Smash Comics #74

When a radio announcer's screwball pals buy the contract of a mysterious masked fighter to take on the formidable Killer Drake, things spiral from bad to worse—the fighter proves to be a sensitive sort who crumbles under pressure, forcing the exasperated announcer to step in and set things right. Sniffer Snoop, Doc Wackey, Gabby, and the rest of the gang learn a hard lesson about honesty when Midnight arrives to teach them a thing or two about fighting fair.

In "null," the Jester digs into the suspicious death of a local eatery owner, where witness Lulu’s shifting tales to Detective McGinty raise red flags. Chuck Lane, ever sharp, senses something’s off—two lies, not one—pulling the investigation into deeper shadows.

In this 1947 installment from *Smash Comics #74*, Lady Luck finds herself the guest of honor at a banquet hosted by the Montrose Alumnae Association—only to discover the event’s original host has fallen ill. Now, the responsibility of introducing her falls to Brenda Banks, setting the stage for an unexpected moment of connection.

In "Bubble Gum Blues," Spunky and Pug take a radio contest to the extreme—cheating with a hot air hose to blow a record-breaking bubble. The next night, on air, Spunky’s overzealous practice lands him in a sticky situation, leaving the announcer with a note that says he’s got lockjaw.

In "The Lady of the Pearls!" from Smash Comics #74 (1947), Black X and Batu stumble upon a suspicious coffin being loaded into a truck, setting off a chain of intrigue that leads to a mysterious woman trapped within. When a wealthy man named Graspon offers a fortune for the coffin and is turned down, Black X discovers the unconscious beauty inside—only to find himself targeted by hired thugs eager to claim her by force.