Heroic Comics #38

Fire Bell Tolls Death chronicles the tragic final shift of Fire Captain Cole, a 27-year veteran of the Anniston Fire Department whose dedication to the job was unwavering—so much so that he'd made a wish about how he wanted to be remembered. When a massive blaze engulfs the Commercial National Bank, Cole and his fellow firefighters race to battle the inferno, but a sudden back-draft turns the fight into a deadly gamble. A true hero's story about courage, duty, and a final wish fulfilled in the most sorrowful way.

Patrolman Leo Miller responds to a hotel robbery in progress and pursues three armed gunmen determined to bring them in—but the crooks fight back with bullets. Shot twice and badly wounded, Miller refuses to stay down, pressing forward with sheer grit to stop the criminals from escaping. This is the true story of one of New York's Finest and his unflinching nerve under fire.

When a fire breaks out in his Brooklyn home during dinner, ex-Sergeant Harold Basuino springs into action, drawing on his combat training to keep his family calm and guide them to safety while firefighters battle the blaze. His quick thinking and leadership become the difference between tragedy and rescue, as he coordinates with the fire chief to get his mother, sister, and the youngest members of his household—including a three-week-old baby—out of the burning house. Harold discovers that leaving the uniform behind doesn't mean leaving the soldier behind.

When four boys plunge through the ice of a lagoon near La Guardia Field on Lincoln's Birthday, sixteen-year-old William Fitzgerald, a part-time messenger boy from Jackson Heights, Queens, springs into action with quick thinking and courage. Despite the cracking ice and his own peril, Fitzgerald works to pull each frightened boy to safety, drawing on every ounce of presence of mind to face the life-or-death emergency. This true account of heroism in the face of danger shows what one young man's resolve can accomplish when lives hang in the balance.

When Mr. Mugavin returns to his New York apartment on a December morning in 1945, he finds his wife Eleanor and three children overcome by escaping gas fumes—and must act decisively to save them. With no phone in the building and a policeman nowhere to be found, he makes a split-second decision that brings help just in time. A story of quick thinking and remarkable presence of mind in a life-or-death moment.

Nell Williams, a seasoned river captain, is called upon by the Red Cross to attempt a desperate rescue mission during a catastrophic Mississippi River flood—reaching 500 stranded survivors at Red Fork, Arkansas, when other experienced rivermen have failed or refused to try. Navigating treacherous currents and hidden hazards, she pilots her boat through a dangerous shortcut to deliver food, clothing, and hope to the desperate refugees. It's a gripping true account of skill, nerve, and determination in the face of nature's raw power.

In the rugged wilderness of the French and Indian War, young George Washington undertakes a perilous mission to deliver a vital message from Governor Dinwiddie to the French command. Guided by an enigmatic Native American who may be a traitor in disguise, his journey back becomes a test of courage and survival.

Eighteen-year-old Remo Sterling Cline of Richland, Washington harbors a burning ambition to play high school football—one that takes on extraordinary meaning when Coach Littau and his teammates discover the truth behind his on-field dominance. This real account follows Cline's determined pursuit of athletic excellence despite a physical challenge that would stop most people cold, proving that heart and grit can overcome what seem like impossible odds.

During a fierce naval battle between British and French forces, a young boy overhears that victory will come when the enemy's flag is struck—and decides to take matters into his own hands by scaling the French ship's mast to claim it himself. His bold action settles the battle and earns him recognition from his commanding officer, setting him on a remarkable path through the ranks of the British Navy that would eventually lead to greatness.