 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. Hello, hello, hello, hello. Well, little Miss Honey, how are you today? I'm eager and anxious. What are you eager and anxious about? Today is the day we're supposed to be taking a trip to the moon with Flash Gordon, isn't it? Oh, yes. So let's get busy and read the funnies right away. Yes, please. Here we go with Puck the Comic Weekly. But first, let's listen to this nice man. Now here we go with Puck the Comic Weekly. And on top of 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 learned that Don Ramos' ranch is going to be put up for auction. He suspects Slot and his crooked gang are to blame. So the day of the auction, Hoppy and California ride up to bid in the ranch and save it for Don Ramos. Lucky is supposed to bring the money from Rio Vista as soon as the bank sends it to him. The tax assessor, the man who is the brains behind Slot, says to Hoppy, what do you want here? The law is looking for you. Hoppy says, don't mind us. Go right ahead with your auction. The tax assessor addresses the people assembled. Last picture, second row. Folks, as tax assessor, I'm authorized by law to place this property on sale at public auction. Now I admit it hasn't much in its favor. But who'd care to open a bidden? One of the ranchers' presents says first picture, next row. Well, not me. Miss Fred's jinxed. And another holler's. Yeah, you can't raise crops and a candle on these parts, gris and land. This moment, Slot, last picture, the row speaks up. Well, just to keep this show interesting, I'll risk $1,000. Well, that's a sporting gentleman. Now do I hear more? Hoppy, first picture, next row, explains. 1,500. At this, one of the crooks whispers to Slot. Hey, Pasadique could ruin our game. Slot shouts, I've bidden 2,000. Hoppy barks back, last picture, the row. 3,000. California whispers. Hey, nicks, nicks, nicks, Hoppy. We're getting in too deep. What if they call you buff? First picture, bottom row, Hoppy replies. We got a chance at California. Slot isn't bidden on worthless land for nothing. And California says, oh, what's dealing lucky if we don't only show up with that pass. Meanwhile, last picture in the telegraph office in Rio Vista. Lucky is waiting for the bank draft order to come through so he can ride to Hoppy with the money. Time is passing and he's worried. He asks why it hasn't come in. The agent replies, well, I can't help it if your bank draft order from Buckskin ain't here yet. Relax, son, those things take time. Because if Hoppy doesn't get that money, maybe that tax man will let that mean Mr. Slot has the ranch for the money he bid. That's what California's worried about. Oh, my. I hope that order comes through after all the trouble Hoppy's taken to help that nice boy, Philip, and his father. Well, we'll find out more about that next week. Now? Oh, is Prince Valiant next, do you think? Well, let's turn over the page and see. Okay. Yes, let's see if he gets back safely. So here we go with Prince Valiant to the days of King Arthur. Hackett, Brackett, Gray Malkin, and Quince. Music romantic for a fair, fair play. For a fair, fair Prince. Prince Val, victorious over the barbarians, returns to the monastery with the precious Sammy skins he has promised to the monks. Last picture top row, as he greets them, the monks are very grateful to him for having brought warm Sammy skins and fresh meat for them. And so, all retire early that night in preparation for their start the next day. Next morning, Val and his companions bid farewell to the monastery and the monks who have been so kind to him. At first, their way is easy for this is the path by which shepherds take their flocks to summer pasture in the high meadows. They pass mountain streams and cross long, alpine meadows for his picture bottom row. But ever, the white peaks stand stark and threatening against the sky. Then one dawn, Paul, their guide, says, put aside your cold arms and armor and down warm garments. From now on, your enemy is not human. So they put on the warm cloaks made for them back at the monastery, cloaks of Sammy skins and thick wool and then begin to make their way up, up, up higher through the cold peaks at the top of the mountains. And last picture, no longer is there green grass, but only gray rock and glittering glacier as they toil upward. Yes, but I'm afraid now the