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#143
Detective Comics, #142

Published: December 1948

No Cover Image Available

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Issue Contents:
The Riddler's Puzzle Contest

"Team up with Batman and Robin to solve "The Riddler's Puzzle Contest""

Storyline

Batman and Robin surprise The Riddler by bursting through a giant crossword puzzle.

Credits
Story Notes

Art credits verified by Sprang.

Crime's Puzzle Contest!

"Once again that puzzle-prince of cryptic crime, The Riddler, terrorizes Gotham City with his evil enigmas!"

Storyline

The Riddler returns from the "dead" to continue his campaign of puzzle contests to baffle the police and the Dynamic Duo.

Credits
Story Notes

Inker credit verified by Craig Delich; we previously suggested Howard Sherman or Gene McDonald. The splash page replicates the cover. The story title does not match the cover title.

The Farmer in the Till!

Story Featuring Slam Bradley

"When slick city crooks apply hoe and shovel to the good earth, you can bet there's going to be dirty work at the crossroads!"

Storyline

City bank robbers dressed as farmers hold up rural banks.

Credits
Story Notes

Inker credit by Craig Delich; we previously credited John Daly.

The Robot Bandit!

Story Featuring Robotman

"Robotman - let me introduce you to my servants. They're all robots... costly machines... obeying spoken commends - yet one of them is robbing me!"

Storyline

Millionaire in a wheelchair Joshua Lloyd is being robbed by one of his nine robot servants (with which he replaced his staff), and asks Robotman to investigate undercover as "robot servant number 10".

Credits
Cold Feet, Courtesy of Pete

Story Featuring Jerry the Jitterbug

"Pete asked me to meet him downtown!"

Storyline

Jerry's pal Pete requests that Jerry meet him on a cold street corner - for an unconventional reason.

Credits
Story Notes

Top half of page.

When You Close Your Mind

"Why do we sleep?"

Storyline

Text article on the necessity and different reasons for sleep in humans, animals, plants... and even microbes.

Credits
  • Script:
The Mystery of Secret X

Story Featuring The Boy Commandos

"You are powerless to stop me, Carter! In my hand, I hold Secret X! With it, I can control a nation!"

Storyline

Professor Vanners went to prison taking the mysterious "Secret X" with him. Killer Arnie Benet devises a scheme to break himself and Vanners out of prison, in exchange for being cut in on "Secret X". Once Vanners and Benet are safely hidden away, high stakes robberies begin to mount. Robberies that could only have been pulled-off with confidential information.

Credits
The Christmas Gift Every Boy and Girl Wants Most...

"...A Schwinn-Built bicycle!"

Story Notes

Christmas-themed illustrated ad for Schwinn bicycles - with Santa Claus saying "4 times as many kids want a Schwinn as want any other bike". Color ad on back cover.

Want a Daisy for Christmas? Try This:

"Look! See new Daisys, Action Target Range, Daisy Air pistol... in New Daisy Color Catalog printed in Handbook No. 2. Get copy now!"

Story Notes

Ad for Daisy Air Rifles, offering a full-color catalog "featuring the Daisy 1000 shot Red Ryder Cowboy Carbine". The characters of Red Ryder and Little Beaver appear as pencil and ink drawings. Black and white ad on inside back cover.

For Thrills! For Action!

"Ask for these magazines at your favorite newsstand!"

Credits
Story Notes

DC Comics house ad for Action Comics, Sensation Comics, and Adventure Comics. The covers of Action Comics (DC, 1938 Series) #127 (December 1948), Sensation Comics (DC, 1942 Series) #84 (December 1948), and Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 Series) #135 (December 1948) are reproduced. On final interior page of the comic.

Oh! Boy! Lionel Trains!

"Hear that WHISTLE! - Look at 'em GO! See that Steam Loco puff SMOKE!"

