- the same unfortunate armored truck that Johnny Chambers had earlier saved from an organized robbery attempt. It was presently turning the corner, rumbling down the street at a much more reasonable speed than before.
His eyes locked onto the prize, Drake still held the diamonds from the jewelry store robbery, but his sights were now set on the contents of the armored car.
Calculating his next move, he said to himself, "An armored car from the Thirteenth National Bank! I don't want to tangle with the rifles of the men inside -- but I'd like to have the money they're guarding!"
With breathtaking speed, Drake swooped above the speeding armored truck, and with a stolen diamond in hand, he executed a jaw-dropping maneuver. The stolen diamond, wielded by his super-swift hand, slashed through the steel of the car's roof as if it were mere paper.
Reveling in his newfound power, Drake observed, "When I go so fast, this diamond cuts through armor plate like a knife through butter!"
Through the wide gash in the armored car's roof, Drake spotted the coveted bag of cash and made his move, pilfering it effortlessly.
Inside the armored vehicle, the driver and guard, were left stunned and powerless.
"YIII!" cried Lou, the shocked driver. "We've been robbed!"
Helpless to stop the speedster who was even now escaping into the air with the loot, the rifle-carrying guard named Bud, who sat in the passenger seat, remarked, "Brother, you can say that again!"
***
Under the radiant afternoon sun, the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art stood as a beacon of culture and knowledge. Its grand entrance buzzed with eager visitors, their faces adorned with expressions of delightful anticipation. Banners fluttered proudly in the breeze, announcing the grand opening of the new Egyptology Exhibit to the world.
Tubby Watts, a seasoned news reporter with a round figure, stationed himself inside near the entrance, his watch-bearing wrist frequently coming under his scrutiny. "Johnny's running late again," he murmured, his brows furrowed in concern.
Meanwhile, just beyond the hallowed halls of the museum, concealed from the bustling world, a mysterious figure was on the prowl. Isadora Viper, a notorious thief renowned for her audacious heists, had craftily assumed the guise of a museum employee to gain entry. In her arms, the long-haired brunette cradled bundles of mummy wrappings, hiding a wicked purpose within their folds.
Tubby's sharp eyes were trained on the museum's entrance, alert to Isadora's suspicious behavior. Raising an intrigued eyebrow, he muttered, "That's odd. You'd think all the museum staff would already be here and at their stations by now for the opening."
Intruding into the museum's inner sanctum under her false identity, Isadora maneuvered an inconspicuous cart filled with empty artifact display cases.
Tubby's suspicions were now reaching a crescendo. "Something's definitely fishy with that lady," he thought, the gears of his investigative mind turning.
Later, as the excitement inside the museum peaked, the curtains of the exhibit were drawn, unveiling a dimly lit chamber brimming with relics and history.
In this dimly lit ambiance lay the mummy of Pharaoh Amon-Tep, ostensibly lifeless. But the attendees were in for an extraordinary surprise that afternoon.
The once-inert figure, shrouded in the illusion of death, suddenly began to stir, evoking gasps and whispers of awe from the spellbound crowd. An enigmatic mystery was afoot.
The astonished onlookers bore witness to the mummy's astonishing revival, sending waves of apprehension through their midst.
Isadora Viper had seized this opportune moment. Hidden within the mummy wrappings herself, she surveyed the ensuing chaos she had caused by her masquerade, her eyes glinting with mischief. The panic worked in her favor to clear the room, allowing her to take whatever valuables she wished before fleeing the scene.
In the midst of this baffling spectacle, Tubby Watts spotted the late arrival of Johnny Chambers, his friend and fellow newsreel cameraman. "Johnny!" he exclaimed. "You won't believe what's happening!"
"What's going on, Tubby?" Johnny inquired, skepticism etched on his features.
"The Pharaoh's mummy, Johnny! It's moving!" Tubby exclaimed, urgently pointing out the unfolding mayhem.
Skeptical but curious, Johnny peered into the exhibit hall and was met with a sight reminiscent of a scene from a Universal horror film -- a mummy seemingly coming to life and terrifying the fleeing crowd.
Faced with this inexplicable phenomenon, Johnny whispered the secret phrase known only to two others, "ZYMO4N13/1," initiating his incredible transformation.
In the blink of an eye, Johnny Chambers changed into the Mile-a-Moment Marvel, his attire now a blur of crimson and gold. With unmatched velocity, Johnny dashed toward the assumed mummy, a streak of lightning given form. However, a startling revelation awaited.
Spotting a flesh-colored spot behind the mummy's wrappings, Johnny caught the end of the wrapping and gave it a pull, his extraordinary speed unveiling a hidden truth as he unraveled the mummy's wrappings, revealing the very nude figure of Isadora Viper.
"Oops!" Johnny gasped at the unexpected sight, his face flush with embarrassment as he averted his eyes. "Sorry, lady -- I sure didn't mean to do that!"
Yet the cunning thief had already taken that moment of hesitation to rush away, pushing over several displays as she ran stark naked toward a concealed back room where her path to freedom would await her. Her escape seemed imminent as Johnny was kept busy for a few moments saving the invaluable Egyptian artifacts from being damaged or destroyed.
But Johnny's speed was swifter still, and he managed to restore order to the exhibit in a matter of seconds. Then, in a heartbeat, he bridged the gap with unwavering determination, despite his momentary embarrassment.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Johnny ensnared Isadora Viper, covering up her nude figure with within her own mummy wrappings and wrapping one arm and both of her legs tightly together to prevent her from escaping again. "You're all ready for the hoosegow, with no strings attached!" he quipped.
Bound and helpless, Isadora Viper struggled furiously but fruitlessly against her speedy captor. Justice would prevail that afternoon. Summoning the museum guards, Johnny ensured that the defeated thief would face justice.
Tubby Watts, true to form, then captured the ensuing apprehension of the daring female thief on his camera.
Now, having resumed his civilian identity, Johnny Chambers appeared behind Tubby and patted him on the back. "Great job, Tubby. Now, make sure that footage gets to the news office, won't you?"
"Sure thing, pal," replied Tubby.
Before his friend could take another step, Johnny had already whispered his secret phrase once more, and once again, he unleashed his incredible speed, disappearing into the skyline, prepared for any other adventure he might have on this very busy day.
***
As the afternoon wore on, alarm bells rang through the city, cries for help echoed, and the police were called into action.
"HELP!"
"POLICE!"
RRRING!
In the midst of this chaos, soaring through the sky with exhilaration, Johnny Chambers heard the clamor and descended like a streak of lightning.
Soaring with speed, Johnny said, "Sounds like trouble! Maybe I can put my newfound speed to use in helping to end it!"
Touched down gracefully in an alleyway, where the source of the alarm lay before him, Johnny spotted from afar a figure dressed in a skintight black costume.
His eyes widening with realization, Johnny said, "Someone's moving as fast as me -- and he's using his speed for crime!"
As Johnny moved forward to confront the speedster, he was shocked once again to discover that it was none other than Professor Bradley's assistant, Charley Drake. Before he could ask himself why he hadn't recalled Drake from earlier, the two super-speedsters clashed in a dazzling blur of motion, trading rapid blows that were too swift for the onlookers to follow.
Furiously engaged in the high-velocity melee, Johnny threw a haymaker at Drake and shouted, "This will slow you up!"
***
Meanwhile, Professor Bradley had already heard the news of these crimes and was now tormented by them, pacing anxiously in his office as his thoughts were consumed by the implications of his experiment.
"All the crimes were committed with super-speed," blared the news on the radio. "The police are helpless!"
Frowning and deep in thought, the Professor said, "And it's all my fault! I wonder which is the dishonest one -- Johnny or Charley?"
Contemplating a solution, the Professor gazed toward a table laden with beakers and test tubes, his mind racing with possibilities. "Maybe if I transform time and space in the laboratory," Professor Bradley mused as he ventured toward his laboratory, "I can make their super-speed come to an end even faster than it ordinarily would. I'll see what I can do!"
***
The battle outside continued furiously. Charley Drake, seizing an opportunity, landed a fortuitous punch on Johnny Chambers, sending him spinning like a human top.
"Don't stop, Old Top," Drake said, smirking, "you're creating a nice vacuum!"
