Star-Spangled Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1943.
Synopsis for Newsboy Legion: "Louie the Lug Goes Literary"
Louie the Lug gets a visitor in his room; the shield bearing Guardian smashes in and knocks him out cold! The police didn't have enough evidence to bring Louie in for questioning regarding some recent crimes, so the Guardian took it upon himself to drag him to the front steps of the police department.
The next day, Tommy and his friends in the Newsboy Legion have an idea about helping the war effort. The boys start asking around the neighborhood for any books that people might want to donate to the USO. Big Words visits the boarding house where Louie the Lug was staying. The old landlady passes the young boy a book from Louie's room, "Relativity and the Fourth Dimension". Quite an advanced book for a lug like Louie to be reading, but not for Big Words, who happily takes it. Meanwhile, the book's owner steps out of the police precinct after being held for hours of questioning, but with a lack of evidence to charge him with, just as Louie figured. When he got home, Louie was very upset that the landlady gave his book away. She told him, in a not-so-nice tone, that if he wanted it back then he'd have to go fetch it himself. First, he heads out to gather up two associates of his, "Silver" Plait and "Mugger" Dawes.
Back at the Newsboys clubhouse, the floor is strewn with the books Gabby, Scrapper, and Tommy collected so far. Tommy notices that Big Words wasn't back yet. Scrapper hears someone coming, thinking it was Big Words, instead when the door opens, Louie and his "associates" barge in, demanding the kids hand over his book! Itching for a good fight, the Newsboys strike first, Tommy throws a book at Mugger, while Scrapper and Gabby pounce on Louie and Silver! The boys attack momentarily takes the no-good crooks by surprise, but once Mugger whips out his gun, the clubhouse quickly grows quiet. Minutes pass, the intrusive thugs search the litter of books for Relativity and the Fourth Dimension to no avail. Mugger gathers the other two into a huddle. The way he sees it, there're only two conclusions, either the boys didn't know about the book and so why tell them? Or they did know and had already given it to the Guardian. Either way, they needed to get going. Later, Patrolman Jim Harper is met by the Newsboys, and they give him a full breakdown of what happened. Jim tells them it's unlikely Louie and his friends will be back, and while he could arrest them now for the break-in, it might be better to wait until they make their next move. Again, Tommy tries to get him to admit he's the Guardian, which Jim brushes off like always. When the boys get back to the clubhouse, Big Words is there with the big science book. He excitedly shows his friends what he found. Hidden within the hard cover, which he accidentally tore open, were small copper plates for printing counterfeit $20 bills. Which explains why Louie and his thugs were looking for it. Gabby says what the others were thinking; that it's time to get revenge.
That night as Louie leaves the boarding house, he doesn't realize he's being followed. The Newsboys keep on him at a safe distance as he enters an old closed-up factory. They see him disappear behind another door inside, but before the boys can follow, Tommy steps onto a rotted board and falls through the floor down into an old elevator shaft! He isn't hurt, luckily, and wants to explore the newly discovered tunnel, telling his friends to go for help if they hear him yell. At the end, he finds a walled off part of the basement, with a heavy iron door. Voices were coming from the other side; Louie's and Mugger's, arguing about the lost counterfeit plates. Suddenly, Tommy is hit from behind and knocked out! He wakes up moments later, tied and secured between a paper press, with his friends tied up on the floor nearby. Once their captors leave the room, the gang takes in their plight. It's a good thing Big Words read that book, because when he notices a mercury vapor lamp close by, he gets an idea. They can use the lamp, which sends out high-pitched frequencies that interfere with radio waves, to send a message to the Guardian. Struggling, Tommy is just able to reach the lamp's pull-chain.
