Star-Spangled Comics #31 is an issue of the series Star-Spangled Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1944.
Synopsis for Newsboy Legion: "Questions, Please"
A roving reporter from the Amalgamated Broadcasting Company visits Suicide Slums on a mission to find out the people's opinion on local issues. Even Gabby and Big Words get to participate when asked a question about the lack of a playground in the area. They each answer in their own way, both taking several minutes to explain their answer before the reporter cuts them off. An unusual morning of excitement in the slums, and once it's over, life for the locals returns to normal. Later, the Newsboy Legion is startled by the sound of gunfire. They run around the block to investigate. The boys come to witness the purple mask gang robbing the jewelry store. That gang has been causing lots of trouble lately, and now they were getting away in their car! Patrolman Jim Harper rushes to the scene too late. He and the boys offer medical assistance to the shopkeeper until the ambulance arrives. It was the fifth time in a month that the purple mask gang struck and got away. Jim only wishes there was some clue left behind that can be used to track them.
The next day, the Amalgamated Broadcasting Company headquarters is overwhelmed with fan mail. Yesterday's roving reporter program was a big hit with the audience, or more specifically, the intelligent answer given by Big Words. The audience wants to hear more from him, so the producer makes it his task to put the boy on the air with his own show. But when he meets with Big Words later, the legionnaire strictly refuses unless his friends can join him. Wanting the ratings, the producer agrees to a quiz show, with Tommy, Big Words, Scrapper, and Gabby answering trivia questions.
Soon, listeners tune in to a new radio program, the Newsboy Legion Answer Lads. Questions range from the identity of the last bare-knuckle boxer, to how long a man is permitted to speak in the US Senate. The Newsboy legionnaires answer correctly for each question posed to them. Meanwhile, in a separate studio, the leader of the purple mask gang, Squirrel Moran, is making a live broadcast telling the story of his reform. It started while he was robbing a millionaire's house with his gang when the Guardian came in to stop him. Squirrel spent some years in prison, and when he got out, he swore he was a changed man. At the end of the broadcast when he signs off, it's revealed that he was lying about his reform. In fact, his gang already had a job lined up for tonight. The crooks don't know it, but their conversation was being listened to in the Newsboys quiz studio, through a mistaken connection over the speakers. They heard the crooks talking about robbing Mr. Penthouser's rubies, which they think is just part of some scripted crime story. Jim Harper, however, recognizes the name Penthouser and knew he was a real person, and his rubies were currently on display at the museum. He decides to head over there, as the Guardian, just in case. After Jim leaves, Tommy starts to remember an article he read in the paper about a Mr. Penthouser. Gabby points out that meant they overheard a real bunch of crooks discussing their next target.
The purple mask gang have made it past the museum's security guards and into the Penthouser exhibition room. But before they can grab the rubies, the Guardian shows up and starts throwing punches. The Newsboy Legion wasn't far behind, they join in the fray, with Scrapper and Gabby tackling one of the gunmen. The gang is overwhelmed, but the fighting ceases once a couple of security guards show up. Something wasn't right about these guards, and the Guardian realizes why. They were part of the gang, even wearing purple masks like the others! The Guardian raises his shield to protect the kids and himself from the gunfire. The purple mask gang manages to escape, though without the ruby collection. Gabby finds a piece of torn off sport jacket left behind by the crooks. Tommy reminds them that they needed to get back to the station in time for their broadcast to the west coast. They make it back to the studio with five minutes to spare. Scrapper figures they could try searching the building for someone with a torn jacket that matches the piece Gabby found. If the voice from the speaker came from the station, then the purple mask gang must be doing their own broadcast in one of the studios. After some searching, they thought they found the owner of the torn sport jacket performing in a studio for a police drama. But when the boys assault him, the producer shoos them out, telling them to get back to their own studio.
The quiz show begins with a question asking to name an animal that can box and another that can wrestle. Scrapper is about to answer when Squirrel Moran and his purple mask gang burst into the studio. It's lucky that the Guardian came to the station to see for himself why the gang was broadcasting. He hears Srapper call for him over the broadcasting speaker and rushes to the rescue. The purple mask gang suddenly find themselves in a rematch with the shield-bearing hero as he enters the studio with a flying kick! Scrapper is reminded he still hadn't answered the question, the animal that boxes is a kangaroo, and the one that wrestles is a bear. A wild pursuit through the different studios as the gang tries to get away from the Guardian. They crash through a romance program, offering its listeners more action than they were expecting. Finally, Squirrel Moran is caught, his claims of reforming exposed as fraud. The gangs capture comes at a cost, the Newsboys are banished from the Amalgamated Broadcasting Company for wrecking the show. They weren't too upset about it. The boys were proud of themselves for giving all the right answers.
