All-Star Comics #32

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE RETURN OF THE PSYCHO PIRATE Prison convict Big Mike talks his cellmate the Psycho-Pirate into breaking them both of them out of jail by playing on the guard's emotions. Once they are free, he convinces the Psycho-Pirate to help him with a crime spree. Determined to get revenge on the Justice Society of America, Big Mike attempts to trap them by using Johnny Thunder to plant clues about six upcoming robberies, each one tied to a different emotion. The Psycho-Pirate is furious that Big Mike has brought the Justice Society after them but agrees to help in order to save himself.  Hawkman faces down the emotion of pride. An agent of the Psycho-Pirate approaches an opera star on opening night and blackmails her by threatening to have certain members of the audience ruin her performance if she does not pay him off. Hawkman arrives and stops the blackmailer, but is trapped in the dressing room by the Psycho-Pirate's gang. Full of pride, the Psycho-Pirate is convinced he has the Hawkman beaten. Hawkman evens the odds, however, forcing the Psycho-Pirate to flee.   Doctor Mid-Nite deals with ambition. An agent of the Psycho-Pirate has been working for months in a cooperative venture to mine platinum. When the venture finally strikes paydirt, the agent plays on the lead engineer's ambition, insisting it's only right he take all of the platinum for himself. Although initially reluctant, the engineer finally agrees and aids him in robbing their first shipment of platinum. Dr. Mid-Nite arrives and stops the robbery and explains that the Psycho-Pirate has been deceiving him. To prove it, he has the engineer drive to town with sacks of sand. The Psycho-Pirate's gang robs the engineer and takes the sacks. Upon hearing the news of the successful robbery, the Psycho-Pirate's ambition gets the better of him, and he begins to plan a huge criminal network. Working together, however, Dr. Mid-Nite and the engineer track down and apprehend the gang.   The Green Lantern must tackle envy. A jewel cutter becomes frustrated that his customers don't appreciate the beauty of the gems he's selling. The Psycho-Pirate's agent at the store convinces him that the rich people who buy the gems don't deserve them. Envious, the jewel cutter sets out to rob customers by replacing their gems with fakes. The Green Lantern stops him and tells him of the Psycho-Pirate's scheme. Returning home, he's greeted by the Psycho-Pirate's agent and several mobsters who steal his bag of fake gems. The Lantern helps him capture the entire gang. In the wake of this latest failure, the Psycho-Pirate rages with envy at the success of the Justice Society.   The Atom's case is about curiosity. A university student working on his thesis is poring over rare documents at the university library. The Psycho-Pirate has a fellow student question a fact in his notes, and his curiosity gets the best of him. He returns to the library late at night only to find the Psycho-Pirate's gang waiting to steal the rare manuscripts in the library and frame the student. The Atom arrives and deals with the entire gang. He then visits the student's room and finds the manuscripts planted in his possession. Upset with his failure, the Psycho-Pirate races off to his next plan, anxious to beat even one member the Justice Society.   Johnny Thunder has to confront humility. The Psycho-Pirate finds a second-rate boxer and builds him up with a series of fixed matches. Finally earning a match with the champ, the Psycho-Pirate plans to drug the champ and bet heavily on an upset. A strangely humble Johnny approaches the champ and explains the scheme while the Thunderbolt watches, amazed at how competently Johnny handles the situation. Johnny suggests that the champ pretend to be drugged to flush out the crooks. The champ takes a quick knockdown, which gives the Thunderbolt an opportunity to find the crooks. The Psycho-Pirate is humbled by his defeat at the hands of Johnny Thunder of all people.   The Flash has to fight anger. A radio engineer with a temper has discovered a way to power cars with radio waves. Two of the Psycho-Pirate's men pretend to work for his laboratory and make him angry enough to agree to sell off his plans. The Flash tracks him down and has him bring phony plans to the meeting. When the Psycho-Pirate's agents double-cross the engineer, Flash breaks into the room and deals with them all. Defeated on every one of his plans, the Psycho-Pirate flies into a fit of anger.   The Justice Society meet up at an old hotel and trap Big Mike and the Psycho-Pirate in their hideout. The incredulous Psycho-Pirate cannot believe the Justice Society has tracked them down. The Atom explains, however, that Big Mike wrote down their address in the clues they planted on Johnny Thunder! The two criminals are sent back to prison once more.