Adventure Comics, #61
Published: April 1941
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Issue Contents:
Credits
- Pencils: Jack Burnley
- Inks: Jack Burnley
Story Notes
Starman does not have a circle around the star on his chest, although it appears in the story art.
The "Big Six" Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field!
Story Notes
Inside front cover.
The Amazing Starman (1)
Storyline
Starman is called in to battle the "Secret Brotherhood of the Electron", which is sabotaging America's communication and light system.
Credits
- Script: Jack Burnley
- Script: Gardner Fox (uncertain)
- Pencils: Jack Burnley
- Inks: Jack Burnley
- Inks: Ray Burnley
- Colors: Luca Maresca
- Letters: Betty Bentley
Story Notes
Jack Burnley recalls someone other than Fox doing the first story, but the writing style does look like Fox's. Burnley does state that he re-wrote the last part of this story, introducing a villain that he called Dr. Doom, but whom the editors changed to Dr. Doog. If one looks, for example, at the lettering in the balloon on page 6, panel 3, you can see the lettering of "Dr. Doog" looks totally different, and was obviously re-lettered. Burnley has at different times recalled his letterer as his sister Betty Bentley and the backgrounds done by his brother Ray. The cover for this issue reappears as the last panel in the Starman story in Adventure #63. Information here related to Craig Delich by Burnley at his home in Charlottesville, Virgina in 1989.
"It takes 29,600 parts..."
Featuring All-Star Comics
"For thrills and adventure..."
Lishak the Gladiator (1)
Storyline
King Talon hopes to save Mark from being tortured and to save Kit before ending Costa's evil reign.
Credits
- Script: Howard Purcell
- Pencils: Howard Purcell
- Inks: Howard Purcell
Story Notes
Writer credit verified by Jerry Bails. The end panel of this story is a promo for the Spectre strip appearing in More Fun Comics.
Featuring Facts
"Approximately 200,000,000 chickens..."
Storyline
Two fact quickies are featured: that approximately 100 million chickens are produced and marketed in the U.S. each year, AND that it takes more than one million tons of coal a day to supply this nation's demand for heat, light and power.
Credits
- Script: Henry Boltinoff
- Pencils: Henry Boltinoff
- Inks: Henry Boltinoff
- Letters: Henry Boltinoff
Story Notes
Writer and letterer credits verified by Jerry Bails.
Story Notes
Ad for Prize Comics' Black Owl comic.
The Ghost Plane (1)
"Like some ghostly bird, a huge plane wings its way over the rolling plains of Texas shrouded in the mysterious cloak of night, when suddenly.............."
Storyline
Steve Carson of the FBI is called in to deal with the loss of five border policemen engaged by the Border Business Association to prevent gun-running across the border.
Characters
- Steve Carson (mainstream Universe)
- Major Gruen (mainstream Universe)
Credits
- Script: Jerry Siegel
- Pencils: Jackie Flook
- Inks: Jackie Flook
- Letters: Chad Grothkopf (uncertain)
Treachery Off Singapore (1)
Storyline
Steve begins to investigate the situation when his old pal Sparky is spouting off about a fabulous treasure he has uncovered, and then is murdered.
Credits
- Script: Jack Lehti
- Pencils: Jack Lehti
- Inks: Jack Lehti
Featuring Peter and His Pup
"It's a swell day, Whiskers! Let's go fishing!"
Storyline
When Peter and his pup go fishing and have no luck, the dog figures out a better way to do the fishing.
Credits
- Script: Ray McGill
- Pencils: Ray McGill
- Inks: Ray McGill
- Letters: Ray McGill
Featuring The Quiz Page
"1. How did Death Valley get its name?"
Storyline
Six questions are asked: 1) How did Death Valley get its name?; 2) What does SOS mean?; 3) When is Groundhog Day?; 4) Do bulls actually see red?; 5) How large is an acre?; and 6) What does the olive branch symbolize?
Credits
- Script: Henry Boltinoff
- Pencils: Henry Boltinoff
- Inks: Henry Boltinoff
- Letters: Henry Boltinoff
Story Notes
Letterer credit verified by Jerry Bails.
The Runaway Dinosaurs (1)
Storyline
The Hourman, blamed for stealing animated mechanical prehistoric beasts from a museum, finds he has to battle them in order to save Thorndyke from kidnappers.
Credits
- Script: Ken Fitch
- Pencils: Bernard Baily
- Inks: Bernard Baily
- Letters: Bernard Baily
Story Notes
Letterer credit added by Craig Delich. Writer credit verified by Martin O'Hearn. The last panel of the story is an illustrated ad for The Spectre by Jerry Siegel, starring in More Fun Comics. The villain, Mr. Whistle, is called Mr. Whistler in the last half of the story.
Too Many Suspects (1)
The Flying Carpet by Richard Halliburton
Featuring Book Review
Story Notes
A few small ads on the book review page.
Defender of Barlunda
Storyline
Cotton saves Deela from being kidnapped by Orko, then they find themselves stranded in the ancient city of Dorgo, armed only with the Ring Machine to fight off another onslaught by Orko.
Credits
- Script: Jack Lehti
- Pencils: Jack Lehti
- Inks: Jack Lehti
Case of the Black Cat
Storyline
Jimmy Owen, a private detective from the Quick Service Agency, is hired to protect the life of a cat, which is the recipient of $250,000 from her deceased owner.
Credits
- Script: José Miguel Heredia
- Pencils: Fred Ray
- Inks: Fred Ray
Superman Is on the Radio
Characters
Credits
- Pencils: Joe Shuster (uncertain)
- Inks: Joe Shuster (uncertain)
Story Notes
The ad promotes 14 stations in the United States and 27 in Canada airing the Superman radio show, along with their sponsors. At the bottom of the first page of the text story. This ad is similar to the one that ran originally in Action Comics #34 but with fewer U.S. stations and sponsors.
The Menace of the Metal Gun!
Storyline
Sandman must battle a scientist, in the pay of a foreign government, who has invented a mysterious Cylindecraft, whose purple ray can eat its way through metal.
Credits
- Pencils: Creig Flessel
- Inks: Creig Flessel
Story Notes
Sandman uses his new Wirepoon in this story. The Millennium edition lists the writer as Gardner F. Fox.
Colossal! Terrific! Stupendous!
Featuring World's Best Comics
Prizes for All!
Story Notes
Inside back cover.
There's Power for You!
Story Notes
Back cover.