Squirrel Moran puts on a new show in prison, announcing to his fellow inmates that "crime doesn't pay!".
Appearing in Newsboy Legion: "Questions, Please"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Purple Mask Gang
- Squirrel Moran (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- A roving reporter (Single appearance)
- Preston (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for Star-Spangled Kid: "Arson Larceny"
Umberto and Henri, a pair of starving artists, come up with a scheme to make money. They have their painting insured and then set a fire in their building. Except they didn't count on the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy swooping in and retrieving their "precious" painting from the inferno. The painters pretend to be relieved, thanking the heroes. The Star-Spangled Kid is curious why they didn't run out with the painting, since anyone's first instinct would be to try and escape with their most valuable possessions.
Umberto and Henri sit dejectedly on a park bench, homeless now that they're apartment was destroyed. Henri thought up a new idea, all thanks to what the Star-Spangled Kid said; if it's human instinct for someone to save their most valuable possessions in a crisis, they could start a racket of burning down homes and stealing whatever the owners run out with. Their first target will be the Wilkins Mansion. However, Mrs. Wilkins, with all her jewelry and antiques, only escapes with her beloved poodle, Fifi. Rather than let the plan be foiled, Henri and Umberto snatch the dog anyway. If the pooch is Mrs. Wilkins most valuable possession, so be it.
The next morning at the Pemberton residence, Sylvester and Pat read the headlines about the Wilkins mansion fire. The article tells them about the arson and the dog theft. As their flag-inspired alter-egos, they pay a visit to Mrs. Wilkins at the hotel she was staying at to find out more. The distressed widow tells the duo how her little Fifi's like a child to her since she raised her as a puppy. The dog even saved her life once when a lit match fell on the floor and started a small fire. Fifi patted the flames out with her paws. Syl and Pat promise to get Fifi back as soon as they catch the arsonists. But when they get back to the car, Pat admits he doesn't know how they're going to find the crooks. Just then, a police broadcast answers his question; a fire has broken out at the Golden Crest mansion, and police suspect the work of the arson-thieves. It's a lead they can follow, as Pat hits the gas, following a firetruck toward the mansion. Sure enough, when the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy arrive, Umberto and Henri have the mansion owners outside at gunpoint. When the Kid approaches, Henri turns and fires at him, his gun shooting a stream of hot flame! Stripesy douses the attacker with water from the fire hose. Umberto and Henri then hop in the truck and drive away fast as it can take them. Syl and Pat give chase in the car, though it really makes Stripesy wish he had taken the Star-Rocket Racer instead. The chase goes around a narrow mountain road. Henri takes his firegun and lights the firetruck's ladders aflame, then cuts them loose to become a fiery barricade. Pat has no choice but to stop the car and find another way around.
After abandoning the fire engine, Henri and Umberto rest in an old converted stable. Umberto tries to feed Fifi some meat, but the little dog angrily bites his hand. Henri comes up with an idea to deal with their pursuers. First, they go to a nearby home and toss an incendiary bomb in through the cellar window, then Henri drops a wadded-up paper to serve as a "clue" to where their hideout was. A few minutes later, the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy are on the scene of the fire. Just as expected, the paper catches Sylvesters eye and he takes a look at it. It's a receipt for dog meat, with an address printed on it. The two former painters were waiting at their hideout, hiding on the ceiling beams. So when the heroic American duo bursts in, they whack them over the heads with sticks!
Syl and Pat wake up tied to posts inside the stable. The arsonists set up a barrel of blasting powder attached to a fuse. Satisfied that the meddling heroes won't be a problem anymore, they head for the hotel. In the meantime, Stripesy struggles to no avail against his bonds, while Sylvester suddenly hears a dog barking. It's coming from the closet. He reaches with his feet and turns the knob to open the door. Fifi the poodle runs out, and boy was Sylvester happy to see her. It meant they were saved! Pat thinks his pal's gone crazy, but when Syl commands Fifi to put out the fire, the little dog obeys by snuffing the fuse with her paws. Now the Kid and Stripesy have enough time to wiggle free.
