I still haven't found the right mix of insight and brevity. I feel compelled to provide a 'Story so far...' synopsis to every feature. Here is what I am going to attempt. I'll list every feature with a 1-2 sentence synopsis and make comments about those that I feel merit additional discussion. I still feel the need to mention every issue so readers of the blog can get a sense of the chaotic ebb and flow of the Golden Age. So without further adieu, New Adventure Comics #26:
Captain Jim of the Texas Rangers -- "The Train Robbery, Part 26"
One of the few strips that's been in every issue of New Adventure (originally New Comics), this is the adventures of an older rancher, his niece and nephew, his best friend, the Captain Jim in the title, and his trusted ranch foreman who are in never-ending trouble with bears, stampedes, rustlers, bank robbers, etc. It would be exhausting to read in a collection, but it works well in serial parts. The only problem is the expanse of characters. The strip gets a good number for this day and age (approx. 6), but by the time you catch up with all the leads who are in at least three different places, the story doesn't advance any more than a 3-pager.
Federal Men -- "The Safety Patrol"
I find Federal Men to be the oddest of the Seigel and Shuster strips. Ostensibly, the lead is Steve Carson, an FBI Agent. Initially the strips were him in gang buster or pseudo Sci-Fi stories toppling gangs, saboteurs, or mad scientists. Soon there were adds for 'Junior Federal Men' club membership packs, and the strip changed from being about the exploits of Steve Carson to being about kids who become crime-stoppers and good citizens as a result of their emulating Steve and being in the club. In this strip, Steve is only seen in the beginning talking about road safety to the school, then shifts to how the kids implement his lecture and deal with a hit-and-run driver, then ends with Steve delivering the motto. Its not bad at all, because it has the Siegel and Shuster energy that was unique to their strips at the time, but I felt it worth noting how the strip had changed, and I'm curious if boy interest in the strip was really that high or if it was a marketing stunt/wishful thinking.
Nadir, Master of Magic -- "Pearl of the Bleeding Heart, Part 10"
An adventurer/magician tracks a stolen, cursed pearl. Not a bad strip, but after the first 3 installments, the magic has all but disappeared (literally) and Nadir is indistinguishable from other socialite/adventurers. The pearl however, is seriously cursed. It now in its third or fourth owner, all of the previous owners being killed and betrayed by the owner after them.
Rusty and His Pals -- "The Pirate Ship, Part 1"
A group of kids build a raft, play pirates, and run into real pirates. Notable for being one of the first contributions of Bob Kane to DC Comics and the first of two in this issue. I won't get into the quagmire (right now) of to what extent Bob Kane was a "real" creative professional, but I think it important to note the milestone considering the contribution he will make in another year.
Don Coyote
Don Coyote is a humor set in medieval times, but utilizing modern slang and sexual attitudes (well, modern from the perspective of 1938).
Dale Daring -- "The Red Hatchet, Part 4"
Being named after the female lead, you'd almost expect this to be about a female adventurer Ala Sandra of the Secret Service, but Dale Daring owes more to 'The Perils of Pauline'. A blonde heiress and her father somewhere in Asia (maybe Tibet) fall afoul of a Mongol tribe with Capt. Don Brewster hurrying to the rescue. Not very memorable. In fact, I struggle to remember what was the macguffin or crime that started the whole strip.
Captain Desmo --"Captain Demso Flies Again!"
A heroic fighter pilot defends an outpost against Mongol raiders. Notable for Captain Desmo's laughable pseudo-super hero stryle outfit. Considering what was to be published in June, 1938, something was in the air.
Click Evans -- "In the War Zone"
A newsreel reporter crashes in a war zone, is taken prisoner, and escapes.
Cal n' Alec
A humor strip about two cowhands who get into mischief. In this installment, their donkey is stolen by an Indian (nee Native American), and the two try to steal it back.
(Editor's Note --My thoughts for here on out are now 4 months old. I apologize if I have nothing profound to say...not that I've been profound up to this point.)
Detective Sergeant Carey of the Chinatown Squad
Sgt. Carey and Sleepy try to escape the Tong by boat. Fairly typical 'yellow menace' fare. The main advantage to the Sgt. Carey serials is they are kept to a respectable 3-4 parts and not 9-10.
Sandor and the Lost Civilization
Ostensibly a jungle strip, Sandor takes place in and entails intrigue in the court of an Indian rajah. Unfortunately, I've lost the thread of the plot. Its been the same serial since the beginning. Now its devolved to random running around the palace.
The Golden Dragon
A group of adventurers searching for Genghis Khan's gold route the Mongolian army trying to stop them. Like Sandor and Captain Jim, The Golden Dragon has been in almost every issue of New Adventure. I like the serial overall. Its moving at a slow pace (they've barely made any progress), but unlike Sandor, I can still keep up with the plot.
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