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"Now--When I Was a Boy-: "The Horseshoe"": Uncle Chris and his nephew are walking down the street when they spot a horseshoe on the road. Uncle Chris tells his nephew that there used to be an old saying that finding a horseshoe brought luck to the finder. As he bends over to pick it up, he gets

Quote1 Here is a magazine of picturized stories chock full of laughter and thrills, comic characters of every hue, knights and Vikings of ancient days, adventuring heroes, detectives, aviator daredevils of today and hero supermen of days to come! Quote2
"The Editors"

New Comics #1 is an issue of the series New Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1935.

Synopsis for Now--When I Was a Boy-: "The Horseshoe"

Uncle Chris and his nephew are walking down the street when they spot a horseshoe on the road. Uncle Chris tells his nephew that there used to be an old saying that finding a horseshoe brought luck to the finder. As he bends over to pick it up, he gets hit by a car, does a somersault and lands directly on the metal horseshoe butt first. He gets up from traffic and evades another car. His nephew suddenly reminds him that he forgot his hat on the road and the hat gets squashed. Uncle Chris throws the horseshoe on the road in a tantrum at this sudden turn of events and hits and deflates someone's tire. The driver gets out of the car and demands twelve bucks to pay for the repairs.

Later when Uncle Chris and his nephew get home, his nephew tells his Auntie that his uncle is going to nail the horseshoe right over the door to her exasperation. Auntie then informs Uncle Chris that she will pack up and leave this house if he messes with her woodwork. Uncle Chris doesn't take her threat seriously, as he climbs on top of the stepladder and prepares to nail the horseshoe on top of the door. He hits his thumb with the hammer and falls down, taking the stepladder down with him and breaking it. His nephew asks him what to do with the horseshoe now. Uncle Chris realizes that his luck hasn't turned good because he hadn't tossed the horseshoe over his right shoulder. The tossed horseshoe nearly misses Auntie and crashes through the officer's window. Auntie tells the officer to take him along because he tried to hit her with the horseshoe just to spite him and the officer looks at him angrily though the window.

Appearing in Now--When I Was a Boy-: "The Horseshoe"

Featured Characters:

  • Uncle Chris (Single appearance)

Supporting Characters:

  • nephew
  • Auntie

Other Characters:

  • angry driver
  • officer

Synopsis for Sir Loin of Beef: "Introducing Cowhide"

Sir Loin of Beef is passing by on his horse when suddenly a rather big man gets thrown out of a tavern before him. Sir Loin of Beef asks the man his name and why he got kicked out of the tavern. The man, named Cowhide, explains that the tavern works on a cash and carry basis, and since he currently doesn't have any money on him, they threw him out for the sixth time today. Sir Loin of Beef, admiring Cowhide's persistency gives him a tiny sack of gold to buy himself supper. Before long however, Cowhide gets thrown out of the tavern again. Sir Loin of Beef decides to do something about this and puts on his armor before barging inside the tavern with Cowhide. An old lady sweeping the floor turns around and starts yelling at Sir Loin of Beef for charging inside her tavern. Sir Loin of Beef realizes that a big man like Cowhide got tossed out by a frail old lady like her and mocks him. The old lady swats them both with her broomstick and Sir Loin of Beef falls on the ground with Cowhide. Cowhide mocks him for underestimating her.

Appearing in Sir Loin of Beef: "Introducing Cowhide"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Other Characters:

  • Tavern owner

Locations:

Synopsis for Billy the Kid: "Soap-Box Racer"

Billy lets Pudge ride in his new soapbox car, but neglects to provide him with one crucial piece of information.

Appearing in Billy the Kid: "Soap-Box Racer"

Featured Characters:

  • Billy the Kid (First appearance)

Supporting Characters:

  • Pudge (First appearance)

Synopsis for Sagebrush 'n' Cactus: "Knife Ambush, Part 1 (of 7)"

Sagebrush and Cactus, two prospectors in the Old West, are getting heckled by some townsmen when Miss Betty arrives. When the townsmen turn their attention to her, Sagebrush knocks them down and/or out with a single stone. Once out in the wilderness, Sagebrush and Cactus see "Knife" Ambush, a swindler who has a history with Miss Betty's family, and Sagebrush sees what looks like someone in trouble.

