I'm the comic weekly man, the jolly comic weekly man, and I'm here to read the
funnies to you happy boys and honeys. Yes boys and girls it's comic weekly time
and here I come right into your house to bring a little fun and happiness. Right
out of the pages of Puck the comic weekly straight into your living room
your friend the comic weekly man the jolly comic weekly man. little miss honey
did you have a wonderful Christmas? Oh, yes, it was the most wonderful Christmas I ever had.
I got a new doll and I got a doll's house, and I got six dresses for the doll and
three dresses for myself and six pairs of shoes for the doll and three pairs of
shoes for myself and a hat for myself and a hat for the doll and a machine gun.
For yourself or for the doll? For me, of course. Oh, excuse me. And did you make good
resolutions for the new year? You mean like trying to be good and kind and
honest and loyal like Prince Valiant? Yes. Yes, I did. Well, that'll make a very happy
new year for me. And just for that I'll read you Puck the Comic Weekly. But
before I do, let's listen to this nice man. Now here we go with Puck the Comic
Weekly. And please could we go over to Plush Gordon right away? Because Plush and Dale
are on a strange planet with a very beautiful queen. Her name is Suni. And as
the three of them were riding to the palace with Goro, captain of the Queen's
Guard, they were attacked by a huge monster. And the wizard won't let them
have guns or anything made of metal, so they have no weapons to defend themselves.
And I'm anxious to find out whether Flash or Dale gets hurt. Well, let's turn over
to page two. And here we go with Flash Gordon. Magic words for the music, please.
Very well, my lady. Riga-riga-doon-doons, ask him atash. Let's have music for
heroic Flash. As the huge dragon sweeps captain Goro and his mount to the
ground, Flash snatches up Goro's broken lance and tries to distract the monster
from Goro. As the monster turns to Flash, Goro escapes last picture top row, seizing
a sudden chance. Flash darts in close and catches the dragon at its only
vulnerable point. The monster's evil eye and tiny brain, and the monster slowly
sinks to the ground, dying.
First picture bottom row, captain Goro says gratefully, thank you for saving my
queen's life and my own. Flash warns, we're not saved yet. Those birds don't
look friendly. They see coming toward them a flock of huge three-headed birds,
birds big enough to kill a man. Queen Suni looks at them in horror. She tells
Flash they're Hydra vultures and says they better take cover in the dragon's
cave. But Goro protests, no, no, it's against the wizard's metal laws. We can't go
underground, even into a cave. Flash orders last picture. Your duty is to your
queen, not the wizards, you idiot. Get into the cave. It's the only place where
we have a fighting chance against these birds. As Dale, Suni, and Goro run for the
inside of the cave, Flash beats off the first of the three-headed vultures who
tries to kill him.
Oh, isn't that dreadful? As soon as he gets through fighting one horrible creature,
why 20 more try to kill him. Yes. Dale and the others will be safe, all right, but
what's gonna happen to Flash? He's all alone fighting the vulture. Well, next
week we'll find out whether they're all safe. All right. Now can we go across the
page with Dick's adventures? Because Dick is dreaming he's in the early days of
America when George Washington lived. And there's trouble between the English and
the Americans, and the Declaration of Independence has just been written. And
that's when the Americans told the British that they were going to be free
and they were going to rule themselves. That's right, and Dick is now on his way
with the Declaration of Independence to George Washington. And here we go to find
out what happens next with Dick's adventures. Say the magic words with me.
Riggity-pack-a-zack-a-zick. Let's have music for Adventurous Dick.
It's a rainy summer day in 1776. Dick finds himself on a tired horse, jogging
down a muddy, troop-clog street called Broadway. At length he sees what he's
been looking for. Washington's headquarters in New York.
Dick dismounts and goes into the building. In his hand, Dick has the first copy of
the Declaration of Independence just accepted by the Continental Congress in
Philadelphia. As yet, no one in New York has seen it. Last picture top row, Dick
gives it to Washington, who instantly orders it read to all his officers and
men.
First picture next row, the Declaration of Independence is read to Washington's
army. It's a solemn moment. Dick studies the faces of the first American soldiers,
farmer boys, frontiersmen, merchants, clerks, artisans. Many of them have never
held a rifle, and it's read to the officers. Washington is a Virginia planter.
General Israel Putnam is an innkeeper. General Knox a bookseller, and General
Nathaniel Green a blacksmith. Dick glows with admiration for their fantastic
courage in daring to defy the staggering power of England.