In Mrs. Wilkins hotel room, Henri and Umberto tell the old widow they'll give her dog back if she pays a $50,000 ransom. Of course, the crooks think they left Fifi for dead back at the hideout. No wonder they don't expect it when the heroes burst in, with Mrs. Wilkins pooch in the lead. Fifi bites Umberto on the rear, and the Star-Spangled Kid follows up with an uppercut to his jaw. Henri grabs a pearl necklace, breaking it apart for use in their escape. As the Kid and Stripesy follow them out the hall and down the stairs, Henri drops the pearls on the steps, causing the heroes to tumble. But Sylvester didn't slack in his training; he performs a flip and lands in front of the two thieving criminals at the bottom of the steps! Henri still has one last incendiary bomb that he whips out, forcing Syl and Pat back. Help comes from an unexpected source, another old lady from the hotel starts beating Henri, aghast at his nerve. He begs to be arrested if only to get the woman away from him. A nice long rest at the state prison should do him and Umberto some good.
The prison warden gave the two arsonists special duties, Henri could be in charge of the furnace, while Umberto can take care of his pet canine; jobs that neither man is happy about.
Appearing in Star-Spangled Kid: "Arson Larceny"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Henri Pallette (Single appearance)
- Umberto Olio (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Mrs. Wilkins (Single appearance)
Animals:
- Fifi (Mrs. Wilkins' Poodle) (Single appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Fire Engine
Synopsis for Penniless Palmer: "Swindlers Unlimited"
It was another day at the Palmer Detective Agency office. With no cases coming his way, Penniless is enjoying his free time listening to Bunny tell her story to him and Oxie about how her friend has a strange job at Skyhigh Investments, where she types page after page of the almanac every day only for her boss, Mr. Slikke, to toss the finished copies down the scrap chute every night. Odd behavior, especially since he never complains about her work. Penn's interest is piqued when Bunny mentions how all of Skyhigh's clients were countrified folk. It was suspicious enough to investigate.
Disguised as a family from the deep south, Penn, Bunny, and Oxie wait outside the Skyhigh building, making a commotion about needing a guidebook to the city while flashing stage money around. It's not too long before Mr. Slikke takes the bait and invites them into his office to talk business. They pass by the desks where women like Bunny's friend are hard at work typing up pages, all while Slikke talks about how busy they always are at Skyhigh Investments. Penn realizes the truth of it all from Bunny's tale, the typing was all a farce, acting as a front to impress gullible "clients". Once they're in his office, the shady Slikke tells them the guidebook can wait, because with the money they're carrying, he's able to offer them the opportunity to purchase city hall! It's at this moment when Oxie slips, falling to the ground while grabbing Bunny's hat and glasses in a flailing attempt to catch himself. His fake beard now on the floor, exposing his and Bunny's identities. Slikke angrily calls in his thugs to rough up the nosey detective and his pals! The fight goes Penn's way until he and Oxie get distracted by Slikke, who's fallen headfirst into a donkey painting. The fun scene lasts only a few seconds, long enough for the thugs to get the upper hand! Tied-up and tossed in Slikke's car, the detectives are driven to Highbridge bridge, which Slikke boasts he was "selling" to a foolish greenhorn later today. The trio are thrown over the side to drown helplessly in the water. It would've turned out that way, too, if not for a group of fishermen nearby seining the river. Penn and his pals get caught in the net and pulled to shore. After the surprised fishing crew cut them loose, Penn, Bunny, and Oxie rush back to the bridge, to stop Slikke from taking money from another victim.
Poor Mr. Abner Apple had no idea he was being scammed. Slikke is about to finalize the deal, take Abner's cash, and leave him with a bridge he doesn't really own, when Penn and Oxie show up. The thugs are taken care of quickly with a one-two punch, while Slikke rushes to his car for a fast exit. The bridge they were on is, in fact, a drawbridge, so Penn activates the console that raises the bridge. Slikke's car is sent over the top into the river.
The police arrest the crooked Investing scam artist and his cronies. Abner Apple hands Penn $200 in cash. Before Oxie can calculate how many hamburgers that'll buy, Abner tells them he wanted Penn to use that money to pay for his hotel bill and buy him a ticket back out of town, returning any leftover change to him.
