Animal Fair #9

Sir Spot assumes the humble guise of Freckles the wandering poet to investigate a damsel's desperate plea for rescue from the Valley of the Mists—but what awaits him is a series of increasingly wild obstacles, from explosive balloons to treacherous nets and a clever opponent with a talent for dirty tricks. As the brave knight battles his way through fog and folly, he'll discover that nothing in this valley is quite what it seems.

Detective Bloodhound stakes out an incoming ocean liner to intercept a smuggled diamond, and eager young reporter Cubby tags along hoping for a scoop—but when a suspicious passenger bolts from the plane mid-search, Cubby finds himself clinging to the aircraft as it takes flight in a desperate aerial chase. As the smuggler attempts to ditch the evidence and escape, an unexpected turn of events puts the detective in position to solve the case in the most literal way possible.

Reddy Fox spots an opportunity to make quick cash when he learns that Farmer Grizzly will pay handsomely for a working rainmaker—so he sells Droopy a worthless stick and a magic incantation, then sits back to watch the inevitable disaster unfold. But sometimes the best-laid schemes fall apart in the most unexpected ways, and Droopy's luck might just be better than Reddy bargained for.

Battling Bantam spots Mac Mule's brand-new car and can't resist taking it for a joyride—especially when he realizes Tom Catt might see him driving it. But his unauthorized spin behind the wheel sets off a chain of misadventures involving an unwanted passenger, a jealous rival, and a fateful parking spot that puts the prized automobile in serious danger. Mac's not going to be happy when he discovers what's happened to his most expensive purchase.

Chippy Chipmunk is eager to tell Franky all about his starring role in the school play, though when pressed for details about how the audience received his performance, it becomes clear the show didn't go quite as planned. This one-page tale captures the gap between a young performer's enthusiasm and the reality of opening night.

Kid Gloves escapes from a South American prison and, spotting a housing shortage in town, hatches a scheme to profit from desperate renters by duplicating hotel keys and posing as departing guests. His con works smoothly at La Paloma until his greed gets the better of him—and he runs straight into the hands of Inspector Cheechee Chili at La Golondrina Hotel.

The Penguin Playboy Tuck Sedo dreams up a scheme to pull off the ultimate practical joke at Crow's Jewelry Shop during a rare diamond exhibition—but his stunt goes hilariously sideways when real thieves use the commotion to pull off a heist of their own. What starts as harmless fun turns into a case of mistaken identity with serious consequences in this four-page romp from Animal Fair #9.

Colonel Walrus, a self-proclaimed world-renowned fire-fighter, regales Snazzy the Snail and the fire department with tall tales of his legendary exploits—from dousing Rome's great fire with water-filled Roman candles to creating a tidal wave to save San Francisco—all while a real blaze spreads dangerously nearby. As the Colonel spins increasingly outlandish yarns about harnessing Niagara Falls to extinguish the Chicago Fire, the actual emergency grows more dire with each passing moment. This 1946 anthropomorphic romp showcases the Colonel's gift for colorful storytelling, even if his priorities might not always align with the job at hand.

Chippy Chipmunk has invited a friend named Franky to dinner at his house, but Franky has some doubts about whether Chippy's mother is actually expecting him. When Franky voices his concerns, Chippy assures him that his mother definitely knows—though their morning conversation about the invitation was apparently quite spirited.