Jim Harper sits in his home with the radio on, listening to the nightly broadcast. The signal distorts in short bursts, and Jim realizes it sounds like morse code! He grabs a pen and paper to write down what he hears;
Guardian
Help
Doorknob
Factory
Bottom
Of
Elevator
Shaft
Louie and his cohorts walk in on the boys sending the message. Mugger wallops Tommy in the head with the butt of his pistol. Now they had the Guardian to worry about as well! The thugs set a trap for the hero by covering a 50-foot drop in the floor with a sheet of canvas, then gagging the kids so they can't yell out. The Guardian, meanwhile, has already entered the doorknob factory and found his way down the shaft into the basement, oblivious to the trap ahead. He is watched the whole time by Louie and Mugger from a slit in the wall. While the thugs are distracted, Gabby, Scrapper, and Big Words heave with all their might against the backboard behind them, crashing it with a bang! Even bound and gagged, they're able to warn their pal the Guardian, who's about to put a foot onto the canvas cover. The noise changes his direction quickly. He races through the door where the thugs had the boys, swinging his shield into Louie and knocking the lug down. But Louie grabs a cannister of acid and threatens the shield hero with it. By then, the Newsboys have wiggled free of their bonds, joining in the fight by bum-rushing Louie, causing him to drop the acid, which thankfully is caught by Big Words. After the three thugs are sent into dreamland, the boys explain about finding the plates inside Louie's book. The cops are called and the Guardian once again makes his exit.
The next morning, the Newsboy Legionnaires meet up with Jim Harper on his beat. They tell him that they knew he listened to the radio every night, and he must have heard the message they sent, so therefore he must be the Guardian! Jim dodges the accusation by reminding them that the signal would have been picked up by many radios in the city that night, and the Guardian likely deciphered the message at the same time he did. Big Words ends up having to hold back a frustrated Scrapper.
Appearing in Newsboy Legion: "Louie the Lug Goes Literary"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Louie the Lug (Single appearance)
- "Silver" Plait (Single appearance)
- "Mugger" Dawes (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for Star-Spangled Kid: "Butch Minds the Birdies"
Fundraiser events were being held all over the city for various causes. But after each benefit, a gang of crooks wearing disguises hold up the event and steal the money.
The next day, John Pemberton thought it'd be a good idea to take his son to the shooting range for some target practice. It seems to have been a mistake since Sylvester constantly misses the targets. John has to return to the office, but he orders the chauffeur, Pat, to see to it that Sylvester continues to practice his aim. But, just as soon as his father leaves, Sylvester ditches the awkward rich boy act. He tells Pat to go with him into the city, where there was a charity program hosting a children's pageant he wanted to see. He promises Pat the show will be more than just child's play.
The pageant starts out like any other, the children fool around backstage while their parents brag about whose child is the best. Unknown to them, a gang of crooks wait in the corner, dressed as a child and his "parents". Syl and Pat sit in the audience watching as the hostess brings out the community chest to reveal the total money collected for charity... and that's when the gang strikes! While the audience is being held at bay by a tommy-gun, another thug attempts to snatch the chest but is whacked over the head by the host's umbrella. A moment later, after having snuck out of their seats to change in the hallway, the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy join in the ruckus by tossing dumbbells, a juggler's prop, from backstage. The gangsters are forced to fall back under the barrage. But one of them recovers and takes a little girl hostage! Fearing the girl's safety, the duo have no choice but to halt their attack, allowing the gang to escape. The good news is that Sylvester recognized the men as members of Butch Regan's old gang. Except Butch was supposed to be in jail.
The Kid and Stripesy head to the old packaging factory, left abandoned years ago. The most likely place for Regan's gang to hide out, the duo sneak in to have a look around. A trap door opens under their feet, and they fall down a chute into the jaws of a packing machine! They come out the other end all wrapped up in front of the Regan gang! Syl and Pat can't get free to defend themselves. The thugs hang them on hooks inside the freezer and lock the door, leaving the factory before more trouble shows up. Pat and Syl put their heads together, literally, to turn a knob on the wall that controls the water hose, flooding the freezer. Once the water reaches their feet, they turn the hose off and wait. It doesn't take long for the water to freeze to ice, allowing the duo to stand up and unhook themselves. Stripesy smashes the glass on the window above the door and uses the shard to cut himself and Sylvester free from the wrapping. After crawling out the now-broken window, Syl notices a feather on the ground. He suddenly understands how Regan was able to communicate with his gang!
