Smash Comics #50

When Dave Clark arranges for the famously taciturn Hiram the Hermit to appear on his radio program—along with Hiram's prized diamond and his remarkably intelligent coyote, Oscar—the gem vanishes during the broadcast, setting off a wild chase. Midnight arrives to investigate, but Hiram is confident that Oscar's tracking abilities will lead them straight to the thief, even as rival criminal gangs get wind of the heist and scramble to claim the prize themselves. It's a rollicking adventure that blends comedy, mystery, and desert wisdom in true 1944 style.

When Rookie Rankin meets Old Jim, a prospector carrying gold nuggets and a map to his Idaho mine, he's eager to help—but two criminals overhear their plans and decide to steal the treasure for themselves. After a brutal ambush leaves Rookie fighting for his life, he must use his wits and rodeo skills to track down the thieves and recover what was taken, all while racing against time in the Idaho hills.

Black X infiltrates a heavily fortified Japanese stronghold on Gloom Island, where he discovers the fortress commander is actually Kitsune, a hypnotist conducting sinister experiments on his troops. When Black X is captured and forced into the fort, he must outwit Kitsune's mind control powers while uncovering the true scope of the "soul doctor's" plans to turn hypnotized soldiers into unstoppable forces. It's a battle of wits and willpower as the Allied spy races to stop Kitsune's scheme before the fortress—and its secrets—are lost forever.

In "The Jollity Theater Affair," superheroine Brenda stumbles into a high-stakes mystery when her search for spies leads her straight onto the stage of the Jollity Theatre—forced to perform as an exotic dancer. There, she uncovers a dangerous secret: the seemingly harmless balloon dancers are using their act to relay intelligence to the enemy.