 The comic weekly man, the jolly comic weekly man. And I'm here to read the fairies 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. Well, little miss honey, did you have a wonderful Christmas? Oh, yes, simply marvelous. And did you get all the things you hoped to get? Well, expect to get, which was lovely, nice. And I like them just as well. Yes, it's a surprise that way. And surprises are fun, I think. Yes, I love surprises. Well, since you love surprises, I hope you have a lot of them in the new year. And I hope that they're all nice ones. Oh, thank you, and the same to you. Thank you, and the same to you. Thank you, and some surprises there. Puck the Comic Weekly? Yes. Very well, I will in just a moment. But before I do, let's listen to this nice man. Oh, with Puck the Comic Weekly, and on the first page, Hop along Cassidy. Magic words for the music, please. Very well, my lady. Six guns blazing as he thunders along. Give us music for Hop along. Hoppy has surprised Meeker and his crony, Black John, upstairs in the freight office. He knows now that Meeker is the man responsible for the guns being sold to the Indians, the Indians who are heading for Pike's Landing to attack the white men. Hoppy, holding Black John and Meeker at the port of a gun, says, I knew you were hiding Black John up here, Meeker, when I found fresh blood stains on the ladder rungs in the freight office downstairs. Meeker replies, so you climbed up to eavesdrop, huh? Yes, and I heard enough to realize that you and Rance Kirby are one and the same man. Last picture top row, Meeker smiles and says, well, I'm afraid you've learned the truth a bit too late, Cassidy. Listen, it's the Indians. The war party sweeps into Pike's Landing, hurling itself against the hastily erected defenses. Meeker snarls. Those Indians are armed with rifles, I supplied, Cassidy. They'll soon be here to turn them against you. That moment, shots ripped through the wall, barely missing Meeker who collars in terror. Last picture, second row, Hoppy grins. Hey, those friends are a little careless with your guns. The next slug may come closer, Meeker. Meeker, whose hand is beside a lantern, suddenly grabs it up and throws it at Hoppy, knocking him out. Then he dashes down the stairs, slamming the trap door shut and locks it behind him. Black John, terrified, tries to open it, to escape. But he can't. He and Hoppy are trapped. Last picture, Meeker runs for the river, says to himself, the street's barricaded. Only one way of escape open, the river boat. It does to me too. And Hoppy does. He certainly will if he doesn't regain consciousness. Do you think he will? Now, that's something we'll find out next week. Now? Well, now? Ah, it's Flash Gordon. Yes, there he plays. And you know, Ripley has a very interesting fact today. He tells us that there is more liquid in tomatoes than in a whole glass of milk, in one tomato than a whole glass of milk. My, just think. Yes, just think. Now let's take a look at Flash, who is on the planet Mars and a prisoner of course. It was a melt ray. A man pushed a button and a ray streaks out and the animal disappeared. And then Queen Menta said she was going to try to unflash his friend Link. And that would be terrible. Well, let's read now and see if Flash finds a way to stop that. Here we go with Flash Gordon. Raga-daga-doon-doons. Ask him a task. Let's have music for heroic flash. Planning a final test for the secret melt ray, which her scientists have developed for the conquest of the earth. Queen Menta of Mars. Do you think she will make it? Queen Menta of Mars chooses young Link as subject to the grim experiment. She tells him if he fails to survive the ray, that the whole earth is doomed. There's nothing that Flash and Dale can do. They stand helpless. As a court order from one of the guards forces Link slowly to the platform in front of the dread melt ray projector. The Martian begins feeding power into the mechanism. And then slowly swings the hissing ray beam toward Link. Everyone in the test chamber is fixed intently on the lone figure standing transfixed on the platform. And then Flash sees his chance. Suddenly he dives at the guard at the controls of the ray machine. Before the startle Martians can interfere, Flash brings the swinging ray turd to a halt. The guards are too well aware of the lethal power of the melt rays to offer resistance. Their one thought is escape. And they run as Flash turns the great ray jet in their direction. Flash shouts, Dale, don't let Manna get away. She's our best chance for freedom. You bet he is. It was positively astonishing and just in time. That's because he's a hunter. Well, we'll find that out next week. But now, look across the page. Oh, Prince Vance. Very well, we won't waste a second. So here we go with Prince Valiant in the days of King Arthur. Hackett, Brackett, Gray Malkin and Quince. Music romantic for