Adventure Comics
#61
(April 1941)
DC,
1938 Series
- Price
- 0.10 USD
- Pages
- 68
- Indicia Frequency
- monthly
- On-sale Date
- 1941-03-05
- Indicia / Colophon Publisher
- Detective Comics Inc.
- Brand
-
A DC Publication
- Editing
- Whitney Ellsworth (uncredited)
Issue Notes
"Ellsworth, although the only one credited as editor, is more an editor-in-chief -- with Mort Weisinger and Jack Schiff the actual editors starting a few years into the 40's; many stories throughout the 40's probably colored by Raymond Perry."
On-sale date from ad in More Fun Comics #66 and copyright registration.
On-sale date from ad in More Fun Comics #66 and copyright registration.
[no title indexed]
Starman / cover / 1 page
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- The Starman [Ted Knight]; the Sandman [Wesley Dodds] (inset)
- Reprints
-
in The Brave and the Bold (DC, 1955 series) #61 (August-September 1965) [cover reprint only] which is reprinted - in Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #112 (July-August 1974)
- in Justice Society of America 100-Page Super Spectacular, No. 1, 1975 Issue (DC, 2000 series) ([July] 2000)
- in Crisis on Multiple Earths: The Team-Ups (DC, 2005 series) #2 ([May] 2007)
- in Golden Age Starman Archives (DC, 2000 series) #1 ([July] 2000)
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Starman does not have a circle around the star on his chest, although it appears in the story art.
The "Big Six" Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field!
promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page
Indexer Notes
Inside front cover.
[The Amazing Starman]
Starman / comic story / 9 pages
- Script
- Jack Burnley (see notes); Gardner Fox ? (see notes)
- Pencils
- Jack Burnley (signed)
- Inks
- Jack Burnley (signed); Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
- Colors
- Raymond Perry
- Letters
- Betty Bentley
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Starman [Ted Knight](introduction, origin); Doris Lee (niece of FBI Chief, Woodley Allen, introduction); Woodley Allen (FBI trouble-shooter, introduction); Professor Davis; Dr. Doog (villain, introduction, death); Nelson (villain, death)
- Synopsis
- Starman is called in to battle the "Secret Brotherhood of the Electron", which is sabotaging America's communication and light system.
- Reprints
- in Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #94 (November 1971) which is reprinted
-
in Batman (Editorial Novaro, 1954 series) #656 (16 de noviembre de 1972) -
in All Star Adventure Comic (K. G. Murray, 1959 series) #89 ([October 1974] ?) - in Golden Age Starman Archives (DC, 2000 series) #1 ([July] 2000)
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
- Keywords
- Gravity Rod
Indexer Notes
Jack Burnley recalls someone other than Fox doing the first story, but the writing style does look like Fox's. Burnley does state that he re-wrote the last part of this story, introducing a villain that he called Dr. Doom, but whom the editors changed to Dr. Doog. If one looks, for example, at the lettering in the balloon on page 6, panel 3, you can see the lettering of "Dr. Doog" looks totally different, and was obviously re-lettered. Burnley has at different times recalled his letterer as his sister Betty Bentley and the backgrounds done by his brother Ray. The cover for this issue reappears as the last panel in the Starman story in Adventure #63. Information here related to Craig Delich by Burnley at his home in Charlottesville, Virgina in 1989.
[no title indexed]
It's True! / cartoon / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- It takes 29,600 parts...
- Genre
- non-fiction
[no title indexed]
All-Star Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- For thrills and adventure...
[Lishak the Gladiator]
Mark Lansing / comic story / 6 pages
- Script
- Howard Purcell (signed)
- Pencils
- Howard Purcell (signed)
- Inks
- Howard Purcell (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- adventure
- Characters
- Mark Lansing; Kit; King Talon; Costa (villain); Lishak (villain, death)
- Synopsis
- King Talon hopes to save Mark from being tortured and to save Kit before ending Costa's evil reign.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Writer credit verified by Jerry Bails. The end panel of this story is a promo for the Spectre strip appearing in More Fun Comics.