Appearing in Penniless Palmer: "Swindlers Unlimited"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mr. I. M. Slikke (Single appearance)
- Spike (Single appearance)
- Lefty (Single appearance)
- Butch (Single appearance)
- Pinky (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Abner Apple (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Liberty Belle: "The Solid Sky"
Libby Lawrence continues her good-will tour at a South American seaport near the Andes Mountains. Coincidentally, Rick Cannon was currently on assignment there. Planes carrying valuable metals for the war against the Axis aren't reaching the seaport. Something happens to them during the flight over the mountains, with pilots from the airport saying that once over the mountains the sky itself becomes hard as rock. Because of these rumors, most are scared to fly. Strangely, it seemed only the most important planes are affected. Rick plans to fly the same route in his own plane to find out what's really going on.
Later at the airport, Rick has the head attendant prep his plane. The warnings don't faze him, and in minutes he's in the air. After 20 minutes, he's almost past the mountain range when suddenly it happens; his plane cracks in two and plummets down! Though he nearly passes out from the velocity of the drop, Rick still manages to save himself by jumping out of the cockpit and activating his parachute. Something was knocking those planes out of the sky! Now even more determined to find the truth, Rick starts a long hike back to the airport where he'll organize a search party to comb the area.
Meanwhile, Libby's feminine intuition is telling her to be worried about Rick. She makes the decision to don her Liberty Belle uniform and test the weight of the sky for herself. She goes to charter a plane but finds the airport office to be empty. She was about to exit the room when a voice from behind her suddenly speaks. It was the airport manager, Mr. Barrone, having seemingly appeared out of nowhere. He shrugs it off as the bright sun temporarily blinding her, as he was here the whole time. Liberty's request to charter a plane is approved. But as she walks to the runway a nagging thought stops her. She was positive the office was empty before, and just to be sure, she doubles back. The office is empty again. This time, Liberty notices the bookshelves by the wall weren't matched together. It was a hidden door, behind which she finds a tunnel! A light can be seen at the end, and she could hear the feint humming sound of a radio. Following the sound, the heroine comes to a secret radio room being operated by Nazi officers, and standing over the radio operator was Mr. Barrone, the airport manager, helping them! They were sending a message to a mountain camp to alert them Liberty Belle was flying their way. The Nazi captain tells the operator to have the camp raise the coils and stratosphere balloons again. Liberty listens to every word with interest, knowing they just gave her a big hint to the fate of all those planes. But what she hears next disturbs her to the core; Captain Rick Cannon's plane was reported to have crashed into their trap earlier today, and he had died in the instance. Caught off her guard by the news, Liberty doesn't notice the Nazis sneaking up behind her until they have her at gunpoint. But the lady of liberty still puts up a fight; Nazi officers are flipped, thrown, and knocked around over what they did to Rick. Mr. Barrone gets a good high kick in the jaw for the act of betraying his country. Her fighting rage dies down after the Nazis cover her in a tarp and wrap her tight. She'll be thrown from a plane over the mountains, ending her career as a hero and threat to the Axis.
Rick finally makes it back to the airport after a tireless hike down the mountains. He notices Barrone with a couple of men carrying a rolled-up tarp towards a plane, assuming they are prepping another flight. He walks over to warn them of the trouble he faced, and the men quiver in fright at the sight of him; the ghost of Rick Cannon has returned! The mention of his name causes Liberty to shift within the tarp, causing a wisp of her golden hair to slip out. Now realizing what's going on, Rick punches Barrone out, then turns on the men carrying the tarp, making them drop it. After knocking out the rest of the rabble, Liberty leads Rick to the tunnel. The radio operator is still relaying information, so Liberty delivers a blow to the back of the Nazi's head. Rick follows her lead, klunking two more Nazi heads together. Putting on a German accent, Liberty plays the role of the operator and tells the mountain camp to hoist the balloons to prepare for Allied mine planes enroute.
Rick and Liberty take two planes, a fighter and a bomber, to fly over the mountains. They soon come across the trap, blue colored cables that were moored to high altitude balloons, creating a near invisible hazard. Together, Rick and Liberty shoot down the balloons. Rick drops a payload of bombs onto the Nazi camps, destroying them and their equipment. Once the last balloon is downed, they return to the airport where Rick summons the military to arrest Barrone and the other Nazis. Libby slips away to change back into her civilian clothes while Rick was debriefed. When they meet up again, Rick is clearly upset to see Liberty Belle had gone, though he lets Libby know it was always a pleasure to see her as well.