However, Johnny's high-speed spin had the unfortunate side effect of drawing the air away from the bewildered spectators, creating a perilous vacuum in its wake.
A spectator, gasping for breath, clutching at his throat, croaked, "No air -- choke -- can't breathe..."
Johnny Chambers, his heroic instincts prevailing, made a critical decision. "I'll have to stop chasing that crook to give these people artificial respiration, fast," he said, concern etched on his face.
***
High above the sprawling cityscape, Charley Drake, the wicked master of speed, surveyed the horizon with a scheming glint in his eye. His flight through the heavens granted him a bird's-eye view of the metropolis below. But his motives were not to enjoy the panorama; rather, they were rooted in a desire to outwit his singular rival to determine who was the swiftest of them all. He watched as Johnny was kept busy saving the people below before he could rejoin the fight.
Drake, his expression a blend of frustration and cunning, said, "That slowed him up. If I keep him busy undoing the damage I do, I'll be able to get away from him!" Spotting a large blimp in the air, he added, "Think I'll give him a job with this dirigible!"
Meanwhile, his job below now done, Johnny Chambers ascended with an agile grace that belied his newfound powers. His keen eyes soon spotted Drake's malevolent intentions. An experimental dirigible, intended for the purpose of advertising, hung vulnerable in the air, awaiting an unforeseen assault.
"He's wrecking that dirigible," Johnny said, rising purposefully toward it. "I'd better act before it falls apart!"
In a flash, Johnny descended to the earth below, where a kindly old housewife busied herself with the task of hanging freshly laundered clothes on a line, secured with clothespins.
Approaching the elderly lady with charm and politeness, his eyes shining with sincerity, Johnny asked, "Ma'am, may I borrow these for a while? You'll be paid for it later -- with a bonus!"
The older lady, captivated by the dashing, courteous figure before her, granted her consent without hesitation. "Sure thing!" she replied, smiling warmly. "What a nice young man," she said, watching him fly away.
Once more, the ever-resourceful Johnny soared into the heavens, sheets in hand, each bedsheet transformed into a lifeline. "Lucky I've had good Boy Scout training in tying knots!" he said.
With agility and precision, Johnny wrapped the dirigible in the sturdy sheets, temporarily concealing the breaches caused by Drake's malevolent speed.
Gazing back at his handiwork in an effort to ensure the dirigible's safety, Johnny saw that the pilots had the situation well in hand. "It's losing gas slowly, but not enough to cause a crash. They'll be able to land safely! And now to find my speedy rival!"
Yet, nature had other plans, as the weather changed once again, the clouds from that morning returning with a vengeance. Rain suddenly fell in torrents, the storm giving birth to spectacular bolts of lightning that cracked through the heavens.
As Johnny braved the tempest, rain streaming around him dramatically, he cried, "It's beginning to rain! I'll never find him now -- unless I use my head!" He began to contemplate his next move.
***
Meanwhile, within the sanctum of Professor Bradley's laboratory, the brilliant scientist prepared to enact a transformative experiment amidst the raging storm.
His eyes fixed on the intricate mechanism before him, determined to alter time and space, the Professor said, "Thunder and lighting -- that will make it easier for me to transform time and space at a distance! I'll slow them down soon!"
***
Back in the midst of the tumultuous storm, Charley Drake, in his haste to escape the tempest's fury, beheld a resplendent rainbow arching across the sky, a sign of the tempest's end.
Relieved and determined to outrun the storm, Drake rushed forward as he remarked, "A rainbow -- the storm's finished over there! I'll put on full speed to get away from the danger of lightning!"
But what Drake encountered defied all logic.
He found himself utterly bewildered as the rainbow seemed to lurch toward him. "Huh...? I never heard of a rainbow catching anybody before!"
Before he could fathom the bizarre turn of events, Johnny Chambers, his face obscured by the multi-hued cloths he held, emerged from the storm like a harbinger of justice.
Johnny, his voice carrying a tone of righteous triumph, shouted, "That was an artificial rainbow, rat! I dragged colored cloths through the air so fast that all you could see through the rain was streaks of color!"
With a flick of his wrist, Johnny spun the cloths around Charley Drake, ensnaring him in a kaleidoscope of colors that swiftly encased him.
Seizing the advantage of Drake's deceleration, Johnny said, "Now that I have you slowed down -- I may as well wrap you up!"
But as Johnny executed his plan, a tremor of uncertainty rippled through the fabric of reality. The Professor's attempt to transform time and space had unexpected consequences.
Johnny's voice tinged with alarm as he began to plummet, saying, "Something went wrong -- I lost my speed!"
Amidst the expanse of the farm field, Johnny Chambers, now devoid of his lightning-fast abilities, plummeted towards the earth, his heart racing with the gravity of his situation. Desperately, he tried to use Professor Bradley's formula once again, shouting, "ZYMO4N13/1," but the formula no longer worked.
Calculating his desperate move, Johnny managed to maneuver himself into the thickest pile of hay he could spot on the field of hay below him. "And that crook still has his -- now I'm really on a spot!"
As Johnny came to a relatively soft landing on the hay field, he found himself in an unparalleled predicament, stripped of his superhuman speed, while Charley Drake, his arch-nemesis, remained a master of velocity. The tables had turned, and Johnny was ensnared in a perilous reality.
Hovering above the hay field, Drake quickly scanned for his adversary, but gave up just as fast. "I'm not wasting time looking for you in this hay field -- I know a better way! My speed creates heat through friction!"
With a fiendish grin, Drake accelerated at an astonishing pace, his very presence generating scorching heat through the friction with the air. The dry hay beneath him ignited, flames consuming the field in seconds. Watching the inferno he had sparked with a sinister delight, Drake said, "And the hay bursts into flame! Neat, eh?"
Amidst the blaze, Johnny remained undaunted, standing amidst the fiery tempest. "You haven't got me yet!" he shouted, his voice firm and unyielding.
Drake, still a blur in the sky, observed Johnny's unexpected defiance and was bewildered by his actions next. "He's lost his head -- instead of running away, he's going right into the flames!"
But Johnny's audacity was not without reason. He possessed an ace up his sleeve. "So what?" he called. "I've got an asbestos suit." In the midst of the flames, he added inwardly, And an idea that something is going to happen to you!
"I'm wearing asbestos, too," replied Drake, hovering over the field and menacingly approaching his seemingly helpless foe. Then, as if by a preordained signal, Charley Drake's super-speed began to wane, his velocity diminishing as he plummeted from the sky. "Aaa!" he cried, his confidence replaced by panic. "I'm getting dizzy -- I can't move!"
Johnny observed the transformation with a triumphant smile. "Now you're slowed down to my speed!" he said, exulting in his plan's success. "It was the smoke that did it!" he said, explaining the sudden shift in fortune. "In fires more people are poisoned by smoke fumes than are burned by the flames -- and his super-speed made him breathe super-fast. That's why the smoke got him before it did me!"
With newfound determination, Johnny spotted a tractor nearby. Commandeering the tractor, he steered it toward the blaze, "I'll cut a wide swathe around the part that's burning. That'll keep the fire from spreading!"
Drake, choking on the acrid smoke and rendered powerless, struggled to escape the encroaching fire. "Help..." he choked, gasping for air. "I've lost my speed, too!" Try as he might, no repetition of Bradley's formula, "ZYMO4N13/1," would work any longer.
Johnny skillfully maneuvered the tractor, halting the advance of the flames and allowing Drake a chance at survival.
Presently, as the inferno subsided, Johnny stood victorious over his erstwhile foe, who now lay ensnared within a bale of hay, powerless to escape.
Johnny, triumph and determination in his voice, said, "That saves your life and wraps you up neatly at the same time! Now to get you to jail and find out from the Professor why I lost my speed so suddenly!"
***
In the sanctum of Professor Bradley's laboratory, explanations unfolded. Addressing Johnny with a mixture of pride and scientific curiosity, the Professor said, "I thought I'd stop his crime wave by slowing him down. I didn't expect my space-time reaction to work on you first!"
Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Johnny said, "It did -- and it put me on a spot!"
