I figured this was a penthouse full of tricks! But I had to play stupid . . . to make you expose the lethal one! 
National Comics #58 is an issue of the series National Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1947.
Synopsis for The Barker: "Talking Animals"
A talking bear, seal, and fox have joined Colonel Lane's circus, and are packing in the crowds. The other regular troupe members want to know how it's done, but Lane himself doesn't care as long as it makes paying customers curious. Soon the other performers are distracted by the return of high diver Andy and bareback rider Donna, freshly returned from their wedding. When Andy does his act, the seal suddenly jumps in the tank and pins him to the bottom until he drowns. Although shocked, Donna insists she has to go on and do her own act riding the elephant. The bear suddenly runs into the ring and startles the elephant into bucking Donna, then as they dance at its insistence, it starts giving the girl a crushing bear hug. Fortunately the Barker, Tiny and Midge run into the ring in time to save her from the bear as well as the fox. Tiny also overheard Duff, the animals' trainer, muttering "Kill! Kill! Kill!" and grabs him too. It turns out the animals were wearing concealed radio speakers, which Duff used to make it seem like they could talk, and issue his orders. Donna had spurned Duff for Andy, and he vowed neither of them would live as revenge.
Appearing in The Barker: "Talking Animals"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Duff
Other Characters:
- Andy Bales (Dies)
- Donna Bales
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Synopsis for Granny Gumshoe: "Von Morbidd's Model"
Art critics are going insane throughout town, and talented but demented artist Indigo Van Morbidd is constantly being thrown out of art galleries for trying to put his paintings of monsters on display. Granny's unaffected when she sees it because of hereditary color blindness. Lippy's been given a job by Van Morbidd handing out his paintings to people, and Granny gets the address of his studio to go and confront Van Morbidd in person. She discretely asks where he got the inspiration for his work, and he proudly announces he has a model -- a monster that crawls out of a hole in the floor. Seeing his own painted likeness causes the monster to jump in fright and bonk his head on the ceiling, knocking him out cold. She gets the hairy beast a job as an "after" model for hair tonic ads!
Appearing in Granny Gumshoe: "Von Morbidd's Model"
Featured Characters:
- Granny Gumshoe
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Indigo Van Morbidd
- a monster
Other Characters:
- Mr. Brush
Locations:
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Synopsis for Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Story of Wiley Gorn"
Sally's assigned to the set of a movie shoot as someone sent a threatening letter not to go through with it, which turns out to be serious when a pair of thugs suddenly steal a tank from the war movie next door and drive it through the set. Sally stops it with a molotov cocktail, but the pair of thugs inside escape when the movie's leading man tries to protect her and just gets in the way. The thugs next kill the film's producer but Sally manages to catch them in the act of invading the scriptwriter's home: he explains the script's based on the misdeeds celebrity/politician Fenley, and he sent the toughs to keep the film from being made and his actions being exposed. Sally sends the thugs in first to report to him, then arrests them all. The leading man takes Sally out to dinner and says she could make a fortune in the film industry, but she says she couldn't handle the excitement of being a movie starlet.
Appearing in Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Story of Wiley Gorn"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Bruce Fenley
- his hirelings
Other Characters:
Locations:
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Synopsis for Steve Wood: "Land-Rats and Water-Rats"
Inspector Flanagan confronts Steve Wood about a note he found with his name on it from the girl reporter Peg, and a meeting place. The waterfront detective confesses he gave Peg a fake address because he's closing in on a gang of thieves that've been robbing waterfront warehouses and wanted Peg out of harm's way. Except, Flanagan says, she's gone missing. This prompts Steve to give the inspector the slip so he can go looking for Peg without wasting a few hours being grilled down at the precinct.
Peg's been found and kidnapped by the thieves, who were planning their next robbery where her false meeting with Steve was. Fortunately he finds his way into their hideout, and after recovering from being wrenched on the head, he kills the lights and lets the toughs punch each other out. Afterward Steve and Peg deliver the crooks to Inspector Flanagan, who'd spent the last few hours grilling Steve's jealous secretary instead. She was the one who'd tipped Inspector Flanagan off about Steve and Peg's meeting, to make sure nothing could happen between the private dick and girl reporter.
Appearing in Steve Wood: "Land-Rats and Water-Rats"
Featured Characters:
- Steve Wood
Supporting Characters:
- Sally, Steve's secretary
- Inspector Flanagan
Antagonists:
- two river pirates
Other Characters:
- Peg Allen, reporter
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Intellectual Amos: "The Ostrich"
Appearing in Intellectual Amos: "The Ostrich"
Featured Characters:
- Intellectual Amos
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
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Synopsis for Lassie and Laddie: "Suspicious Characters"
Appearing in Lassie and Laddie: "Suspicious Characters"
Featured Characters:
- Lassie
- Laddie
Supporting Characters:
- Roberta
- Roger
Synopsis for Quicksilver: "Boss Duray's Penthouse of Peril"
Appearing in Quicksilver: "Boss Duray's Penthouse of Peril"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Boss Duray
Other Characters:
- stage magician (Dies)
- Bobby, ham radio operator
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Also appearing in this issue of National Comics were:
- Windy Breeze: "Robinson Breeze", by Jack Cole
- "Mix Well With Bullets" (text story)
See Also
Links and References