going won't be so pleasant. You mean because it'll get colder? I'm afraid so. And next week, we'll see the tops of those mountains. Well, now, which shall I read next? Dagwood, please. All right, then. Let's go to the first page of the second section of Pucked the Comic Weekly. I have the first page of the second section right here. Well, then, very well, here we go with Dagwood and Blondie. Ram-a-foo, ram-a-fum, zim, zim, zummy, conjuming music for Dagwood and Blondie. Mr. Dithers has given Dagwood the afternoon off. He arrives home and tells Blondie, hey, the boss left me off early to help you clean the house for our dinner party tonight. Blondie smiles happily and says, Dagwood, I have an idea. And last picture, the rose, she shows the idea to Dagwood, who has his sleeves rolled up but a mop and a pail in his hands. I thought as long as we had to clean the house for our party, we could let Cookie have her little party today, too, this afternoon. So first picture next row, as Dagwood scrubs the floor, Blondie continues. You see, that's killing two birds with one stone. And Dagwood echoes, yeah, two birds. A little later, as Dagwood's cleaning out the bookshelves and shoving around the furniture, Blondie says cheerfully. Oh, the house will look lovely. It's beginning to glisten. And Dagwood, who's beginning to get tired, groans. Oh, my back is glistening. Last picture, the rose, the place is finally all cleaned up. It looks as shiny as a needle after a winter in a roll of yarn. And Blondie says, hooray, we're partying. And as Blondie holds poor, tired Dagwood up, he groans. Oh, I'm going up in the attic and sleep on the cot. That's the safest place during a children's party. First picture next row, it's time for the party to begin. Cookie comes home with the pals, opens the door and yells. It's a good thing she said so because no one would know it. Upstairs in the attic, Dagwood has been napping. Suddenly he exclaims, oh, great Scott, there must be an earthquake. The whole house is shaking. And then he realizes it's the kids. So he rolls over in price to go off to sleep again. Last picture of the row, the house begins to shake. And Dagwood wakes up again to the terrific racket that children are making. He yells, it's the A-bomb. It's a cataclysm. He leaps out of bed, onto the floor. And suddenly there's a big silence, a horrible silence, a frightening silence. And as Dagwood wonders what's happened, first picture bottom row, the attic door opens. And Blondie says, OK, dear. Cookie's party's over. All the children have gone. And Dagwood goes dizzy with relief. A minute later, Blondie and Dagwood are downstairs looking at the living room, which looks like wild horses have kicked it apart. And Blondie says cheerfully, Well now we have to straighten up the house a little for our party tonight. And Dagwood groans, oh, it's a shambles. Last picture, Blondie hands Dagwood a bucket of water and a mop again. Wraps the vacuum cleaner out of the closet. And as they begin their work all over again, she says, That's a good idea of having both parties in one day, isn't it? And Dagwood, so tired, tears trickle down his eyes, slowly groans. Yes, dear, beachy. Having two parties in one day? I just love it when we have two parties in one day. And does your daddy come home for both of them? Oh, no. Well, he's a smart one. Well, no, I don't know. Just like you are. Oh, and you remember, he's starting a new adventure. So please read that quick. Very well, then. Here we go with Roy Rogers. Ah, yippee-yoh. Now here we go with Roy and Trigger. Ah, yippee-yoh. Roy is met a friend of his called Doleful Hawkins, who's asked him for help. As Roy and he ride along today toward a ranch near Rohide, Doleful says, Yes, sir, Roy, folks up Rohide way, Bad off stock, killed by the storm, Range fences down. Roy replies, Well, I'm sure it's not as bad as you make it, Doleful Hawkins. But I'll be glad to help on a trail drive. It develops that Doleful wants Roy's help in driving a herd of cattle over a tough mountain trail. And he's told Roy of a valuable steer that can lead the cattle over the dangerous trail. As they dismount at the O'Dowd ranch, Doleful says, With all Roy Jack's lead steer, we might get a herd over the mountains to Rohide, but... Hey, stop moaning, Doleful. And show me this lead steer you've been praising. Third picture first