Meanwhile, last picture of the row from reports of trappers and Indians friendly
to the American cause, it's known to Washington that a vast force of British
regulars and Hessian mercenaries is being massed in Halifax, Nova Scotia under
General Howe for the attack on New York. And we see the ships of the British and
the soldiers preparing for the attack. Powerly the enemy is expected. Dick on
watch duty, first picture bottom row on Long Island, sights a long line of sails
far out at sea, and he cries out, the British transports, you can see them
coming. As Dick and Washington's officers watch, the British ships loaded with
soldiers come closer and closer. With no Navy to oppose them, the ships stream
arrogantly into New York Bay, and Dick wonders what General Washington's little
army can do now.
Oh, now this is terrible, because if there are no Americans there to stop them, the soldiers can come right up on the shore and fight the Americans.
Yes, it's a dangerous moment. What's going to happen? Well, that's something I don't want to spoil by
telling you now. Next week we'll find out. Oh, I can hardly wait. Well, let's make the waiting easier by
reading Rusty Riley right now. Oh, yes, because a very strange thing has happened. Do you remember, Rusty heard one of the smugglers talking about black light?
Yes, last week we found out that a black light is something that's invisible,
except when it shines in a certain chemical. Then the chemical will light up
like an electric sign. And Rusty had painted a name on his boat with some paint
that he found in Squire Bogg's boathouse. And then he said he needed a light, and
Patty found something that looked like a lantern. When they turned it on, they
found it was black light. And the letter is painted on that boat all lit up. So now let's find out more about that.
Very well. Here we go with Rusty Riley. Gallop and run till the road is dusty.
Give us music for his horse and Rusty.
As Patty and Rusty stare at the letters that shine brightly on the boat, Rusty exclaims,
Well, according to that article in the magazine, that means the paint I used for the name has that special chemical in it.
There's something queer about this. Those men on that boat talking about black light,
and then finding one of these gadgets in our boathouse. So immediately they go in to tell Tex.
Meanwhile, at the barn, Mr. Kilgore, the treasury agent, is talking to Tex too.
Just as Kilgore is about to leave, Rusty comes in, last picture top row. He says,
Gee, Willikens, Tex, we found one of those black light gadgets and the special paint they use with it in our boathouse.
Tex exclaims, Suffering horned toads. You mean it? Rusty goes on first picture bottom row.
I wouldn't have known what it was if you hadn't given me that magazine article.
We painted a name on the skiff, and when you aim that gadget at it, it shines real bright.
Mr. Kilgore listens intently and says, Wait a minute, Rusty, take it slow. This is something I want to know all about.
A little later, after hearing Rusty's story, Tex finally says,
Hey, it's getting real late. Time for you youngsters to turn in. Scram now.
Rusty replies, Well, I'll go in a couple of minutes, Tex, but I got to go back to the boathouse. I left my knife and my flashlight.
As Patty goes to the house, Rusty heads toward the boathouse. As he nears it, he stops, listens, and then says,
Gee, Willikens, I believe I heard voices down there.
In last picture, we see Captain Clune beside a boat in front of the boathouse.
He seems to be waiting for something, and then he calls,
Hurry up, Boggs. Get that black light projector. I got the boat ready.
From inside the boathouse, Squire Boggs, at whose place Rusty and the rest are staying, calls back,
I'm trying to find it, Clune, but somebody must have moved it. It's not where I left it.
Oh, we were right. That Squire of Squire Boggs, he's just as bad as the smugglers.
I believe so. He wouldn't be fiddling around with a black light like the smugglers did if he weren't.
Oh, I hope they don't see Rusty there, though, and catch him.
I hope not, too. Hey, this is really becoming something, isn't it?
Yes, it is.
Well, now I think it's time for...
Donald Duck.
Very well. If you're so anxious, let's turn over the page. And there on page five is Donald Duck.
Say the magic words for me.
Squeegeum, squeegeum, squirrely chicka-chack. Let's have music to fit a quack-quack.
While Donald comes out on the porch with an angry look on his face, he yells to one of his nephews,
Louis, hey, just a minute. Come in here, young man.
And he leads Louis into the boys' room, which is a mess, toys scattered all around. And he says,
Pick up your toys. This place is a shambles.
Louis takes one look at the floor and says,
Oh, they must be Hueys and Deweys. Me. I'm neat.
And he trots out to play.
Last picture top row, Donald sticks his head out of the window when yells,
Huey, come in here.