Professor Bradley extended his hand to Johnny with admiration. "But your wits worked as fast as ever. Johnny, you've passed the test successfully! You've controlled your speed and used it for good. I'm going to give you the permanent formula. It's 3X2(9YZ)4A!"
Proudly shaking Johnny's hand, the Professor added, "From now on, whenever you repeat it, you'll become Johnny Quick. You've won the right to the title! Keep on using your power for good -- and the best of luck to you!"
Accepting the mantle of heroism with unwavering resolve, Johnny replied, "Thanks, Professor. You can count on me never to slow down in the fight for justice!"
***
Later, as the laboratory's dim lights flickered and cast elongated shadows across the cold metal surfaces, Professor Eugene Bradley stood there, his hand resting on the lab table, his gaze fixed on the doorway. The remnants of a recently kindled friendship and a shared secret hung heavily in the air. Johnny Chambers, now bereft of his speedster persona, was about to leave the lab, returning to the mundane existence of his civilian life.
Using Professor Gill's speed formula, Johnny had already paid a visit to the kindly old lady who had helped him, returning her sheets just a little worse for wear, along with a sizeable cash sum out of pocket for her kindness. Now he had come to pay his respects and say farewell to Eugene Bradley, a man he had come to admire much like Ezra Gill before him.
"Johnny," Professor Bradley said with a heavy sigh, "I never thought I'd say this, but I hope this is the last time I see you."
Still in his civilian attire, Johnny turned to face the aging scientist. The weight of their shared experience bore down on him, a newfound responsibility he hadn't asked for but had embraced nonetheless.
"I understand, Professor," Johnny replied, his voice tinged with a sense of melancholy. "I don't want anyone else to know about this formula. It's too powerful -- too dangerous."
Professor Bradley nodded gravely. "Exactly, my boy. The world isn't ready for this kind of power. That's why I've taken precautions." He glanced toward the corner of the lab where Charley Drake, his once-loyal assistant, lay under a deep, hypnotic trance.
Johnny followed Bradley's gaze, his brow furrowing. "Drake? Why, he's not in jail, after all! What's happened to him?"
Professor Bradley looked a bit sheepish, for he had requested Johnny to bring his assistant to him rather than directly to the police, promising that Charles Drake would see justice. Now he had to explain what he had meant by those words. "Charley proved himself untrustworthy. I couldn't trust that he wouldn't find a way to simply escape from jail and then target me as he sought either formula for his own gain once again. No, I had to put him under hypnosis to ensure he'd never reveal our secret, even by accident. With the effects of the formula wearing off, he won't remember any of this, anyway -- none of us will. I'm afraid the only punishment for the crimes he's committed will be losing his job."
Their costumes, remnants of their heroic personas, had already changed back to their ordinary civilian clothing. Johnny's red and gold outfit, the symbol of Johnny Quick, and Charley's own stark black costume, symbols of their brief but remarkable time as super-speedsters on opposite sides of the law, were nothing but fleeting memories now.
"My formula's side effect," Bradley continued, "is a blessing in disguise. It erases the memories of your time as speedsters, leaving them only as fragmented dreams. It's for the best. Besides, now that you have Professor Gill's perfected formula, you'll be able to call upon it when you need it most."
Johnny nodded in agreement, a mixture of relief and sadness in his eyes. "I never asked for this power, Professor, but I'll do my part to protect it from falling into the wrong hands."
Professor Bradley smiled weakly, his eyes reflecting both pride and regret. "You've grown into a fine young man, Johnny. And I believe you'll use your newfound wisdom well."
With a final handshake, Johnny Chambers left the laboratory, stepping out into the bustling streets of the city. Once more the world would see him as an ordinary newsreel cameraman, unaware of the extraordinary adventures he had just left behind.
***
Afterword:
Johnny Chambers wouldn't become Johnny Quick again until nearly two years later, in 1941. For, during that time, whenever he attempted to utter the secret formula for an emergency, some other mystery-man would appear and save the day instead. It was almost as if Destiny itself was preventing him from becoming a hero before his time.
It wouldn't be until that fateful day when he was assigned to cover a story at the Metropolitan Circus in June of 1941 that Johnny Chambers' career as Johnny Quick would begin in earnest, by which time Johnny's earliest cases would be thought of only as Johnny's idle daydreams of becoming a real hero. (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See "The Riddle of the Crying Clown," More Fun Comics #71 (September, 1941) and "The Origin of Johnny Quick," All-Star Squadron #65 (January, 1987).]
However, as this story indicates, the following cases were real incidents that were forgotten along with his first thwarted attempt to become Johnny Quick, the King of Speed:
And it wouldn't be until much later that Johnny would finally recall both Professor Bradley and Charley Drake. At that time, Drake would regain his own super-speed for a rematch. But that was a tale for another day.
The End
Prologue:
Johnny Chambers, an ace cameraman for Sees-All Tells-All Newsreels, never let a little problem like a police cordon keep him from getting a perfect shot. As he perched precariously on an iron beam on a construction site, capturing the raging inferno of a burning building across the street, his dedication to his craft was evident.
With a hint of determination in his voice, Johnny mused, "The people who see this film will never realize the trouble I went to in order to get it!"
However, whenever danger reared its head and emergencies loomed large, Johnny possessed a secret formula that could alter the fabric of reality, turning him into the indomitable Johnny Quick, King of Speed.
"3X2(9YZ)4A..."
In a whirl of motion Johnny transformed, his familiar attire replaced by a striking red and yellow costume emblazoned with an insignia of wings, along with a black mask to shield his identity. Now transformed, Johnny Quick soared into the air at breakneck speed, glorying in his incredible abilities.
Yet, the origins of Johnny Quick's extraordinary powers were shrouded in more than just scientific curiosity. Witness a tale of epic proportions, the untold story of how Johnny Quick first demonstrated his mastery over speed nearly two years before his official debut as a mystery-man. It was a saga that revealed the genesis of his incredible powers -- and the rival who dared to challenge his supremacy.
***
It was the autumn of 1939, when the leaves began to turn various shades of yellow, orange, and red, and a chill swept through the city. Johnny Chambers had been settling into his role as an ace cameraman for Sees-All Tells-All, capturing the biggest stories on film for just a few months, but the weight of his past still lingered.
Johnny's days were a whirlwind of news coverage, long hours, and the camaraderie of the newsroom. But despite his apparent success, his nights were haunted by memories of a devastating car accident from his childhood, a tragic event that had left his parents dead and him in the care of the brilliant but ailing Professor Ezra Gill.
Now, Johnny's life took an unexpected turn. Professor Gill's old friend, Professor Eugene Bradley, a brilliant physicist with whom Gill had shared his groundbreaking research, sought Johnny out. Bradley was aware that Johnny held the formula in his memory but had never used it.
In a meeting with Johnny, Professor Bradley listened as Johnny recounted his painful memories and the overwhelming guilt that had plagued him for years.
"It's like a never-ending nightmare," Johnny admitted, his voice heavy with the weight of his past. "I watched Professor Gill wither away after making me memorize his space and time formula. But even with such power at my hands, I couldn't save him in return -- I just wasn't smart enough to make it work for me more than once, and because of that he died. That guilt, it's been eating at me for years. I've long wanted to use that formula for good, just as Professor Gill had wanted me to, but my fear of the formula failing to work at the wrong time has stopped me time and again."
Professor Bradley, a refined-looking elderly man with white hair and a goatee, nodded sympathetically, his eyes filled with understanding. "Johnny, your burden is indeed a heavy one, but perhaps we can find a way to alleviate it. You see, the formula holds great power, but it also holds the key to a better future. Professor Gill believed in you, and so do I."
Johnny's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I believe that you can be a protector, a force for justice," Bradley explained. "But to do that, we need to remove these heavy burdens that still hold you back. I propose using hypnosis to wipe both the formula and the associated guilt over it from your mind. It will be a fresh start, Johnny, a chance to be the hero that Professor Gill hoped you could be."
Johnny hesitated, his gaze fixed on Bradley. The prospect of shedding the pain of the past was tempting, but it also meant relinquishing the knowledge of a formula that had the power to change everything, something that had been entrusted to him alone.