row, Doleful points out the steer to Roy. And he says, That's Blackjack. My gravy's so skinny and puny, Don't look like he can walk to the watercrop. Roy replies, Yeah, but he knows every inch of the Rohide trail. That's the important thing. Just then, somebody takes a shot at him. First picture next row, A pretty girl comes out of the cabin holding a gun on them. It's Ben O'Dowd's daughter, Wildwood. When she sees it's her friend Doleful Hawkins, she tells him she thought he was a rustler trying to steal her prized steer. Well, they all go inside the cabin, and Doleful introduces Roy to Wildwood. This is Roy Rogers, Wildwood. We come to hire your Blackjack for a trail drive to Rohide. Wildwood says the Blackjack's not for hire unless they take her along. So they sit down to plan the cattle drive over the mountains. Meanwhile, at the corral, a stranger has written up quietly, gotten off his horse, and is trying to flip a lasso over Blackjack's horns. The steer snorts and tries to get away and the man slains, Quiet, you blasted maverick. I got orders to keep you from leading the trail drive to Rohide. And I aim to carry him out. Last picture in the cabin, Wildwood hearing the commotion goes for her gun saying she'll ventilate anybody who hurts her Blackjack. Doleful exclaims, I knew something like this would happen. And Roy cautions Wildwood. Wait, Wildwood, stay back. Steal that steer. Is it because he's so good at leading the cattle across the mountains? Yes, there's something mysterious about that. Oh, maybe it's rustlers. They want to steal Blackjack so he can lead cattle. They steal to hiding places in the mountains. Oh, this is a good beginning for the adventure, isn't it? Now, let's turn over the page and see a flash Gordon's there. Right over the page we go. And here he is. And I'll read Flash in just a moment. But first here's that nice man again with something interesting to say. Now, here we go again with Puck the Comic Weekly and on page two of the second section, Flash Gordon. Magic words for the music, please. Very well, my lady. Rigger, rigger, dune, dune. Professor Matash, let's have music for heroic flash. Professor Bright, a famous scientist, has asked Flash to investigate shooting meteors that have been falling from the moon. Flash thinks someone is trying to destroy Earth and is only too eager to look into the matter. As he, Dale, and Professor Bright are in a plane on an investigation trip, a meteor comes toward them and whizzes by his spaceship and buries itself in the Earth with a tremendous blast. The pilot calls out. Professor Bright, I have a message from headquarters. Their radar picked up that meteor's track. It came from the moon. Flash quickly lands on Earth. Immediately they set about the task of refitting Flash's spaceship. They load up a stock of atom bomb-flying missiles. Professor Bright says grimly, we'll have to destroy the volcano or whatever is shooting out these meteors. Finally the day comes when the ship is ready for departure and the giant ship is set up for launching on a mountain top. Last picture top row, Flash, Dale, and Professor Bright approach the ship, ready to take off. First picture bottom row, away they go. Speeding toward the moon. Millions watch on TV and hope for success as the rocket starts with a mighty roar. In a few minutes it reaches top speed of seven miles a second and soon the huge rocket is escaping from the Earth's gravity. Last picture, Flash says finally. Alright, I'm shutting off the rocket power. Great from the pull of gravity, Dale suddenly finds herself weightless and floats lightly across the cabin. While Bright stares, all struck at the Earth, he is left. Yes, you see, when you get beyond the layer of air around the Earth and away from the pull of gravity, which is a force that pulls you to the Earth, you just float in the air like a bubble because you're lighter than the air. Oh, that must be fun. Yes, but it can be dangerous because you have no control of yourself. Oh, look, you see that? That's the Earth. Oh, next week we'll get to the moon, won't we? I think we will. I've always wanted to go to the moon. Well, you'll be here next week and maybe you will. Oh, I'll be here. Now what should we read? Well, Uncle Remus. Well, you made up my mind for me in a hurry. So over the page we go past Buzz Sawyer, turn over the page, go past