Feature Funnies #7

When the U.S. Navy staged its Navy Day celebration in 1938, the service deployed hundreds of warships in a spectacular review—and among them was one of the Navy's newest aircraft, the Curtiss SOC-1 Scout-Observation Seaplane, freshly catapulted from a carrier for all to see. This single-page feature showcases the sleek modern plane and includes plans for building a solid balsa model of this fast naval flyer.

When Jack Dempsey, the world heavyweight champion, faced off against Luis Firpo in a brutal 1923 contest, neither fighter held back—Dempsey's vicious hooks and Firpo's wild charges sent both men crashing to the canvas repeatedly, with Dempsey even flying out of the ring after a crushing blow to the jaw. The Argentine challenger kept surging back, seemingly unstoppable, but Dempsey's relentless assault in the second round proved decisive. This explosive clash has etched itself into boxing legend as one of the most savage heavyweight fights ever fought.

Born in a modest Montana home, Myrna Williams showed early promise as a performer, and her parents encouraged her talent for acting. After moving to Hollywood and adopting the stage name Loy, she registered with casting offices, where a mix-up led to her being cast in Oriental roles until the studio realized their "Chinese siren" was actually Irish. Her breakthrough came with a sophisticated part in "The Animal Kingdom," and by 1937 she had climbed to the very top—voted Queen of Hollywood's female stars by millions of newspaper readers across the country.

Captain Kane races against the clock when a mysterious criminal known as The Owl warns a former rum-runner named Baldy Getzmore that they'll meet at 11:30—but a surprise revelation turns the investigation on its head. As The Clock arrives to help catch the thief, tensions mount and secrets hidden in Getzmore's safe threaten to expose far more than anyone bargained for.

Coach Ned Brant faces down the athletic board over his decision to bench Red Light rather than risk the player's health in a basketball championship game—only to discover the board shares his values. When baseball season arrives at Carter College, Brant must navigate new challenges as he molds his team for the upcoming Big Eight season, though not everyone on the squad shares his commitment to player welfare over winning at any cost.

In "The Year of the Purple Curse!" from *Feature Funnies* #7, a collection of strange-but-true historical curiosities presents the turbulent year 238 A.D., when five successive emperors of Rome—Gordianus I, Gordianus II, Pupienus Maximus, Caelus Balbinus, and Gaius Verus Maximinus—all met violent ends. This remarkable coincidence of death among those who wore the imperial purple stands as one of history's most dramatic turns of fortune.