"Nobody answers the bell! I think a little breaking and entering is in order!!" 
National Comics #53 is an issue of the series National Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1946.
Synopsis for The Barker: "Scramolo, the Escape Wizard"
The Lane Circus is facing a slump because everyone's seen all the acts they're offering. While the Barker and Lane are arguing about the downturn, they're interrupted by a performer who introduces himself as Scramolo. He introduces himself as an escape wizard who can get into or out of anything, proven by how he entered their trailer despite the locks. He escapes chains and even being buried in a cement shell. After wowing a crowd with his performance, Scramolo helps himself to the entire take. The Circus can't get rid of him because he's the only thing drawing a crowd, but can't let him help himself to all the intake, either. The Barker gets the manager of a flea circus act to torment Scramolo during his next show, getting to admit he's really a thief who performed his escapes with concealed implements. He gladly hands himself over to police detectives to get away from the cricus.
Appearing in The Barker: "Scramolo, the Escape Wizard"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Colonel Lane
- Lena
- Liz Flannery
- Major Midge
- Spuda the Spider-Man
- Tiny Tim
- Madame Shali, snake charmer
- Peaches, bearded lady
Antagonists:
- Scramolo
Other Characters:
- The Professor, flea circus operator
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Red God Ruby"
For a society wedding, Sally and Knucks are assigned to guard the Red God Ruby, once one of the crown jewels of the eastern land of Mazunga. A turbaned Oriental tries to steal the gem to take it back to the rightful owners its native country. Eventually Sally unmasks him as Gwarden, the mother of the bride's secretary, trying to steal the fabulous gem out of simple greed.
Appearing in Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Red God Ruby"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gwarden
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Red God Ruby
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Quicksilver: "Lonesome"
The vicious gangster Lonesome escapes from prison, kills his partners in crime as soon as they're away from the pen, and goes on a one-man crime spree. After leading Quicksilver on a merry chase, he gives up when he realizes he can't escape the nimble crimefighter. True to his name, Lonesome asks to be put in solitary confinement.
Appearing in Quicksilver: "Lonesome"
Featured Characters
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Lonesome
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Lassie and Laddie: "The Men from Mars"
Appearing in Lassie and Laddie: "The Men from Mars"
Featured Characters:
- Lassie
- Laddie
Supporting Characters:
- Roberta
- Roger
Synopsis for The Whistler: "The Trial of Monk McGurn"
Infamous gangster Monk McGurn is on trial, and crime reporter Mallory Drake is confident he'll be put away. Suddenly a juror faints, and Drake's the only one who noticed what was happening in the direction the man was looking: one of Monk's boys was playing with a lady's watch. Drake immediately figures out Monk's gang must be holding the juror's wife hostage to direct his vote, and goes to the man's house to investigate. When nobody answers the bell, he lets himself in. Inside he sees signs there was clearly a struggle, confirming his suspicions.
Drake switches to the Whistler to track down the kidnapped woman before the jury meets in the morning. He goes to the McGurn Mob's old hideout and is caught by the gangsters, but Whistler's trademark paralyzing whistle lets him get the advantage on them. He does find the juror's wife tied up, but the gangsters have recovered and lock them in together. Whistler uses some whistle-ventriloquism through the vents to make the crooks think he escaped, and they fall for it by opening the door to make sure he's still in there only to run right into Whistler's fists. Whistler sends the woman home to call her husband, and secure Monk McGurn's conviction.
Appearing in The Whistler: "The Trial of Monk McGurn"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mac Shane, Editor, Daily Record
Antagonists:
- Monk McGurn
- Tony Munsi
- Sam
- other hoods
Other Characters:
- Mr. Mallory Anderson
- Mrs. Mallory Anderson
Notes
- Last issue for Destroyer 171, art by Al Camy.
- Last issue for Vernon Henkel story and art on The Whistler, replaced next issue by William Woolfolk and Al McWilliams.
See Also
Links and References
