Number 1329: Sparky Watts, the cosmic ray kid

In this Sparky Watts story, Sparky shrinks his way into Hubba-Hubba Land. Hubba-hubba is a term you just don’t hear any more. For those who don’t know that archaic expression, it was a way for a guy to let a babe know she was hot; a wolf-whistle and a loud “Hubba-hubba!” when she walked by.* In the forties you could even wear the expression on your belt and wallet.

Sparky Watts was given his super powers as “the world’s strongest funny man,” by cosmic rays. You remember that’s the source of the Fantastic Four’s powers, also. The FF got their powers from going into space; Sparky got his cosmic rays administered by his friend and housemate, Doc Static. But Sparky must have his cosmic rays renewed or he begins to shrink into a microscopic world. Sparky’s creator, Boody Rogers, used the idea of Sparky becoming super-small and entering a world unseen by normal-sized humans several times. It’s the plot of this funny 26-page story from Sparky Watts #6 (1947). I showed this a few years ago, but these are new scans.

*Beware, boys. Such behavior is also known as sexual harassment.