Number 359


Lady Danger finds a needle in a haystack


Valerie Vaughn, aka Lady Danger, doesn't need a disguise, doesn't need super powers. She's smart, resourceful, and need I mention, a real cutie. She starred in a back-up feature in Sensation Comics in the late 1940s. This fine, fun story is written by editor Robert Kanigher and drawn by Carmine Infantino. It originally appeared in Sensation Comics #87 in 1949; this printing is from 1971, Lois Lane #117.

Thanks to Karswell of The Horrors Of It All for sharing the Lois Lane comic. The lead story is drawn by Werner Roth, who did the excellent Lorna the Jungle Girl story I showed a few days ago, and who wouldn't love Lois's hot lace-up boots on the cover?

Other Lady Danger stories I've posted are here, here, and here.

Number 358


All-American Miss America


I got these scans off the Internet a few years ago. There was a website devoted to showing Timely Miss America stories. Fortunately, I downloaded the scans from the net and saved them on disk. I went looking for the site recently and couldn't find it. If it's still out there please tell me.

In the meantime, while we're waiting to hear, enjoy this topnotch stuff from Miss America Comics #1 (and only), from 1944. There is some controversy on the artwork; the majority consensus says it's by Ken Bald with George Klein on inks. But the editor at the time, Vince Fago, said it was by an animation friend of his, Pauline Loth. So who did it? The ones the pundits say, or the one the editor said? Sheesh. Questions, questions...do I look like I was there?

Whoever did it, it's great stuff. I'm surprised it only went one issue, but then the character appeared in Marvel Mystery Comics for several years as a back-up.

Number 357


"Women and jungles don't mix!"


Greg Knight is the boyfriend of Lorna, the jungle babe. Egotistic Greg won't admit it, but he's got a smart, tough squeeze who's good at pulling his butt out of deadly situations. He says, "Dames! Always worrying about something! You ought to leave the jungle to us men!" Then he steps into trouble, from which Lorna has to save his sorry male-chauvinist ass. Beyond her physical strength, grace-under-pressure, problem-solving, tough-as-any-man qualities, Lorna is still in touch with her fem side. She can keep her long beautiful blonde hair perfect, even though I don't see anyplace on her abbreviated costume for a hairbrush.

The story, from Lorna the Jungle Girl #7, May 1954, is written by Don Rico and drawn by Werner Roth.

Number 356


Herbie and a planet called Bertram


Last week I showed you a straight-forward, adventure story by artist Ogden Whitney, this week something zany.

Looking back on the Herbie stories from Whitney and writer Richard E. Hughes from a vantage point of 45 years all I can say is, were these guys on something? This story, "Snedigger's Salad Oil," is from Forbidden Worlds #110, March-April 1963. It was the third published Herbie, with the same hallucinatory craziness we've come to associate with this character and his creative duo.

Number 355


The Ghost Patrol reinforces their ectoplasm!


Here's another fine DC back-up story, The Ghost Patrol in "The Hammer Man," from Flash Comics #99. It's drawn by Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs.