Number 1328: “A whirlwind of flying fists and smoking guns!!”

Black Cat is really Linda Turner, Hollywood movie star, who has nothing to do when not filming but go around in costume fighting bad guys. As a member of the “Evacuation Corps,” Linda goes on a short mission to buy a ranch to keep children safe in case the war comes to California. Naturally, the owner refuses (it isn’t as if Linda asked him; it was more of a demand), and that lack of patriotism gets Black Cat involved. Although Linda tosses in a gratuitous personal insult and seems high-handed in her treatment of the ranch owner, it turns out the guy is in a with a ring of saboteurs. So, owing to the temper of the times, he deserves to get his butt kicked all the way to Berlin. The story, drawn by Arthur (Arturo) Cazeneuve, is from Harvey’s Speed Comics #22 (1942).

This is our last day of Pappy's “War is hell on the homefront” week. All of our stories this week have been from comic books published in 1942, and the subject is the war against saboteurs fought on American soil. I want to continue this theme in the future.

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Number 991


"If you go out in the woods today..."


According to Don Markstein's Toonopedia website, the Flame was created in 1939 by Will Eisner and Lou Fine for Fox Features' Wonderworld Comics #3. This particular episode, from Fox's Big 3 Comics #6, is dated November, 1941. The Flame was gone by January, 1942. A brief flaming career, snuffed out like a candle.

Also according to Toonopedia, the Flame's first appearance pre-dated the Human Torch by a few months.

This story seems old, even for 70 years ago when it appeared, because despite its comic book trappings and superheroics, it's just an old fashioned melodrama. The rich guy will foreclose on the mortgage unless the daughter of his enemy marries him! Baaaaa-hahaha! All he needs is a top hat, cape, and a long mustache to twirl. Wait a mo'...he does have a long mustache when he's in the persona of the monster kidnapper. Ooops. I didn't spoil it for you, did I? I thought the denouement was telegraphed quite early in the story, so if you hadn't guessed you were probably not reading, just scanning the bright primary-colored artwork.

Speaking of artwork, attribution is given to comic book journeymen Pierce Rice and Arturo Cazeneuve.

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