District Attorney Grant Gardner and Police Commissioner Dryden were asked by Mayor Randolph to investigate suspicious suicides among scientists and businessmen, all found holding a small scarab. Gardner dons the costume of Captain America during his stakeouts. He discovers that all of the suicide victims were members of a Mayan expedition. Professor Lyman was one of the last survivors and turned to his friend and fellow survivor, Dr. Maldor, for help. However, Maldor, in disguise as the villainous Scarab, was behind the “suicides” which he planned as revenge for his lack of recognition in organizing the expedition. He killed them using “Purple Death,” a hypnotic chemical. Maldor decided to force Lyman to give him the location of plans for a “Dynamic Vibrator,” a device intended for mining operations but one that can be amplified into a devastating weapon. Grant stopped Scarab’s minions from stealing the plans for the Dynamic Vibrator. Scarab tried to get a working device with several failed attempts, until he was ultimately defeated by Captain America. Grant’s sidekick and love interest was Gail Richards. Notes: “Captain America” is copyrighted and trademarked by Marvel Comics. However, this serial, debuting the new character of “Grant Gardner,” is no longer copyrighted, meaning “Grant Gardner” (and anything else original to this serial) is in the public domain. Notable differences between the serial and the comic are: His secret identity is District Attorney Grant Gardner rather than U.S. Army Private Steve Rogers; The “Super-Soldier Serum” origin is not used; His famous shield does not appear, replaced by a standard gun; The costume was grey, white, and dark blue, as these colors photographed better in black and white; The costume also lost the wings on the head, the boots became high shoes, miniature flags were added to the gloves, and the belt buckle became a small shield; Despite the fact that this serial was made in 1944, and Captain America regularly fought Nazis in the comics, the Nazis are not part of the story in any way. The character was portrayed by Dick Purcell.
Description District Attorney Grant Gardner and Police Commissioner Dryden were asked by Mayor Randolph to investigate suspicious suicides among scientists and businessmen, all found holding a small scarab. Gardner dons the costume of Captain America during his stakeouts. He discovers that all of the suicide victims were members of a Mayan expedition. Professor Lyman was one of the last survivors and turned to his friend and fellow survivor, Dr. Maldor, for help. However, Maldor, in disguise as the villainous Scarab, was behind the “suicides” which he planned as revenge for his lack of recognition in organizing the expedition. He killed them using “Purple Death,” a hypnotic chemical. Maldor decided to force Lyman to give him the location of plans for a “Dynamic Vibrator,” a device intended for mining operations but one that can be amplified into a devastating weapon. Grant stopped Scarab’s minions from stealing the plans for the Dynamic Vibrator. Scarab tried to get a working device with several failed attempts, until he was ultimately defeated by Captain America. Grant’s sidekick and love interest was Gail Richards. Notes: “Captain America” is copyrighted and trademarked by Marvel Comics. However, this serial, debuting the new character of “Grant Gardner,” is no longer copyrighted, meaning “Grant Gardner” (and anything else original to this serial) is in the public domain. Notable differences between the serial and the comic are: His secret identity is District Attorney Grant Gardner rather than U.S. Army Private Steve Rogers; The “Super-Soldier Serum” origin is not used; His famous shield does not appear, replaced by a standard gun; The costume was grey, white, and dark blue, as these colors photographed better in black and white; The costume also lost the wings on the head, the boots became high shoes, miniature flags were added to the gloves, and the belt buckle became a small shield; Despite the fact that this serial was made in 1944, and Captain America regularly fought Nazis in the comics, the Nazis are not part of the story in any way. The character was portrayed by Dick Purcell.