Appearing in Sagebrush 'n' Cactus: "Knife Ambush, Part 1 (of 7)"

Featured Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Knife Ambush (First appearance) (Behind the scenes)

Other Characters:

  • Betty (First appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for Vikings: "Episode 1 (of 22)"

King Harald woos Sigrid, daughter of Hagbard. Eventually, however, he sails away, leaving her with child. Hagbard orders the newborn infant boy abandoned in the wild. However, Kol the Wise hears wolves howling, and, investigating, finds them held at bay by a bright three-pointed light--the symbol of Odin. He drives the pack off and discovers the infant, and, looking up, he sees two ravens--Odin's totem creatures.

Appearing in Vikings: "Episode 1 (of 22)"

Featured Characters:

  • Sigrid (First appearance)
  • Ivar (not yet named) (First appearance)

Supporting Characters:

  • Vikings (First appearance)
  • Kol the Wise (First appearance)
  • Hagbard (First appearance)
  • King Harald (Single appearance)
  • Odin (Behind the scenes)

Other Characters:

  • The Seta (Single appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for J. Worthington Blimp: "New York to San Diego, Part 1"

Blimp learns the hazards of bragging when a careless remark gains steam, and ends up forcing him to ride from New York to San Diego on a bicycle.

Appearing in J. Worthington Blimp: "New York to San Diego, Part 1"

Featured Characters:

Other Characters:

  • Willis (First appearance)
  • Blimp's sister (First appearance)
  • Blimp's nephew (First appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for J. Worthington Blimp: "New York to San Diego, Part 2"

Blimp stops in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where a misunderstanding in a local restaurant lands him in jail. There, he gets acquainted with another grandstander, Jupiter Jones.

Appearing in J. Worthington Blimp: "New York to San Diego, Part 2"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Jupiter Jones (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Willis
  • Blimp's sister
  • Blimp's nephew

Locations:

Synopsis for Tinker Twins at Penn Point: "Goat Initiation"

Hooty and Flea Tinker arrive at Penn Point, determined to excel at their new military school. However, upperclassmen Pudge and Eddie pull a prank on the twins that lands them in hot water.

Appearing in Tinker Twins at Penn Point: "Goat Initiation"

Featured Characters:

  • Tinker Twins
    • Hooty (Single appearance)
    • Flea (Single appearance)

Antagonists:

  • Pudge (Single appearance)
  • Eddie (Single appearance)

Locations:

  • Penn Point (Single appearance)

Synopsis for Needles: "Hair-Cutting Machine"

Having earned his diploma-by-mail in inventing, Needles sets to work on a hair-cutting machine--with mixed results.

Appearing in Needles: "Hair-Cutting Machine"

Featured Characters:

Synopsis for 17-20 in the Black: "Part 1.1 (of 13)"

In a high-stakes poker game, Jim Gale accepts a set of pearls as a stake. Gale wins the game, but the other man attacks him. Facing two-to-one odds, Gale receives help from an unexpected quarter: Kim, a Chinese man with a talent for knife-throwing.

Appearing in 17-20 in the Black: "Part 1.1 (of 13)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Kim (First appearance)

Synopsis for 17-20 on the Black: "Part 1.2 (of 13)"

One day after his life is saved by the mysterious Kim, Jim Gale reads a classified ad offering a reward for the return of a lost pearl necklace. With the necklace in his possession, Gale goes to the address listed--only to encounter Kim. Gale returns the pearls to the mistress of the house, but refuses the reward. Instead, he offers to place the reward money as a stake at roulette, picking the house address, 17-20, as his numbers. Late that night, however, a masked man enters 17-20 while the Lady in Black is asleep.

Appearing in 17-20 on the Black: "Part 1.2 (of 13)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Kim
  • Louise Vallen (not yet named) (First appearance)

Locations:

  • 17-20 California St. (First appearance)

Synopsis for Chikko Chakko: "Shopping"

Chikko attempts to buy new shoes and a watermelon, with mixed results.

Appearing in Chikko Chakko: "Shopping"

Featured Characters:

Other Characters:

  • Chicos (First appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for Gulliver's Travels: "A Voyage to Lilliput"

Gulliver is shipwrecked on a small unknown island. After a deep sleep, he awakens captured by miniature people, who intend to take him to their village.

