Leave It to Binky #8
Leave It to Binky #8 (cover-dated March–April 1949) is a representative artifact of DC's postwar teen-humor push — a deliberate answer to the Archie Comics craze that Sheldon Mayer helped engineer from inside the publisher. What sets this particular issue apart from its siblings is the density of cross-property crossover material indexed within it: Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent appear alongside Sam Spade and Effie Perine (characters borrowed from hard-boiled detective fiction), signaling that the creative team was already using the porous boundaries of DC's shared universe to generate comedy, a technique the publisher would refine for decades. The issue also carries a house ad for Superboy #1, making it a minor time-capsule of the exact moment DC was simultaneously cultivating its superhero and teen-humor lines side by side.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The series was the brainchild of Sheldon Mayer, who devised the concept and cast of characters, with Bob Oksner providing the visual identity from the very first issue in 1948. Oksner later described Binky as a more age-advanced riff on Mayer's earlier semi-autobiographical creation, Scribbly the Boy Cartoonist — both titles shared DC's teen-comedy real estate during this period, with Scribbly even appearing in early Binky issues as a backup feature. Writer-artist Harry Lampert contributed a secondary backup strip ('Lila') to issue #8 alongside the main Oksner stories, reflecting the anthology format that was standard for the 52-page, ten-cent comics of the era.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published March–April 1949 (cover date) by National Comics Publications (DC); 52 pages at ten cents.
- Series created by Sheldon Mayer (concept and characters) and illustrated by Bob Oksner, who drew the book from its 1948 launch through 1958.
- Issue contains multiple short stories illustrated by Bob Oksner, including 'The Matchmaker,' 'No Money For the Check,' 'Mixed Dates,' 'Horse Cents,' and 'A Day With Binky's Folks.'
- Harry Lampert contributed at least one backup 'Lila' strip ('The Entrepreneur starring Lila'), consistent with his recurring role as a secondary contributor in this era of the series.
- Superman and Clark Kent are indexed as appearing characters, continuing the series' practice of humorous DC superhero crossover cameos established as early as issue #5 (where the GCD explicitly notes a Superman cameo in the final panel).
- Sam Spade and Effie Perine — the central detective and secretary from Dashiell Hammett's fiction, popularized by the 1941 film The Maltese Falcon — are indexed as characters, pointing to a parody story that placed hard-boiled noir figures in a teen-comedy context.
- Scribbly Jibbet (Scribbly the Boy Cartoonist, Sheldon Mayer's earlier DC creation) is indexed as an appearing character, consistent with Scribbly's documented role as an occasional backup feature in early Binky issues.
- The issue contains a full-page house advertisement for Superboy #1, placing it squarely at the moment DC was launching its Boy of Steel's solo title.
Cast · 27 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
The senior class is debating whether or not to make the prom a costume ball. Against the idea, Lucy comes up with a particular visual aide to sway the class to her point.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).