My Rating
“Gun-Trek To Panther Valley”
B’Tonga and his raiders had eluded Sheena for weeks now, using old game trails to navigate the Congo. But, as the season grew hotter, and the animals grew restless, the homicidal Chieftain began to make more daring raids on the settlements and those Sheena called her friends. Now the bronze-skinned she-devil with the strength of a lion had to take the fight to B’Tonga and his warriors. It was her duty as Queen of the Jungle.
“The Ghost Gallery”
Bob and Maggy Elder were down on their luck parents with no home or job prospects. So, when Bob’s Uncle Rufus left him the old Bijou Theatre in 1945, the couple jumped at the chance to make a new life for themselves and their son Sam. The only contingency was the old caretakers who lived on site, and their claim of a ghost who roamed the theater looking for Rufus King’s lost fortune. Somewhere, hidden in the decaying building, was enough money to restore the Bijou to its former glory. But who would reach the old man’s fortune first?
“The Hawk”
Captain Hawk and his crew had searched the northern coastlines for weeks looking for the North Star, a lost whaling ship reported missing by the port authority two months prior. As the days progressed, everyone aboard the Lady Scarlett, a galleon flying under the British colors, began to anticipate the worst. Did the whaler get stranded in the forming ice sheets? Or, did the crew become subdued by dreaded pirates? No matter the odds, Captain Hawk had a sworn duty to rescue his fellow countrymen.
Then at midday on the a Thursday, shouts from the crows nest aroused those on the main deck. The North Star had been spotted run aground in bound shoal.
“Prepare the Tenders” Captain Hawk shouted. “We must determine the fate of the North Star’s crew!”
‘Long Bow’’
Many moons had past since the Crow started poaching game from the Blackfoot’s land. To save his people from starvation the great Chief of the Blackfoot tribe began sending his warriors out to track down and kill those who violated their sacred hunting grounds. In this tale, two young bucks, Long Bow and Little Buffalo, will witness the true loyalty of a horse and the viciousness of the lands they live upon. In a world of survival, will the Blackfoot defend their lands from the marauding Crow, or meet the Great Spirit in one last battle?
“The Charley Horse Catcher”
What does a baseball club owner do when a player is past his prime? For Alphonse Mitchell and his manager Charlie, some major decisions will have to be made if the hometown Possums want to win the pennant this year. The only question is how far are they willing to go to become the league champion.
“Space Scout”
In the high-tech world of 1965 AD, even the advanced laboratories at the California High School – Westwood Senior Tech have anything comparable to Mark Leonard’s Lucex Case projector. As Mark and Billy dodge Marry and Lois, the two biggest gossips at the high school, in outer space, a battle between worlds is taking place. Will Mark Leonard be able to activate the space-transmitter device in secret, or will every kid in school find out he is part of the Space Scout resistance? Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
The kids sure got their money’s worth back in the 1950s. It’s sad to think that ten cents got readers multiple stories back then, whereas today, $5.99 can barely buy one complete storyline. Fiction House Magazines series Jumbo Comic was a heavy hitter back in the golden age, producing hundreds of titles before the company went out of business.
Jumbo Comics #158 is an anthology-style comic book featuring stories from multiple genres. The main star of this series seems to revolve around Sheena – Queen Of The Jungle, but for me the “Gun-Trek To Panther Valley” feature was not even the most interesting part of the book. The stories are definitely written for younger readers with little substance and character depth. This is clear in the baseball story, where the only solution to not firing an old player is to keep breaking his arm so he can’t participate in the games.
Out of all the stories in Jumbo Comics #158, I found the “Long Bow” story the most engaging. A land war between Native American tribes brings two young warriors closer to manhood, while the real hero in this saga is Old Fighter, a horse with more gall than most of the Blackfoot and Crow warriors battling for supremacy over the high plains of Montana. There are some morals to be learned here, to be certain.
The art and coloring of Jumbo Comics is really amazing for 1954. Art students and collectors who are looking for good examples of Golden Age production, this one will provide more than a few examples of the coolness of mid-century modern culture. “Space Scout” is an excellent example of how Americans in the Atomic Age viewed the future. Everyone flies around in helicopters while men explore outer space. It’s the future for sure. Just not that of 1965 AD.
While I did enjoy this book, it’s definitely not targeting adult readers. The lack of finesse and plot development will probably turn off most readers over 14 years of age. This book is more of a nostalgic read than anything else at this point. There are more interesting vintage comics out there to collect. For me, this is a solid three out five star book at best. If you can find a Jumbo Comic in the wild at a reasonable price, pick it up. But I wouldn’t recommend spending too much money on these if I were you. The value is just not there if you are looking for books to read.
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