Congo Chronicle 12: The Daring Daylight Diamond Robbery!

So soon after our last diamond-themed adventure comes this, from More Fun Comics #67 (May, 1941).   This will be Bill's final appearance in More Fun; next month he moves to the more aptly-titled Action Comics alongside another famous Kent.  We'll also say goodbye to co-creator and artist George Papp with this issue, who will stick around More Fun to work on such forthcoming features as Green Arrow and Superboy.

Blah blah blah. Enough talk and more action!

Seems notorious jewel thief Gordon Slade is pulling off a brazen daylight heist!

Heading north along the coast, Slade disappears into the interior. The befuddled authorities have no choice but to turn to Congo Bill (who nonetheless has to ask permission from his sugar daddy Professor Kent!)

Seeing as how Bill addresses Kent as "Professor" most of the time, you may be questioning my insistence that there's more to their relationship than meets the eye.  I propose it's analogous to my acquaintance Mr. A_____, who has a large country estate and a live-in gardner. Although obvious to even the most obtuse observer that the gardner is tending more than the petunias, if you get my drift, he always addresses Mr. A______ as "Mr. A______" in public.  (And possibly in private as well. I don't like to pry.)

Bill and Prof come across a formerly-friendly tribesman who seems a couple of bubbles off plumb!

Unfortunately, knowing that we're dealing with Bantus does nothing to place us geographically, but for the sake of argument I'll assume we're still in South Africa somewhere.

Wise to the shady goings-on, Bill and Prof track the tribesman...

Even on their guard, Bill and Prof are soon captured!  Seems the tribesmen are now of the opinion that all whites are bad evil (an opinion not entirely unjustified if you've even a cursory knowledge of colonialism, I suppose...)

So just who is this medicine bird fellow, anyway?

I'll spare you the shockingly-racist battle repartee that Congo Bill engages in while fighting Ju-Ju; suffice it to say that Mighty Ju-Ju is no match for our stripped-to-the-waist hero!

Bill tosses Ju-Ju into the Medicine Bird, and to the surprise of all (except, I guess, us, who surely saw it coming)

The Bantus want to execute Slade immediately, but Bill and Prof petition to be allowed to return him to face justice in Capetown.  Bill offers a slick trade of white man film-flammery!

They head off with their prisoner, but before they reach civilization, we're reminded once again that The Ways of Justice are Strange!

 The ways of Justice are VERY strange, as boa constrictors are not native to Africa...anyway, let's finish things off with a Brokeback-tastic shot of our gentleman adventurers, shall we?

Congo Chronicle 7: Treachery at Utangi Gap!

With More Fun #62 (December 1940), we finally get to the gist of Congo Bill and Professor Kent's recent tensions - as with so many couples - er, I mean, bachelor friends - the problem is money! Apparently, Daddy's botanical treks aren't bringing in the green for Baby!
So Bill's not too keen on pulling his own weight, it seems! Don't panic, he comes to his senses and starts pouring over the want ads.

Also worth noting is, at last, a specific geographic location for our stalwart adventurers - South Africa! Quite a ways from the Congo, but as we'll see in future installments, Bill has a way of getting around!
Bill spies a classified ad for a guide that suits his fancy, and as it happens the employer is staying in the very same hotel! "Condon" (if that IS his name) wants Bill to lead he and his "deaf-mute" traveling companion to Utangi Gap (which as near as I can tell is NOT in South Africa, nor anywhere on planet Earth. Perhaps it's some obscure reference to author and faith pioneer Channappa Uttangi?)

Bill doesn't like what he hears, but bruthah need some scratch!
Once at the gap, Bill's suspicions prove well-founded! Instead of the expected payment he gets a Mickey Finn!
Bill, having ripped a pocket off of Condon's jacket, manages to save himself of course and finds a tattered clipping in the purloined pocket!
Bill tracks Condon to a deserted plantation house, where the "deaf-mute" turns out to be....aged billionaire Cecil Vander!
But, as we found out last time, The Ways Of Justice Are Often Strange! Cecil's drug-induced stupor wears off and he goes temorarily insane!
Bill arrives just in time to prevent a jungle bloodbath!
Bill leads Vander back to civilization, still expecting to show up in Prof's suite with empty pockets - but Bill forgets that The Ways Of Justice Often Work To The Betterment Of Poor Jungle Trackers!
Well, I'll ignore the obvious questions like "how did Vander get a checkbook when he's been kidnapped in the jungle for God knows how long", and "how does Congo Bill know whether a check is real or not, unless maybe he's not looking at the check and gaaaah what would he be looking at then" and simply rejoice in the fact that Bill and Kent are financed free and clear to Jungle Track and archeo-botanize another day!