The real fate of Geico’s short-lived “Kash” mascot.
The Blue Beetle #51
Fox Feature Syndicate (December, 1947)
Comic Book Plus, where I get these public domain comics to review, is currently missing a whole bunch of issues. Thus we jump from #47 to #51. Three stories all involving the Blue Beetle but no Joan Mason solo story this issue. Not sure what else to add, so let’s get started.
“The Shady Lady” by Otis
Oh great, an Otis story. Also for some reason page one only has color where its blue. In other words, interesting plot, questionable execution. Whenever the Shady Lady is in town, the power goes out and she commits her crime. Joan (sporting a new hairdo that makes her NOT look like Joan) figures out how to find her and after being chastised by her editor for solving crimes instead of reporting on them, quits. I hope this isn’t a trend with Joan, because it makes her look like a self-interested brat. Meanwhile, Blue Beetle does his own detective work to figure out how the Shady Lady gets the power zirched before her robberies. Like I said, it’s a good plot, and one of Otis’s better stories until the end and not counting Joan’s little fit (her editor is technically right even if she does save the day…after getting in over her head and needing to be rescued by Blue Beetle). Also, Dan Garret is spelled with the second T again, including the final story. No wonder later writers were confused.
“The Man Who Murdered Midas”
Maybe she did quit. Now her newspaper is the Daily Banner. Can nobody keep facts straight and characters on model in this run? A scientist creates a formula that turns living people (and a cat) to gold, and the crook that was funding the project uses it on the scientist and a bunch of his rivals before our heroes finally stop him. What the hell, man? People being turned to gold and melted down? That’s kind of dark for this series. It’s a decent story otherwise.
“The Cunning Corpse”
How is it the story of a woman using dead bodies in a plan to ship gold to the Nazis is the LEAST dark story? Dan’s also getting WORSE at hiding his secret identity. It’s odd enough he still gets referred to as a rookie patrolman. Why is he acting worse than a rookie superhero?
overall
Three serviceable stories at best. There are so many odd choices that it’s not something I want to read again. I’m starting to wonder how this comic lasted as long as it did when it had better stories in the early years of the comic.
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