[no title indexed]
Facts / cartoon / 0.5 page
- Script
- Henry Boltinoff (signed)
- Pencils
- Henry Boltinoff (signed)
- Inks
- Henry Boltinoff (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Henry Boltinoff (signed)
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- Approximately 200,000,000 chickens...
- Genre
- non-fiction
- Synopsis
- Two fact quickies are featured: that approximately 100 million chickens are produced and marketed in the U.S. each year, AND that it takes more than one million tons of coal a day to supply this nation's demand for heat, light and power.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Writer and letterer credits verified by Jerry Bails.
[The Ghost Plane]
Federal Men / comic story / 4 pages
- Script
- Jerry Siegel (signed)
- Pencils
- Chad Grothkopf (signed as Chad)
- Inks
- Chad Grothkopf (signed as Chad)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Chad Grothkopf (signed as Chad)
- Genre
- detective-mystery; crime
- Characters
- Steve Carson; Drew (death); Major Gruen; un-named Governor; Blitz Merkel (villain); Mr. Ender (villain)
- Synopsis
- Steve Carson of the FBI is called in to deal with the loss of five border policemen engaged by the Border Business Association to prevent gun running across the border.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
[Treachery Off Singapore]
Steve Conrad Adventurer / comic story / 6 pages
- Script
- Jack Lehti (signed)
- Pencils
- Jack Lehti (signed)
- Inks
- Jack Lehti (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- ?
- Genre
- adventure
- Characters
- Steve Conrad; Chang; Sparky Watts (death); Blubber Bolsom (villain); Slippy (villain)
- Synopsis
- Steve begins to investigate the situation when his old pal Sparky is spouting off about a fabulous treasure he has uncovered, and then is murdered.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
[no title indexed]
Peter and His Pup / comic story / 1 page
- Script
- Ray McGill (signed)
- Pencils
- Ray McGill (signed)
- Inks
- Ray McGill (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Ray McGill (signed)
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- It's a swell day, Whiskers! Let's go fishing!
- Genre
- humor
- Characters
- Peter; Whiskers (his dog)
- Synopsis
- When Peter and his pup go fishing and have no luck, the dog figures out a better way to do the fishing.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
[no title indexed]
The Quiz Page / cartoon / 1 page
- Script
- Henry Boltinoff (signed as Bolty)
- Pencils
- Henry Boltinoff (signed as Bolty)
- Inks
- Henry Boltinoff (signed as Bolty)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Henry Boltinoff (signed as Bolty)
- First Line of Dialogue or Text
- 1. How did Death Valley get its name?
- Genre
- non-fiction
- Synopsis
- Six questions are asked: 1) How did Death Valley get its name?; 2) What does SOS mean?; 3) When is Groundhog Day?; 4) Do bulls actually see red?; 5) How large is an acre?; and 6) What does the olive branch symbolize?
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Letterer credit verified by Jerry Bails.
[The Runaway Dinosaurs]
The Hourman / comic story / 8 pages
- Script
- Ken Fitch
- Pencils
- Bernard Baily (signed)
- Inks
- Bernard Baily (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Bernard Baily (signed)
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- Hourman [Rex Tyler]; Mr. Bannerman; un-named Professor; Jimmy Martin; Thorndyke Tompkins; Minute Men of America; Mr. Whistle (villain)
- Synopsis
- The Hourman, blamed for stealing animated mechanical prehistoric beasts from a museum, finds he has to battle them in order to save Thorndyke from kidnappers.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
- Keywords
- Miraclo
Indexer Notes
Letterer credit added by Craig Delich. Writer credit verified by Martin O'Hearn.
The last panel of the story is an illustrated ad for The Spectre by Jerry Siegel, starring in More Fun Comics. The villain, Mr. Whistle, is called Mr. Whistler in the last half of the story.