"Can I trust you, Professor Bradley?" Johnny asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Bradley's expression was resolute. "You can, Johnny. Ezra and I were close friends, and even better collaborators. While he had been working on the mathematical angle of the space and time formula, I was working on the same problem from a more mechanical angle using my knowledge of advanced physics. Thanks to our collaboration, I have now succeeded in devising a formula of my own. Unlike Ezra's, however, this formula only works on a temporary basis, but despite that limitation it also holds some unique qualities unknown to Ezra's formula, as you may soon see.
"It is my formula that I will share with you at first. I will watch over you, guide you as you use this formula for good. If you prove yourself worthy, Ezra's original formula can be shared once more with you -- and only you -- and this time, you can use it for the good as Ezra had intended."
With a mixture of relief and trepidation, Johnny agreed to the proposal, and Bradley committed the formula to memory for safekeeping. Under Bradley's guidance, Johnny underwent the hypnotic procedure and soon felt a profound weight lifting from his shoulders. When he awoke, Johnny had no recollection of the formula or the guilt that had bound him for so long.
As the days progressed, Johnny found himself a new man. He was free from the burden of the past and remembered only that Professor Bradley had something for him, something that could potentially bring out the best within him. But Bradley was cautious; he vowed to watch Johnny closely, unsure if the young man could prove himself as an honest and just protector of the power he had once held.
***
A few days later, in the heart of Professor Bradley's laboratory, a dimly lit sanctum of scientific wonder, Professor Eugene Bradley held up one index finger as if he was in a lecture hall, addressing his students. "Johnny, my formula will make you the fastest human alive. But I'm warning you -- there may be danger!"
"I'll take the chance, Professor!" Johnny Chambers replied resolutely. "All I want is an asbestos suit, so that the speed won't set my clothes on fire!"
Bradley, his voice laden with wisdom and concern, cautioned, "Don't be in a hurry, my boy. You may not be able to control your speed! I'm going to give you a formula that will work only temporarily--"
"So that in case anything goes wrong, I'll slow down anyway -- good idea!" interrupted Johnny, his eagerness to embrace his newfound speed palpable.
The Professor, aware of the moral dilemma that might arise with these newfound abilities, wrestled inwardly with an unspoken concern. Besides, he mused, when you get these new powers, you may turn out to be dishonest -- but I can't tell you that!
Nonetheless, with a profound sense of responsibility, Professor Bradley handed Johnny the formula.
Having been mentally conditioned for the responsibility, Johnny Chambers chanted the arcane incantation, "ZYMO4N13/1," and the laboratory was set ablaze with transformation.
As if by magic, Johnny now found himself wearing a radiant asbestos-lined costume of red and yellow, thanks to Professor Bradley's unique variant of the space and time formula. Wearing the costume that had come from his subconscious mind, he began to fly up to the rafters of the spacious laboratory, exulting in his new abilities.
Astonished by the sight, Bradley said, "It's working!" But he was still cautious, and continued his lecturing tone as he said, "Remember, Johnny, you're being tested. Make good use of your speed!"
"I will, Professor," said Johnny. "I promise!"
"And be back here at noon as we'd planned!" reminded Professor Bradley as he watched Johnny exit through the window and ascend into the heavens, embracing his newfound role as the King of Speed, even if it might only be for a day. He had a few ideas about how he would test out his speed, but first he had to drop in at the office so he wouldn't risk losing his job.
The city's heart pulsated with life that morning as Johnny Chambers, soon to be known as Johnny Quick, the Mile-a-Moment Marvel, dashed through its bustling streets toward a certain building. His vibrant red and yellow circus acrobat costume gleamed like a beacon amidst Manhattan's sea of humanity, though he was far too fast for anyone to even catch a glimpse of him. The towering skyscrapers framed his electrifying run, their steel and glass forms bearing witness to his lightning-quick journey.
***
Later, the brash young cameraman strolled into the cluttered Sees-All Tells-All News office, where various employees were engrossed in meticulously editing footage from the latest events. The low hum of machines and the occasional clatter of typewriters formed a chaotic symphony around him. Johnny Chambers found himself feeling a new appreciation for his work. Suddenly, the office door swung open, revealing Tubby Watts, his loyal colleague.
Tubby, his round face flushed with excitement, exclaimed, "Johnny, you won't believe the tip I got! There's a bald miser, loaded with cash stolen from the poor, living in a creepy mansion uptown! The police can't touch him without any evidence, but his mansion is built like a fortress to keep everyone out!"
Johnny's piercing blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as he looked at his partner. "A miser, Tubby?" he replied, realizing this might be his first real chance to test out his speed. "That's a rarity, indeed. Let's not waste any time. We need to check this out."
After calling the police to meet them at the address, Johnny and Tubby soon arrived by car outside the eerie mansion, which loomed ominously under the clouded skies, a grotesque silhouette against the muted light. A forbidding wrought-iron gate and wild, overgrown bushes added to the air of malevolence that enveloped the place.
With practiced stealth, they approached a shattered window close to the street. Through the jagged glass they spotted the bald miser, his hunched figure reminiscent of the infamous Scrooge from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This old miser was named Edwin Skinner, and he was surrounded by a grotesque hoard of glittering coins and crumpled dollar bills.
Johnny leaned in, whispering to Tubby with urgency, "Stay here, Tubby, and keep that camera ready for action. I'll handle this."
Once out of sight, Johnny uttered, "ZYMO4N13/1," transforming into his costumed identity and granting himself super-speed with Professor Bradley's temporary formula.
In the blink of an eye, Johnny dashed through the mansion's labyrinthine interior, his movements a blur as he deftly sidestepped an array of treacherous traps and pitfalls meant to keep out all intruders.
Like a lightning bolt, Johnny streaked through the interior of the mansion, which was bathed in dim, sinister light. Rifling through filing cabinets, he soon found that they were filled to the brim with damning documents that exposed the miser's criminal exploits.
Quickly scanning several of the documents, Johnny frowned as muttered to himself, "Usurious moneylending... predatory property acquisitions... extortion rackets... unscrupulous employment practices... even dealing in opium and narcotics -- why, this guy's a one-man crime wave!"
Grabbing a stack of incriminating papers, Johnny dashed toward the heart of the mansion, where the miser, Edwin Skinner, sat at a table piled high with ill-gotten cash. With a cocky grin, Johnny burst into the dimly lit room, confronting the miser as he shouted, "Time to put an end to your money madness, Skinner!"
Skinner, startled by Johnny's sudden appearance, clutched a bag of money protectively. "Wh-who are you?!" he said indignantly, his eyes wide with surprise.
"The guy who's here to deliver justice, at the speed of sound!" Johnny replied sarcastically, ready to confiscate the ill-gotten wealth. His voice crackled with righteous indignation as he said, "I won't let greed rule this city!"
"You won't take this from me!" Skinner said defensively. "I earned every penny!"
"'Earned', huh?" Johnny said in a mocking tone. "And by that you mean swindling, cheating, and crushing the hopes of the poor and desperate?"
Raising the revolver he always kept at his side, Skinner grumbled, "Details, details..."
In the fraction of a second it took for the miser to utter those words, Johnny was already upon him, disarming Skinner at lightning speed and securing the bag of money. "Rob the poor, eh? You can't take it with you!" he declared, his voice dripping with disdain.
Holding up the sheets, Johnny added, "The police will love these papers. It's time to pay for your sins, Skinner."
"You're just like the rest of them," Skinner grumbled. "Trying to bring me down. But I won't go quietly, I tell you!"
A whirlwind of motion and fury was suddenly unleashed as Skinner ducked for cover and triggered a barrage of deadly traps with the flip of a switch beneath the table.
Coins and razor-sharp blades looking like banknotes whizzed through the air like lethal projectiles, but Johnny moved with the agility and precision of a seasoned acrobat, dancing effortlessly between them.
Beginning to recognize the futility of his resistance, Skinner attempted to make a hasty escape, but a blur of red and yellow motion thwarted his plans. "Not so fast, you old miser!" Johnny said, his words echoing with determination.
Catching up to him quicker than ever, Johnny bound the miser in a makeshift cage of banknotes, contracts, and swirling coins, rendering him incapacitated. "Gotcha!" he quipped triumphantly. "You're not going anywhere."
Defeated, Skinner growled, "You may have won this time, whoever you are, but the world's full of greedy souls like me."
