Showing posts with label Nazis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nazis. Show all posts

5.26.2013

Congo Chronicle 26: The Man Of A Thousand Lives!

Well, we're right back into the thick of Nazi-fighting in the good ol' British-controlled Egyptian Sahara! Right away in the establishing panel, things aren't looking so good...but let's get to the bottom of things, shall we?



Seems a platoon of British boys are under attack from a mob of angry Arabs and their "foul Mu'min". Mu'min is a term from the Qu'ran meaning, literally, "faithful believer", so it seems our Church of England soldiers are none too keen on fellows of differing faiths!






In the nick of time, a plane strafes the battlefield, and out hops  Congo Bill, fresh from last month's Chinese adventure, and eager to spout off words that can be quickly translated into their foreign equivalents, and vice-versa! Seems the Egyptian bedouin, or nomadic tribes (see, I can do it, too!) have mysteriously been whipped into an anti-Allies fury by Allah-knows-who!
 Correction: Allah knows - - and so does the British spy who infiltrated the tribesmen. He's literally dying to utter his last words in the manly embrace of Congo Bill!

 Bill heads to Cairo and dons his white linen jacket and pipe, all the better to put his crack detective skills  into action...
And then - Gott in Himmel!  Has Bill turned Ratzi?!??
 The method behind Bill's madness will be revealed in due time - suffice to say he tracks the stranger to the underground offices of Mr. Hoffer, where he overhears a villainous plan laid out in classic 1940's comic-book-pidgin-Germanese!
But as we Congo Billions know by now, things rarely tie up so easily on page 3 of a 6-page story, so... KA-POW!
Bill wakes to, um....throbbing consciousness, and then....errr, squirms and strains and probes his pockets (listen folks, I didn't write it, I just report.)

And though his thoughts are surely only of warning the British about the plan, don't think he's forgotten how to deliver a good old fashioned Yankee smack down! Auf Wiedersehn, Adolf!
Bill tracks down the "Mu'min"and discovers, to no one's surprise who's been paying attention:
I mean, probably anyone would jerk to attention if a nattily-dressed American man shouted "Achtung" out of a Middle Eastern window, but whatever. Let's get back to beating the crap out of Nazis!
I know what you're thinking: "How is Congo Bill, noted man of action, going to create a lasting peace between the British soldiers and the riled-up bedouin?  Why, with diplomatic aplomb, silly!
And thus began the glorious era of American-Egyptian friendship and cooperation, and the end of using religion for treacherous causes. The end!

Congo Chronicle 20: The Vanishing Airplanes!

After weeks of travelling, our intrepid trio finally arrives at the coast - the west coast, to be specific.  (Of Africa, if you haven't been paying attention.)  Freetown, Sierra Leone, to be more specific, which as you probably already know was a British Crown Colony during World War II, as well as the largest port on Africa's west coast.  At any rate, seems word has spread quickly that Congo Bill and company have reached civilization quickly!


But before he can solve another mystery, Bill has one more task to complete, as he and - GAAAAH, what?!?


Yes, gentle readers, the sad tale that I've been foreshadowing has finally come to pass, in panel THREE of the story for crissakes.  With a heartfelt "Well, there they go," Congo Bill says goodbye to his bachelor companion, noted botanist and archaeologist Professor Joe (or maybe James) Kent. Look at how forlorn Joe (or maybe James) looks at Bill's shoulder.  Things have been rough between them for several months now, what with the friction between Joe's (or maybe James') academic pursuits, and Bill's thirst for action and fisticuffs - the constant girlish chattering of Sheila probably only made things worse.  I'm betting Joe (or maybe James) is hoping Bill will tearfully come after him, beg him to stay in Africa looking for rare plants and/or lost civilizations, and never leave his side.  Maybe a little something like this:




But, times and paper rationing being what they were during WWII (The Big One), I'm sure the editors chose to gloss over such sentimentality for the sake of getting on with the he-man adventuring.  Though Professor Kent (and, thankfully, Sheila Hanlen) will never be heard from again in the Jungle Annals, you'll discover that Congo Bill will fill the void in his heart with a steady succession of fit young British Airmen, bearded lost scientists, and eventually, a loincloth-clad jungle boy.  But more on that later, on with adventure. Seems a steady stream of British planes have been taking off from Freetown headed for Cairo - and disappearing mid-flight!  Let's hear from the first of Congo Bill's new friends, Dick (tee hee) McCarthy!


Congo Bill lands when he spots what he believes to be a downed British plane.  But what's this - a trick?  Nice try, Uncle Adolf....now how about a little five-finger Jungle Justice?


Ka-POWIE!

But then - - 


Bill, like the RAF boys before him, is taken as a prisoner of war.  Luckily, the Krauts realize what a prize they've taken!


Don't panic, Congoids, we all know that our boy Bill would never sell out to the Huns!  But he plays along just long enough for Big Dick McCarthy to come looking for him!


(Why Major Joyce didn't just send a squadron out instead of calling on Congo Bill in the first place may have crossed your mind as it did mine, dear reader, but - - oh, wait, look over there!)


