More Fun Comics #56 is an issue of the series More Fun Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1940.
Synopsis for The Spectre: "Terror at Lytell's"
Jim Corrigan is summoned to Lytel's department store, which has been threatened by Bentley, a wholesaler. A bomb causes a portion of the ceiling to collapse. The Spectre prevents any injuries, then leaves in search of Bentley. Corrigan questions Bentley, who denies involvement in the explosion. When Corrigan leaves the office, Bentley sends his men to kill the detective. The Spectre grabs the car full of these badguys, and listens to them beg and whine for a minute, then crushes the car in his fist, with them all in it. He then prevents a hi-jacking by another gang of Bentley's men. Finally, when Bentley tries again to bomb Lytel's, the Spectre sets the crooks up for the police to apprehend.
Appearing in The Spectre: "Terror at Lytell's"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Bentley
- George (Dies)
Locations:
- Cliffland, New Jersey
- Lytel's Department Store
- Lytel's Department Store
Synopsis for Biff Bronson: "Tale of a Shirt"
Appearing in Biff Bronson: "Tale of a Shirt"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Dan Druff
Synopsis for Captain Desmo: "The Society of Assassins, Part 4"
Appearing in Captain Desmo: "The Society of Assassins, Part 4"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Gabby
Antagonists:
- Society of Assassins (many die)
- Grand Assassin
Other Characters:
- Military Governor of Algiers
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Desmo's fighter-plane
Synopsis for Radio Squad: "Fur Chiselers"
Appearing in Radio Squad: "Fur Chiselers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- NYPD
Antagonists:
- Fur Chiselers
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Radio Car K-7
Synopsis for Lt. Bob Neal of Sub 662: "Transfer to Newport News"
Appearing in Lt. Bob Neal of Sub 662: "Transfer to Newport News"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Tubby Potts
Vehicles:
- Sub 662
Locations:
Synopsis for Congo Bill: "The Search for Africa's Ancient Ruins"
Appearing in Congo Bill: "The Search for Africa's Ancient Ruins"
Featured Characters:
- Congo Bill (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Professor Kent (First appearance)
Antagonists:
- The Skull (First appearance)
- Hostile Natives
- One-Eye (Single appearance)
- Slats (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Toto, Bantu Guide (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Africa
- Congo River
- Belgian Congo, 1940
Synopsis for Detective Sergeant Carey: "The Jade Hatchet"
Appearing in Detective Sergeant Carey: "The Jade Hatchet"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Sleepy
Synopsis for Sergeant O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol: "The Horse Thieves"
Appearing in Sergeant O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol: "The Horse Thieves"
Featured Characters:
- Constable O'Malley, RCMP
Supporting Characters:
- Red Coat Patrol
- Black Hawk
- Flame, O'Malley's Wolf-Dog
Antagonists:
- Horse Thieves
Locations:
Synopsis for Doctor Fate: "The Search for Wotan"
Doctor Fate wants to find out what happened to the soul of Wotan, after defenestrating him in their earlier fight. With Inza by his side, Fate travels into the Underworld. They traverse beyond the Seven Gates, into the region of dead souls. They encounter the essence of Wisdom who tells Fate that the evil sorcerer has escaped his doom, in some way, and still lives.
Doctor Fate and Inza return to Earth by way of the Ferryman across the River Styx. At first The Ferryman doesn't want to convey them, but Fate threatens him with incineration. Afterwards, Inza and Fate discover that Wotan is insane and creating a device that will destroy the entire world, using devices designed to alter the planet's electrical field. Fate uses his magic to communicate with a great eagle, who points them in the direction of Wotan's remote lab, in a distant mountain range.
As they enter, Wotan throws a switch intent on blowing up the Earth. Doctor Fate counters the effect with his magic, then punches Wotan twice in the jaw, knocking him out. He places him into suspended animation and leaves him in an air pocket buried deep in the Earth.
Appearing in Doctor Fate: "The Search for Wotan"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- The Ferryman
- Wisdom
Locations:
- New York City
- River Styx
- Underworld
- distant mountain range, on Earth
- Wotan's Laboratory
Vessels:
- Charon's Ferry Boat
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc..
- Captain Desmo smokes a pipe.
- First issue for Congo Bill.
- Congo Bill says he's lived in Africa all his life.
- Congo Bill smokes a pipe.
- Congo Bill gets knocked unconscious twice, first with a stone axe then with a pistol butt.
- Congo Bill and Professor Kent discover an ancient lost city, and remove some treasure from it, which they intend to turn over to the government.
- At this story's end, the Skull escapes.
- Doctor Fate:
- "The Search for Wotan" is reprinted in Immortal Doctor Fate #1 and The Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1.
- Wotan appeared last in More Fun Comics #55. He appears next in More Fun Comics #70.
- The profile page for Salem The Witch Girl implicate that her first appearance was in this issue as an in-universe reference instead of her actual debut in The New Golden Age Vol 1 1.
- The Spectre:
- "Terror at Lytell's" is reprinted in The Golden Age Spectre Archives Vol. 1.
- The department store is named "Lytel's" throughout the story, and is only called "Lytell's" one time, in the title. Originally the story didn't even have a title.
- Spectre body count = 6.[1]
- The Spectre can shrink to a very tiny size, and can grow to cosmic-scale, or any size of his choosing.
- The Spectre can also do Ray Palmer's "telephone trick" of traveling to distant locations along telephone wires.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- The Spectre Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1): Adventure Comics #431– #440
- Countdown to Mystery
- Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre (Volume 1)
- Day of Judgment
- Day of Vengeance
- Final Crisis: Revelations
- More Fun Comics (Volume 1)
- Spectre (Volume 1)
- Spectre (Volume 2)
- Spectre (Volume 3)
- Spectre (Volume 4)
- Tales of the Unexpected (Volume 2)
- Wrath of the Spectre (Volume 1)
- Doctor Fate Recommended Reading
- The Book of Fate (Volume 1)
- Countdown to Mystery (Volume 1)
- Doctor Fate (Volume 1)
- Doctor Fate (Volume 2)
- Doctor Fate (Volume 3)
- Doctor Fate (Volume 4)
- Fate (Volume 1)
- The Flash (Volume 1): The Flash #306– #313
- Helmet of Fate (Volume 1)
- Immortal Doctor Fate (Volume 1)
- JSA (Volume 1)
- More Fun Comics (Volume 1)