"And I'll be ready for every one of them," Johnny replied determinedly.
The wailing sirens of approaching police cars heralded the impending arrival of the authorities, and police officers soon swarmed the scene. The officer in charge was astounded to find old Edwin Skinner, the Money-Mad Miser himself, sitting tied up outside the gates of his house, surrounded by proof of all of his many crimes.
His hands bound by handcuffs, the miser was led away by the police. Edwin Skinner would be left to ponder the consequences of his insatiable greed as he was placed into the back of a police car.
Meanwhile, Tubby Watts had finally noticed that Johnny Chambers was nowhere to be found. Looking left and right, Tubby was startled when he suddenly felt a tapping on his shoulder. Spinning in place, the rotund cameraman found a grinning Johnny standing right behind him.
"Oh, there you are, Johnny!" exclaimed Tubby, too excited to ask where he'd been. Wielding his camera like a triumphant trophy, he added, "I got the whole arrest on tape, Johnny! This is going to make one heck of a news story!"
A hint of pride in his voice, Johnny replied, "Great job, Tubby."
As Tubby Watts rushed back to the office, Johnny excused himself, knowing he would only have his super-speed abilities for a limited time, and said, "ZYMO4N13/1."
With a burst of lightning speed, the Mile-a-Moment Marvel rocketed off into the sky, his senses ever vigilant, ready to face whatever new adventure might await him. But first he had to keep an appointment with Professor Bradley.
***
Outside the laboratory, a dark-haired man with a mustache silently crept up and listened at the door to his office. Professor Bradley was seated within at his desk, trying to read a book, but his thoughts were still filled with the implications of his experiment. "I can't test an important formula like this on just one person," he muttered to himself. "I must try it on at least one other subject!"
Charles Drake, the unassuming assistant to Professor Bradley, stepped forward then, a glimmer of ambition in his eye. He had dropped by at the right time, even if he hadn't known it. "Why not on me, Professor? I wouldn't mind being a speed demon!"
Interrupted from his thoughts, Professor Bradley considered the idea for a moment. Drake had been his assistant for a few months now, and he believed he knew the man quite well after that time. With a nod of his head, he held up a note containing his formula and said, "All right, Charley, I'll try you out, too! Here's the formula!"
Over the next hour, the Professor explained to his assistant what the formula meant, since it wouldn't work for anyone whose mind hadn't been conditioned to use it first. A quick study with a fair amount of education under his belt, Charley Drake began to grasp the concepts much quicker than Johnny Chambers had as a child under Professor Gill's tutelage.
Finally, his mind now prepared to grasp Bradley's formula, Charley Drake read it aloud. "ZYMO4N13/1." With that, he found himself transformed, wearing a skintight black outfit that had come straight out of his imagination. With that, another contender was born, and Charley Drake reveled in his newfound powers. Now Professor Bradley would need to put them to the test.
Johnny Chambers, still in his red and yellow outfit and black mask, soon returned to Professor Bradley's laboratory by noon that day as he had promised. After explaining his proposal, the Professor arranged for a race between the two figures at a nearby college racetrack that he knew wasn't being used that day.
Within moments, the stage was set for a momentous test of human potential. Professor Bradley, the ingenious mind behind this daring experiment, stood holding a stopwatch, his eyes filled with anticipation. Before him, two figures, Johnny Chambers in his colorful outfit and Charley Drake in his black outfit, poised at the starting line, ready to race into history.
However, almost immediately after shouting, "Go!" to the two speedsters in order to begin racing a hundred times around the track, the race was already over. They had both reached the finish line neck and neck for the hundredth time before the ribbon even had a chance to fall to the ground, proving that the tremendous speed they each possessed was equal to each other.
Professor Bradley, his voice tinged with awe and excitement, mused aloud, "I don't know which is faster -- they both finished before I could clock them!"
"Thanks for the race, buddy," Johnny said, shaking Drake's hand. "Now, Professor, if you don't mind, I'd like to continue using this speed while I still can!"
"By all means, Johnny," assured the Professor. "As for you, Charley, I'm sure you're eager to do the same, but if you would care to complete the day's work first, I would be most appreciative."
"Not a problem, Professor," Drake replied. Inwardly, he thought, What do I care, anyway? Soon I won't need this crummy job -- or any job ever again!
***
Elsewhere, the city streets thrummed with chaos as an armored truck, its siren blaring like a dire warning, thundered through the bustling thoroughfare as it evaded threats from nearly every corner. Panicked pedestrians scattered in its wake, seeking refuge from the impending danger.
High over the scene, Johnny's masked gaze locked on to the ongoing armored car chase on the streets far below, recognizing that an organized criminal operation had been set up along the truck's route.
"An armored truck robbery in progress downtown, huh?" he muttered. With newfound determination, he added, "Time to spring into action." In an instant, Johnny prepared to confront the impending threat before any innocent bystanders could be harmed.
With unparalleled swiftness, Johnny soared down from the clouds above, his form a mere blur of red and yellow streaking through the urban landscape. The city itself seemed to bend to his will as he traversed its streets at lightning speed.
Arriving at the scene of the planned heist, he discovered a criminal armed with a menacing machine gun, apparently the final threat planned along the route. The miscreant had taken refuge in a manhole, from which he launched the latest vicious attack on the armored truck from the Thirteenth National Bank.
Johnny, his voice brimming with authority, called out, "Back to the sewer, rat!"
The criminal, taken aback by the unknown speedster's sudden and unexpected arrival, hesitated for a fleeting moment.
In a breathtaking display of his superhuman speed, Johnny harnessed his extraordinary powers. He disarmed the crook with blinding precision, sending the machine gun spiraling into the air.
The crook, now disarmed and stunned, stumbled backward, teetering dangerously on the precipice of the manhole, before plummeting into its depths.
With grace and efficiency, Johnny raced along the speeding armored car, astonishing the guards. He declared with unwavering assurance, "You can slow down now, fellas -- I got the last crook on your tail!" Augie and Jeff, the driver and the guard in the passenger seat, respectively looked at each other, not sure what to think.
In moments, police officers arrived at the scene and, with practiced efficiency, apprehended the defeated criminal. Before he could be spotted by the police, Johnny flew off into the sky. "Tubby sure would be disappointed to know he wasn't able to get all of the action on film," he mused.
As the criminal was led away in shackles, Johnny took a moment to savor the accomplishment. And with that, Johnny returned to the skies above, keeping an eager eye out for any further signs of danger this day might bring.
***
Elsewhere, the newfound rival to Johnny Chambers soared into the sky away from Professor Bradley's laboratory, propelled by his newfound speed and a dangerous agenda.
With a sneer, Charley Drake flew away as the Professor watched from the window. "The Professor thinks I did this for science," he laughed, thinking back on what his boss had explained earlier. "The sap doesn't realize that this speed will help me clean up! But the formula's only temporary -- I'd better work fast!"
Soon, amidst the shimmering jewels and opulent displays of a nearby jewelry store, the stage was set for a daring spectacle. Drake, clad in his skintight black costume, soared above the elegant glass counters, a master thief in flight. The venerable owner, adorned in a black business suit with a crown of white hair, presented a glittering array of diamonds to a beautiful young lady, her attire a striking ensemble of green.
The lady, her eyes widening with astonishment, watched in disbelief as the diamonds vanished before her very eyes. Her voice quivering, she cried, "Wh-what happened to the diamonds?"
Charley Drake, levitating above them with the stolen diamonds clutched in his left fist, couldn't resist a boast. "It's simple, lady -- my hand is quicker than your eyes!" he said with a smirk before vanishing as quickly as he had come.
***
The sun cast a warm, golden hue over Central Park as the outdoor jazz festival continued to weave its enchantment. The rhythmic hum of music now seemed like a heartbeat, pulsing with the vibrant energy of the audience.
Families lounged in foldable chairs, their faces lit with joy, while others surrendered to the rhythm and danced barefoot on the grass, twirling to the intoxicating melodies that filled the air. Johnny Chambers, however, remained aloft, suspended in midair by the power of flight, his lithe figure a shadow against the setting sun.
