More Fun Comics #48 – Key Highlights
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Publisher: DC Comics
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Publication Date: October 1939
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Editor: Vincent Sullivan
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Cover Artist: Creig Flessel
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Interior Creators: Tom Hickey, Joe Donohoe, Joseph Sulman, Fred Schwab, Homer Fleming, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, Bob Kane, Terry Gilkison, Russ Lehman, Bart Tumey, Jack Lehti, and Bernard Baily
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Genre: Adventure / Detective / Humor / War
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Pages: 68
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Original Cover Price: $0.10
🔥 Key Significance
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A substantial Golden Age anthology featuring an impressive variety of adventure, detective, humor, and war stories.
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Features an early Radio Squad story written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by Joe Shuster, the legendary creative team behind Superman.
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Includes artwork by Bob Kane, who contributes the two-page Ginger Snap humor feature.
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Features numerous continuing adventure and detective characters, including Wing Brady, Biff Bronson, Flying Fox, Bulldog Martin, and the Buccaneer.
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Continues several serialized adventures, including Wing Brady, Biff Bronson, and Bulldog Martin.
📖 Story Highlights
“The Battle of Marjoca [Part 2]” – 6 pages
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Feature: Wing Brady
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Script and Art: Tom Hickey
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Continues Wing Brady's adventure from the previous issue, featuring Ali Pascha.
“The Terror in the Swamp” – 4 pages
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Feature: Detective Sergeant Carey
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Script and Art: Joe Donohoe
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Introduces the Gorilla, a villain who is actually a man wearing a gorilla suit.
“The Dangerous Mission” – 6 pages
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Feature: Biff Bronson
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Script and Art: Joseph Sulman (Koppy)
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An adventure featuring Colonel Uretz and other military characters.
“Boxcar Tourists” – 5 pages
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Feature: Humor
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Script and Art: Fred Schwab
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Features Dusty and Jake, with the introduction of Sourpuss Malone.
“The Reign of Queen Anne” – 2 pages
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Feature: Magic Crystal of History
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Script and Art: Homer Fleming
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A historical feature covering the reign of Queen Anne.
“The Colossal Jewelry Store Robbery” – 6 pages
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Feature: Radio Squad
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Script: Jerry Siegel
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Art: Joe Shuster
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A detective adventure involving two unnamed criminals.
“Ginger Snap” – 2 pages
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Script and Art: Bob Kane
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A short gag feature.
“The Dawn Arrow” – 6 pages
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Feature: Flying Fox
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Script and Art: Terry Gilkison
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An adventure featuring an antagonist identified as A-X.
“Baseball Forecast” – 2-page text story
- Script: Jack Anthony
“Deathtrap” – 6 pages
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Feature: Lt. Bob Neal
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Script: B. Hirsch
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Art: Russ Lehman
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A wartime adventure involving an unnamed spy.
“Adventure in Algiers” – 6 pages
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Feature: Bulldog Martin
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Script and Art: Bart Tumey
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Features the villain Bom Ben Gay, humorously described in the source as a particularly warm villain.
“At the Stake” – 6 pages
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Feature: Sgt. O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol
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Script and Art: Jack Lehti
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Features Nancy McClennan.
“Dr. Killmen of Castle Terror: Part 6” – 5 pages
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Feature: Buccaneer
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Script and Art: Bernard Baily
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Continues the adventure featuring Dr. Killmen.
📌 Additional Details
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The cover artwork is credited to Creig Flessel for both pencils and inks.
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The issue contains a mixture of continuing serials, standalone adventures, historical features, humor strips, and a text story.
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The Radio Squad feature is a particularly notable creator connection, bringing together Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster before their later legendary place in comic-book history.
Collector's Note: More Fun Comics #48 is a fascinating snapshot of DC's early anthology era. With contributions from Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and Bob Kane, alongside a diverse collection of Golden Age adventure features, it offers plenty of historical interest beyond its impressive 68-page format.