First picture bottom row, Donald has Huey in the boys' room. He points to all the trash on the floor and says,
Huey, get busy. Put your toys away. This room's a disgrace.
Huey replies,
You got the wrong guy. I always keep my stuff tidy. Louis and Dewey are the guys you want.
And he trots back to play.
Next picture, Donald sticks his head out the back door and yells,
Go away. Come on.
Next picture, he's showing Dewey the room covered with messy toys. And Dewey smiles cheerfully and says,
Yuck, yuck. It must be Hueys and Louis. I'm awful neat.
And trots out to play.
Donald gets so angry he begins to steam.
He gets hotter. And hotter.
And he's so angry he's about to bust. And then...
And a little later, last picture, Donald is in the house reading his newspaper.
While his three nephews, last picture, stand at the window looking as though their hearts will break
as they stare unhappily at all their toys which are out in the backyard in the ash can.
Well, what do you think of that?
Well, I think it was very mean of Donald to throw all those beautiful toys away.
Well, I'm sure that Donald wouldn't have thrown the toys away if the boys loved their toys enough to pick them up and take care of them.
Yes, but...
Not a single one of the boys was willing to pick those toys up.
Yes, I know, but...
Yes, but what?
I guess you're right. The boys should have picked up their toys.
Yes, and if they promise Donald they'll take care of them again,
maybe Donald will let them bring the toys back before the junkman hauls them away.
And now, here's something special.
Oh, tell me quick.
Well, I've got a wonderful big surprise for you.
A surprise? Oh, I love surprises. I just love surprises. What is it?
Well, if you'll just hang on to yourself for just a moment, you'll know what it is.
But first, here's that man again with something interesting to say.
Now, here we go again with Puck the Comic Weekly.
But wait, before I read any more, I have a surprise for everyone.
Oh, goody, goody. I love surprises. Tell me what it is.
Well, starting next week, the next issue of Puck the Comic Weekly is going to have a new comic star.
Oh, that's wonderful. Tell me quick. Who's it going to be?
A favorite of yours, little Miss Honey, and a favorite of all you boys and girls.
Hello, Mr. Comic Weekly man. Hi, Miss Honey.
Well, here he is in person. Hop along, Cassidy.
Hoppy, it's nice to have you with us.
I was just telling Miss Honey that we'll be able to follow your new adventures in Puck the Comic Weekly soon.
How about giving us a preview?
Yeah, that's right. I'm proud to have Hop along join the many great stars in Puck,
and I hope my friends will enjoy our adventures.
My pal's California, and lucky, of course, my great horse Topper will be with me.
We tango with some pretty tough characters.
Right now, we're trying to bring to justice a bunch of scoundrels led by, of all things, a beautiful girl named Calico.
It's quite a story, and I think you'll like it.
I'm sure we will.
And I know we will.
Tell me, Mr. Cassidy, are children of other countries fans of yours, too?
Yeah, a great deal of mail comes to me from my little friends in countries all over the world.
I receive many nice letters from Australia, England, Ireland, Africa, Japan, South America, and, well, just about everywhere.
I'm proud of these faraway friends, and I hope that sometime soon I might visit their lands and meet them personally.
Yes, I'm sure that would be as big a thrill for them as for the children here in America.
Say, you certainly deserve a lot of credit, Hoppy, for the time you spend making personal appearances to make all these children so happy.
I imagine all the traveling's a pretty tiring job.
Well, we do travel around a lot and keep pretty busy, but it's certainly not tiring.
As a matter of fact, the more I do, the better I feel.
You see, just about everything I do is connected with kids.
They're so full of pep and enthusiasm, I can't help but feel the same way.
Since I have so much fun doing it, it never seems like work at all.
Yes, I know just what you mean.
Well, Hoppy, you can certainly expect Miss Honey here next Sunday when we start your adventures in Puck the Comic Weekly.
Oh, yes, I can highly wait.
Well, that's just fine, and I hope that goes for all you boys and girls who are listening,
because I've got some exciting adventures coming up and I wouldn't want you to miss any of them.
And especially next week.
Well, I hope no one misses next week.
I know I'll be here when you read my adventures for the first time.
Say, I've got to be leaving now, Mr. Comic Weekly man and Miss Honey, but I'll be back in person next week.
So long till then.
So long, Hoppy.
So long.
See you next week.
Gee, hop along, Cassidy, in person, and he'll be back next week.
