All-American Comics #31 is an issue of the series All-American Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1941.
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "The Adventure of the Underfed Orphans"
Green Lantern and Doiby Dickles foil a bank robbery. The police arrive with reporters in tow. The newspapermen snap pictures of GL and his sidekick. The next day, Doiby finds that he is a new celebrity and decides to tour the country, giving speeches to raise money for charity. Green Lantern will have to face his next case alone.
As Alan Scott and Irene Miller are finishing their lunch, a man arrives to sell tickets for a ball to raise money for an orphanage. The man claims the even is sponsored by the well-regarded Assistant Mayor John Logan, and the owner, Alan, and Irene buy tickets. Alan and Irene agree to go to the ball together, but something is nagging at Scott's memory. He looks at his collected newspaper clippings to find that five orphans at the home are sick with stomach poisoning. The next day, he disguises himself as a reporter and heads to the orphanage.
At the orphanage, the doorman seems suspicious, secretly conferring with another man named Grimstone. They force the children to stop cleaning and start playing or else they will be whipped. Alan is given a tour of the building and is impressed by the quality of the care the children receive. One child, however, writes a note and slips it to Alan, and the two exchange a knowing look. As Alan leaves, Grimstone puts the children back to work, while our hero reads the note. The children live in appalling conditions while Grimstone and his guards live comfortably. That night, Scott transforms into Green Lantern and heads to the orphanage.
He finds the children's food to be rancid and spoiled and examines the orphanage's records. Green Lantern discovers that Grimstone is pocketing the proceeds, but the noise has awakened Grimstone. The man is easily dispatched by Green Lantern. In the next room, a guard attempts to whip a child attempting to sneak a meal but is also stopped by Green Lantern. Again, GL fights with Grimstone and the guard, making short work of them. He makes himself known as the Green Lantern, and Grimstone calls Mayor Logan to inform him that the hero is on his way.
Green Lantern confronts Logan, and the supposedly honest mayor angrily refutes the accusation of being involved in the racket. Logan calls his thugs to set a trap and leaves town followed in the air by Green Lantern. Far outside of town, Green Lantern sees Logan enter a shack but is attacked by thugs and beaten into unconsciousness. They capture him and take his ring. GL overhears that, while Logan gives his speech, his hired thugs will steal the charitable proceeds. They douse the shack in gasoline, set it on fire, and leave. Green Lantern burns the ropes with the fire and flies away.
The next day, Alan and Irene head to the ball and enjoy a night of dancing. As Logan steps up to give his speech, Alan excuses himself to make a phone call. As the thugs holdup the speech, Green Lantern appears and takes out the thugs. He makes a move on Logan who refuses to confess. His men turn on him, so Green Lantern leaves him for the police and changes back to Alan Scott. They resume their dance with Irene unaware that the hero of the evening is her date.
Appearing in Green Lantern: "The Adventure of the Underfed Orphans"
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- Mr. Grimstone (Single appearance)
- "Honest" John Logan (Single appearance)
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Synopsis for Scribbly: "Claude"
Appearing in Scribbly: "Claude"
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Synopsis for Hop Harrigan: "The Cantrell Clan"
Appearing in Hop Harrigan: "The Cantrell Clan"
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Synopsis for Red, White, and Blue: "Case of the Tainted Meat"
Appearing in Red, White, and Blue: "Case of the Tainted Meat"
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- Red, White, and Blue
- Red Dugan, USMC
- Whitey Smith, USA
- Blooey Blue, USN
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- Doris West, G2
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Synopsis for Sargon the Sorcerer: "The Stolen Car Gang"
A dance team performing at the same theater as Sargon give him a ride in their new car. However during the performance it gets lifted by a car theft racket who give it new paint and new plates. Realizing he touched the car when he drove it the night before, Sargon magically commands it to come speeding back to him, then has the driver crawl to the city he was going to in order to show him his place. Tracking down where the cars are redecorated, Sargon distracts the criminals by making some sing, then makes them hop on one foot to the police precinct to confess. But arranges things to let a beat cop find the chop shop to hide the existence of his magic powers.
Appearing in Sargon the Sorcerer: "The Stolen Car Gang"
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- Kelly (Single appearance)
- Slinky (Single appearance)
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- Jack McWhorter (Single appearance)
- Phyllis McWhorter (Single appearance)
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Synopsis for Jimmy Stone: "Traitor's Payoff (Part II)"
Jimmy and the police inspector investigate the secret passage and find a concealed safe, whose contents revealed the murdered publisher was the head of a spy ring who'd been letting his true agenda slip. Eventually they find Phil tied up in a closet, who tells them what he learned: the publisher was killed by one of his own men, who hadn't been getting the pay he felt he deserved for his dirty work.
Appearing in Jimmy Stone: "Traitor's Payoff (Part II)"
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Synopsis for Atom: "The Dude Ranch Mystery"
Appearing in Atom: "The Dude Ranch Mystery"
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- Convicts (Single appearance)
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- Truck
- Jack
- Anne
- Jim (Single appearance)
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Synopsis for Doctor Mid-Nite: "Mystery of the Medium"
A palmist uses a seance racket to drum up business for crooked broker Ichabod Snipe. Dr. Mid-Nite learns of this goes to Snipe's office where, pretending to be a ghost himself, he warns a wealthy widow against taking Snipe's investment advice. He then heads back to the palmist's place and beats up the rest of the racket.
Appearing in Doctor Mid-Nite: "Mystery of the Medium"
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- Madame Zara (Single appearance)
- Ichabod Snipe (Single appearance)
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- Mrs. Taylor (Single appearance)
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Notes
- The Adventure Of The Underfed Orphans is reprinted in The Golden Age Green Lantern Archives Vol. 2.
- Aside from the stories above, this issue contains:
- "Mutt & Jeff" and "Cicero's Cat" by Bud Fisher
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