Western Bandit Trails #2

(April 1949)

Amazing New Scientific Discovery (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Minit Curl / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

The Last Ride of the Masked Mavericks (Table of Contents: 2)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script:

?

Pencils:

Howard Larsen (signed)

Inks:

Howard Larsen (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Genre:

western-frontier

Characters:

Lon Hooper (Marshal); Tina Allen; Smoky Curran (maverick rider); Steve McBurney (maverick leader)

Synopsis:

The Marshal reckoned there must be a reason why the masked mavericks singled out Eagle Springs for their ruthless raids, but no one would agree until he revealed a clue to the shooter who used deadly silver bullets.

Reprints:

• in The Texan (St. John, 1948 series) #8 (June 1950)
• in The Fightin' Texan (St. John, 1952 series) #16 (September 1952)

["Death lurked in the shadows as Jinx Jordan hunted for a headline..."] (Table of Contents: 3)

Jinx Jordan / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script:

?

Pencils:

Charles Sultan

Inks:

Charles Sultan

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Jinx Jordan (crime reporter); Ginny (reporter); Larry (newsboy); Davito (crooked contractor); Tom Shane (dam inspector); Davies (editor); Blackie (crook); Frank Collins (engineer)

Synopsis:

The public inspector is killed by the dam builder when he discovers that it is used inferior materials on the dam.

Reprints:

• from Authentic Police Cases (St. John, 1948 series) #1 (February 1948)

Indexer Notes

This artwork is very similar to Charles Sultan, as can be seen in Blazing West #18, Buffalo Belle. Sultan also had the Jinx Jordan story in Crime Reporter #1, so it is likely that this is him too.
JVJon at DCM has credited this story to Warren Kremer, but compared to a signed Kremer story, Frisco Mary in Crime Must Pay the Penalty #3, that is not very likely as Kremer's work looks more like Elias or Robbins, with more inking than this.

Weather Forecaster (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

The Weatherman / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

["Steve Trotter, famous sportsman, has journeyed around the world..."] (Table of Contents: 5)

"Globe" Trotter / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script:

?

Pencils:

Raphael Astarita ?

Inks:

Raphael Astarita ?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Globe Trotter [Steve Trotter]; Fang (hyena); Killer Corsino (jungle raider); Mary Carew; Carew (plantation owner); Captain Sanders

Reprints:

• from Spotlight Comics (Chesler / Dynamic, 1944 series) #1 (November 1944)
which is reprinted
• from Scoop Comics (Chesler / Dynamic, 1941 series) #1 (November 1941)

Indexer Notes

Art credits are uncertain, but it looks like Astarita's work on Kaänga in Jungle Comics.
JVC at Digital Comics Museum has both Al Plastino and Astarita as artists.

It's Here! It's New! (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Slide-o-matic / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Arizona Pete (Table of Contents: 7)

comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script:

Richard Speed

Pencils:

Richard Speed

Inks:

Richard Speed

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Genre:

non-fiction; western-frontier

Characters:

Arizona Pete

Synopsis:

Arizona Pete lived in the hills and defied the sheriffs of two states for years.

Reprints:

• from Star Ranger (Chesler / Dynamic, 1937 series) #6 (September 1937)

Indexer Notes

Artwork similar to original art at Jerry Bails' Who's Who, and Speed had many fillers in St. John western comics.

Blood Blazes a Trail to Texas (Table of Contents: 8)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script:

?

Pencils:

Rudy Palais

Inks:

Rudy Palais

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Genre:

western-frontier

Characters:

Mary Lou; Lobo (robber); Rudy (robber); Sandy Welch (range detective); J. Gallagher (cattle buyer); Jack (robber); Claude (robber)

Synopsis:

A band of masked riders stampede a cattle herd down the main street to make is easy to rob the safe of cattle dealer Gallagher.

Reprints:

• in The Texan (St. John, 1948 series) #7 (April 1950)
• in Triple Western Pictorial Monthly (Magazine Management, 1955 series) #2 (July 1955)
• in Colt Western Library (Magazine Management, 1957 ? series) #27 ([1957] ?)

Indexer Notes

JVJon at Digital Comics Museum credits this stort to Palais, and comparing with an original from Jerry Bails' Who's Who, it matches fine with the somewhat crude faces and hands. Art ID by Steinar Ådland, March 2011.

Rubber Masks (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

Rubber-For-Molds Inc. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Seatcovers (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Gaylark Products / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Prizes Given (Table of Contents: 11) (Expand) /

American Seed Company / advertisement / 1 page (report information)