Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #49
Published March 1940
Cover Price 0.10 USD
Pages 68
Editing Helen Meyer?

Cover Details

Characters Martan the Marvel Man
Genre science fiction
Pencils William Kent
Inks William Kent
Letters typeset

Half page Crowell-Collier Publishing Co. advertisement "Big Prizes and Cash Profits for Boys"

Letters typeset
Notes Inside front cover (top). Illustrated ad for getting customers and delivering magazines for the Crowell-Collier Publishing Co., Springfield, Ohio.

Half page Herky story "Hey fellas - Wait up! I got good news for ya!"

Characters Herky; Gurk; Granville
Synopsis Granville talks Herky into depositing a dollar in the bank instead of spending it on candy.
Genre children
Notes Inside front cover (bottom). Black, red, and white.
Reprinted from Herky (NEA Service) Sunday newspaper strip from 1938 ?

6 page Gang Busters story "This is the case of the Tri-State Gang..."

Characters John Winston; Tony; Pete
Synopsis G-Man John Winston and his assistants chase the Tri-State Gang to a showdown in Baltimore.
Genre detective
Script Alden McWilliams
Pencils Alden McWilliams
Inks Alden McWilliams

6 page Martan the Marvel Man story "I would have to destroy them all to stop them..."

Characters Martan the Marvel Man; Vana
Synopsis Martan and Vana get ready for action as Martians invade Earth.
Genre science fiction
Script G. Ellerbrock (credited)
Pencils William Kent (credited)
Inks William Kent (credited)
Notes Part of a continuing story.

Half page This Curious World story "New Year's Day"

Synopsis Facts about planets and the time it takes them to orbit the sun.
Genre Fact
Script William Ferguson (signed)
Pencils William Ferguson (signed)
Inks William Ferguson (signed)
Letters William Ferguson ?
Notes Vertical one-third page.
Reprinted from This Curious World (NEA Service) Sunday newspaper strip from 1939 ?

Half page advertisement "Stamp Collecting ads and others"

Letters typeset
Notes Two-thirds of a page of classified style ads, mostly about stamp collecting. Also ads for Corona typewriters, jobs as railway mail clerks, and health insurance.

7 page The Hurricane Kids story "Alan and Dave, two young American sailors..."

Characters Alan, Dave; Maya; Omu
Synopsis Dave and Alan and their stone age friends Maya and Omu must escape an earthquake and the eruption of a volcano.
Genre adventure; science fiction
Script Albert Hartje (signed)
Pencils Will Ely (signed)
Inks Will Ely (signed)
Notes Part of a continuing story.

2 page Herky story "Well, well--if it isn't Lois..."

Characters Herky; Lois; Noodles; Arnold
Genre children
Script Clyde Lewis (credited)
Pencils Clyde Lewis (credited)
Inks Clyde Lewis (credited)
Notes Four Sunday strip reprints.
Reprinted from Herky (NEA Service) newspaper strips

6 page The Masked Pilot story "There is a beehive of activity..."

Characters The Masked Pilot; Tom
Synopsis The Masked Pilot and Tom intercept a hijacked bomber over the jungles of Nicaragua.
Genre adventure; aviation
Script R. S. Callender
Pencils Bob Jenney (credited)
Inks Bob Jenney (credited)

4 page Penguin Pete and His Pal Pudgie story "I still think I ought to be the leader..."

Characters Penguin Pete; Pudgie
Synopsis Penguin Pete and Pudge hunt alligators.
Genre funny animals; adventure
Script Win Smith (signed)
Pencils Win Smith (signed)
Inks Win Smith (signed)
Notes First part of a continued story.

8 page Captain Tornado story "Landing their rocket plane on a strange planet..."

Characters Captain Tornado; Professor Bordani; Jane
Synopsis After landing their rocket on a strange planet, Captain Tornado, Professor Bordani, and his daughter Jane are held captive by a civilized race of people living underground to escape the giant insects which infest the surface of the planet.
Genre science fiction
Script Kenneth Kennedy (credited)
Pencils Kenneth Kennedy (credited)
Inks Kenneth Kennedy (credited)
Notes Part of a continuing story.

8 page Wally Williams, American Boy story "Willy Williams, American Boy, At the Snow Carnival"

Characters Wally Williams; Gramps Williams; Arlene Grahame; Betty Riley; Bart Kelsey; Jughead
Synopsis Wally, Gramps, and the gang have adventures while attending the Ski Carnival.
Genre teen; sports
Script Victor Boni (credited)
Pencils Tom Hickey (signed)
Inks Tom Hickey (signed)

Half page This Curious World story "Bower-Birds"

Synopsis Facts about Bower-birds.
Genre fact
Script William Ferguson (signed)
Pencils William Ferguson (signed)
Inks William Ferguson (signed)
Letters William Ferguson ?
Notes Ad for "Junior guitar" is cut into upper right corner of strip.
Reprinted from This Curious World (NEA Service) Sunday strip from ?

Half page Boys & Girls Club advertisement "Win this Car"

Letters typeset
Notes Contest for winning a child-size gasoline engine powered racer. Boys & Girls Club, Topeka, Kansas.

6 page "Ace" Brady Super Sleuth story "Moon Mountain Manor"

Characters Ace Brady (intro); K-16; Dr. Mancho Phyroe; Zorcena;
Synopsis Ace and K-16 investigate the strange Dr. Mancho Phyroe, who has a death ray that can kill or revive humans.
Genre detective

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "$25.00 Free in Cash Prizes"

Letters typeset
Notes Gang Busters related contest to identify three famous crime victims. The 25 winners win $1.00 each.

4 page Bronc Peeler story "In an attempt to wreck the the circus..."

Characters Bronc Peeler; Coyote Pete
Synopsis Bronc Peeler is due home at the ranch. Coyote Pete plans to pick him up at the next town over and escort him to the local depot by horseback.
Genre western
Script Fred Harman (credited)
Pencils Fred Harman (credited)
Inks Fred Harman (credited)
Notes Part of a continuing story.
Reprinted from Bronc Peeler (John F. Dille) daily newspaper strips from ?

4 page Shark Egan story "Ace O'Doul, Shark Egan's birdman buddy..."

Characters Shark Egan; Mary McDermot; Captain Mai-ti; Ace O'Doul
Synopsis A mysterious "Syndicate" threatens Shark Egan and his friends aboard the ship "Hwang-Ho" off the coast of China.
Pencils John Donaldson [as J.T.D.] (signed)
Inks John Donaldson [as J.T.D.] (signed)
Notes Part of a continuing story. Art is initialed "J.T.D." at bottom of second page. Art credit from Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999.

1 page Johnson Smith & Co. advertisement "Rush Coupon for Mammoth Catalog"

Letters typeset
Notes Inside back cover; black, red, and white. Illustrated ad for novelties from Johnson Smith & Co., Detroit, Mich.

1 page Daisy Air Rifles advertisement "Boys! I'll Help You Get a Daisy for Your Birthday"

Letters typeset
Notes Back cover. Illustrated ad for Daisy Air Rifles. Eight models depicted, ranging in price from $1.00 to $5.00. Daisy Manufacturing Co., Plymouth, Mich.