Throwback Thursday: Kid Komics
Jul 15, 2021
Debuting in February 1943, with the Stan Lee as Editorial and Art Director, Kid Komics gave kids all over the country plenty of exciting tales with a host of very different, but all equally adventurous, characters. It lasted for three years before morphing into Kid Movie Komics in the eleventh issue, in the summer of 1946.
But let’s focus here on that exciting debut issue, featuring seven different action-packed tales with the heroic Captain Wonder, the sweet and innocent Trixie Trouble, the wild rustlin’ cowboy Pinto Pete, the pint-sized sub-mariner Subbie, aviation-master Breezy Collins and the ryhmin’ rascal Flap Flipflop.
We start with Captain Wonder. Actually, we start with his nemesis, Mister Death, who is seen on the very first page looming over the town with knarled hands and a spooky white mask. We soon learn that Mister Death has been ravaging the poor town, “stalking in the night on a trail of doom!” Sounds like a job for Captain Wonder – also known as Professor Jordan. Poor Professor Jordan was known around his school as a rather nerdy kind of guy, with, according to the bully-ish gym teacher Mr. Brent, “the strength of a grasshopper and the spine of a jellyfish.” Little did all of his unsuspecting colleagues know, however, that the good professor was soon to save the word from a most formidable foe. When the rowdy Tim Mulrooney was forced to stay after class one day and assist Professor Jordan on a new experiment, a vial of Wonder Fluid slips from his hands and transforms him from a brainy weakling to an all-powerful force to be reckoned with. A force that even kicks Mr. Brent’s butt in the boxing ring.
That’s when the Professor decides to use his new power to champion justice for all, and Captain Wonder is born. Soon, even the rambunctious Tim Mulrooney joins him as a sidekick, and it isn’t long before mister Death meets a most unpleasant fate.
More adventure unfolds with Trixie Trouble, a sprightly little red head with enough pluck to get her out of any jam. In this tale, she has eyes for a certain police officer - Officer McGillkudy. McGillkudy is utterly sick and tired of Trixie’s endless pranks, but, in order to keep coming into contact with him, Trixie has to keep getting into trouble. Every time McGillkudy calls Trixie a pest, or a little cat, or a bag o’trouble, or an imp o’Satan, Trixie flutters her lashes and falls more deeply in love.
Next, there’s the sharp-shootin’ adventures of Pinto Pete, a freckled-faced cowboy (and we mean boy) who battles some nasty fiends intent on stealing the ranch of one sweet old Mrs. Webster. But Mrs. Webster just happens to be the mother of Pinto Pete, who, with the utmost cool, enters the scene and announces, “I’m Pinto Pete. Now git out! Scat! Vamoos!” The thieves aren’t too keen to go, until Pete whips out his twin six-shooters with lightening speed and says, “Now will you hombres leave?”
Pete’s adventures continue throughout the tale, and, with horse Swifty close by, saving cattle, protecting the innocent and getting rid of the bad guys becomes the name of the game.
Avast there readers! Next we have Subbie, a mini-sub-mariner who decides to try his adventuresome luck on land. So, with the blessing of Father Neptune, he dons a sailor suit, boards at PT boat and for the East coast of the United States. That’s when trouble starts to break out among two young sailors, who both are eventually knocked overboard. That's where Subbie comes to the rescue. He brings the boys aboard his ship, where they revive and realize that they’re all in the path of some target shooters onshore. While investigating matters further, the three saving the U.S. from Axis forces.
Next, we have Breezy Collins: leader of the Glider Patrol. These “three real American boys and a girl” all very interested in aviation, are: William Collins, Breezy’s dad, Wings West, the portly pilot extraordinaire, Nails Nelson, the newest recruit and Janice Jones, who loves Breezy almost as much as she loves flying. The gang’s adventures take them on a nighttime flight with Wings in the plane behind the others, who are on the ground in their car. That’s when Nazis come into the picture, and the crew not only attacks, but also manages to get rid of a house of Nazi spies further down the road!
Last, we have “Flap” Flipflop, the flying flash. Written entirely in rhyme and alliteration, this lyrical tale takes Flap the fearless flight fancier high in the sky...before he crashes. This gets him into trouble with Major Mush, to whom he must prove himself all over again. But when enemy planes attack, it turns out Flappy is happy to do boisterous battle and be the happenin’ hero after all.
It’s no wonder that, despite its rather short run, Kid Komics was so popular. The variety of characters and the many exciting situations they found themselves in were so diverse, that kids of all interests could find at least one to follow.
Keep an eye on PREVIEWSworld.com's Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram for more character profiles! And if you're interested in more comics for kids, head to your local comic shop and check out the following.
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