The Adventures of Bob Hope #39

The cover of this July 1956 DC gem says it all: a wild-eyed Bob Hope clings desperately to a galloping, thoroughly uncooperative horse while a cool-headed blonde companion looks on, polo mallet in hand, clearly reconsidering the whole equestrian adventure. Owen Fitzgerald's expressive linework wrings every ounce of comedy from the scene — the horse's determined scowl perfectly matches Bob's barely-hanging-on panic, with dust clouds flying and limbs flailing in all directions. If this cover is any measure of what Cal Howard and Fitzgerald cooked up inside, issue #39 promises the kind of breezy, gag-packed fun that made this series a genuine treat.