Zip Comics #16

(July 1941)

[The Return of the Puppet Master] (Table of Contents)

Steel Sterling / comic story / 14 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair

Pencils:

Charles Biro

Inks:

Charles Biro

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Steel Sterling [John Sterling]; Clancy McGinty (Police); Dora Cummings; The Puppet Master [Gargulio] (villain)

Synopsis:

The Puppet Master has escaped from prison and sets his plan of living puppets into operation.

Indexer Notes

Looks more like Irv Novick than Biro.

[The Sack of the Giant] (Table of Contents)

Dicky in the Magic Forest / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Louis Golden (signed)

Pencils:

Louis Golden (signed)

Inks:

Louis Golden (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Fantasy

Characters:

Dicky Farenwell; Farenwell (Dicky's father); A giant (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

A giant has entered Panora and collects human beings to eat.

[The Bar-X Ranch War] (Table of Contents)

Nevada Jones / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Frank Volp

Inks:

Frank Volp

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Western

Characters:

Nevada Jones; Little Joe (sidekick); Hank Mills (villain, introduction, death); Tony (villain, introduction, death); Charlie (villain, introduction, death); several others (villains, introduction)

Synopsis:

A crooked rancher is fencing off water in public domain.

Indexer Notes

Faces and very realistic horses identical to Volp's credited Loop Logan story in Blue Ribbon Comics #13, but the inking here seems a bit hastier than in the previous stories.

[The Devil-Devil Doctor] (Table of Contents)

Red Reagan / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair (signed)

Pencils:

Sam Cooper (signed)

Inks:

Sam Cooper (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Detective

Characters:

Red Reagan (Police Detective); Bertie Randolph (assistent); The Devil-Devil Doctor [Bob Rixon] (villain, introduction); Thaddeus Rixon (introduction, death); Dr. Schwartz (introduction); Al Faltz (introduction); Bob Rixon (introduction); Hugo Rixon (introduction) Bernard Rixon (introduction); Pamela Rixon

Synopsis:

Old Rixon is murdered in his bed by a hooded figure before he could change his last will.

[Swen Olson's Maiden Flight] (Table of Contents)

War Eagles / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair

Pencils:

Ed Smalle (signed)

Inks:

Ed Smalle (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

War; Aviation

Characters:

Tim Shane (pilot); Tom Shane (pilot); Swen Olsen (gunner); The Nazis (villains); Gen. Vosh (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

Swen Olsen is ready for action as a gunner in R.A.F.

Indexer Notes

Swen is called a big crazy Swede at the end panel, but he was a Norwegian agent in the previous episode.

[Valor On the Slave Block] (Table of Contents)

Captain Valor / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair

Pencils:

Mort Meskin (signed)

Inks:

Mort Meskin (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Adventure; War

Characters:

Captain Valor; Angie; Ronnie; Dallas; Big Dip; Ab-Ah-Ner (villain); company (guest-star); Marty Martin

Synopsis:

Captain Valor and his friends have taken command of the village of the Chinese lord, but he gets in contact with Mongol horsemen who attack the village to help him.

[The Framing of a Photographer] (Table of Contents)

Scarlet Avenger / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Harry Shorten

Pencils:

Carl Hubbell [as HUB] (signed)

Inks:

Carl Hubbell [as HUB] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero

Characters:

The Scarlet Avenger [Jim Kendall]; Inez Courtney [Operative No.1]; Joe Adams (introduction); Joe Devlin (introduction, death); Hal Ates (villain, introduction); Mayor Sikes (villain, introduction)

Synopsis:

A news photographer is framed for killing a friend.

[Scrambling the Gambling Joint] (Table of Contents)

Zambini the Miracle Man / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Joe Blair

Pencils:

Paul Reinman

Inks:

Paul Reinman

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Occult

Characters:

Happy (villain, introduction); his gang (villain, introduction); Stacey (introduction)

Synopsis:

Zambini visits a crooked gambling house.

Indexer Notes

Originally credited to Streeter, but the wedge shaped heads with narrow, pointed ears are like Reinman's signed Scarlet Avenger story in #17.