In the first installment,
Wonder of the Worlds,
Nikola Tesla,
Mark Twain and Houdini pursue Martian agents who have stolen a powerful crystal from Tesla at the historically pivotal 1893
World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Along for the ride aboard Tesla's airship are other historical figures, reporters
Lillie West and
George Ade, as well as
Kolman Czito, Tesla's assistant. On the journey to the Red Planet, the adventurers are treated to a hidden history of conflict between the Earth and
Mars, as well as Tesla's stunning knowledge of
geophysics of the two planets. Upon arrival on Mars, the team pursues the crystal deep into the underground civilization ruled by Kel, the mad
emperor determined to subjugate Earth with the power of the crystal. ==Houdini the Spy?==