Zip-Jet-Al Plastino-1953

Apparently this guy was retooled from Rocketman to be Zip-Jet, "Supersonic Enemy of Evil."Bet those costumes were hard to keep clean. GCD says this is Al Plastino who would go on to be an important utility player for DC and the man who alternated with Murphy Anderson on redrawing Jack Kirby's Superman figures.

Sherry Flippe-Suspense-1944

Here's another one where I'd like to give credit where credit is due. A nice mix of cute "good girl art" and good cartooning, later stories are by Tony Di Preta but no one seems to want to claim this one...or is that supposed to be the artist's name someone has penciled in above? If so, who?

The Unknown-Sid Greene-1948

In the vein of all the other storytellers of the macabre such as radio's Whistler and Mysterious Traveler and Bob Powell's Man in Black (called Fate)--as opposed to the more tongue-in-cheek EC ghoulunatics and the later Cain and Abel--here we have THE UNKNOWN. A great logo! GCD has no clue but I think it's a safe bet this is by SUPER MYSTERY COMICS regular Sid Greene as there's a little "S.G." on the lower right of the splash panel.  

No Rest For the Dead-The Unseen-1954

A creepy little horror tale here with some fascinating art by...well, who? My best guess would be Mike Sekowsky although it looks much more like his early seventies work than his Golden Age style. Page two, on the other hand, makes me think of Alex Toth and Mike Peppe--regulars in this title--, especially the girl. BUT...just when I'm convinced, I'd swear page three was drawn by Jerry Grandenetti! Never mind the fact that the third panel on page one looks to me to be inked by Ralph Reese...who was five years old at the time!  Experts, chime in, please.

Happy and His Pappy-Kin Platt-1942

These fun little one-pagers from, of all places, STARTLING COMICS, seem to be artist Kin Platt's more domestic version of POPEYE. Platt went on to a prolific career as a children's book author. 

Joe Miller-The Graveyard Scene-Master Comics-1946

No clue on the writer or artist of this two page filler and it's really only amusing if one is familiar with the famous and infamous Joe Miller Joke Book with its creaky old jokes. Here we have one version of how that book may have come about. 

Maverick-Dan Spiegle-1961

I've been spending a lot of time with the old MAVERICK TV series lately for a project I'm assisting on. I've always loved the Garner episodes, of course, but this time I've developed a particular enjoyment for Jack Kelly's Bart Maverick, also. Here he is from around the time of the fourth season when Roger Moore--yes-THAT Roger Moore (of all people) also appeared as English-accented cousin Beau Maverick! Art here is by Dan Spiegle, my favorite Dell/Gold Key artist who got even better in later years on his various series with Mark Evanier. 

Bootkins-Edgar Martin-1937

Ummm....For those who thought hallucinogenic drugs didn't come into vogue until the sixties.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Woody Woodpecker-New Funnies-1942

Not really an early comics crossover, Woody, although his star would eventually shine much brighter, was merely a semi-regular supporting animal (or to be more precise, bird), in the stories of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in NEW FUNNIES. Filled with cutesy animal strips, this long-running Walter Lantz anthology also featured ANDY PANDA, FELIX THE CAT and one of the most blatantly racist strips around, L'IL EIGHTBALL.