Story Notes

Ad for Lionel Trains, offering a 36-page full color Lionel Train Catalog, a set of 3-dimensional views of Lionel Trains in action - with "Stereopticon Eyeglasses", and a special kit of 6 cut-out colorful buildings for your Lionel Train layout... for just 25 cents. Between pages 8 and 9 of previous story.

Adventures of Nip & Tuck Saved by Trade and Mark

"Do you think there's treasure in this cave?"

Storyline

Nip and Tuck go hunting in a creepy old cave for Jesse James' treasure. There they are threatened by an angry old hermit with a bad cough. The boys give the hermit Smith Brothers Cough Drops to alleviate his symptoms. In gratitude, the hermit gives the boys a sack of gold.

Story Notes

The ad describes Smith Brothers Cough Drops as "Delicious. Relieves Tickle. Soothes Soreness... Still only 5¢" ...Even though old hermit just paid for a box with a sack of gold. Lower half of page.

Editorial Advisory Board

"The following magazines all bear this trademark as your guarantee of the best in comics reading:"

Storyline

A list of DC's advisory board members plus a list of currently published comics. Thirty titles are listed.

Story Notes

DC Comics house ad touting "Superman-DC-National Comics" as quality reading. The ad is comprised of a list of doctors and other consultants that make up the DC Comics Editorial Advisory Board, followed by a list of (presumably) all the titles published at the time by DC. Top half of page.

Given Premiums or Cash Commission Given

"Girls - Ladies - We Trust You - Boys -Men Send name and Address on coupon - no money now"

Story Notes

Ad for Wilson Chemical Co., offering prizes or money for the sales of Cloverine Brand Salve.

Most Exciting Boot You Ever Saw!

"The Hood Rocket Boot made specially for boys!"

Story Notes

Illustrated ad for Hood Rocket Boots featuring a boy riding a rocket, while wearing Hood Rocket Boots. "Made by the makers of 'P-F' canvas shoes" (presumably becomes "P-F Flyers sneakers").

Boys! Look at all the Spectacular Buzz-With-Action Models you can build with Erector

"Erector has girders of steel - to build like real!"

Story Notes

Comics-style illustrated ad for Erector construction sets by Gilbert. Also offered by mail, the free booklet "Superman Shows You the Wonders of the Gilbert Hall of Science". The bottom of the page says: "When in New York, visit the Gilbert Hall of Science. Fifth Ave. and 25th St. Admission Free!"

"Champ wants to see you wearing a Gene Autry Sweatshirt... and so do I!"

"All over the country, wherever Champ and I go, we see boys and girls wearing our sweatshirts."

Story Notes

All characters and merchandise are pencil and ink drawings, no photographs. Lower half of page.

Boys - It's Free!

"Exciting new book about atomic energy and "The Wonders of Chemistry"."

Story Notes

Ad for Chemcraft chemistry sets offering a free book "The Wonders of Chemistry". Top half of page.

Fellows! Girls! Get Captain Tootsie's mystifying, baffling "Bag of Magic Tricks"

"Over $1.00 Retail Value! Only 25¢ with any wrapper from Tootsie Roll, Tootsie Pop, Tootsie Cocoanut Fudge"

Characters
Other
Story Notes

Ad for Tootsie Roll candies offering "Captain Tootsie's Mystifying, Baffling Bag of Magic Tricks" for just 25¢ with a wrapper from any Tootsie Roll candy.

Champion Football Coach of Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd

"With Coach Dodd at the throttle Georgia Tech's Engineers steam-rolled to 9 victories last season"

Story Notes

Ad for Wheaties cereal featuring Georgia Tech football coach Bobby Dodd.

"Strike or spare... it's a snap!"

"Snaps are right down everybody's alley!"

Storyline

Three late-1940s teens are bowling in a bowling alley, while a fourth teen snaps their picture using Kodak film.

Story Notes

Ad for Kodak Film "...the film in the familiar yellow box". Black and white ad on inside front cover.