“Then maybe stop looking at me and turn the @#$%$ plane!”
Smash Comics #7
E.M. Arnold (February, 1940)
The problem with Golden Age comics is that even when I like them I have to go back to my previous issue review to see if I want to continue it. Only a few characters can stand out. Not helping it that I’m reviewing one Golden Age comic a week so it takes a long time before I get back to a series, with not just the ones that were going for a while but new ones that might come along.
As it turns out I really enjoyed the previous issue so hopefully that trend continues this issue.
Espionage starring The Black X
You know, I’ll almost be relieved when I finally get to 1941 and the American entry into World War II. Watching all these stories of the war being averted or ended so quickly kind of breaks your heart. We were so naive then. This time our unnamed European dictator nation wants to break through the US flotilla to get food for their troops, with the landlocked nation unable to get food supplies. We also get a lady enemy spy that our hero can’t just kill off because…she’s attractive. Lucky their plan to kamazaze the flotilla in torpedos get thwarted anyway. It does make our hero want to resign…for two minutes. Also, Black X’s Hindu assistant can create magical illusions, which breaks the otherwise normal world story. An okay start.
Abdul The Arab
Someone is smuggling guns to Arabian revolters so Abdul and Hassan go undercover in the group to find the white man giving them the guns. I have to wonder how this would look to an Arab of the day. Would they see them as betraying their country or keeping the peace? Pretty good story.
Captain Cook Of Scotland Yard
I can spoil the mystery because there aren’t a lot of clues to play detective with and I already linked to the comic earlier. If you wanted to solve it on your own you would have read it already. Someone calling himself “The Voice” isn’t here to judge the next singing sensation. He’s after a specific diamond and money, and kidnaps a rich man’s daughter to get both. This Hindu doesn’t have magic illusion powers…but he is whiter than I would have expected. It’s a good plot but the story itself just kind of follows Cook around. I’d call it serviceable at least.
Clip Chance At Cliffside by Scott Sheridan
Gamblers want Chance to stay out of the game and threatens to go kidnap his mother. The coach takes it seriously and won’t let him play, so he goes after the crooks. You know, it would be interesting if his team won the game anyway and made them look bad, but of course that’s not happening. I guess he plays basketball as well as football. Guess he’s into whatever sport’s in season. It’s a decent story.
Wings Wendall Of Military Intelligence by Vernon Henkel
We have the closest to the Nazis we’ve gotten so far. The symbol they use is still “legally distinct” but it’s them in the other detail. This is a spy ring in the US hoping to get plans for New York’s defense system and Wings is going to foil them. More dead people, another beautiful spy but at least she has good reason to change sides. Being shot by your ally will do that to you. Slight improvement over what we’ve had so far.
Invisible Justice by Art Gordon
Kent Thurston is one of a group of beneficiaries of a business and someone wants the deeds so they can take over. This one I won’t spoil just in case, but while we don’t get to solve the mystery, it’s not like the Invisible Hood (aka Kent) does, either. He has to wait for the villain to reveal himself while our invisible hero tries to stop the villains. It’s a pretty good story.
Flash Fulton by Paul Gustavson
Thanks to Andy crashing his car because he’s gawking at a pretty girl, he and Fulton end up caught up in an heiress kidnapping. Our hero uses some fancy thinking to get the evidence, the story, the girl (not romantically, they just save her), and the bad guys. One of the better stories.
Chic Carter: Ace Reporter by Vernon Hunkel
That memory hole issue comes up again. The story says he’s friends with King Ludwig and his daughter but I can’t say I remember. This story’s not-Nazis shoot his plane down while flying with the Moldavian air force and try to force him to write their propaganda. When he learns his friends are in danger he escapes and save them. The comic’s gotten better since the early issues.
John Law: Scientective: “Double Death Trap”
This time our so-called Avenger decides to set a trap for John at the home of Albert Lewis. Dawn follows and is chased by the Avenger but she escapes to the police. Does John suspect Lewis is the Avenger or working for him? The comic teases next issue will reveal the identity of our enemy. That should be exciting but this was pretty good, too.
Hugh Hazzard & His Iron Man by Wayne Reid
That logo could work for that other Iron Man that won’t show up for a couple of decades. Rudolph Hitz, who is totally not that other guy, wants to steal the gold in Fort Kentucky to fund his war effort. Too bad the crook he picked was patriotic and his attempt to kidnap the commander’s son to force him to let them in didn’t work. Certainly an interesting story and a good ending.
overall
Not super exciting but still a pretty good set of stories for the most part. Hey future me, keep going into the next issue.
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