“Yesterday’s” Comic> Sarge Steel #4

I wonder if the DC version of Sarge ever dealt with Catwoman?

Sarge Steel #4

Charlton Comics Group (July, 1965)

“Kiss Of The Cat”

CREATOR: Pat Masulli

WRITER: Joe Gill

ARTIST: Dick Giordano

LETTERER: Jon D’Agostino

JUDO INSTRUCTION COMIC: Frank McLaughlin

[Read along with me here]

At a club, Sarge is approached by a goon for Lynx, a woman who likes to walk around with big cats, and is also leader of a group of thieves that keep showing up at places Sarge is helping with security. (It’s a coincidence, not a plot point.) Sarge travels to her island base, gets by the cats, and finally takes her down.

What they got right: While there isn’t much to summarize, the story itself fills the page count well enough. Our criminals are clever, but Sarge is also your typical noir detective with a metal hand.

What they got wrong: It is a huge coincidence that Lynx runs into Sarge three times, only one of which is for fun. The others are thefts and thus Sarge ends up getting involved. It was a normal world story until Sarge borrowed “jump jets” (just call it a jetpack) from his government contacts.

What I think overall: I’m still not sure why DC would buy this character with the others, unless they just got all of Charlton’s characters in a lot or something. Not that it’s a bad comic, because it’s quite good for fans of this mystery style. However, it certainly isn’t in league with what DC was doing when they got it.