a fair, fair prince. News has come that the Danes, a war-like country of the North, are far away in a great fleet of ships to attack Prince Val's homeland. Three greatest captains in Thule are Prince Val, his father, King Agwar, and Voltaire. But Voltaire and King Agwar have had a disagreement and Voltaire has sailed far away to the North, where he has been sulking like a child. So King Agwar has appointed little Prince Arne, two years old, to take Voltaire's place at the head of the right wing of the army. Now where Prince Arne goes, in Tilikum, the beautiful Indian maid goes also. King Agwar knows Voltaire loves Tilikum. And the king hopes that Voltaire will come to protect Tilikum, who is sure to be in danger in the battle to come. And it looks like the scheme is going to work. For Voltaire paces the deck of the ship and rages last picture middle row. My command! Give them to an infant! That's a foul insult. And what does the king know of the Danes? Of how they've become hard-fighting men, of how they've planned revenge these many years. And he stops, stares out over the sea, toward where the kingdom of King Agwar is located. And he snorts, Well, what do I care? Nothing. Let the Danes sink the king in all his proud brood. Good riddance. One of his captains suggests, Well, then let's us join the Danes and you can even matters with Agwar. And there's rich plunder to take. Without a word Voltaire clears at him. And then, It seems so hard he almost falls into the sea. It is clear that Voltaire will not fight against his king, even though he has quarreled with him. Meanwhile, far to the south, last picture, Val sees in the distance smoke of the burning towns that show the Danes are already attacking the land of Thule. The king from his ship gives the order to prepare for battle. Prepare to attack! Battle! Yes, now there's going to be a battle. Well, we saw that he was worried that they wouldn't be able to fight the Danes successfully. Maybe next week we'll find out that he's mad enough to come back and demand his old place as captain of the right wing of the army. But now... You know it before I change. Well, then let's turn over the page. And there he is on page five. Sure enough, so let's go out to the mountain country with Snoppy Smith, who Ips what's with. Music for Google and funny Snoppy Smith. Little Jughead comes into the house with a rope over his arm and he screeches. I am Louisa. And Louisa replies, Well, I'm busy fixing some hashpeppies for supper right now, honeypot. Why don't you ask young Snoppy? Jughead, who sees Snoppy lying in bed taking his ease for the eighteenth time that morning, replies, Now, when Snoppy hears how thoughtful Jughead is for him, he perks up when he says, Shucks, I ain't doing nothing, little Jughead. You can tie me up, Indian star. A little later, his second picture bottom row, Jughead, who has just finished tying Snoppy up, throws the end of the rope over the tree limb and pulls Snoppy up to hang him in the air. Snoppy exclaims, Balls of fire! I ain't never seen such a rope tying farmer to see me, little Jughead. I can't scarcely wiggle it though. And then when Jughead has him hanging in the air upside down last picture, he picks up a stick and wallops Snoppy's bottom. Balls of fire! Oh, I was pretending he didn't want to ask Snoppy to come out and play with him and making sure that Snoppy would hear all that. And then when... Yes. Now what? Now could you read Donald Duck? If we turn over the page, we certainly can. Over the page, we go... And say the magic words with me. Squeeze, jump, squeeze, jump, squiddly, chicken track. Let's have music to play to quack, quack. Donald is down by the river with his little dog, Fido. He throws a stick out in the water, Fido goes in after it and brings it back. A little later, Donald and Fido are out in a canoe on the river. Donald picks up a wooden duck a decoy and he says, Now, when this lands in the water, you gon' get it. Donald tosses in the water. Go on, silly. The Fido doesn't move. Go on, silly. Donald sees his paddle floating in the water. He points at it and says, Don't get it, Fido. Fido leaps in the water, takes the paddle in his teeth and swims to shore. He climbs out of the water and drops the paddle on the sand. Then looks at Donald out on the river and barks. Which means, Ain't I terrific? Donald yells, Late that night, Donald, miles from home, is in his canoe, still floating down the river with no paddle to get him back to shore. And he's so mad at Fido, he sizzles. No, because now, Fido thinks that anything thrown in the water should be brought back to shore. Why we certainly can, if you terribly, terribly eager? Are you eager? Okay, well, then we'll turn over to the very last page or the first section and I'll read Dick in just a minute. He's that nice man again with something interesting to say. With Part of the Comic Weekly and on the last page of the first section, Dick's Adventures. Magic words for the music, please. Say them with me, please. Let's have music for adventurous Dick. The early days of America, the year is 1804. 