Sparkler Comics #11 (11)

In the whimsical world of *null*, two bumbling brothers, Hans and Fritz, find themselves stranded and outmatched when their family is swept away by the sea—leaving them at the mercy of the dastardly Flotsam and Jetsam. Determined to save their kin, they set out to summon the fearsome (but surprisingly friendly) Manny the Monster, who enlists his clever cephalopod ally Oliver the Octopus to outwit the pirates. With the villains foiled and a hidden treasure revealed, the brothers and their family prepare to sail home, their pockets full of dreams and their hearts full of adventure.

In this 1942 humor tale from *Sparkler Comics #11*, Biltybux’s well-intentioned attempt to support the war effort spirals hilariously out of control when his generosity—so thorough it leaves him broke—lands him with a $2 million tax bill. With Bombo by his side, he hatches a scheme to settle his debt by volunteering as a soldier, turning his financial misadventure into a military service of sorts.