Appearing in Gulliver's Travels: "A Voyage to Lilliput"

Featured Characters:

Locations:

  • Lilliput, (First appearance) 1699

Synopsis for Freddie Bell, He Means Well: "Trolley Chivalry & Manhole Banker"

Freddie attempts to help a lady on the train, and a portly gentlemen in the street, but his results fail to match his good intentions.

Appearing in Freddie Bell, He Means Well: "Trolley Chivalry & Manhole Banker"

Featured Characters:

  • Freddie Bell (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Fat lady
  • Other trolley passengers
  • Millionaire

Synopsis for Sister and Brother: "The Camera"

A sister and a brother take pictures of each other. Two days later, when the photos are developed, they are surprised by how big their hands and feet look due to the angle of the camera.

Appearing in Sister and Brother: "The Camera"

Featured Characters:

  • Sister (Single appearance)
  • Brother (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Mother (Single appearance)

Synopsis for Bunco the Bear: "Hidden Treasure on Bunco Ranch"

A chortling villain sends a fake treasure map to Bunco the Bear, showing a secret spot on Bunco's own ranch. Bunco toils mightily to dig it up but instead strikes oil!

Appearing in Bunco the Bear: "Hidden Treasure on Bunco Ranch"

Featured Characters:

  • Bunco (Single appearance)

Supporting Characters:

  • Honey (Single appearance)

Antagonists:

  • unnamed wolfy-looking ne'er-do-well, hiding behind a tree

Locations:

  • Bunco Ranch

Synopsis for Wing Walker: "Sons of the Red Cormorant, Part 1 (of 3)"

Grounded and disgraced pilot Wing Walker is kidnapped by the Sons of the Red Cormorant, who ruined his legitimate career so that he would be forced to work for them. Held at gunpoint, Wing has no choice but to fly the Sons on their journey. However, no sooner are they in the air than they are attacked by the Nipper, a rival air bandit. With his engines shattered by the Nipper's machine guns, Wing makes a crash landing to escape, scattering a tribe of Seminole at the scene. As the Sons of the Red Cormorant prepare to ambush the Nipper, Wing encounters a young woman, a prisoner of the Indians.

Appearing in Wing Walker: "Sons of the Red Cormorant, Part 1 (of 3)"

Featured Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Nipper (First appearance)
  • Sons of the Red Cormorant (First appearance)
  • Seminole Tribe (First appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for Cap'n Spinniker: "The North Pole from the Bottom Up"

Captain Spinniker leads his crew on an expedition to the North Pole.

Appearing in Cap'n Spinniker: "The North Pole from the Bottom Up"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • James (not yet named)

Other Characters:

  • Captain Sternpipe

Locations:

Vehicles:

  • Lollypop, Sternpipe's ship

Synopsis for Captain Quick: "Episode One (of twenty-two)"

At the docks in London, Kendal Quick bids farewell to his beloved Marjorie Barlow, before Marjorie sails for Plymouth to stay with an aunt while her father, Lord Barlow, takes to the sea to harry Spanish shipping. On the pier, Lord Barlow denounces Quick as a coward. Late that evening, however, two Spanish saboteurs board the ship, but Quick, who had overheard them earlier, while they were planning the attack, has followed them aboard. He draws his blade and foils the attack, slaying both. Lord Barlow apologizes for his harsh words, and Quick is now free to join the expedition.

Appearing in Captain Quick: "Episode One (of twenty-two)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Marjorie Barlow (First appearance)
  • Lord Barlow (First appearance)

Antagonists:

  • two Spanish arsonists (both die)

Locations:

Synopsis for Jibby Jones: "Haircut"

Jibby tries to save money on a haircut to buy ice cream. Results disappoint.

Appearing in Jibby Jones: "Haircut"

Featured Characters:

  • Jibby Jones (First appearance)

Synopsis for Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed : "The Time Machine, Part 1 (1), (of 4)"

Oliver Weed, mild-mannered historian, is invited by Uriah Mowcher to travel back to 1835 in Mowcher's new time machine.

Appearing in Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed : "The Time Machine, Part 1 (1), (of 4)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Concepts:

Synopsis for Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed : "The Time Machine, Part 1 (2), (of 4)"

Weed and Mowcher make plans to travel back to 1835 in Mowcher's time machine. Unknown to either one, however, Fritz, a young urchin who had run afoul of both men, has sneaked aboard and is traveling back with them.