In the warden's office of the prison, Butch Regan is being praised for being the model prisoner that led to his early release on parole. The warden compliments him on his reform, particularly the way he took care of the pigeons during the winter months. But before he can officially approve Regan's release, the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy burst into the room! The Kid explains that Butch was training homing pigeons to deliver messages to his boys on the outside, having them commit crimes. While everyone is distracted, Butch inches to the window and signals his gang who were waiting with the car outside. In response to their boss's plight, they break through the front gate, swiping the guards weapons as they rush in. Stripesy tosses Butch at the incoming thugs, while the warden tries to go for his gun on the desk, but is knocked out. The thugs use the guard's guns to fire at the Star-Spangled Kid, only to find that they only shoot gas pellets. There was no time left, so Butch and his gang make a break for the exit. While his eyes are still tearing from the gas, Sylvester takes the warden's pistol and aims carefully at the gate latch outside. The moment the thugs are underneath it, he fires, dropping the gate on top of their bodies! No matter how hard they struggle they can't get free from the heavy weight. In exchange for lifting the gate, Syl gets the thugs to tell him that the charity money they stole was in the back of the car.
On the way back home, Sylvester and Stripesy realize they both have a cold.
Appearing in Star-Spangled Kid: "Butch Minds the Birdies"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Butch Regan (Single appearance)
- Joe (Single appearance)
- Slugger (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Mr. Snodgrass (Single appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Super Sleuth McFooey"
A crimewave hits the city! The rich find their valuables were being robbed, but police aren't able to find a single clue! The District Attorney summons McFooey to ask for his help solving the case. The most recent victim was a rich old man, E. Pluribus Rubble, who had his bonds stolen in the night. McFooey decides to pay him a visit.
The super-sleuth meets Mr. Rubble as he's polishing a suit of armor. It was gifted to him a few days ago by an anonymous admirer, he tells the detective. Rubble goes on to say that he was alone in the house when his bonds were stolen; his valet having left for Bingo night. McFooey suddenly believes he's figured it all out, there was a pattern in common with every case. He goes to the Realtor and, claiming to be Sir J. Wallingford Stallingford, buys a lease for the biggest house in town, the Van Marsalee-Parslee Mansion. After settling in, McFooey makes a call to every local newspaper to announce himself. The story of a multi-millionaire oil magnate buying the mansion soon becomes the hottest front page item of the week.
A mail carrier brings a special delivery to McFooey's doorstep; a suit of armor sent by an "unknown admirer". McFooey accepts it and immediately shakes it harshly. He then solders it up tight, just to be safe. Down he goes to the police station with his new present, popping the helmet off in front of the chief to reveal a man aching and sweating inside. It was Gyp the Clip, who would send himself disguised as a decorative suit of armor to all the millionaires that he would then rob later that night.
Appearing in "Super Sleuth McFooey"
Featured Characters:
- Super Sleuth McFooey
Supporting Characters:
- The District Attorney
Antagonists:
- Gyp the Clip (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- E. Pluriby Rubble (Single appearance)
- Meadows
Vehicles:
- McFooey's Bicycle
Synopsis for Penniless Palmer: "The Case of the Frivolous Fish!"
Poor Gil Guppy, keeper of the aquarium, could swear he can hear the fish talking! His assistant, Mike McSharke, tells him to take it easy for a few days, but Guppy doesn't listen. Instead, he visits the office of Penniless Palmer. Having nothing else to do other than poke new holes in their belts, Pen and his friends, Oxie and Bunny, take the case of the talking fish. Guppy takes them to the aquarium, where an octopus wiggles along the floor towards Bunny! Pen thinks fast, grabs a nets and scoops out two electric eels, which he then dumps on the octopus, sending a paralyzing shock through its tentacles. According to Guppy, it was the third time the gate was accidentally left open. Pen doesn't believe it could've been so "accidental" but leaves the thought for later. Back to the talking fish business, when they all watch the fish swim along behind the glass, Pen asks Mr. Guppy if he hears anything. No, he doesn't, and neither do they. Guppy says that the last time they talked, it was when he was with his new assistant, McSharke, though McSharke denied hearing anything either. To Pen, the pieces were starting to fall into place. He next suggests that they hide somewhere nearby while Mr. Guppy goes about business as usual.