Barney Google and we'll skip Donald Duck for now, then turn over that page and there on page six under little iodine is Uncle Remus and his tales of Brer Rabbit. Say the magic words with me. Hippity hoppity, make it a habit to give us music for old Brer Rabbit. Uncle Remus says, when Brer Weasel gets to scheming, he can out-scheme all the creatures in the neighborhood. That is Shepton Brer Rabbit. Yes, Brer Weasel is going to pull the trick on everybody in the community. He's up on the ladder in an apple tree painting the apples gold. That's what I said, gold. And Brer Weasel says, this is the best key mask come up yet. I paint the apples gold and then I sell the golden apple tree. Brer Rabbit was hiding behind a tree. Over here's this and... Yes, sir, I'll sell this golden apple tree for a zillion dollars and then I go up and I set her down in Mrs. Slipper. Brer Rabbit says to himself, so he's going to fleece the creatures and then slip away, huh? Brer Rabbit decides to borrow Brer Weasel's scheme and he's at his home third picture of the row mixing some paint and he's saying to himself, when it comes to painting, two brushes is better than one. Last picture top row, Brer Weasel is under his tree with a golden apples and says, look folks, look, a golden apple tree. The only one in the world. Get rich quick. Now how much am I bid? Brer Goose honks. Real golden apples. And Brer Terefin asks. Yeah, how much do you want? First picture bottom row, Brer Weasel says, we step up, folks. I is selling cheap. Make me an offer. Just think, golden apples for life. Now how much am I bid? $411,000? Who made it $50,000? Little Brer Sparrow says. $611,000. $711,000. Yeah, 1111,000. And as everybody pulls from money out of their purses, Brer Rabbit comes up the row drawing a card piled high with golden apples and everybody stares at Brer Rabbit and they become speechless. And Brer Rabbit announces. Nice fresh, solid golden apples, five cents a dozen. And everybody dashes for Brer Rabbit. Brer Rabbit has sold all of his golden apples. And last picture, as the quitters run off in 42 different directions, Brer Rabbit counts his money. 1111,000 in one, in five cents. And Brer Weasel, who hasn't sold a single apple or his tree, holds his head unhappily saying, I is being scumped. And Uncle Remus says. Every time you start out to skin somebody, take long some bandages for yourself. He sold his apples so cheap that everybody bought from him instead of buying from Brer Weasel. Yes, this is one time when Brer Rabbit behaved according to the golden rule. Due to others, what you would want them to do to you. Yes, he's such a wonderful fellow. Well, now let's skip over to the last page. Oh, and I know what's there. It's Dick's Adventures. And you are right. And this is a wonderful adventure too because Dick is on a ship with John Paul Jones. Yes, and they just set fire to a lot of ships in an English port when they saw one of the most famous English ships heading toward them. Oh, I want to see what's going to happen. Maybe there'll be a big sea battle. Very well, we'll find out. Here we go with Dick's Adventures and say the magic words with me. Let's add music for adventure to Dick. Let's add music for adventure to Dick. High up in the shrouds, Dick, who is the watchman, yells, British Man of War bearing down on us. Dick is back in the great days of John Paul Jones, which, mathless daring, Jones and one small Yankee frigate is raiding up and down the English coast, defying the whole Royal Navy to find him and stop him. By Jones' ship, the Yankee raider is disguised as a merchant ship. Its guns are covered, but the Royal Man of War is suspicious. John Paul Jones lets his approach with inhaling distance last picture top row. First picture next row, the British skipper calls across the water. I see that! What's your name? Where from and where to? And suddenly, John Paul Jones is yelling, Quarters! Dick is running up the Yankee collards. The hidden cannon are rolled into place. The last picture of the row, the English sea captain recognizes John Paul Jones' famous ship by Yankee raider. First picture next row, both ships maneuver per position, crossing and criss-crossing as they let go with broadside. In an hour, the British Drake is a burning wreck, and in this hour, the American Navy is born. After the victory, John Paul Jones slips across