Appearing in Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed : "The Time Machine, Part 1 (2), (of 4)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for Ray and Gail: "The Secret Cruise, Part 1 (of 8)"

With their parents dead and short on money, twins Ray and Gail Coeval accept an invitation from Ray's friend Willie to sail around the world with Willie and his father.

Appearing in Ray and Gail: "The Secret Cruise, Part 1 (of 8)"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Willie Gewgaw (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • John Coeval (Single appearance; dies)
  • Mary Coeval (Single appearance; dies)

Synopsis for Allan De Beaufort: "The Lightning Salvation"

Fleeing the Persians, Crusader Allan De Beaufort receives help from an unexpected quarter: a beautiful woman named Helen.

Appearing in Allan De Beaufort: "The Lightning Salvation"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

  • Helen (Single appearance)

Locations:

Synopsis for Dickie Duck: "Howdy Do Soaks!"

While watering the flowers, Dickie Duck tries to eat an apple, only to find out that it's made out of wax. Angry, he throws the wax fruit out the window and hits a passerby. When Dickie finishes his work, he pours the remaining water in his watering can out the window, right over the wife of the struck passerby. For this, Dickie gets a walloping.

Appearing in Dickie Duck: "Howdy Do Soaks!"

Featured Characters:

  • Dickie Duck (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Farmer Gray (First appearance)

Synopsis for Peter and Ho-lah-an: "The Friends Meet"

Peter and Ho-lah-an, two teenage boys, meet and become close friends.

Appearing in Peter and Ho-lah-an: "The Friends Meet"

Featured Characters:

  • Peter (First appearance)
  • Ho-lah-an Morongo (First appearance)

Other Characters:

  • Rab, dog (Single appearance)
  • Loki, lamb (Single appearance)

Synopsis for It's a Dern Lie: "Two And a Half Million Ducks"

The true secret origin of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, honest.

Appearing in It's a Dern Lie: "Two And a Half Million Ducks"

Featured Characters:

  • Utah Falcon (Single appearance)

Locations:

Notes

  • Published by National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc.
  • First and last issue for Allan De Beaufort by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson and Rafael Astarita.
  • First and last issue for Bunco the Bear by Dave Ruth.
  • Cap'n Spinniker
  • First and last issue for Now--When I Was a Boy- by Leo O'Mealia.
  • This issue introduces Sagebrush 'n' Cactus, which after issue #5 will be changed to Cal 'n' Alec.
  • This issue introduces Vikings by R.H. Livingstone.
  • This issue introduces Sir Loin of Beef, which after issue #5 will be changed to Don Coyote.
  • First and last issue for Sister and Brother by Ema Keen.
  • This issue contains the first Time Machine story to appear in a DC comic:
    • Strange Adventures of Mr. Weed : "The Time Machine: Part 1 (1)".
  • First and last issue for Tinker Twins at Penn Point by Joe Archibald.
  • Also appearing in this issue of New Comics were:
    • A letter from "the Editors" introducing the magazine (inside front cover).
    • Axel by Robert Leffingwell
    • "The Book Shelf" (text article) by Connie Naar
    • Cartoon Corner: "Lesson I: Pen Lines" (illustrated "how-to" article) by Stanley
    • "Dizzy and Daffy" (gag cartoons) by Bo Brown
    • Fanny by Robert Leffingwell
    • "Hobbies" (text article) by Danny Ryan
    • "It's Magic" (text article) by Andrini the Great
    • Just Suppose: "Battle of the Allia" and "Charles Goodyear" by Henry Kiefer
    • "Petey the Pup" (illustrated text story) by Constance Naar
    • "The Pixie Puzzle Adventures" (illustrated puzzles) by Matt Curzon
    • "The Radio Dialer" (text article) by Connie Naar
    • "Sawbones, C.O.D." (text story) by Joe Archibald
    • "Sports" (text article plus illustration) by Archie
    • "Stamps and Coins" (text article)
    • "The Travel Twins" (paper-doll cut-outs) by Emma McKean
    • "Worth-While Films to Watch For" (text article) by Josephine Craig

Trivia

  • Jon L. Blummer signs his Captain Quick story as "John Elby"
  • "Seta" in Vikings feature means midwife, according to the next issue.


See Also


Links and References

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