150 years ago, Dick, with captains Lewis and Clark, continue up the mighty Missouri River, which leads through Indian country and through the wildest wilderness. They're wild and savage animals roamed. They decide to seek information from the Indians. On a height near a spot that will one day be called Consul Bluffs Iowa, the Chiefs of the Kites, the Ottawa's and the Pawnees and their warriors extend the hand of friendship to Dick and his companions. Then Black Fox, wise man of the Pawnees, first picture, middle row, rises and solemnly speaks. Take heed, oh white brothers, go no farther for not many miles ahead live those whom we call little spirits with arrows like tongues of snakes. They slay all who come near. They slay all who come near. Then Bald Eagle, Chief Warrior of the Ottawa's speaks. Turn back, you canoe, oh white brothers, the great blue bear waits to crush you when you set foot upon land and swift cloud of the Kites warns. Beyond the setting sun it is told that streams of scalding water spout from the earth. No man can pass them, oh white brothers. And swift cloud continues last picture and even if you should escape all these yet will your way be stopped at last by a mountain of rocks towering bleakly into the sky. A country they're going through. Yes, and those Indians really know. Do you think they'll go on in the wilderness? Yes, I do, because Lewis and Clark are very, very brave men. And you know, it was the brave men like these who explored this country. And it was they who made it safe for us to live in nice houses and apartments and to eat in restaurants and other safe places the way that we do today. Yes, that's why I like to study about these men in school. Well next week we'll find out more about these dicks. Now look at the bottom of the page. Oh, oh there's Rusty Raleigh and I don't like what's happening there because you remember that Englishman named Sir Percival who has come to the mouth done fine. I remember him very well and I don't trust him. And neither do I because he's pretending to be rich and he isn't rich and Mr. Miles has been very nice to him and he and his friend are scheming bad things against Mr. Miles. Yes, and last week the guard from the bank brought some valuable things to the Milestone farm. And Naby, who's one of the crooks knows about it. Now let's find out what happens next with Rusty Raleigh. Gallop and run till the road is dusty. Give us music for his horse and Rusty. Sir Percival who is in his room is wondering how he's going to cheat Mr. Miles out of some money. As he pulls on his coat he says I must decide on how Mr. Quentin Miles is going to add substantially to our bank role. As he comes downstairs a moment later his crooked partner Naby stops him. He points to the two men from the bank who are waiting for Mr. Miles in the next room. Naby whispers. Listen, purse, those two guys are waiting for Mr. Miles to come downstairs. One's a bank messenger and the other's a guard. I got the car close to an open window. Come on. First picture of Adam Rowe Mr. Miles comes into his study and he greets the men from the bank. Good day Mr. Walker, Mr. Danby. I presume you've brought the horse show trophies including the gold cuff. Just put them on the desk while I open the wall safe. And Mr. Walker replies. Oh yes sir. And I have a receipt to be signed and I don't mind saying Mr. Miles but I'll be glad to have these things off my hands. At that moment outside under the study window Naby whispers. You hear that purse? I did indeed. Fortune is smiling upon us Naby. Opportunity is fairly banging at our door. Meanwhile in the barn Rusty and his friend Pete are chatting with Tex. Rusty asks Hey Tex, you spoke with Mr. Miles that show Pete and me the horse show trophies if we went up to the house? Tex replies. Why Ricky need to be right glad to Rusty. So the boys walk toward the house. Naby, who's standing by his car outside the window is saying to serve Percival. Well what do you say first? I could open that wall safe with a button you car could. We can lift them cups and scram tonight. Sir Percival replies. Now don't be crude. Let's use finish. The boys. Which gives me an idea. So will I. But we'll find out more about that next week. Now to make you feel a little bit better, look what comes next on the first page of the second section. Dagwood. And here we go with that funny Dagwood and Blondie. Ram-a-foo, Ram-a-fum, Zim-Zam-Zombie country music for Dagwood and Blondie. Dagwood looks out the window and claims to Blondie. Look, here comes that herb woodling wandering over into our yard looking for trouble. And by the time you can go, he's outside yelling at Herb. You're on my property. You're