Toytown Comics #1

([February 1945])

Chapter 1. The Potato Bug Invasion (Table of Contents: 1)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole ?

Inks

L. B. Cole ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Tubby (a bear, Mertie’s landlord); Tubby’s wife; Gertie Mouse; Bertie Bat (Batman parody)

Synopsis

Mertie Mouse loses his apartment and girl friend. He meets Bertie Bat. Potato bugs attack the town.

Indexer Notes

Art credit is from Gerber’s Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books, Vol. 2 and The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 30th Edition.

Chapter 2. Mertie Becomes Mayor (Table of Contents: 2)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole ?

Inks

L. B. Cole ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Bertie Bat

Synopsis

Mertie is arrested, then appointed mayor by the town council so that he must tell the Storm King that the town cannot pay its taxes.

Chapter 3. The River of Death (Table of Contents: 3)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Ellis Chambers [as HC] (signed)

Inks

L. B. Cole

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Tubby; Bertie Bat; Christopher Q. Catt; Freddie Fox

Synopsis

On his way to the Storm King’s castle, Mertie is joined by Tubby. They meet Christopher Q. Catt, who plans to eat Mertie. Tubby builds a raft to cross a river. Christopher pushes Mertie and Tubby into the river.

Indexer Notes

Previous indexer suggested that the artwork may be L. B. Cole layouts with Hal Chambers finishes from Chapter 3 on, but the funny animal pencil art more closely resembles Chambers’ signed art from Hi-Ho Comics #1 (1946) than Cole’s signed art from Frisky Animals (1951-1954).

Chapter 4. Terror from the Skies (Table of Contents: 4)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?) (see Sequence 3 Note)

Inks

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Tubby; Bertie Bat; Christopher Q. Catt; Vincent Vulture

Synopsis

Bertie Bat rescues Mertie and Tubby from alligators in the river. Christopher takes credit, then sends a message to Vincent Vulture. Vincent carries Mertie away. When Tubby heads out to save him, Christopher threatens him with a gun but is knocked out by Bertie Bat.

Mertie Mouse Cries Wolf (Table of Contents: 5)

Mertie Mouse / text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole ? (illustration)

Inks

L. B. Cole ? (illustration)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Bertie Bat; Florabel

Synopsis

Mertie fakes a robbery at Florabel’s house, then runs out when a real robber arrives. Florabel captures the robber and punches out Mertie.

Indexer Notes

Half-page illustration.

Chapter 5. The Forest Ruler (Table of Contents: 6)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?) (see Sequence 3 Note)

Inks

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Bertie Bat; Vincent Vulture; Freddie Fox; Ruler of the Forest (a lion)

Synopsis

Bertie Bat rescues Mertie from Vincent Vulture. They continue together to the Storm King’s castle. Meanwhile in Rabbit Town, Freddie Fox promises the Ruler of the Forest a new set of teeth in exchange for putting out a wanted poster for Mertie and Bertie, who are soon arrested.

Chapter 6. The Dungeon of Doom (Table of Contents: 7)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?) (see Sequence 3 Note)

Inks

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Bertie Bat; Vincent Vulture; Ruler of the Forest; Christopher Q. Catt

Synopsis

The Ruler of the Forest sentences Mertie and Bertie to the Dungeon of Doom. Mertie persuades the monster of the dungeon, an elephant, to break him and Bertie out of the castle. Tubby reaches the Storm King’s castle and is locked in a trunk by Christopher.

Chapter 7. The Storm King’s Castle (Table of Contents: 8)

Mertie Mouse / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?) (see Sequence 3 Note)

Inks

L. B. Cole (layouts?); Hal Chambers (finishes?)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

anthropomorphic-funny animals

Characters

Mertie Mouse; Bertie Bat; Tubby; Ruler of the Forest; Christopher Q. Catt; Freddie Fox; Tubby’s wife; Horrible Harold

Synopsis

Mertie and Bertie reach the Storm King’s castle where Christopher Q. Catt and Freddie Fox beat them up and lock them in a torture chamber. Christopher and Freddie reveal that they are the “Storm King”, predicting rather than causing storms. The Ruler of the Forest beats up Christopher, Freddie and their gorilla Horrible Harold. Mertie, Bertie and Tubby return home as heroes. Mayor Mertie appoints Bertie as Treasurer, planning to skim the taxes for himself.