Action Comics #85

(June 1945)

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

People Like to Laugh! (Table of Contents: 2) (Expand) /

Buzzy; All Funny Comics; Real Screen Funnies / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.67 page (report information)

The Puzzle in Jade! (Table of Contents: 3)

Superman / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Don C. Cameron (signed as Jerry Siegel)

Pencils

Sam Citron (signed as Joe Shuster)

Inks

Don Komisarow (signed as Joe Shuster)

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Toy ships carry out incredible piratical ventures on the high seas...

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]; Perry White; Lois Lane; Toyman

Synopsis

When reports of toy ships attacking freighters come across the desk of reporter Clark Kent, he suspects that it's all a plot of recent prison escapee, the Toyman.

Reprints

• in Superman: The Action Comics Archives (DC, 1997 series) #5 ([May] 2007)
• in Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2013 series) #4 ([July] 2017)

Indexer Notes

Credits from Siegel's records: Siegel and Shuster v. National Comics Publications, Inc. et al., case no. 1099 (Westchester Cty. Sup. Ct. 1947).

Duel with a Man-Eating Shark! (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Adventures of "R. C." and Quickie; Royal Crown Cola / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Old Wyoming! (Table of Contents: 5)

Vigilante / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Samachson

Pencils

Mort Meskin (signed as Mort Morton Jr.)

Inks

Mort Meskin (signed as Mort Morton Jr.)

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The spirit of the Old West comes to town...

Genre

adventure; superhero; western-frontier

Characters

The Vigilante [Greg Sanders]; Stuff, the Chinatown Kid; Mr. Oakes (show manager)

Synopsis

Greg is headlining a new musical show called "Old Wyoming". On opening night he receives rapturous applause, but hears gunshot. In his Vigilante guise he sees crooks robbing the box office, but the crowd coming out at intermission blocks his pathway to the crooks. Shortly after he sets a trap, but this time makes sure the exit doors are locked. Vigilante is knocked but but as the robbers are about to shoot him the stage revolves and reveals them to the audience, at which they are captured.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Wheaties / advertisement / 2 pages (report information)

The Hungry Hare! (Table of Contents: 7)

Hayfoot Henry / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Thurston Harper ?

Inks

Thurston Harper ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

In this tale of an appetite fearful...

Genre

humor; detective-mystery

Characters

Hayfoot Henry

Indexer Notes

Art credits by Jerry Bails. Alvin Schwartz script credit removed by Craig Delich. The Who's Who states that Schwartz wrote this strip from 1946-48.

The text is written in rhyming couplets.

Secrets for Sale (Table of Contents: 8)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Murray Boltinoff (credited as Blair Bolton)

Letters

typeset

Genre

adventure

Secret of the Rug of Tezan! (Table of Contents: 9)

Congo Bill / comic story / 5.67 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Samachson

Pencils

John Daly

Inks

John Daly

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The moving hand has written...

Genre

adventure; drama; jungle

Characters

Congo Bill; Ali Hassan; Prince Kalo; Lashi

Synopsis

Bill helps discover the identity of the rightful king of Kurdistan.

Keywords

Kurdistan; Red Tiger (ship); rugs; stereotyping of Arabs; the Rug of Tezan; the Well of Azar

Superman's Secret Message (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Supermen of America / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 11) (Expand) /

Kellogg's Pep / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

The Magician's Apprentice! (Table of Contents: 12)

Zatara / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Samachson

Pencils

William White

Inks

William White

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

What would you do if you suddenly inherited Zatara's powers?

Genre

adventure; fantasy-supernatural; superhero

Characters

Zatara [Giovanni "John" Zatara]; Bob Danton; Dapper Dan (crook)

Synopsis

When Bob Dawson is scorned by his peers for believing in magic, Zatara temporarily bestows upon him some of his powers. Crooks spot the goings-on and abduct Bob, forcing him at gunpoint to rob a jewelry store for them. Zatara is told of this but the gang get the better of him, and it takes twin magics to get out of the predicament.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

Thom McAn / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 14) (Expand) /

Bonnie Gaye Fashions / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 15) (Expand) /

Baby Ruth / advertisement / 1 page (report information)