Gang Busters #21

(April-May 1951)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Tomahawk / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

The Ice Show Gang (Table of Contents: 2)

comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Philip Evans

Pencils

Bill Ely

Inks

Bill Ely

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Henry Fenwick; Jim Landau; Grace Duvall

Synopsis

Insurance investigator Grace Duvall goes undercover at an ice show after jewel thefts occur whenever the show plays a town.

Keywords

fire escape; guns; ice show; ice-skating; insurance; jewel theft; miniature camera; perfume; telephone; undercover

Indexer Notes

Script credit from Evans' estate (Comics Buyer's Guide June 15, 1990). Tag line of "Listen in to Gang Busters every Saturday night on C.B.S." at bottom of last page.

Royal Stars of Sports and Movies Free of Extra Cost! (Table of Contents: 3) (Expand) /

Royal Desserts / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Fleer; Dubble Bubble / advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

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

Casey the Cop / comic story / 0.5 page (report information)

Script

Henry Boltinoff (signed)

Pencils

Henry Boltinoff (signed)

Inks

Henry Boltinoff (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

It's starting to rain!

Genre

humor

Characters

Casey the Cop; Sarge

Synopsis

Casey uses a trash can to get out of the rain.

Keywords

rain

Indexer Notes

Occupies bottom 1/2 of page

I Broke the Sweetest Racket in the World (Table of Contents: 6)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

John Prentice

Inks

John Prentice

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Synopsis

An investigator solves a perfume-smuggling racket.

Keywords

Air France; alcohol; Benzoin; fishing boat; France; Grasse; heating oil; helicopter; motorcycle; perfume; smuggling

Indexer Notes

Story includes a short primer on making perfume. Story is told in the first person.

Now... Write Secret Messages in the Dark and Erase with Light!!!! (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

Straight Arrow; Nabisco Shredded Wheat / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 8)

History of Detective Mystery / comic story / 0.67 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Edgar Allan Poe wrote the first real detective story...

Genre

non-fiction

Characters

Edgar Allan Poe

Synopsis

Anecdotes about detectives and written mysteries.

Indexer Notes

Occupies top 2/3 of page

Our Bunch All Munch Nestlé's Crunch (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

Nestlé's Crunch / advertisement / 0.33 page (report information)

The Invisible Bank Robbers! (Table of Contents: 10)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Ramona Fradon

Inks

Ramona Fradon

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Lieutenant Halleck; Commissioner J. T. Scarpa; Chief Francis Reynolds; Bank president Joel J. Stevens; Al Macek; Omar Billings

Synopsis

Despite all the entrances being covered by police, robbers twice blast open a bank's vault and kill the watchman. An insurance investigator gets a job as a night watchman to see if it's an inside job.

Keywords

bank robbery; electric eye alarm; insurance; time bomb

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

Beware the Rackets / comic story / 0.67 page (report information)

Script

Al McLean (signed)

Pencils

Al McLean (signed)

Inks

Al McLean (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

Al McLean ? (signed)

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Your line of fortune tells me you are about to have lots of good luck!

Genre

non-fiction

Synopsis

A gypsy's fortune-telling racket involves sleight of hand to change an envelope containing $20 with a envelope containing plain paper.

Keywords

fortune-telling; gypsy; sleight of hand

Indexer Notes

Occupies top 2/3 of page

Thrilling for Features and Fun! (Table of Contents: 12) (Expand) /

Columbia / advertisement / 0.33 page (report information)

The Universe Is the Limit! (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

Mystery in Space / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Death Takes the Lead! (Table of Contents: 14)

A Casebook Mystery / comic story / 3.5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Mort Drucker (signed)

Inks

Mort Drucker (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Rita Canay; Penny Worth; Jerry Burgess; Lt. Barney Hammer

Synopsis

Penny gets the lead for a new musical comedy, but her rival and her fiancé aren't happy about it.

Keywords

gas mask; murder; poison gas; theater

Indexer Notes

A "solve the mystery" story.

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 15)

credits, title page / 0.5 page (report information)

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

List of people serving on the board: Dr. Lauretta Bender, Josette Frank, Dr. W. W. D. Sones, and Dr. S. Harcourt Peppard. Also a list of titles being published.

Slow Suicide (Table of Contents: 16)

The Grapevine / text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Captain Tootsie in the North Woods (Table of Contents: 17) (Expand) /

Captain Tootsie; Tootsie Roll / comics-form advertising / 1 page (report information)

Appointment with Death! (Table of Contents: 18)

comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Philip Evans

Pencils

Nick Cardy

Inks

Nick Cardy

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

detective-mystery

Characters

Walt Wiley; Baldy Farrow; Big Bill Bascomb; Steve Bascomb; Joe Bascomb

Synopsis

A gang sets up one of their members to take the rap for them. The man, Walt Wiley, dies in prison, but not before his cellmate Baldy Farrow concocts a scheme for Walt to gain revenge after death.

Keywords

bridge; disguise; drowning; murder; parole; plastic surgery; poison; prison; revenge; robbery; telephone; television

Indexer Notes

Script credit from Evans' estate (Comics Buyer's Guide June 15, 1990)

Draw Me! (Table of Contents: 19) (Expand) /

Art Instruction, Inc. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Superman Says "Human Rights for All!" (Table of Contents: 20)

Superman / public service announcement / 1 page (report information)

Script

Jack Schiff

Pencils

Win Mortimer

Inks

Win Mortimer

Letters

?

Genre

advocacy; superhero

Characters

Superman

Synopsis

Superman settles an argument about the length of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, then promotes the United Nations' 1948 declaration on human rights.

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover.

Win Official National Rifle Association Medals With Your Daisy (Table of Contents: 21) (Expand) /

Daisy Air Rifles / advertisement / 1 page (report information)