trespassing. I'm going to put a stop to this. And by the time you can go, Dagwood's down at the store vying a roll of wire fence. As he rolls it out the door, the salesman says, Madeleine, I send a man over to put up the fence, Mr. Bomstead. And Dagwood replies, last picture top row. Don't be silly. I can put it up all by myself. First picture next row. Dagwood's at home putting up the fence. He's putting up a post as Herb stands by smoking a pipe. Dagwood says loud enough for Herb to hear. This fence will keep a lot of unwanted, no good, stupid riff-riff out of my yard. And he starts to attack the fence to a post. He says, at least it'll keep out certain mean brain, offensive characters of low degree whom I know. And he unrolls the fence, attacks one end to another post saying, loud enough for Herb to hear. How such a repulsive, baggy-eyed nitwit would ever gotten this nice neighborhood I'll never know. He attacks the other end of the fence to his house. Finally, he's put up the fence between his lawn and Herb's. As Herb looks at the fence, Dagwood exclaims, finished. Hooray! At least we'll be free from this low element. Suddenly, a nail pops loose, then another. And then the entire end pops away from the wall. And the end of the fence whips around Dagwood and rolls up into a tight roll again. Where Dagwood is, inside with the fence around him, he lies helpless and he yells, Help! Help! Herb leans against the roll of the fence, a devilish grin in his face. He says, Dagwood, would you mind repeating those remarks you made about me? Dagwood moans. And then he says meekly, I said you were the finest, the kindest, handsomest, most intelligent man I've ever met in my life. Last picture, Herb has helped him out of the fence and Dagwood stomps angrily into the house. As Herb says, Gee, I love to have people and nice things about me like that. It's about Herb. Either that or he should have taken the salesman advice and have someone put the fence up for him. Dagwood, he's so funny. Well, now look, here's something that's not so funny. Oh, yes, he is. And they saw them load the cattle on a flat boat and send them down the river. And then they saw a dude in his henchman rocky right away. I wonder if Roy will catch up with him. Well, let's read now and find out. Here we go with Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys. Here we go now. Here we go with Roy and Trigger. Roy wheels Trigger around and with Dorfel behind him follows the railroad track that the crooks have laid down through the mountain pass. A shot rings out. Watch out! They gallop on faster to put themselves out of range. At that moment, up above on a cliff, Rocky, one of the rustlers, is just about to take another shot at Roy who's passing just below. Dude stops him. Rocky says, hey, let me plug him, dude. Them birds are on our trail and they're wise to how we operate. Dude replies, No, no, no. Take chances when it's just as easy to be smart. Let him die accidentally. And he goes on last picture top row. We can trap Rogers and Hawkins in that old caboose the boys have been using as a hideout. Roy still following the tracks, comes around a curve and sees the caboose ahead. He rains in saying, Hey, the rustlers tracks lead straight to that old caboose. Doleful exclaims. Yeah, smoke. Somebody's inside and they're fixing to shoot our heads off. Mark me, Roy. They dismount. They slip upon the caboose. The door's open. They peer in. Doleful exclaims. Empties of birds nest in December. I don't like this, Roy. Roy looks around and says, Left the fire burning. Can't be far away, Doleful. As they search the caboose, suddenly the door is closed behind them. And they're locked in. They hear a dude outside say, Well, we got him, Rocky. Fetch the horses. I'll pull out the chucks. Okay, dude, like I always say, nothing like being clever. Then Roy and Doleful hear the horses being brought up. I rope tied to the caboose. And then they hear a dude say, All right, haul away, Rocky. We'll give ranches and hawkins a ride they won't forget. Push the caboose into the river the way he did the train. Well, then Roy will be drowned. Now wait, now wait, now it hasn't happened yet. Maybe Roy will outsmart dude the way he has some of the other crooks and some of our other wonderful stories. We'll find out about that next week. But now, before we go, I think we should wish everybody... I know, happy new year. Yes, happy new year, everybody. Now that's all the time I have. But before I go, here's that nice fellow with some more interesting information. Honey and all your boys and girls, I gotta go now. All right, next week. Okay, that's a date. And a date with all your boys and girls. Be sure to meet me with our little friend Miss Honey next week when I read Puck the Comic Weekly. For I'm the comic weekly man, I'll be back to read the funnies. Do 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.