Yes!  Bill's longshot scheme of igniting gasoline with a lit cigarette - crazy, RIGHT? - works, against all odds!  The captured airmen are saved!  But - what about the Nazi horde, surely they won't escape the law of the Jungle, will they?  Ha, not if Bill and his tommy gun have anything to say about it.  AND THEY DO! 


Wow, look at the size of it!  

That's all for now, stay tuned for more of Congo Bill's post-Professor Kent overcompensation!

Congo Chronicle 19: The Golden Idol!


In the striking establishing shot above, fashion conscious readers will notice that Congo Bill has swapped his usual ecru jersey for one of Superman's-hair blue.  Never fear, the change is only superficial - he's still up to his inexplicable-yet-macho tricks, like shooting a cup out of a thirsty man's hand!


Bill drives the point home with a good right hook!  You'll drink when Congo Bill sez so and like it, see?


Well, I guess he had good cause.  Seems all the pools in the vicinity are poisoned.  Not only that, but there's a Golden Idol in the middle of the jungle with Emerald Eyes, and any man who tries to steal the gems is killed instantly!  Isn't that right, Lester Drake?


Say, I see Sheila Hanlen is still hanging around tossing off pointless bon mots, but where's Professor Kent been during all the excitement?


Sigh.  As often as I've warned Professor Kent that his obsession with rare plants was driving a wedge between he and Congo Bill, and now Sheila seems to be driving the point home for her own selfish reasons.

The intrepid party finally finds the mysterious Idol and it's oddly phallic staircase! Strange, but...not too strange for Africa!


But it seems THIS trail is none too happy, as...


A gold prospector turns up and a thrilling round of introductions ensues!


But all isn't kosher with Herr Fortescue!


Suspect?!  Yankee Dog??!  CLEARLY you don't know with whom you're dealing, Ratzi! Congo Bill is on to your villainous scheme!


Fortescue makes his escape.  But evildoers can never escape the the pull of JUNGLE JUSTICE


With a canteen of normal water, maybe.  BUT NOT WITH A CANTEEN OF THE POISONED WATER THAT CONGO BILL COLLECTED FOR TESTING!  Take THAT, Kraut! A victim of your own depraved medicine!


Well, everything REALLY tied up nicely this time, hmmm?  Then why does Professor Kent look so glum?  Find out NEXT TIME!

Congo Chronicle 17: Jungle Drums!

So, where were we? Ah, yes, Action Comics #41 finds Bill, Prof, and nosy tag-along Sheila "headed for the coast". Along the way, they stop at a British military post, where...

Who could be whipping the blacks into a frenzy? A huge white man, naturally!
Bill is going to get to the bottom of this in no time, and loyal Professor Kent will brook no argument, he's going with him! But, next morning, as on so many mornings before, a groggy Joe Kent rolls over to find a tear-stained note....
Well, Bill, suit yourself. But mark my words, your action-hungry ways might just cost you the security of a life on the fringes of academia if you're not careful!

The "huge white man" hears of Congo Bill's coming, and we find out his underlying motives for stirring up the natives...he's a dirty kraut!


When Bill arrives at the native village, Scheller dishes out the hospitality but our man of action ain't buying!

Bill challenges the Ratzi swine to hand-to-hand combat, in order to prove to the natives that no force is stronger than good ol' American brawn!

What follows are several scenes reminiscent of the fevered late-night dreams of yours truly, usually involving gladiators and/or at least three of the Baldwin brothers; suffice it to say the German sweinhund, though larger and stronger, is no match for the lithe American athleticism of Congo Bill!

Everyone knows the only way a Nazi can subdue one of our American boys is via teutonic trickery, and in a sneak attack Bill is pinned to the ground!

Just then, Professor Kent arrives by plane and rushes toward Bill's prostate...oh wait, no, I read that wrong....

Bill is safe, thanks to the sudden burst of manhood from Professor Kent, but what of Herr Scheller? Auf wiedersehn, Ratzi! Say 'guten tag' to a little something we like to call Jungle JUSTICE!

What's next for our heroes, will they ever make it to the "coast"? STAY TUNED!

Congo Chronicle 15: The Secret U-Boat Base!

August 1941, and Action Comics #39 lets us know that even the Jungle isn't safe from the machinations of those Nazi swine! Bill is summoned to Cairo and a meeting with the British Army!

Ha ha, you tell 'em, Bill! But first, a sad farewell!

Bill makes his way across the Mediterranean towards Gibraltar, but then......!
Bill survives the crash, as if there was any doubt, and he makes quick work of the Nazi patrol!
That's what she said!

But what's this....?
Bill breaks into the wireless shack and notifies the RAF!
Unfortunately, Bill is captured by the Ratzis and before long.....
Never fear, Congo Billions - for the third time in as many adventures, Bill is saved in the nick of time by an Explosion! This time, courtesy of His Majesty's Daring Doughboys!


You can say that again, CB!


Elsewhere in Action this month...
Superman gets ready for some cosplay!












Mr. America returns a favor!








Pep Morgan, Athletic Ace, spends a
nervous night in the pokey!









...and Zatara pays a visit to a queen!