Pen, Bunny and Oxie watch from the Gallery level above as Mr. Guppy and his assistant go about their daily chores. When they both are together at the fish tank, sure enough, the fish begin to talk in plain English. Mr. Guppy hears it of course, Pen and his friends also hear it, yet the assistant McSharke is the only one who doesn't bat an eye. That was the evidence they needed. Though a couple of rough and tough thugs attacking them from behind also helped prove Pen's case. The trio easily make quick work of the attackers with the help of the aquarium's local residents, the crabs, eels, and the swordfish welded by Oxie! McSharke had climbed onto the chandelier to try and get away, but Oxie hits him with the powerful spray from a hose until he agrees to come down. McSharke confesses everything; every night, he and his boys were tunneling from the aquarium to the bank across the way, but the work was going too slow for his liking. Some handy ventriloquism on the fish was used to make Mr. Guppy believe he had gone crazy so that he'd take a break, and then the gang could come in to dig during the day hours, too.
To reward Pen and his friends for helping him, Mr. Guppy digs around in his safe until he finds Minnie the minnow, his pet fish and her bowl, for them to keep around the office.
Appearing in Penniless Palmer: "The Case of the Frivolous Fish!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mike McSharke (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gil Guppy (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Liberty Belle: "The Little Rebel!"
A dark alleyway at night, guarded by a man with a gun. He is quickly dispatched by the stealthy superheroine, Liberty Belle. She sneaks along into a cellar, where a group of Nazi's led by a "Doctor Slyden" were conspiring. The town of Stackville is their next target. Liberty Belle is so focused on their conversation that she doesn't see the tripwire on the stairs until it's too late. She trips, the Nazis notice her and fire their guns. One of the shots hits Liberty in the heart! The Nazi's flee, thinking they killed the American hero. Luckily, she was only stunned, not dead, thanks to the small bell she wears around her neck stopping the bullet.
The next day, Libby Lawrence finds herself in the town of Stackville. While searching for clues to the Nazi's whereabouts, she comes across a group of teen girls on the march holding signs supporting "Girl Volunteers" for the war. Libby looks on as they stop in front of a mansion, the home of John Marsden, president of the American Arms Manufacturing Factory, and his daughter, Joan. One of the girls tries to convince young Joan that helping the war effort is a girl's job, too, but the snobbish Miss Marsden just shrugs. Her biggest concern was her social life, not some war fought a thousand miles away.
As Libby watches, she realizes how Liberty Belle can help out while looking for the spies. All she had to do was visit Joan, in costume, and tell her how women are contributing to the fight. Seeing the hero may be enough to convince the young socialite to change her tune.
Later that day, John Marsden arrives back home from the factory with some new blueprints to look over. He tells his butler, Simpson, that he didn't want any disturbances tonight. Unknown to Marsden, Doctor Slyden and his Nazi cohorts had followed him home. While John studies the blueprints at his desk, the Nazis push past Simpson and into the home. Joan is in the hallway when they rush in, and she calls out to her father before a hand covers her mouth. John Marsden exits his study to find his beloved daughter being manhandled! He demands they let her go and is shot in response! Meanwhile, in her hotel room Libby gets dressed up in her Liberty Belle garb. The girls get a wonderful surprise when the heroic Liberty Belle drops in on them. Together, Liberty and the girls go to pay Joan Marsden a visit. It was a good thing, too, because Joan was currently being held captive while the Nazis look over the blueprints in her dad's study. The girl notices Liberty Belle with the members of the girl volunteers outside the window. Unfortunately, so do the Nazis. They take aim at the hero, Joan finds the courage to shout out a warning, knowing it would get her killed. Liberty Belle hears the cry, tells the girls to take cover, and rushes up to the mansion. She swings through the window with a flying kick, knocking two Nazi gunmen out! With her jiu-jitsu skills, she then throws Doctor Slyden over the shoulder to the ground! The girls enter the room with Joan's father, alive. The bullet only creased his scalp.
