More Fun Comics #56

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Graded population

CGC records 35 graded copies for More Fun Comics #56 (1940). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

The Spectre: "Terror at Lytell's"

Jim Corrigan is summoned to Lytel's department store, which has been threatened by Bentley, a wholesaler. A bomb causes a portion of the ceiling to collapse. The Spectre prevents any injuries, then leaves in search of Bentley. Corrigan questions Bentley, who denies involvement in the explosion. When Corrigan leaves the office, Bentley sends his men to kill the detective. The Spectre grabs the car full of these badguys, and listens to them beg and whine for a minute, then crushes the car in his fist, with them all in it. He then prevents a hi-jacking by another gang of Bentley's men. Finally, when Bentley tries again to bomb Lytel's, the Spectre sets the crooks up for the police to apprehend. | Appearing1 = **Featured Characters:** * The Spectre), (Jim Corrigan)) **Antagonists:** * Bentley * George **Locations:** * Cliffland, New Jersey ** Lytel's Department Store

| Writer2_1 = Albert Sulman | Penciler2_1 = Joseph Sulman | Inker2_1 = Joseph Sulman | StoryTitle2 = Biff Bronson: "Tale of a Shirt" | Synopsis2 = | Appearing2 = **Featured Characters:** * Biff Bronson) **Supporting Characters:** * Dan Druff

| Writer3_1 = Ed Winiarski | Penciler3_1 = Ed Winiarski | Inker3_1 = Ed Winiarski | StoryTitle3 = Captain Desmo: "The Society of Assassins, Part 4" | Synopsis3 = | Appearing3 = **Featured Characters:** * Captain Desmo) **Supporting Characters:** * Gabby **Antagonists:** * Society of Assassins many die ** Grand Assassin **Other Characters:** * Military Governor of Algiers **Locations:** * Algiers, Algeria, 1940 **Vehicles:** * Desmo's fighter-plane

| Writer4_1 = Jerry Siegel | Penciler4_1 = Chad Grothkopf | Inker4_1 = Chad Grothkopf | Colorist4_1 = | Letterer4_1 = | StoryTitle4 = Radio Squad: "Fur Chiselers" | Synopsis4 = | Appearing4 = **Featured Characters:** * Radio Squad) ** Sandy Keene) ** Larry Trent) **Supporting Characters:** * NYPD **Antagonists:** * Fur Chiselers **Locations:** * New York City **Vehicles:** * Radio Car K-7

| Writer5_1 = Robert Hirsch | Penciler5_1 = Russ Lehman | Inker5_1 = Russ Lehman | StoryTitle5 = Lt. Bob Neal of Sub 662: "Transfer to Newport News" | Synopsis5 = | Appearing5 = **Featured Characters:** * Lt. Bob Neal) **Supporting Characters:** * Tubby Potts **Vehicles:** * Sub 662 **Locations:** * Newport News

| Writer6_1 = | Penciler6_1 = George Papp | Inker6_1 = George Papp | StoryTitle6 = Congo Bill: "The Search for Africa's Ancient Ruins" | Synopsis6 = | Appearing6 = **Featured Characters:** * Congo Bill) **Supporting Characters:** * Professor Kent **Antagonists:** * The Skull ** Hostile Natives * One-Eye * Slats **Other Characters:** * Toto, Bantu Guide **Locations:** * Africa ** Congo River ** Belgian_Congo|Belgian Congo, 1940

| Writer7_1 = Joe Donohoe | Penciler7_1 = Joe Donohoe | Inker7_1 = Joe Donohoe | StoryTitle7 = Detective Sergeant Carey: "The Jade Hatchet" | Synopsis7 = | Appearing7 = **Featured Characters:** * Detective Sergeant Carey) **Supporting Characters:** * Sleepy

