National Comics #52 is an issue of the series National Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1946.
Synopsis for The Barker: "The Jinx"
A man down on his luck asks for work in the circus's animal act, but is turned away by Colonel Lane. The Barker convinces him to give the man a chance based on how easily the Colonel could end up in the man's same situation. They begin to have second thoughts when their new employee calls himself "the Jinx". Even more so when the ferocious cats begin acting like playful house cats during the actual show. Next, Tiny refuses to twist a steel bar to show his strength, protesting it's too pretty. Then an elephant charges the stands during its show. The Jinx is found to be giving people drugged water to make them either docile or violent, so that he could drive down the value of the circus to buy it for cheap.
Appearing in The Barker: "The Jinx"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Colonel Lane
- Lena
- Liz Flannery
- Major Midge
- Spuda the Spider-Man
- Tiny Tim
- Madame Shali, snake charmer
- Peaches, bearded lady
Antagonists:
- The Jinx
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Love Potion
- Hate Potion
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Case of Old Man Hogin"
Appearing in Sally O'Neil Policewoman: "The Case of Old Man Hogin"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Quicksilver: "The Winner!"
Appearing in Quicksilver: "The Winner!"
Featured Characters
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Lassie and Laddie: "Adopt a Pet"
Appearing in Lassie and Laddie: "Adopt a Pet"
Featured Characters:
- Lassie
- Laddie
Supporting Characters:
- Roberta
- Roger
Synopsis for The Whistler: "The Wrong Whistler"
The police believe they've found out the Whistler is really Biddle, a professional whistling instructor, because the cops have been watching every whistling instructor in town and Biddle was missing every night the Whistler operated. His moral instincts unwilling to let an innocent be hauled in in his place, Mallory Drake volunteers to go and take a few lessons under the pretext of watching Biddle for anything suspicious. He finds out the reason Biddle wasn't around any of the nights the Whistler was battling crime was Biddle habit of taking long walks in the evening, which is an alibi he can't corroborate.
A pair of gangsters have come to the same mistaken conclusion about the Whistler's identity as the police, and that night force their way into Biddle's rooms to make him confess he's the Whistler. The real Whistler shows up, then the police. Whistler smashes the lights, then slips his mask back into his pocket to step out as Mallory Drake. The police confront Drake about his story of hiding behind the curtains and unsuccessfully trying to tackle the Whistler, a story he sells with some whistle-ventriloquism making it sound like the Whistler's really fleeing through the alley. The police ask Drake not to write up the story, with how idiotic they'd look for their mislaid suspicions and failing miserably to catch the Whistler.
Appearing in The Whistler: "The Wrong Whistler"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mac Shane, Editor, Daily Record
Antagonists:
- Boss
- Max
- third thug
Other Characters:
- Police Captain McGinnis
- his cops: Murphy, others
- A. Biddle, whistling instructor
Locations:
- Daily Record offices
See Also
Links and References