the channel into France for repairs. From Ambassador Ben Franklin in Paris, he receives a hero's welcome. And Dick is with him, shaking hands with the famous Ben Franklin, who is then in France. And Dick smiles happily to think that he has been with the hero, and has participated in the battle that defeated the British ship. And then, last picture, Dick looks around, and suddenly realizes he's been sleeping and has awakened in his own room. And he says, hey, but John Paul Jones fought an even bigger battle, the Bonhami Richard against the Serapis. Oh, I wonder when that happened. Oh, it certainly was, and so it wasn't the clever of John Paul Jones to pretend to be just an ordinary sailing ship. Yes, and then when the British ship got close to him, he uncovered the cannons and bang, bang, it was gone. Yes, that's what you call smart generalship. Mm-hmm. Now, let's see what's going to happen with Rusty Rally. Oh, yes, this is getting mighty exciting, because the young man named Smith knows that Rusty has the painting that he's after. And he has to ride with them in the truck so that he could stick close to Rusty and try to get the painting. Mm-hmm. And do you remember last week when they were having dinner in the farmhouse, the man on the radio was announcing that somebody had stolen some important plans from the factory, and all of a sudden, Smithy switched the radio off, and I think that he's the one who stole the plan. Well, let's read and find out. So here we go with Rusty Rally. Gallop and run till the road is dusty. Give us music for his horse and Rusty. Smithy has left the farmhouse ahead of Rusty and Tex. Now, after a nice visit with the farmer and his wife, Rusty and Tex are heading back to the truck. Rusty's saying, Hey, that was sure nice of Mr. and Mrs. Jones to invite us to dinner, wasn't it, Tex? Tex replies, Yep, they're sure right, fine folks. But I was plum embarrassed when Smithy jumped up and turned off the news program on the radio. Maybe damn folks wanted to hear it. Yeah, I noticed that too, Tex. He acted like he didn't want us to hear that news program. He sure acts funny sometimes. Yeah, he sure does, Rusty. That's why I didn't cotton to leaving him alone in the van. He seemed too anxious to get down there ahead of us. Meanwhile, in an office back in New England, some men in the factory are having a very serious meeting. Someone has stolen some plans from the factory where Smithy has been working. Last picture top row, one of the men asks, Uh, when did you first miss them? Another man replies, Yesterday morning, we had occasion to refer to them and then we discovered that the envelopes contained blank sheets of paper. He goes on first picture bottom row. And at the same time, a draftsman, who worked on those plans, bought it for work. Another man says, Yes, and I followed that lead sheet. His landlady heard him call the airport. I found he bought a seat and a flight to Lexington. But there, we lost him. He didn't board that plane. At this very moment, Smithy is in the van, looking through Rusty's and Tex's stuff. Smithy says, Well, the fat's in the fire now. The disappearance of the plans has been discovered. He's possibly looking for me now. I've got to get that horse picture tonight and get out of sight. He picks up Rusty's suitcase and starts to open it. Just then, Rusty's dog, Flip, starts to growl. At this moment, Rusty, who's not very far from the truck, exclaims, Hey, listen, Tex, Flip's excited about something. He sounds angry. Tex replies, Hey, come on, Rusty, I gotta hunch that Smith-Hombrey's up to something. That's just in time. Yes, now if they catch Smithy in the truck with an open suitcase, they'll know he's up to no good. Oh, I just hope he doesn't have a gun in his pocket, because I'm sure Tex doesn't have a gun. Well, that's something you'll have to wait until next week to find out. Well, we'll find out about those, and you'll have to bear it. Now, that's all the time I have for today, but before I go, here's that nice fellow with some more interesting information. Well, honey, and all you boys and girls, I've got to go now. Come and meet me with a little friend, Miss Honey, next week when I read Puck the Comic Weekly. For I'm the Comic Weekly Man, the Jolly Comic Weekly Man. I'll be back to read the funnies to your 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.