On this bustling day, Johnny decided to become just another face in the crowd. Descending gracefully to the earth, he blended seamlessly with the festival-goers, his bright costume making him seem like one of the performers that often plied their trade along the edges of such gatherings. With an effortless grin, he immersed himself in the music, letting the jazz musician's soulful performance wash over him.
Piero Piccolo, the enigmatic performer more popularly known as Mister Melody, commanded the stage beneath a dazzling halo of spotlight. With each melodious note from his gleaming trombone, he spun a captivating tale that captivated the audience's senses. Yet, hidden within that very instrument lay a sinister secret -- a concealed compartment harboring a deadly payload of bullets.
As Mister Melody's fingers danced across the trombone's gleaming surface, his gaze roamed the crowd, settling ominously on a wealthy, elderly gentleman donned in a tuxedo and a top hat, a snowy white mustache adorning his upper lip. Mister Melody's eyes, shrouded by the brim of his hat, glinted with malicious intent.
Johnny's keen instincts caught the subtle shift in the musician's demeanor, his frown deepening. Amidst the carefree crowd, he alone sensed the impending danger. Swiftly, he sprang into action, his figure a blur as he raced forward to confront the imminent threat.
Mister Melody, startled by the sudden appearance of a challenger hurtling toward him, discharged the concealed firearm when it was still aimed too high. The gunshot cracked through the air, slicing through the music. The bullet whizzed over Johnny's left shoulder as he deftly evaded its path, moving with fluid grace. It merely grazed the top of the wealthy man's hat before finding its final resting place in the bark of a nearby tree, a silent testament to the danger averted.
With a wry grin, Johnny quipped, "You'll be playing a different tune soon!"
The audience, jolted by the gunshot, erupted into a frenzy of motion as Mister Melody tried to eliminate his newfound adversary. Johnny's unparalleled speed allowed him to dodge the succession of bullets, each one released in rapid sequence from the treacherous trombone. They all soared harmlessly into the sky, far above the panicked crowd, following Johnny's rapid trajectory.
In a daring maneuver, Johnny seized a nearby microphone stand, his movements precise as he aimed to disarm the murderous musician.
But in the climax of their confrontation, Mister Melody's desperation led to a catastrophic misfire. His rigged trombone backfired in a dazzling burst of sparks and smoke.
Renewed panic swept through the crowd like wildfire as people scrambled for safety. Yet, in a heartbeat, Johnny shielded them from the explosion's aftermath and the cascading debris.
As the smoke dissipated, it revealed the speedster standing triumphantly over a defeated Mister Melody. Johnny's voice held unwavering determination as he declared, "Your deadly music ends here, Melody."
To his surprise, the audience began clapping, thinking this might all have been part of the show. With a flourish, Johnny played along and took a deep bow. Already several police officers, alerted by the gunshot, were rushing forward to apprehend the disarmed musician. Without waiting to be questioned, Johnny performed his vanishing act at super-speed and ascended high into the sky, feeling a surge of relief and pride. Reflecting on the day's events, he thought to himself, Another crisis averted, and it's not even dinnertime!
As the bustling city continued its daily hustle, the resolute speedster soared overhead, ever watchful and ready for the next unforeseen challenge. But first, there was a meeting with Tubby Watts for an assignment at the Museum that afternoon, a reminder that duty and adventure were constants in his extraordinary life.
***
Meanwhile, having robbed the jewelry store, the keen-eyed Charley Drake spotted his next mark -- the same unfortunate armored truck that Johnny Chambers had earlier saved from an organized robbery attempt. It was presently turning the corner, rumbling down the street at a much more reasonable speed than before.
His eyes locked onto the prize, Drake still held the diamonds from the jewelry store robbery, but his sights were now set on the contents of the armored car.
Calculating his next move, he said to himself, "An armored car from the Thirteenth National Bank! I don't want to tangle with the rifles of the men inside -- but I'd like to have the money they're guarding!"
With breathtaking speed, Drake swooped above the speeding armored truck, and with a stolen diamond in hand, he executed a jaw-dropping maneuver. The stolen diamond, wielded by his super-swift hand, slashed through the steel of the car's roof as if it were mere paper.
Reveling in his newfound power, Drake observed, "When I go so fast, this diamond cuts through armor plate like a knife through butter!"
Through the wide gash in the armored car's roof, Drake spotted the coveted bag of cash and made his move, pilfering it effortlessly.
Inside the armored vehicle, the driver and guard, were left stunned and powerless.
"YIII!" cried Lou, the shocked driver. "We've been robbed!"
Helpless to stop the speedster who was even now escaping into the air with the loot, the rifle-carrying guard named Bud, who sat in the passenger seat, remarked, "Brother, you can say that again!"
***
Under the radiant afternoon sun, the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art stood as a beacon of culture and knowledge. Its grand entrance buzzed with eager visitors, their faces adorned with expressions of delightful anticipation. Banners fluttered proudly in the breeze, announcing the grand opening of the new Egyptology Exhibit to the world.
Tubby Watts, a seasoned news reporter with a round figure, stationed himself inside near the entrance, his watch-bearing wrist frequently coming under his scrutiny. "Johnny's running late again," he murmured, his brows furrowed in concern.
Meanwhile, just beyond the hallowed halls of the museum, concealed from the bustling world, a mysterious figure was on the prowl. Isadora Viper, a notorious thief renowned for her audacious heists, had craftily assumed the guise of a museum employee to gain entry. In her arms, the long-haired brunette cradled bundles of mummy wrappings, hiding a wicked purpose within their folds.
Tubby's sharp eyes were trained on the museum's entrance, alert to Isadora's suspicious behavior. Raising an intrigued eyebrow, he muttered, "That's odd. You'd think all the museum staff would already be here and at their stations by now for the opening."
Intruding into the museum's inner sanctum under her false identity, Isadora maneuvered an inconspicuous cart filled with empty artifact display cases.
Tubby's suspicions were now reaching a crescendo. "Something's definitely fishy with that lady," he thought, the gears of his investigative mind turning.
Later, as the excitement inside the museum peaked, the curtains of the exhibit were drawn, unveiling a dimly lit chamber brimming with relics and history.
In this dimly lit ambiance lay the mummy of Pharaoh Amon-Tep, ostensibly lifeless. But the attendees were in for an extraordinary surprise that afternoon.
The once-inert figure, shrouded in the illusion of death, suddenly began to stir, evoking gasps and whispers of awe from the spellbound crowd. An enigmatic mystery was afoot.
The astonished onlookers bore witness to the mummy's astonishing revival, sending waves of apprehension through their midst.
Isadora Viper had seized this opportune moment. Hidden within the mummy wrappings herself, she surveyed the ensuing chaos she had caused by her masquerade, her eyes glinting with mischief. The panic worked in her favor to clear the room, allowing her to take whatever valuables she wished before fleeing the scene.
In the midst of this baffling spectacle, Tubby Watts spotted the late arrival of Johnny Chambers, his friend and fellow newsreel cameraman. "Johnny!" he exclaimed. "You won't believe what's happening!"
"What's going on, Tubby?" Johnny inquired, skepticism etched on his features.
"The Pharaoh's mummy, Johnny! It's moving!" Tubby exclaimed, urgently pointing out the unfolding mayhem.
Skeptical but curious, Johnny peered into the exhibit hall and was met with a sight reminiscent of a scene from a Universal horror film -- a mummy seemingly coming to life and terrifying the fleeing crowd.
Faced with this inexplicable phenomenon, Johnny whispered the secret phrase known only to two others, "ZYMO4N13/1," initiating his incredible transformation.
In the blink of an eye, Johnny Chambers changed into the Mile-a-Moment Marvel, his attire now a blur of crimson and gold. With unmatched velocity, Johnny dashed toward the assumed mummy, a streak of lightning given form. However, a startling revelation awaited.
Spotting a flesh-colored spot behind the mummy's wrappings, Johnny caught the end of the wrapping and gave it a pull, his extraordinary speed unveiling a hidden truth as he unraveled the mummy's wrappings, revealing the very nude figure of Isadora Viper.
"Oops!" Johnny gasped at the unexpected sight, his face flush with embarrassment as he averted his eyes. "Sorry, lady -- I sure didn't mean to do that!"
