Super-Mystery Comics #5

In "The Clown," Jim Mooney delivers a sharp, character-driven tale from Super-Mystery Comics #5, a 1940 10-cent comic that captures the everyday grit and quiet humor of firehouse life. When Smoke, a member of the Engine 8 crew, darts between duties to finish his latest issue of Lightning Comics, his routine takes an unexpected turn—just as the fire alarm sounds, leaving him torn between duty and his favorite comic. Mooney’s expressive art, both in the story and on the cover, brings a grounded, lively energy to the moment, making the mundane feel charged with possibility.