Well, this is certainly quite an event.
Say, do you think you can recover from all this excitement?
You know, we still have some funnies to read.
Now would you like to see what Roy Rogers is doing?
Oh, yes, please, because last week Roy jumped in the river to save a boy who was caught in the wild water.
And up on top of the bluff above the river, an old pioneer character wearing a fur cap was shooting at Roy.
And just at the moment when it looked like the old man was going to shoot Roy and the boy dead, another man rode up and stopped him from shooting.
And I would like to find out who this man is.
Very well. Turn to the last page of the first section of Puck the Comic Weekly.
And here we go with Roy Rogers, king of the cowboys.
Hi-yip-hi-o. Now here we go with Roy and Trigger. Hi-yip-hi-o.
A mysterious stranger who stopped the old man from shooting exclaimed,
What's the idea of shooting at my son, Furhead?
Furhead replies,
Knuckles Hardy. Oh, honest Mr. Hardy, I didn't know he was here, boy.
Well, you know it now. That's his pony Clover there.
Yeah, but the lad was snooping around the old fort and I was only looking out for your interests.
Last picture top row, Hardy looks in the river. He sees that Roy is saving his son.
And he exclaims, Well, the young scamp's safe out of the river. And a good thing for you that he is, Furhead.
First picture next row, Roy helps the boy out of the river saying,
Come on, sonny, I got a score to settle with that hombre who's been shooting at us from above.
The boy replies, And I want to get even with him too. He chased me out of Fort Havelock.
Roy and the boy see that Furhead and the man who had stopped the shooting have disappeared.
So they start back to where they left their horses. Roy asks, Where do you live, sonny?
The boy replies, In the Box H. My dad owns the biggest spread in these parts.
As they come up on the top of the plateau, last picture of the row, Roy exclaims, Hey, he's gone.
Well, I aim to find out what's going on at old Fort Havelock that invites bullets for trespassing.
The boy says, Well, you're not going without me.
Meanwhile, first picture bottom row, Hardy and Furhead are riding at a dead gallop. Hardy says,
Move along, Furhead. I want to find out when Nitro Kane will be ready to do the job I hired him for.
Furhead replies, Well, he ain't the hurrying kind. You can't be when you're handling explosives.
They gallop into the fort. Last picture, Hardy calls out, Nitro, Nitro Kane, where are you?
What the? As the horses rear up at the explosion at their feet, a voice within the fort calls out,
Greetings, Mr. Knuckles Hardy.
Oh, this is very strange. The man who saved Roy and the boy from being shot is the boy's father, isn't he?
Yes. And yet, now he's with Furhead, the man who's doing the shooting, just as like as if he's a partner with him in something.
And I suspect that this partnership isn't a very good one. And the man's son is with Roy Rogers, and Roy is going to investigate.
Yes, it looks like the boy and Roy will be against the boy's father. Oh, this is really very unusual.
Mm-hmm. Next week, we'll find out more about it. But now? Oh, now, of course, it's time for Dagwood and Blondie.
Of course it is. And of course, here they are on the first page of the second section of Puck the Comic Weekly.
And of course, you're going to read that now. Of course. So here we go with Dagwood and Blondie.
Ramaphoo, ramaphum, zim zam zombie, conjume music for Dagwood and Blondie.
Dagwood's neighbor, Herb Woodley, has stopped in to ask Dagwood a favor. He tells Dagwood,
I've got a package come and collect, and I have to go out, Dagwood.
So Dagwood tells Herb to leave a note at his house to have the package delivered at the Bumsteads.
Herb tells Dagwood he doesn't remember exactly how much he's supposed to pay for it. So Dagwood says,
Well, just sign one of your checks and leave it with me.
So Herb signs the check, last picture, top row, saying,
Oh, yes, yeah, good idea. Now here it is, Dagwood. Now you just fill in the proper amount when the delivery man arrives.
First picture, next row. Herb walks off saying,
Ah, it's wonderful to have a friend so honest you can trust him with one of your signed checks.
But Dagwood puts the check beside the phone, then goes to take a nap.
Last picture of the row, the doorbell rings, and Cookie, Dagwood's daughter and a little neighbor girl answer the door.
They find a beggar dressed in ragged clothes who asks,
Could you spare a poor old man a dime? Cookie exclaims,
But my daddy's taking a nap.
First picture, next row. The neighbor girl picks up the check with Herb Woodley's signature on it and says,
Well, if you don't want to wake your daddy, why don't you just give the poor old man this check?