Yet the cunning thief had already taken that moment of hesitation to rush away, pushing over several displays as she ran stark naked toward a concealed back room where her path to freedom would await her. Her escape seemed imminent as Johnny was kept busy for a few moments saving the invaluable Egyptian artifacts from being damaged or destroyed.
But Johnny's speed was swifter still, and he managed to restore order to the exhibit in a matter of seconds. Then, in a heartbeat, he bridged the gap with unwavering determination, despite his momentary embarrassment.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Johnny ensnared Isadora Viper, covering up her nude figure with within her own mummy wrappings and wrapping one arm and both of her legs tightly together to prevent her from escaping again. "You're all ready for the hoosegow, with no strings attached!" he quipped.
Bound and helpless, Isadora Viper struggled furiously but fruitlessly against her speedy captor. Justice would prevail that afternoon. Summoning the museum guards, Johnny ensured that the defeated thief would face justice.
Tubby Watts, true to form, then captured the ensuing apprehension of the daring female thief on his camera.
Now, having resumed his civilian identity, Johnny Chambers appeared behind Tubby and patted him on the back. "Great job, Tubby. Now, make sure that footage gets to the news office, won't you?"
"Sure thing, pal," replied Tubby.
Before his friend could take another step, Johnny had already whispered his secret phrase once more, and once again, he unleashed his incredible speed, disappearing into the skyline, prepared for any other adventure he might have on this very busy day.
***
As the afternoon wore on, alarm bells rang through the city, cries for help echoed, and the police were called into action.
"HELP!"
"POLICE!"
RRRING!
In the midst of this chaos, soaring through the sky with exhilaration, Johnny Chambers heard the clamor and descended like a streak of lightning.
Soaring with speed, Johnny said, "Sounds like trouble! Maybe I can put my newfound speed to use in helping to end it!"
Touched down gracefully in an alleyway, where the source of the alarm lay before him, Johnny spotted from afar a figure dressed in a skintight black costume.
His eyes widening with realization, Johnny said, "Someone's moving as fast as me -- and he's using his speed for crime!"
As Johnny moved forward to confront the speedster, he was shocked once again to discover that it was none other than Professor Bradley's assistant, Charley Drake. Before he could ask himself why he hadn't recalled Drake from earlier, the two super-speedsters clashed in a dazzling blur of motion, trading rapid blows that were too swift for the onlookers to follow.
Furiously engaged in the high-velocity melee, Johnny threw a haymaker at Drake and shouted, "This will slow you up!"
***
Meanwhile, Professor Bradley had already heard the news of these crimes and was now tormented by them, pacing anxiously in his office as his thoughts were consumed by the implications of his experiment.
"All the crimes were committed with super-speed," blared the news on the radio. "The police are helpless!"
Frowning and deep in thought, the Professor said, "And it's all my fault! I wonder which is the dishonest one -- Johnny or Charley?"
Contemplating a solution, the Professor gazed toward a table laden with beakers and test tubes, his mind racing with possibilities. "Maybe if I transform time and space in the laboratory," Professor Bradley mused as he ventured toward his laboratory, "I can make their super-speed come to an end even faster than it ordinarily would. I'll see what I can do!"
***
The battle outside continued furiously. Charley Drake, seizing an opportunity, landed a fortuitous punch on Johnny Chambers, sending him spinning like a human top.
"Don't stop, Old Top," Drake said, smirking, "you're creating a nice vacuum!"
However, Johnny's high-speed spin had the unfortunate side effect of drawing the air away from the bewildered spectators, creating a perilous vacuum in its wake.
A spectator, gasping for breath, clutching at his throat, croaked, "No air -- choke -- can't breathe..."
Johnny Chambers, his heroic instincts prevailing, made a critical decision. "I'll have to stop chasing that crook to give these people artificial respiration, fast," he said, concern etched on his face.
***
High above the sprawling cityscape, Charley Drake, the wicked master of speed, surveyed the horizon with a scheming glint in his eye. His flight through the heavens granted him a bird's-eye view of the metropolis below. But his motives were not to enjoy the panorama; rather, they were rooted in a desire to outwit his singular rival to determine who was the swiftest of them all. He watched as Johnny was kept busy saving the people below before he could rejoin the fight.
Drake, his expression a blend of frustration and cunning, said, "That slowed him up. If I keep him busy undoing the damage I do, I'll be able to get away from him!" Spotting a large blimp in the air, he added, "Think I'll give him a job with this dirigible!"
Meanwhile, his job below now done, Johnny Chambers ascended with an agile grace that belied his newfound powers. His keen eyes soon spotted Drake's malevolent intentions. An experimental dirigible, intended for the purpose of advertising, hung vulnerable in the air, awaiting an unforeseen assault.
"He's wrecking that dirigible," Johnny said, rising purposefully toward it. "I'd better act before it falls apart!"
In a flash, Johnny descended to the earth below, where a kindly old housewife busied herself with the task of hanging freshly laundered clothes on a line, secured with clothespins.
Approaching the elderly lady with charm and politeness, his eyes shining with sincerity, Johnny asked, "Ma'am, may I borrow these for a while? You'll be paid for it later -- with a bonus!"
The older lady, captivated by the dashing, courteous figure before her, granted her consent without hesitation. "Sure thing!" she replied, smiling warmly. "What a nice young man," she said, watching him fly away.
Once more, the ever-resourceful Johnny soared into the heavens, sheets in hand, each bedsheet transformed into a lifeline. "Lucky I've had good Boy Scout training in tying knots!" he said.
With agility and precision, Johnny wrapped the dirigible in the sturdy sheets, temporarily concealing the breaches caused by Drake's malevolent speed.
Gazing back at his handiwork in an effort to ensure the dirigible's safety, Johnny saw that the pilots had the situation well in hand. "It's losing gas slowly, but not enough to cause a crash. They'll be able to land safely! And now to find my speedy rival!"
Yet, nature had other plans, as the weather changed once again, the clouds from that morning returning with a vengeance. Rain suddenly fell in torrents, the storm giving birth to spectacular bolts of lightning that cracked through the heavens.
As Johnny braved the tempest, rain streaming around him dramatically, he cried, "It's beginning to rain! I'll never find him now -- unless I use my head!" He began to contemplate his next move.
***
Meanwhile, within the sanctum of Professor Bradley's laboratory, the brilliant scientist prepared to enact a transformative experiment amidst the raging storm.
His eyes fixed on the intricate mechanism before him, determined to alter time and space, the Professor said, "Thunder and lighting -- that will make it easier for me to transform time and space at a distance! I'll slow them down soon!"
***
Back in the midst of the tumultuous storm, Charley Drake, in his haste to escape the tempest's fury, beheld a resplendent rainbow arching across the sky, a sign of the tempest's end.
Relieved and determined to outrun the storm, Drake rushed forward as he remarked, "A rainbow -- the storm's finished over there! I'll put on full speed to get away from the danger of lightning!"
But what Drake encountered defied all logic.
He found himself utterly bewildered as the rainbow seemed to lurch toward him. "Huh...? I never heard of a rainbow catching anybody before!"
Before he could fathom the bizarre turn of events, Johnny Chambers, his face obscured by the multi-hued cloths he held, emerged from the storm like a harbinger of justice.
Johnny, his voice carrying a tone of righteous triumph, shouted, "That was an artificial rainbow, rat! I dragged colored cloths through the air so fast that all you could see through the rain was streaks of color!"
With a flick of his wrist, Johnny spun the cloths around Charley Drake, ensnaring him in a kaleidoscope of colors that swiftly encased him.
Seizing the advantage of Drake's deceleration, Johnny said, "Now that I have you slowed down -- I may as well wrap you up!"
But as Johnny executed his plan, a tremor of uncertainty rippled through the fabric of reality. The Professor's attempt to transform time and space had unexpected consequences.
Johnny's voice tinged with alarm as he began to plummet, saying, "Something went wrong -- I lost my speed!"
Amidst the expanse of the farm field, Johnny Chambers, now devoid of his lightning-fast abilities, plummeted towards the earth, his heart racing with the gravity of his situation. Desperately, he tried to use Professor Bradley's formula once again, shouting, "ZYMO4N13/1," but the formula no longer worked.