[Too Many Suspects]
Paul Kirk, Manhunter / comic story / 6 pages
- Script
- Ed Moore (signed)
- Pencils
- Ed Moore (signed)
- Inks
- Ed Moore (signed)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- Ed Moore (signed)
- Genre
- detective-mystery
- Characters
- Paul Kirk; Police Chief Holden; Andrew Kallan [as Bushy] (villain)
- Synopsis
- A noted banker fakes his death in order to abscond with bank funds and place the blame on other employees.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Letterer credit added by Craig Delich.
Defender of Barlunda
Cotton Carver / comic story / 6 pages
- Genre
- adventure
- Characters
- Cotton Carver; Princess Deela; King Marl; Nardak; Orko (villain, death)
- Synopsis
- Cotton saves Deela from being kidnapped by Orko, then they find themselves stranded in the ancient city of Dorgo, armed only with the Ring Machine to fight off another onslaught by Orko.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Case of the Black Cat
text story / 1.5 pages
- Script
- Tom O'Neill (credited as T. C. O'Neill)
- Pencils
- Fred Ray (signed as Ray) (spot illustration)
- Inks
- Fred Ray (signed as Ray) (spot illustration)
- Colors
- ?
- Letters
- typeset
- Genre
- adventure
- Characters
- Jimmy Owen; Minerva (a cat); Hilda
- Synopsis
- Jimmy Owen, a private detective from the Quick Service Agency, is hired to protect the life of a cat, which is the recipient of $250,000 from her deceased owner.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Superman Is on the Radio
Superman / advertisement / 0.5 page
- Characters
- Superman [Clark Kent]
Indexer Notes
Advertisement for the Superman radio program.
The Menace of the Metal Gun!
The Sandman / comic story / 10 pages
- Genre
- superhero
- Characters
- The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Dian Belmont; D.A. Belmont; Ivan Borloff (villain)
- Synopsis
- Sandman must battle a scientist, in the pay of a foreign government, who has invented a mysterious Cylindecraft, whose purple ray can eat its way through metal.
- Reprints
- in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) (December 2000)
-
Indexer Notes
Sandman uses his new Wirepoon in this story. The Millennium edition lists the writer as Gardner F. Fox.
Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
-
0.
[no title indexed]
Starman -
1.
The "Big Six" Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field!
-
2.
[The Amazing Starman]
Starman -
3.
["It takes 29,600 parts..."]
It's True! -
4.
["For thrills and adventure..."]
All-Star Comics -
5.
[Lishak the Gladiator]
Mark Lansing -
6.
["Approximately 200,000,000 chickens..."]
Facts -
7.
[no title indexed]
The Black Owl; Prize Comics -
8.
[The Ghost Plane]
Federal Men -
9.
[Treachery Off Singapore]
Steve Conrad Adventurer -
10.
["It's a swell day, Whiskers! Let's go fishing!"]
Peter and His Pup -
11.
["1. How did Death Valley get its name?"]
The Quiz Page -
12.
[The Runaway Dinosaurs]
The Hourman -
13.
[no title indexed]
Adventure Stamp Page -
14.
[Too Many Suspects]
Paul Kirk, Manhunter -
15.
The Flying Carpet by Richard Halliburton
Book Review -
16.
[no title indexed]
-
17.
Defender of Barlunda
Cotton Carver -
18.
Case of the Black Cat
-
19.
Superman Is on the Radio
Superman -
20.
The Menace of the Metal Gun!
The Sandman -
21.
Colossal! Terrific! Stupendous!
World's Best Comics -
22.
Prizes for All!
American Seed Co. -
23.
There's Power for You!
Baby Ruth
This issue was modified by, among others
- Katie
- Ray Bottorff Jr
- Craig Delich
- Matthew Head
- Mike Nielsen
- Per Sandell
- Daniel Thingvold
- Jim Van Dore
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