dbborroughs For me this is one of the best serials Republic ever put out. It's a grand wartime serial about a group of insurance investigators, one of which is the masked marvel, battling the evil Sakima. Sakima is in cahoots with the head of the insurance company the men work for and he is giving enemy agents info on which targets to pick. Its got great action, wicked dialog and pacing that just won't quit. For me it's the point at which Republic hit their prime with balancing a fast pace with its tendency to have plots that are little more then fleshed out Cliff Notes. To be certain there are other Republic serials that may be better or more detailed or have better action, but this is the one serial where what would be the studios plan for how to make mass produced serials all came together to make something special. Where other similar serials are too plot heavy (Captain Marvel) or too action oriented (Spy Smasher) this just balances it all together for great effect. One of the best. Look for this one. (Interesting footnote, Tom Steele the stunt man who plays the Marvel through the whole serial is didn't not play one of the investigators who might be the hero. He actually gets no screen credit what so ever, despite being on screen more than most other characters. (A possible in joke has Steele in one of the chapters, sans Mask, asking someone who the Marvel is)

rudge49 In 1966 or so during the "camp"craze, the 1943 Columbia serial of "Batman" was released to ride the publicity generated by the Batman-TV program. (As an aside, as a True Believer I quickly tired of that program, haven't watched it since) Republic edited several of its much better made serials into 2 hour or so movies, sold them in syndication. Among the ones I remember were "Fighting Devil Dogs", "The Invisible Monster", "Manhunt of Mystery Island" and of course "The Masked Marvel" My mother joked that the actors hats seemed to be stapled to their heads, I later learned that they wore elastic bands so you couldn't tell it was a stuntman and not an actor, if in a fight scene one of the performers' hat came off he was a stuntman all along. Sort of a screen convention of the time. That said, this is one of the best wartime serials, I occasionally needed an adult to explain some of the wartime reference-the gas rationing stamps that the Marvel uses to track down Mace's car, e.g.One sad bit of trivia, in Chapter One the actor David Bacon looks at a secret message dated September 13, 1943, he was murdered on September 13, 1943.

bobbloom Made during the height of World War II, The Masked Marvel is 12 chapters of pure stunts and thrills. Despite the poor acting of the four leading men who are the "Marvel" suspects, the action-packed fights and rousing cliffhangers, plus the marvellous stunt work by Tom Steele and his team compensates.The special effects by the Lydecker brothers are first-rate, as good as any major studio - if not better.I have watched this serial a dozen times and still get excited and caught up in the adventure. If anyone wanted to begin a serial collection, this could do well as an introduction. It's Republic Pictures at the top of the studio's game.

BOB AUDET If you were living in the 1940s or 50s you remember seeing the old Republic & Columbia serials each week at your local theatre...Well, sit back and enjoy the best of that bunch!!!Tom Steele (stuntman extraordinaire) is the man behind the mask who is trying to save the US from Japanese saboteurs during WW2. Gunfights...fist fights...car chases...We pay $8-$10 to see that now!! See what $0.25 got you on a Saturday afternoon!! Enjoy...enjoy...enjoy!!