Appearing in Liberty Belle: "The Solid Sky"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Alasio Barrone (Single appearance)
- Nazis
- Japanese Axis
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Various Planes
Synopsis for Super-Sleuth McFooey: "Sleeping! Do Not Dusturb"
The District Attorney sends McFooey to find missing millionaire Quincey Q. Quoites. McFooey does some researh and discovers that Quincey was a sleepwalker. And the best way to find a lost sleepwalker is to sleepwalk. So McFooey spends a night in Quincey's bed, putting himself to sleep with his own Sleepiola spray. Several hours later, the detective's plan starts to work, as he sleepwalks the same path Quincey must've taken. Eventually, he's grabbed by a pair of no-good thugs who put him in a bag. He's kidnapped, locked up with the real Quincey Q. Quoite. Now all McFooey had to do was spray a little Sleepiola over his captors, then chaining them up while they sleep like babies. He marches them back to the D.A.s office, solving yet another case as only McFooey can.
Appearing in Super-Sleuth McFooey: "Sleeping! Do Not Dusturb"
Featured Characters:
- Super-Sleuth McFooey
Supporting Characters:
- The District Attorney
Antagonists:
- The Boss (Single appearance)
- Spike (Single appearance)
- Slugger (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Quincey Q. Quoites (Single appearance)
- Fauntleroy Farthingill Frothing (Single appearance)
Items:
- Sleepiola Spray
Vehicles:
- McFooey's Bicycle
Synopsis for Robotman: "The Dog Days of Crime"
At home in his lab, Robotman continues teaching Robbie the robot dog new tricks. While Robbie's improved his speech and wisdom greatly, Robotman also notices his canine buddy getting a little too prideful. Robbie's been reading the newspaper article about the exhibition they were going to do at the children's home. Words like "brilliant", and "almost human" were used to describe him and it's given the metal pooch an ego.
Meanwhile, in a side street a short distance away, a car parks inconspicuously as its occupants lie in wait for Robotman and his dog. They were on a job to kidnap Robbie for their client, a millionaire who was paying a hundred grand for the robot marvel.
The children at the home watched with wonder as Robotman showed them Robbie's skills. ext, he hands Robbie some chalk and asks him to write how much two-plus-two equals. Robbie argues that the chalk makes him cough, besides everyone knew the answer was four. He addresses the kids in the audience, complaining how adults treat everyone else like babies who don't know anything. He causes an uproar as the children agree with him. After the performance, Robotman chastises Robbie as they leave. Suddenly, a car pulls up and a man steps out with a net, capturing the little metal canine. Robotman chases after them, but the car emits a thick smoke screen that even his photoelectric eyes can't penetrate. He shouts a message that he hopes Robbie will understand, "Two Plus Two". Inside the car, Robbie hears his master's hint and thinks it through: Two plus two equals four... Fourth was the street that Robotman's friend Dr. Grayson had his lab... does he need to try and get his kidnappers to take him there so Robotman can ambush them?
Soon, the gang arrives at the grand home of Mr. Gettit, the millionaire who hired them. Before he pays them, the wise businessman wants to make sure the dog can really speak. Robbie plays dumb, only barking like a regular dog. Mr. Gettit refuses to pay and kicks them all out of his house. When they get back to the city, Robbie speaks up again. He convinces the gang the reason he couldn't speak was because Robotman specifically built him to only be able to talk within city limits. A device kept at Grayson Laboratories controls his computer brain, so if he got too far away, he'd only bark like a normal dog. The ruse works, the gang decide to head to the lab to steal the gizmo, so Robbie can keep talking wherever they go. Now the rest was up to Robotman.
After picking the lock, the crooks and Robbie enter Grayson Labs. There, at the top of the stairs, Robotman was waiting. He knocks the crooks around left and right until their leader uses Robbie as a hostage, threatening to toss him out the window. Though his body was metal, a fall from that height would smash the pooch to pieces! Robbie, however, is prepared to sacrifice himself rather than let his master be outdone by a lowlife dognaper, so he makes the crook drop him. The boss gets punched out as Robotman thinks fast! Tying a magnet to a string, he throws it down to catch his falling pal before he hits ground. It works! Robotman pulls Robbie back up to safety. Once reunited, Robbie apologizes for being so big-headed, admitting that Robotman is smarter than him. Robotman tells him that he is very brave and will be of great help to him on future adventures.
Appearing in Robotman: "The Dog Days of Crime"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Robbie, the Robot Dog
- Chuck Grayson (Mentioned only)
Antagonists:
- Jeepers (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Mr. Gettit (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
- Also in this issue:
- Private Pete by Henry Boltinoff.
- Picture Frame authored by Walt Adams.
See Also