| Writer8_1 = Jack Lehti | Penciler8_1 = Jack Lehti | Inker8_1 = Jack Lehti | StoryTitle8 = Sergeant O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol: "The Horse Thieves" | Synopsis8 = | Appearing8 = **Featured Characters:** * Constable O'Malley), RCMP **Supporting Characters:** * Red Coat Patrol * Black Hawk * Flame, O'Malley's Wolf-Dog **Antagonists:** * Horse Thieves **Locations:** * Canada

| Writer9_1 = Gardner Fox | Penciler9_1 = Howard Sherman | Inker9_1 = Howard Sherman | Letterer9_1 = Howard Sherman | StoryTitle9 = Doctor Fate: "The Search for Wotan" | Synopsis9 = Doctor Fate) wants to find out what happened to the soul of Wotan), after defenestrating him in their earlier fight. With Inza) by his side, Fate travels into the Underworld. They traverse beyond the Seven Gates, into the region of dead souls. They encounter the essence of *Wisdom* who tells Fate that the evil sorcerer has escaped his doom, in some way, and still lives.

Doctor Fate and Inza return to Earth by way of the Ferryman across the River Styx. At first The Ferryman) doesn't want to convey them, but Fate threatens him with incineration. Afterwards, Inza and Fate discover that Wotan is insane and creating a device that will destroy the entire world, using devices designed to alter the planet's electrical field. Fate uses his magic to communicate with a great eagle, who points them in the direction of Wotan's remote lab, in a distant mountain range.

As they enter, Wotan throws a switch intent on blowing up the Earth. Doctor Fate counters the effect with his magic, then punches Wotan twice in the jaw, knocking him out. He places him into suspended animation and leaves him in an air pocket buried deep in the Earth. | Appearing9 = **Featured Characters:** * Doctor Fate) **Supporting Characters:** * Inza Cramer) **Antagonists:** * Wotan) **Other Characters:** * The Ferryman) * Wisdom **Locations:** * New York City * River Styx * Underworld) * distant mountain range, on Earth ** Wotan's Laboratory **Vessels:** * Charon's Ferry Boat

| Notes = * Published by Detective Comics, Inc.. * **Captain Desmo** smokes a pipe. * First issue for **Congo Bill**. ** Congo Bill says he's lived in Africa all his life. ** Congo Bill smokes a pipe. ** Congo Bill gets knocked unconscious twice, first with a stone axe then with a pistol butt. ** Congo Bill and Professor Kent discover an ancient lost city, and remove some treasure from it, which they intend to turn over to the government. ** At this story's end, the Skull escapes. * **Doctor Fate**: ** "The Search for Wotan" is reprinted in Immortal Doctor Fate #1 and The Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1 (Collected). ** Wotan) appeared last in More Fun Comics #55. He appears next in More Fun Comics #70. ** The profile page for Salem The Witch Girl implicate that her first appearance was in this issue as an in-universe reference instead of her actual debut in The New Golden Age Vol 1 1. * The **Spectre**: ** "Terror at Lytell's" is reprinted in The Golden Age Spectre Archives Vol. 1 (Collected). ** The department store is named "Lytel's" throughout the story, and is only called "Lytell's" one time, in the title. Originally the story didn't even have a title. ** Spectre body count = 6. ** The Spectre can shrink to a very tiny size, and can grow to cosmic-scale, or any size of his choosing. ** The Spectre can also do Ray Palmer's "telephone trick" of traveling to distant locations along telephone wires.

| Trivia = | Recommended = | Links =

Creative credits

Writers: Jerry Siegel, Albert Sulman, Ed Winiarski, Jerry Siegel, Robert Hirsch, Joe Donohoe, Jack Lehti, Gardner Fox

Interior art: Bernard Baily, Joseph Sulman, Ed Winiarski, Chad Grothkopf, Russ Lehman, George Papp, Joe Donohoe, Jack Lehti, Howard Sherman

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

COMICBASE: comicbase:767233

GCD: 821

PANEL PROFITS: 2347758