List of Marvel Family Enemies - United Criminals

United Criminals

Only appearing in Whiz Comics #128. Like the United Nations, the United Criminals is organised. It is a band of international crooks called together by 'Mastermins Mike', Kingpin of the Underworld. He wants to promote the biggest crime wave ever known. His first plan is to steal a battleship and sell it for scrap metal worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most of the crooks agree, but one vetos it, which according to the rules can throw the whole plan out. He will not change his mind despite the assistance of Mike and a nearby crook and is going to walk out, but an eyepatch wearing crook coshes him from behind,and holds up his hand so he 'votes' yes. The motion is carried. Later Billy Batson reports the small maritime nation of Libania has reported one of its battleships was stolen at port while most of the crew were on shore leave. Some criminals overpowered the few guards and steamed away. Billy thinks it is the most amazing robbery in history and summons Captain Marvel, who fles to Libania to pick up the trail. He is told the direction the crooks went off in, search planes were sent but found nothing. He thinks they could easily change direction into the ocean. As sharks follow a shi due to its garbage, Cap soon tracks down the ship, which is sailing under a new flag. Mike works out a fortune will be made from this. When another thug reports Cap is approaching, a broadside is aimed at him. He is impervious to it, and knocks out some crooks, causing Mike to retreat with other crooks in their Jet helicopter. Cap loses them due to fog, so tows the ship back even though there is no crew. Cap takes the four criminals to jail, and questions them. All remain quiet, except for the one who tried to veto the decision, was slugged, and forced into it. He tells Cap about Mike and the United Criminals, saying they are lined up to rob transoceanic planes, raid a Maharajah's Jewel cave, counterfeit all currency on Earth, 'all big stuff like that!' Cap asks if next they will rob the planes, and his Informant says they will, like Jesse James robbed trains in the old days. Cap realises he forgot to ask him where Mike's secret headquarters are, but before he can his Informer is shot dead by the crook to the left of him, who had a small gun hidden up his sleeve, and cheers for the U.C. Cap hits the murderer, and decides to patrol the oceans. The next day a huge transoceanic airliner drones on its scheduled route between continents, with 80 passengers plus a freight of Jewelry. A 'mechanical vulture' (the helicopter) lands on the airliner with blades spinning so it will not overburden the airliner. Reminiscent of train robberies of a bygone era, the aerial bandits get to work. Mike tells the pilots to keep on the job while his men relive the passengers of any excess baggage, and jokes they are contributing to the welfare fund for needy criminals. however Cap sees this and hits some criminals. He meets Mike and is impervious to his bullets, so Mike tosses a million dollars of jewelry out of the window. Cap cannot let a fortune in jewels sink forever to the bottom of the ocean, as too many people would be bankrupt by that. He gets it, but the crooks escape in the Jet helicopter, and thick clouds overhead means no sign of the crooks plane. He looks for their hideiout and flies towards a tropical island, then towards an iceberg which is not melting in the tropical climate. Cap finds it is not ice, but plastic, an artificial iceberg. He cannot find the concealed entrance, and he claims if he smashes his way in, they may drown. He changes to Billy, thinking they would not open for Captain Marvel, but maybe will for a shipwrecked boy, and calls for help. A crook looking through the periscope thinks a kid got shipwrecked and swam to the 'Iceberg,' so Mick pulls the main doorway lever so he does not attract passing ships. A big concealed doorway opens up, and Billy is coshed by a thug. When he comes to he is in the meeting place, bound hand and foot to a chair and gagged. Mike has recognised him as Billy Batson, who has been carrying a broadcasting crusade against crime. He asks the verdict of the U.C against the prisoner, and is told treason against crime, with the verdict death. He removes Billy's gag as he poins a gun at his head, and asks if her has any last words before he dies. Billy transforms to Captain Marvel, and pulls the U.C banner onto the criminals, saying he will put them on ice, then asks 'Or should I say—on plastic?' as he hits Mike. He starts towing the Iceberg (why did he not do that before?) and says 'When they get to jail the U.C will have another meaning---the United Convicts!'