In Which Captain Marvel Jr. Wears Short Pants Into Combat... I Wish I Were Kidding

And we're back!  Just in time to check out this beautiful cover from Master Comics #26!

"Remember Pearl Harbor!"  This issue came from May, 1942 which explains why this issue and the last were focused very much on anti-Japanese sentiment.  

I'd like a big print of that cover, but I have so many big prints of covers that I've no idea where I'd put it.  I don't think Beloved would let me put it in the living room, which would be my first choice.

Anyway, this story starts with another rich kid trying to convince us that it's difficult being rich:

Yeah, rich people today don't even pretend they would trade places with you.

Yeah, Freddy, you've got me there.  Those are indeed some clothes.

There is a down side to being rich.  It makes you something of a target.  Thusly:

Now, here is where it gets interesting:

Why didn't Freddy's clothes change this time?  Does the magic lightning only change certain clothes into the Marvel uniform?  Is this why Billy always wore that red sweater?  I assumed that Freddy always wore that same outfit because he was economically disadvantaged, but maybe there's more to it than that.  Although I think Mary wore different clothes all the time.

Anyway, the lack of the uniform kind of takes away from the excitement.  Check it:

See what I mean?  Uniforms matter.  The Teen Titans and the Suicide Squad were about half as interesting when they ditched their duds.

Anyway, I'm not familiar with Mr. Macabre, but here's his gimmick:

The green face is kinda cool.

Anyway, Junior changes back into Freddy by saying the magic word...

... which changes him back to Freddy, complete with repairing the clothes he's been wearing the whole time:

And then Freddy says the magic word again...

... but no lightning this time.  In fairness to the creative team, having the magic word be "Captain Marvel" when the name of your alter-ego is "Captain Marvel Junior" is just begging for major slip-ups like that.  I know they did it so they kids wouldn't forget about Captain Marvel, but still...

Anyway, Macabre tries kidnapping again, since it worked out so well for him the first time...

... but that ain't happening:

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Untold Number of Random Slaps! (tm!)

Okay, first: That could totally be Fun with Out of Context Artwork (tm!).  Don't act like you don't see it.

Secondly, that probably cut into Macabre's cred as a villain.  Anytime you get beaten with a slap, no matter how many slaps are involved, you've given up any hope that they're going to make an action figure out of you someday.

But then the story has Captain Nazi!  Why?  No reason that I can tell, but who cares?  Captain Nazi!

Captain Nazi!

And once again, the cover scene is in the story:

Not as majestic as on the cover, but that's okay.  The cover is awesome.

And we get enemy ships blown up, so bonus!

And Captain Nazi gets blown up!

Double bonus!

And then we say goodbye:

Yeah, I know: They recycled Freddy from the previous story.  And it does kinda look like he's giving a Nazi salute.  I don't always look for or spot an innocent gesture that can be taken the wrong way, but considering the era in which the comic was published...

Anyway, here's the Bulletman story, where we have Excessively Expository Monologues (tm!):

Not to be confused with Excessively Impossibly Expository Monologues (tm!), which happen when someone is cramming in an impossible amount of dialog within the suggested time frame (someone giving a play-by-play as something is falling on them, for example).  This is possible... it's just weird.

Check it out:

The Japanese were hiding on a hollowed-out glacier and wearing polar bear suits just in case they were spotted.  Clever, adorable... yet I think he's being a little cocky with the cigarette holder.  Everyone knows polar bears smoke marijuana via bongs.

And now for... Fair Question (tm!)

Fair Question. (tm!)

I don't know what to make of this at all:

Yeah, who are these people, how old are they supposed to be and... someone just explain all this to me.

Finally:

Yup... that's pretty much acceptable law enforcement interrogation technique these days in the US of A.

See you tomorrow!