The Adventures of Bob Hope #30

Owen Fitzgerald's cover for this 1954 DC issue sets up a perfectly timed gag at a magic shop counter, where Bob Hope and another gentleman both have their eyes on the charming red-haired salesgirl — she asks if they see any tricks they like, while Bob's companion has a very different kind of "trick" in mind, hearts floating in the air above him. Boxes of magic sets and trick kits crowd the counter, promising the kind of lighthearted mischief that made this series such a fun read. Cal Howard's comedic sensibility, brought to life by Fitzgerald's expressive cartooning, makes this a cheerful snapshot of mid-1950s humor comics at their most easygoing.