- Ever take a high-dive out an open window? Sure you have... now! Ha, Ha!
- — Jester
Smash Comics #22 is an issue of the series Smash Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1941.
Synopsis for The Ray: "The Return of Captain Blue"
Settling into bed at Happy's house, Bud's kidnapped by "a grotesque figure which might only step out of a dream", who rides away on a six-legged horse named Blitzen. The figure ("Lupo") drops him at the feet of a strange old man who feeds Bud strange dishes and declares he's in the magical land of "Elixir". The old man leads the way to the palace when an attack suddenly begins, which the king blames on a conqueror named Kulik. Fortunately, the Ray zips in to lend a hand. He turns the kingdom's only old cannon into a giant raygun and uses it to beam himself to the ship commanded by this Kulik...and his enemy Captain Blue. A fistfight has blue falling into the ocean, and Kulik cowardly surrendering to the Ray.
Suddenly Bud wakes up, and realizes the whole fantastic adventure was just a dream.
Appearing in The Ray: "The Return of Captain Blue"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Bud
Antagonists:
- Captain Blue (In dream sequence only)
- Kulik (In dream sequence only)
- Pirates (In dream sequence only)
Other Characters:
- Lupo (In dream sequence only)
- King Peveral (In dream sequence only)
Locations:
- Elixir (dreamland)
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Wings Wendall: "The Spy Broadcast"
Appearing in Wings Wendall: "The Spy Broadcast"
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Other Characters:
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Synopsis for Midnight: "The Milk Shortage"
For the past two weeks, delivery trucks of the AJAX and Sterling companies have been wrecked, and the drivers beaten. A milk shortage threatens the city unless Midnight can bring the guilty ones to justice.
Appearing in Midnight: "The Milk Shortage"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Several unnamed henchmen
Other Characters:
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Synopsis for Purple Trio: "Tony Miscardi"
Appearing in Purple Trio: "Tony Miscardi"
Featured Characters:
- The Purple Trio:
- Rocky Hill, strongman
- Tiny Todd, midget
- Warren, ventriloquist
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Tony Miscardi
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for The Jester: "Mrs. Van Cornish's Bequest"
Sgt. Mulligan and several men jump someone they think is the vigilante known as the Jester, only to realize it's actually officer Chuck Lane, new man on the force (who actually is the Jester). When Lane reports in, he's ordered to go the Van Cornish residence, mulling along the way that Mrs. Van Cornish wants to donate her fortune to a charitable cause. The maid tells him the group the wealthy dowager's about to give her money to is actually run by crooks, which Chuck realizes is the case when he recognizes Looie the Mouse as one of the boss's minions. He's escorted into the next room and coshed, but while they were gone he recovered and changed outfits. The Jester pummels the crooks with his acrobatics, and sticks around to slam a door on Mulligan before the inspector can tackle him.
Appearing in The Jester: "Mrs. Van Cornish's Bequest"
Featured Characters:
- Jester (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Sergeant Mulligan
Antagonists:
- Looie the Mouse
Other Characters:
- Mrs. Van Cornish
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Espionage Starring Black X: "Defending Suez"
Appearing in Espionage Starring Black X: "Defending Suez"
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Synopsis for Scarlet Seal: "Captured?"
Both the police charity show and Pat Moore's deadline for capturing the Scarlet Seal are on the 13th. Barry comes up with an elaborate scheme to both save his father's job on the force, and keep his own participation secret at the same time. During the show, he pulls an illusion where he steps into a box and disappears. He changes to the Scarlet Seal while using some special effects to make it seem like ghosts have appeared in the theater. In his Oriental disguise, he walks right into the Commissioner's office, plants his mark on the Commissioner's forehead, and escapes out the window. With police officers chasing him onto the roof, the Scarlet Seal doffs his disguise and drops via a rope into the box, and reappears on stage. The letter of the law of the Scarlet Seal's "capture" apparently satisfies the Commissioner, and Pat gets to stay on the force. Despite his protests to his son that he hadn't been anywhere near the Scarlet Seal all night, Pat does ask where his son was, during the last hour where all the hijinks took place, and Barry truthfully replies that he was on stage doing his act.
Appearing in Scarlet Seal: "Captured?"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Captain Pat Moore, Homicide Squad
- Police Commissioner
Locations:
- Center City
- Police Headquarters
- Lt. Moore's Secret Laboratory & Loft Building
- Lee Theater
Synopsis for Invisible Justice: "Castle of Doom"
One foggy night in London, a dagger-wielding murderer jumps pedestrian James Gotham, but gets jumped himself by bypasser Kent Thurston, who punches the dagger-man out. Mr. Gotham is just back in town, from India, to claim ownership of Gotham Castle, which he has inherited, and he invites Kent to come see it. The deal is: at midnight this very night, James will open a sealed envelope, containing directions to a secret vault, which contains the family's treasure. Also, for several weeks now, James has been hearing from Geoffrey the caretaker about strange sounds being heard in the castle.
Suddenly a cry is heard! It's old Geoffrey, in the hallway, being attacked by a figure in a green hooded robe, (sneakily aided by a colleague hidden in a decorative suit of armor). Gotham rushes to the old servant's aid and gets head-konked unconscious, then lifted and carried away by the two sinister intruders. By this time the Invisible Hood is shadowing them; they lead him to a torture chamber, where James revives and encounters Baxter Slade, his evil step-brother, plus one more hench thug. Baxter demands the envelope, and James hands it over, but the Hood grabs it and runs away, waving the letter, with robe guy and armor guy in pursuit. He easily loses them, and opens the letter, examining its contents. Meanwhile James is being slapped onto a medieval torture rack, loudly claiming not to know where the letter went, or how.
The Invisible Hood leaves the letter, minus one page, where the thugs will find it, and it leads them to a latch hidden behind a portrait, which operates a hatch hidden behind the fireplace, which reveals a stairway into a large dark chamber, with a large dark chest at one end of it. James is released from the torture rack and brought along, mostly for taunting purposes. The chest looks empty, but contains the Invisible Hood, who panics the three thugs, with a ghost act. They turn to flee, and Slade disgustedly shoots two of them in the back. The Hood jumps Slade, there's a series of scuffles and chases, leading to the top of a high tower, where there's a brief sword-and-shield duel, ending with Slade falling off the parapet, to be swallowed by the dark, hungry moat below.
After the bad guys have been sorted out, James is safe but still broke, until Kent shows him yet another secret panel, behind the large dark treasure chest, where some gold and gems are piled on the floor.
Appearing in Invisible Justice: "Castle of Doom"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Baxter Slade (Apparent Death)
- Slade's knife man
- green-robed henchman (Apparent Death)
- armor-suited henchman
- business-suit henchman (Apparent Death)
Other Characters:
- James Gotham
- Geoffrey the caretaker
Locations:
- London
- Gotham Castle
Items:
- Kent Thurston's invisibility costume
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Abdul the Arab: "A Little Child Did Lead Them"
Appearing in Abdul the Arab: "A Little Child Did Lead Them"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Hasan, the Turk
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Arabia
Synopsis for Chic Carter, Ace Reporter: "Truck Robbing Racketeers"
Appearing in Chic Carter, Ace Reporter: "Truck Robbing Racketeers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Sgt Monahan
Antagonists:
- City Commissioner Martin
- his gang
- his gang
Synopsis for Bozo the Robot: "Dutch the Loan Shark"
Appearing in Bozo the Robot: "Dutch the Loan Shark"
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Notes
- The Ray's ward Jackie becomes "Bud" in this issue.
See Also