Calculating his desperate move, Johnny managed to maneuver himself into the thickest pile of hay he could spot on the field of hay below him. "And that crook still has his -- now I'm really on a spot!"
As Johnny came to a relatively soft landing on the hay field, he found himself in an unparalleled predicament, stripped of his superhuman speed, while Charley Drake, his arch-nemesis, remained a master of velocity. The tables had turned, and Johnny was ensnared in a perilous reality.
Hovering above the hay field, Drake quickly scanned for his adversary, but gave up just as fast. "I'm not wasting time looking for you in this hay field -- I know a better way! My speed creates heat through friction!"
With a fiendish grin, Drake accelerated at an astonishing pace, his very presence generating scorching heat through the friction with the air. The dry hay beneath him ignited, flames consuming the field in seconds. Watching the inferno he had sparked with a sinister delight, Drake said, "And the hay bursts into flame! Neat, eh?"
Amidst the blaze, Johnny remained undaunted, standing amidst the fiery tempest. "You haven't got me yet!" he shouted, his voice firm and unyielding.
Drake, still a blur in the sky, observed Johnny's unexpected defiance and was bewildered by his actions next. "He's lost his head -- instead of running away, he's going right into the flames!"
But Johnny's audacity was not without reason. He possessed an ace up his sleeve. "So what?" he called. "I've got an asbestos suit." In the midst of the flames, he added inwardly, And an idea that something is going to happen to you!
"I'm wearing asbestos, too," replied Drake, hovering over the field and menacingly approaching his seemingly helpless foe. Then, as if by a preordained signal, Charley Drake's super-speed began to wane, his velocity diminishing as he plummeted from the sky. "Aaa!" he cried, his confidence replaced by panic. "I'm getting dizzy -- I can't move!"
Johnny observed the transformation with a triumphant smile. "Now you're slowed down to my speed!" he said, exulting in his plan's success. "It was the smoke that did it!" he said, explaining the sudden shift in fortune. "In fires more people are poisoned by smoke fumes than are burned by the flames -- and his super-speed made him breathe super-fast. That's why the smoke got him before it did me!"
With newfound determination, Johnny spotted a tractor nearby. Commandeering the tractor, he steered it toward the blaze, "I'll cut a wide swathe around the part that's burning. That'll keep the fire from spreading!"
Drake, choking on the acrid smoke and rendered powerless, struggled to escape the encroaching fire. "Help..." he choked, gasping for air. "I've lost my speed, too!" Try as he might, no repetition of Bradley's formula, "ZYMO4N13/1," would work any longer.
Johnny skillfully maneuvered the tractor, halting the advance of the flames and allowing Drake a chance at survival.
Presently, as the inferno subsided, Johnny stood victorious over his erstwhile foe, who now lay ensnared within a bale of hay, powerless to escape.
Johnny, triumph and determination in his voice, said, "That saves your life and wraps you up neatly at the same time! Now to get you to jail and find out from the Professor why I lost my speed so suddenly!"
***
In the sanctum of Professor Bradley's laboratory, explanations unfolded. Addressing Johnny with a mixture of pride and scientific curiosity, the Professor said, "I thought I'd stop his crime wave by slowing him down. I didn't expect my space-time reaction to work on you first!"
Reflecting on the unexpected turn of events, Johnny said, "It did -- and it put me on a spot!"
Professor Bradley extended his hand to Johnny with admiration. "But your wits worked as fast as ever. Johnny, you've passed the test successfully! You've controlled your speed and used it for good. I'm going to give you the permanent formula. It's 3X2(9YZ)4A!"
Proudly shaking Johnny's hand, the Professor added, "From now on, whenever you repeat it, you'll become Johnny Quick. You've won the right to the title! Keep on using your power for good -- and the best of luck to you!"
Accepting the mantle of heroism with unwavering resolve, Johnny replied, "Thanks, Professor. You can count on me never to slow down in the fight for justice!"
***
Later, as the laboratory's dim lights flickered and cast elongated shadows across the cold metal surfaces, Professor Eugene Bradley stood there, his hand resting on the lab table, his gaze fixed on the doorway. The remnants of a recently kindled friendship and a shared secret hung heavily in the air. Johnny Chambers, now bereft of his speedster persona, was about to leave the lab, returning to the mundane existence of his civilian life.
Using Professor Gill's speed formula, Johnny had already paid a visit to the kindly old lady who had helped him, returning her sheets just a little worse for wear, along with a sizeable cash sum out of pocket for her kindness. Now he had come to pay his respects and say farewell to Eugene Bradley, a man he had come to admire much like Ezra Gill before him.
"Johnny," Professor Bradley said with a heavy sigh, "I never thought I'd say this, but I hope this is the last time I see you."
Still in his civilian attire, Johnny turned to face the aging scientist. The weight of their shared experience bore down on him, a newfound responsibility he hadn't asked for but had embraced nonetheless.
"I understand, Professor," Johnny replied, his voice tinged with a sense of melancholy. "I don't want anyone else to know about this formula. It's too powerful -- too dangerous."
Professor Bradley nodded gravely. "Exactly, my boy. The world isn't ready for this kind of power. That's why I've taken precautions." He glanced toward the corner of the lab where Charley Drake, his once-loyal assistant, lay under a deep, hypnotic trance.
Johnny followed Bradley's gaze, his brow furrowing. "Drake? Why, he's not in jail, after all! What's happened to him?"
Professor Bradley looked a bit sheepish, for he had requested Johnny to bring his assistant to him rather than directly to the police, promising that Charles Drake would see justice. Now he had to explain what he had meant by those words. "Charley proved himself untrustworthy. I couldn't trust that he wouldn't find a way to simply escape from jail and then target me as he sought either formula for his own gain once again. No, I had to put him under hypnosis to ensure he'd never reveal our secret, even by accident. With the effects of the formula wearing off, he won't remember any of this, anyway -- none of us will. I'm afraid the only punishment for the crimes he's committed will be losing his job."
Their costumes, remnants of their heroic personas, had already changed back to their ordinary civilian clothing. Johnny's red and gold outfit, the symbol of Johnny Quick, and Charley's own stark black costume, symbols of their brief but remarkable time as super-speedsters on opposite sides of the law, were nothing but fleeting memories now.
"My formula's side effect," Bradley continued, "is a blessing in disguise. It erases the memories of your time as speedsters, leaving them only as fragmented dreams. It's for the best. Besides, now that you have Professor Gill's perfected formula, you'll be able to call upon it when you need it most."
Johnny nodded in agreement, a mixture of relief and sadness in his eyes. "I never asked for this power, Professor, but I'll do my part to protect it from falling into the wrong hands."
Professor Bradley smiled weakly, his eyes reflecting both pride and regret. "You've grown into a fine young man, Johnny. And I believe you'll use your newfound wisdom well."
With a final handshake, Johnny Chambers left the laboratory, stepping out into the bustling streets of the city. Once more the world would see him as an ordinary newsreel cameraman, unaware of the extraordinary adventures he had just left behind.
***
Afterword:
Johnny Chambers wouldn't become Johnny Quick again until nearly two years later, in 1941. For, during that time, whenever he attempted to utter the secret formula for an emergency, some other mystery-man would appear and save the day instead. It was almost as if Destiny itself was preventing him from becoming a hero before his time.
It wouldn't be until that fateful day when he was assigned to cover a story at the Metropolitan Circus in June of 1941 that Johnny Chambers' career as Johnny Quick would begin in earnest, by which time Johnny's earliest cases would be thought of only as Johnny's idle daydreams of becoming a real hero. (*)
[(*) Editor's note: See "The Riddle of the Crying Clown," More Fun Comics #71 (September, 1941) and "The Origin of Johnny Quick," All-Star Squadron #65 (January, 1987).]
However, as this story indicates, the following cases were real incidents that were forgotten along with his first thwarted attempt to become Johnny Quick, the King of Speed:
- The Case of the Money-Mad Miser
- The Case of the Armored Truck
- The Case of the Murderous Musician
- The Case of the Pharaoh's Mummy
And it wouldn't be until much later that Johnny would finally recall both Professor Bradley and Charley Drake. At that time, Drake would regain his own super-speed for a rematch. But that was a tale for another day.
The End
