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"The Barker: "The Man Who Hates The Circus"": The circus is on its way to a town where a millionaire named Ephraim Squires has decreed no circuses will play. Any time one tries, it's either run off by thugs or destroyed by arson. The troupe find themselves trapped on the grounds of Squires' esta

National Comics #66 is an issue of the series National Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1948.

Synopsis for The Barker: "The Man Who Hates The Circus"

The circus is on its way to a town where a millionaire named Ephraim Squires has decreed no circuses will play. Any time one tries, it's either run off by thugs or destroyed by arson. The troupe find themselves trapped on the grounds of Squires' estate, steered there by detours. He tries to offer them a welcome banquet, but the Barker's suspicious and refuses to let anyone eat. Squires attacks him with a knife, and they go tumbling through a secret door. On the other side are posters of circus acts, and Squires angrily declares he hates circuses because his wife ran off with an animal trainer. In the course of their scuffle, Squires falls on his own knife and dies.

Appearing in The Barker: "The Man Who Hates The Circus"

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  • Ephraim Squires (Dies)
  • His butler

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Synopsis for Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Black Hand"

A special unit's formed to investigate major crimes, but the detective in charge doesn't think much of the idea of women on the police force, annoying Sally. He gets a call about the reformation of the Black Hand, an infamous crime syndicate from decades before. Going to a flophouse to get information from an associate of the group, he falls into a secret trapdoor, as the associate's really the new mastermind of the group. Sally comes by, and is tricked into falling into his dungeon as well, but comes up with ideas that allow her and her superior to escape and capture the new Black Hand. He invites her to dinner by way of thanks, but he cooks the steaks - as he says, all the best chefs are men.

Appearing in Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Black Hand"

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Synopsis for Lassie and Laddie: "The Monster in the Swamp"


Appearing in Lassie and Laddie: "The Monster in the Swamp"

Featured Characters:

  • Lassie
  • Laddie

Supporting Characters:

  • Roberta
  • Roger

Synopsis for Quicksilver: "Mr. Miacca"


Appearing in Quicksilver: "Mr. Miacca"

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Synopsis for Steve Wood: "The Ruthven Case"

Actress Loe Latrice comes into Steve Wood's office to hire him. She explains that a freighter, the Ruthven, that wrecked itself on rocks in the harbor. She and boxer Hinkey Tarn were injured in a car accident caused by the ship's captain, and he cut them both in for part ownership of his latest run. Latrice wants Steve to go out there and help her claim what she's owed. Infuriated that Steve left with Latrice while barely paying attention to her, secretary Sally agrees to help the boxer when he comes in to ask for help with the same issue. Meanwhile, Inspector Flanagan finds the boat's captain, not just dead but murdered, shot through the head. Flanagan rows out to the wreck too with Spurrman, the captain's trustee.

After the various parties run into each other and mistake each other for thieves, Flanagan confronts them all and finds it very suspicious the captain was murdered right when other people who owned big percentages of his cargo come to Steve Wood's office for help in collecting it. Perhaps hoping to help themselves to a much bigger share by offing the captain. Spurrman explains how somebody could've gotten to the ship in a speedboat and met in secret with captain, them bumped him off. While everyone's distracted, Spurrman goes to a secret safe in the captain's cabin and opens it to reveal a cache of valuable rubies. Steve confronts him, saying his plan for how the killer got to the ship was a little too perfect unless he was the one who did it. After beating up Spurrman, Steve hands him over to Flanagan, and the rubies to Loe and Hinkey, who asks Loe out. Which Steve then does to Sally to make her calm down.

Appearing in Steve Wood: "The Ruthven Case"

Featured Characters:

  • Steve Wood, Waterfront Detective

Supporting Characters:

  • Sally, secretary
  • Inspector Flanagan

Antagonists:

  • Spurrman
  • Loe Latrice
  • Hinkey Tarn
  • Capt. Ronn Rohver (Dies)



See Also


Links and References

Superboy Vol 4 69
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