So Cookie replies,
I'll write a million dollars on it, and that'll make him rich.
Now this means that if Cookie writes a million dollars on it, that because Herb Woodley's signature is already on the check,
the bank will think that Herb Woodley has written the check and wants the bank to give the hobo a million dollars,
which is very unusual.
Next picture, the hobo's at the bank where he hands the check to the bank clerk.
The clerk looks at it and exclaims,
A million dollars?
The hobo replies,
Yep, and give it to me in one dollar bills.
There's a...
And the clerk has gone to the office of the president of the bank.
The clerk and the president and all of them are jabbering wildly.
As the president looks at the check, he exclaims,
A million dollars?
And the clerk exclaims,
And that's Herb Woodley's signature, all right.
And the vice president exclaims,
Why, he's never had over two hundred dollars in his account.
That means that Herb is in trouble for writing a check for a million dollars when he doesn't have more than two hundred dollars in the bank.
First picture, bottom row, the doorbell at the Bumstead house rings, awakening Dagwood.
Dagwood exclaims,
Oh, that's probably the delivery boy.
But why is he ringing the doorbell so violently?
So Dagwood opens the door,
and five policemen grab Dagwood,
and without asking him any questions, take him down to jail.
And last picture, Dagwood finds himself locked in jail with the hobo,
and Herb. Dagwood asks innocently,
Why are we here, Herb?
Herb just looks at Dagwood and growls like a dog.
Poor Dagwood, you look scared.
He certainly does, and no wonder being jerked out of his house and being taken to jail without knowing why.
Won't he be angry with Cookie when he learns what she did?
Oh, I'm afraid she's going to be very angry.
Oh, I'm afraid she's going to be in trouble tonight.
Well, now it's time for Prince Valiant.
Oh, that's really exciting, because Prince Valiant is staying at a castle,
and the castle is being attacked, and last week you said that the most feared thing was happening,
and I want to find out what it is.
Well, let's go over to the last page, and we'll find out right now with Prince Valiant in the days of King Arthur.
Eckerd Brackett, Graham Olken, and Quince, music romantic for a fair, fair prince.
Black Robert, who's attacking the castle of Sir Re-Fook,
has put his men to work building a tower that will rise above the walls of the castle.
From the tower, he expects to be able to shoot down the soldiers within the castle and thus win the battle.
But in order to prevent this, Sir Re-Fook builds the wall of the castle higher,
so Black Robert can't shoot into the castle.
But last picture top row, Sir Re-Fook is telling Prince Valiant that Black Robert has unlimited material with which to build,
while Sir Re-Fook only has the supply within the castle.
Then Prince Valiant remembers that the tower that Black Robert is building is without solid foundation,
and he suggests that they dig a tunnel from within the castle,
underneath the tower, and set the tower on fire.
And so this work is done. For weeks the work continues, until in the big picture in the middle of the page,
we see that the tunnel runs directly underneath the corner of Black Robert's tower.
Then this place is packed with wood and charcoal and set ablaze.
First picture bottom row, the smithy within the castle and the armory are stripped of their bellows,
and the men force air into the tunnel like blacksmiths, so that the fire will burn.
All night they pump until the very ground under their feet glows with the great heat from the chamber,
and then the supporting timbers burn through when the tower thunders down.
Last picture, Black Robert stands very still as the labor of weeks crumbles to ruins.
Then he turns to his task again, for this resolute man will never give up.
Oh, wasn't that a wonderful idea of Prince Valiant?
Indeed it was, and now maybe it'll be safe within the castle until the messenger has a chance to bring back help.
Oh, I certainly hope so. We'll find out next week, won't we?
I hope so. Now that's all the time I have, but before I go, here's that fellow with some more interesting information.
Well, honey, and all you boys and girls, I gotta go now.
All right, Mr. Comic Weekly man, but I'll be waiting for you next week.
Okay, that's a date. And remember that next week Hopalong Cassidy will be here in person
to help us start his adventures in Puck the Comic Weekly.
Yes, sir, next week and every week thereafter, Hopalong Cassidy appears in Puck the Comic Weekly.
Meet us all next week.
Oh, I'm the Comic Weekly man, the jolly Comic Weekly man.
I'll be back to read the funnies to you happy boys and honeys.
Don't forget, boys and girls, see you all next week.
Your friend the Comic Weekly man, the jolly Comic Weekly man.
You