Zip Comics #2

(March 1940)

[The Return of the Black Knight] (Table of Contents: 1)

Steel Sterling / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Charles Biro ?

Pencils

Charles Biro

Inks

Charles Biro

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Steel Sterling [John Sterling]; Black Knight (Villain)

Synopsis

In the state penitentiary, a gang of desperate convicts begin a well-planned escape. They are going to hi-jack a boatload of gold from Alaska.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 2)

Mugsy / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Kin Platt (signed as Quincy)

Pencils

Kin Platt (signed as Quincy)

Inks

Kin Platt (signed as Quincy)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

humor; animal

Characters

Mugsy (dog)

[The Protection Racket] (Table of Contents: 3)

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

Script

Harry Shorten

Pencils

Irv Novick (signed)

Inks

Irv Novick (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Feature Logo

The Scarlet Avenger, Gang Buster

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Scarlet Avenger (Jim Kendall); Sam the Tailor; District Attorney (racketeer boss)

Synopsis

A bomb is tossed from a speeding car into a shop and kills a tailor, and the police won't listen to Jim as a witness. It turns out to be a case of protection racketeering.

[Introducing the Masked Man] (Table of Contents: 4)

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

Script

?

Pencils

Frank Volpe

Inks

Frank Volpe

Colors

?

Letters

?

Feature Logo

Nevada Jones, Quick-Trigger Man

Genre

western-frontier

Characters

Nevada Jones; Little Joe (sidekick); VILLAINS: Brock Craven (killer); Bill Craven; Hatfield

Synopsis

Nevada Jones gains masked identity.

Indexer Notes

Art is identical to Volpe's many signed and unsigned Loop Logan stories in Blue Ribbon Comics, from #4. He can be spotted by his very realistic horses in #13, bony faces with marked cheek lines and mouth inked in two short lines. Also the small lines on each side of nose or smiling cheeks. Compare as well his signed London stories in Daredevil Comics #9 and 10 (Lev Gleason)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5)

Kalthar / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Harry Shorten (credited)

Pencils

Robert Pious (signed as R.S.P.)

Inks

Robert Pious (signed as R.S.P.)

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Ho, mighty Mano. You are no match for Kalthar!

Genre

jungle

Characters

Kalthar; Mano (elephant); Ta-Lo; ivory hunters

Synopsis

Taking the red grain that turns him into a giant of 15 feet, Kalthar wreaks havoc among a gang of ivory hunters.

Indexer Notes

It is not easy to find similarities with later signed samples of Pious's work, as in Sgt. Spook, but some inking of faces and eyes match his signed Old Cap Hawkins in Blue Bolt Comics.

[Herr Schultz's Luftwaffe Trap] (Table of Contents: 6)

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

Script

?

Pencils

Ed Smalle

Inks

Ed Smalle

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

aviation; war

Characters

Tim Shane (pilot); Tom Shane (pilot); Herr Schultz (Villain)

Synopsis

The Shane brothers refuse to become squadron leaders.

The Oregon Death Dealer! (Table of Contents: 7)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Lin Streeter (signed as Lin S.)

Inks

Lin Streeter (signed as Lin S.)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

western-frontier

Characters

Harry Tracy; Janet Warrington; Phil Austin

[The Revenge of Hop-Lung] (Table of Contents: 8)

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

Script

Abner J. Sundell

Pencils

Mort Meskin (signed)

Inks

Mort Meskin (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

adventure

Characters

Captain Valor; Ronnie; his sister Angie; Gen. Ho Tsin (villain); Hop-Lung (Villain)

Synopsis

Captain Valor and his two friends help a couple of American missionaries besieged in the mountains by a pirate gang.

[The Monster of Shadow Pond] (Table of Contents: 9)

Mr. Satan / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Harry Shorten

Pencils

Edd Ashe (signed as Ed. Ashe)

Inks

Edd Ashe (signed as Ed. Ashe)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Mr. Satan (Dudley Bradshaw); Prof. Heaslip; John Heaslip (brother); Mrs. Heaslip

Synopsis

Three men had disappeared into Shadow Pond, and never returned. Tracks of a prehistoric monster had been found.

Indexer Notes

Signed at the gunwhale of the canoe.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10)

Cyclone Jones / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Quincy (credited)

Pencils

Quincy (credited)

Inks

Quincy (credited)

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Now, Cyclone -- remember this is yer first big fight so ya gotto do everything I say --

Genre

humor

Characters

Cyclone Jones; Mr. Carter

Synopsis

Iron in the left glove.

Indexer Notes

This is the only appearance of the "Cyclone Jones" feature.

[On the Planet Inferno] (Table of Contents: 11)

Zambini / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Blair

Pencils

Elmer Wexler (signed as El Wexler)

Inks

Elmer Wexler (signed as El Wexler)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Feature Logo

Zambini the 'Miracle Man'

Genre

superhero

Characters

Zambini (magician); Prof. Stargaze (Villain; Introduction); Girl secretary; Glass Blower (Villain; Introduction)

Synopsis

A new planet will burn up the Earth in 48 hours, and Zambini uses his magic to get to the planet on a palm tree growing like a beanstalk.