Nothing is known of the life of Heinrich Vurm before a series of mysterious earthquakes rocked major US cities in 1941.  A lone U.S. seismologist, Professor Moro, studies the quakes and concludes they are artificial in  nature, created by someone with a fantastic, unknown technology.  Moro deduces that the technology is originating in an unexplored part of the Andes, deep in the South American wilderness.  He contacts the FBI and Chief Woodley Allen arranges a transport plane to carry them.  As they leave, Doris Lee, Allen's niece and fiancee of Ted (Starman) Knight stows away, looking for adventure and the hope of meeting Starman. As the plane nears the origin of the quakes, they penetrate a dense magnetic mist that pulls the plane downward.  Desperately, Allen uses a signal device he has  to communicate with Starman.  Knight, receiving the signal, dons his Starman uniform and races South an unfathomable speed, only to also be caught in the mist and forced to land.  He finds a high plateau with an advanced tower and believe he has found "the land beyond the clouds", a mythical realm in South America.

As quickly as he is on the ground, he is surrounded by natives who escort him to Captain Vurm.  Vurm admits that he is the architect of the quakes and presumptive that Starman will never escape, offers a demonstration by unleashing the device on New York City.  Before the machine can be activated, Starman uses his cosmic rod to destroy the power relay.  In a rage, Vurm orders the natives to attack but Starman disarms them easily.  Vurm attempts to shoot the hero, but is also disarmed and forced to reveal the location of the Allens and Moro.  Sending the hero the depths below, Vurm plots his revenge.  Starman finds Doris at the mercy of a Tigron, a large mutant cat found only on the plateau.  Dispensing of the animal, he free Doris and goes deeper down to find the others.  He finds Allen guarded by a native of garganutan proportions.  After a furious melee, the giant falls and they set off for Moro and the pilot of their plane. 

Vurm meanwhile has turned the quake machine inward, intending to destroy them all while he escapes in the plane.  He is undone however, when the violent shaking of the quakes flings him from a catwalk and into the cavern below.  The natives panic and free Moro and the pilot, allowing them to get to the plane and have it running when Starman and the Allens emerge from the depths.  As they fly away, the plateau collapses under the force of the quake machine  and they depart, believing the threat of Vurm ended forever (Adventure Comics #63).

Whether Vurm is truly dead or whether any of his technology survived is unknown