Joan completely changes her mind about volunteering. She wishes to help the girls, and they're overjoyed to hear it.
Appearing in Liberty Belle: "The Little Rebel!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Nazi Party
- Doctor Slyden (Single appearance)
- Hans (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- John Marsden (Single appearance)
- Joan Marsden (Single appearance)
- Jill Miller (Single appearance)
- Simpson (Single appearance)
- Louis (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Stackville
Items:
Synopsis for Robotman: "If I Were Robotman!"
A casual stroll through the neighborhood soon finds Robotman suddenly swarmed by children wanting his autograph. He signs for a few minutes, then ducks into a building and out the back to get away. But in the alley, he finds trouble, Silky Martin and his cohorts held a grudge against the metal hero and followed him. They get the drop on him and break a cement block over his head! Robotman is out cold. What the thugs don't know is that the man they just attacked wasn't the real Robotman...
For twenty years Harold Smithers worked at the telegraph office, printing out messages of great deeds done by others, and he only wished he could do something amazing, too. One day, he decided to build a metal costume resembling Robotman, and wear it around town just for a day. He only wanted to feel important, but he ended up being smashed over the head in a case of mistaken identity!
Elsewhere, the real Robotman, in his Paul Dennis disguise, was sitting at home. When he picks up the evening paper, the headline catches his eye;
"Robotman Creates Sensation On Main Street"
Since he hadn't been out of the house all day to create any sort of "sensation", there had to be an imposter running around. He removes his outer human garments and heads out to find his doppelganger. Following a trail of clues, and asking questions of witnesses, Robotman soon comes across Silky and his boys in a dark alley. Shocked and confused, the thugs are too disorganized to put up a fight against the man of metal. Silky shoots a squirt gun containing a strange liquid into Robotman's eyes, blinding him. The gang runs off while Robotman peels the hardened substance away. Plastic. He thought it was an interesting scientific method for someone like Slick Martin. Around the corner he finds his impersonator, trapped in a plastic block. A hard punch shatters the plastic prison, freeing Mr. Smithers. Afterwards, Robotman hears Smithers tale of a life watching others do great deeds. But dressing up as Robotman wasn't as fun as he'd thought, what with the konk on the head and being encased in plastic. Smithers believes Silky got the chemicals from a factory. Together, he and Robotman search until they find the only Plastic Plant in the city. While Smithers reluctantly waits outside, Robotman enters the factory, where he finds Silky and his gang. Before the fighting can go too far in Robotman's favor, Silky uses a hose to spray a chemical all over his steel body. It seeps into his joints, making movement difficult. Silky isn't done yet, though, as his boys turn on electric heaters that harden the substance into plastic. They think they've finally caught the hero who menaces them, but Robotman's photoelectric eyes flash a message in morse code which Smithers, who had followed him inside after all, picks up. He flips a switch Robotman indicates, turning the current for the heaters up higher. The plastic begins to melt, and seconds later, Robotman is free! A few quick knockout punches send Silky and the gang into slumberland.
Robotman lets Smithers have all the credit. Without his help, after all, Robotman would still be stuck.
The day ends with Smithers happily signing autographs, in his own name this time.
Appearing in Robotman: "If I Were Robotman!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Harold Smithers (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Silky Martin (Single appearance)
- Packy (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- Also in this issue:
- "Private Pete", a humor strip by Henry Boltinoff.
- "Journey of Hope", a 2-page text story written by Norman Goss.
See Also