Heroic Comics #38 (1946)

In the aftermath of a deadly fire at the Commercial National Bank, a firefighter recalls his captain’s final wish: to be carried to his funeral in a fire truck, with the fire bell tolling. Though the crew had just buried their fallen leader, the memory of his bravery during the blaze—especially his last moments trying to save others—lives on.

Patrolman Leo Miller responds to a robbery at a hotel, rushing to intercept three armed criminals fleeing the scene. Despite being shot twice—once in the head and once in the leg—he refuses to surrender, pressing forward with determination until police reinforcements arrive and subdue the suspects.

In the quiet of a Brooklyn evening, ex-GI Sergeant Harold Basuino enjoys dinner with his family—until a sudden fire breaks out, triggering his ingrained combat instincts. With calm precision, he takes charge, guiding his loved ones to safety and coordinating a daring rescue that brings the children out through a window as a ladder is raised.

In the winter of 1946, sixteen-year-old William Fitzgerald, a part-time messenger from Jackson Heights, Queens, becomes a hero after rescuing four boys who fell through thin ice on a lagoon near La Guardia Field. With quick thinking and calm resolve, he uses a plank and a tow line to pull each boy to safety, despite the ice cracking beneath him. The story captures a moment of courage and presence of mind in a tense, real-life emergency.

When Mr. Mugavin returns home to find his wife and children unconscious from gas fumes, he quickly springs into action—venting the gas, alerting help, and narrowly avoiding disaster, all while realizing the danger was a false alarm. The story then shifts to a gripping true tale of courage, as a dog sled team led by Balto undertakes a desperate, record-breaking journey across a brutal Alaskan blizzard to deliver life-saving antitoxin to children suffering from a deadly diphtheria outbreak.

In "Against the River," Nell Williams, a fearless riverwoman from Red Fork Landing, Arkansas, volunteers to navigate the raging Mississippi during a catastrophic flood to rescue stranded survivors, facing treacherous currents and towering cypress trees. Though warned that the journey is suicide, especially for a woman, she pushes forward with grit and skill, guiding her boat through deadly channels to deliver food and clothing to those in desperate need.

In the rugged wilderness of the French and Indian War, young George Washington undertakes a perilous mission to deliver a vital message from Governor Dinwiddie to the French command. Guided by an enigmatic Native American who may be a traitor in disguise, his journey back becomes a test of courage and survival.

In a powerful true story from 1946, eighteen-year-old Remo Sterling Cline of Richland, Washington, defies the odds by playing high school football as a senior with a wooden leg, having lost his real leg eight years prior. Despite his physical challenge, he becomes a standout guard and makes a game-winning touchdown after intercepting a pass on his own 2-yard line, earning admiration from teammates and coach alike. After the game, the revelation of his artificial leg leaves his coach stunned, highlighting Cline’s extraordinary determination and courage.

In 1756, a young boy named Jo climbs a warship’s mast during a naval battle, driven by a belief that lowering the enemy’s flag means victory. He succeeds in hauling down the French flag, unaware that the battle is already decided, but his bold act earns him a surprise promotion and sets him on a remarkable rise through the British Navy. His name, Jo Hopson, becomes legendary in naval history.