Action Comics #55 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1942.
Synopsis for Superman: "A Goof Named Tiny Rufe"
Cartoonist Al Hatt retreats to his mountain cabin to dream up comic strip ideas. During his stay, he observes a young hillbilly couple, Tiny Rufe and Maisy Day. Hatt designs his new strip based on Tiny and it becomes a hit. However Tiny and Maisy decide to get married, which would ruin Hatt’s strip, so the cartoonist decides to break them up.
Superman has been observing Hatt and witnesses him using underhanded tricks to break up Tiny and Maisy. Superman thwarts several of the cartoonist’s efforts and the couple marries successfully. Hatt's strip fails after the marriage, so he creates a new strip featuring Superman.
Appearing in Superman: "A Goof Named Tiny Rufe"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Al Hatt (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Tiny Rufe (Single appearance)
- Maisie Day (Single appearance)
- Fatima (Single appearance)
- Ramona Romance (Single appearance)
- Hemhaw Blook (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Vigilante: "Bullets for Breakfast"
June Roslyn’s restaurant is threatened by racketeer and competing restaurant owner Rant Crollax. Roslyn is a friend of Greg Sanders, and as the Vigilante, Sanders confronts Crollax. Using his influence, Vigilante is able to get customers to return to Roslyn’s restaurant, so Crollax tries to blow up her building. Vigilante diverts the bomb, and with the assistance of Stuff, he rounds up Crollax and his men.
Appearing in Vigilante: "Bullets for Breakfast"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains
- Rant Crollax (Single appearance)
- Alfy (Single appearance)
- Mugger (Single appearance)
Other Characters
- June Roslyn (Single appearance)
- Miss Gladys (Single appearance)
- "Hemp" Hastings (Single appearance)
- "Sure Shot" Chute (Single appearance)
- "Rassler" Rawson (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- Vigilante's Lasso
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Three Aces: "Aces of Fire"
One morning at the landing field, the Aces awaken to find that someone has painted playing cards on each of their planes. The paint turns out to be luminous, so that when the Aces go on their patrol that night, the Nazi aviators can easily spot them. Bill is shot down over the enemy airfield, but he is able to steal anther plane and help his friends shoot their attackers out of the sky. When they return to their landing field, one of the mechanics rushes over. He has luminous paint on his hands. The Aces slug the foreign spy and deliver him to their commander.
Appearing in Three Aces: "Aces of Fire"
Featured Characters:
Villains
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- The Aces' Planes
Synopsis for Americommando: "Escape from the Scaffold"
Americommando begins a secret mission to Berlin. He meets with the underground resistance leaders and disguises himself as Gestapo Captain Otto Riker. The resistance leader Gunther is captured by the Gestapo and Americommando is forced to maintain his cover and allow Gunther to be sentenced to death. However, he interrupts the execution as Americommando and rescues Gunther, returning him to the underground.
Appearing in Americommando: "Escape from the Scaffold"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Professor Gunther (First appearance)
Villains:
- Nazis
- Fritz (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Ada (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Congo Bill: "A Modern Robinson Crusoe"
To escape society, recluse Matt Dunham has moved to a deserted island and built a home for himself. However, gangster Six Fingers Corcoran finds the island and uses it for a hide-out, making a slave out of Dunham. Congo Bill searches the island for spies and finds the crooks. Using his jungle knowledge, Bill rescues Dunham and captures Corcoran and his gang.
Appearing in Congo Bill: "A Modern Robinson Crusoe"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Six Fingers Corcoran (Single appearance)
- Mushy (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Matt Dunham (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for Zatara: "Crimes by Coincidence"
Racket boss Al Torponi orders his men to set up a series of murders to look like accidents. When Zatara saves one of the victims, he learns that the accidents are deliberate. He saves several other victims and traces the perpetrators back to Torponi. With the help of a magically created brick man, Zatara defeats Torponi and his gang.
Appearing in Zatara: "Crimes by Coincidence"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Villains:
- Al Torponi (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Notes
- A Goof Named Tiny Rufe is reprinted in Superman: The Action Comics Archives Vol. 4 and Superman Chronicles Vol. 10.
Trivia
- "A Goof Named Tiny Rufe" is a spoof of the famed L'il Abner comic strip by Al Capp.
See Also
Links and References
- "A Good Named Tiny Rufe" plot summary at dcindexes.com
- "Bullets for Breakfast" plot summary at dcindexes.com
- "Escape from the Scaffold" plot summary at dcindexes.com
- "A Modern Robinson Crusoe" plot summary at dcindexes.com
- "Crimes by Coincidence" plot summary at dcindexes.com