comicbooks.com Join Free
Home › Picture News › #4 › Read

★ comicbooks.com Reading Room

Picture News #4 (1946)

Lafayette Street Corporation · 1946 · 53 pages

Free to read · restored edition by comicbooks.com · Issue details →

Picture News #4 (1946) — page 1 of 53
1 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 2 of 53
2 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 3 of 53
3 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 4 of 53
4 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 5 of 53
5 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 6 of 53
6 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 7 of 53
7 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 8 of 53
8 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 9 of 53
9 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 10 of 53
10 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 11 of 53
11 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 12 of 53
12 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 13 of 53
13 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 14 of 53
14 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 15 of 53
15 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 16 of 53
16 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 17 of 53
17 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 18 of 53
18 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 19 of 53
19 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 20 of 53
20 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 21 of 53
21 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 22 of 53
22 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 23 of 53
23 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 24 of 53
24 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 25 of 53
25 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 26 of 53
26 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 27 of 53
27 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 28 of 53
28 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 29 of 53
29 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 30 of 53
30 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 31 of 53
31 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 32 of 53
32 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 33 of 53
33 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 34 of 53
34 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 35 of 53
35 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 36 of 53
36 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 37 of 53
37 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 38 of 53
38 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 39 of 53
39 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 40 of 53
40 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 41 of 53
41 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 42 of 53
42 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 43 of 53
43 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 44 of 53
44 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 45 of 53
45 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 46 of 53
46 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 47 of 53
47 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 48 of 53
48 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 49 of 53
49 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 50 of 53
50 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 51 of 53
51 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 52 of 53
52 / 53
Picture News #4 (1946) — page 53 of 53
53 / 53
ContinuePicture News #5 →
Contains 16 stories
If I Could - You Can!
4 pp · non-fiction; biography
Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt recounts his personal battle with infantile paralysis in this inspiring biographical account, sharing how he refused to surrender to disability despite losing his former freedom to move and pursue the active life he'd known. Drawing strength from the example of other remarkable figures who achieved greatness despite their own handicaps, Roosevelt's message to the wounded veterans returning from World War II becomes a testament to the power of determination and inner victory. "If I Could — You Can!" presents his own hard-won triumph as proof that physical limitations need not define a person's reach or accomplish​ments.

Famous Marine Crowned King of the Voodoos
4 pp · non-fiction; war
The Girl Elevator Operator, Who Fell 70 Stories in the Empire State Bldg. Airplane Crash, Lives to Walk Again!
4 pp · non-fiction

When a Mitchell bomber crashes into the Empire State Building on a foggy July morning in 1945, elevator operator Betty Lou Oliver is caught in the disaster—her car plummets 70 stories, leaving her with a fractured spine, broken bones, and severe burns. Trapped in the wreckage and facing months of grueling recovery at Bellevue Hospital, Betty Lou refuses to surrender to her injuries, driven by determination and the support of her husband, a Navy torpedoman on emergency leave from the Pacific. This is the true story of one woman's remarkable struggle to reclaim her life after one of New York's most catastrophic accidents.

What We Must Do to Avoid the Disaster of Inflation
4 pp · non-fiction

In this urgent 1946 educational piece, Chester Bowles of the OPA lays out the dangers facing postwar America: runaway inflation threatens to repeat the economic devastation that followed World War I, when unchecked prices devastated families and triggered the crash of 1920. Through vivid snapshots of that earlier catastrophe—families unable to afford rent, shoes, or groceries; hundreds of thousands of businesses collapsing; millions losing their jobs—Bowles argues that price controls remain essential to protecting working Americans and preventing another depression. The story calls on citizens to support the OPA's efforts and take simple steps to keep inflation at bay.

How the Flying Baritone Wrote the Greatest Song of World War II
4 pp · non-fiction; war

Captain Robert Crawford, Alaska-born pilot and golden-voiced composer, juggled two passions—flying and music—before World War II gave him the chance to combine them. Drafted into the Army Air Transport Command to deliver bombers to far-flung fronts, Crawford composed "The Army Air Corps," which became the official service tune, and continued writing stirring songs for homesick servicemen across the globe. His wartime contributions earned him promotion to Major and consideration for the Legion of Merit, proving that courage and creativity fly on the same wings.

Feeding Birds!
3 pp · non-fiction

When inventor John Clymer stumbles upon an idea for handmade bird feeders in a magazine article, he and his wife craft their first prototype in the garage—and discover they've tapped into something special. Word spreads quickly, orders multiply, and what began as a personal passion soon transforms into a thriving business that puts the whole town of Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania to work. This 1946 true story celebrates how one man's love of nature and honest dealings turned a financial struggle into a thriving enterprise built on trust and integrity.

They Have Not Died in Vain!
1 pp · non-fiction; war

Four Army chaplains—Lt. Clarke V. Poling, Lt. George L. Fox, Lt. John P. Washington, and Lt. Alexander D. Goode—demonstrate extraordinary faith and sacrifice when their troopship, the Dorchester, is torpedoed in the North Atlantic, insisting that G.I.s take the life belts while guided by their shared belief in one God. This 1946 account honors their courage and the enduring legacy they left behind.

Caesar and Cleopatra
3 pp · drama
CleopatraJulius CaesarPothinus

When Julius Caesar invades Egypt and encounters the young Queen Cleopatra by the Sphinx, he sets her on the throne—but their alliance grows complicated as his duties as a general consume him. Cleopatra's ambitions and Caesar's pragmatic mercy clash with the schemes of Egyptian leaders who want him gone, leading to a deed that tests Caesar's tolerance and threatens both their fates. This Picture News adaptation brings George Bernard Shaw's famous story to life through the drama of power, loyalty, and the cost of empire.

The Man Who Has Breakfast with Two Million Women, and Loves It!
2 pp · non-fiction

Tom Breneman, a Pennsylvania-born entertainer, trades his early vaudeville and singing ambitions for a chance at radio after moving to Los Angeles in 1930—and a chance conversation with an idea man at a Hollywood restaurant sparks the concept that would change his career. What begins as "Breakfast at Sardis" becomes a hugely popular daytime radio variety show broadcast from Breneman's own restaurant, where he entertains millions of housewives across the country with unrehearsed guests and good-natured humor. Now heard on over 160 coast-to-coast stations, Breneman has become America's favorite breakfast companion—proof that sometimes the best shows come with a side of eggs and coffee.

A Great Pilot's Wife Receives the Devoted Mascot Who Survived with His Master
3 pp · non-fiction; animal

When a Flying Fortress pilot's faithful dog Thunderbolt waited two years for his missing master, he nearly gave up hope—until a determined effort by military officials and loved ones made an ocean crossing possible. This true story follows the devoted mascot's journey from an English airbase through his master's capture and imprisonment, to a long-awaited reunion with the pilot's wife in New York. Thunderbolt's unwavering loyalty proves that some bonds survive even war's cruelest separations.

Hildegarde's Latest Tips on Beauty for the Teen-Agers
1 pp · non-fiction; fashion

Hildegarde, the glamorous NBC Raleigh Room hostess, shares her essential beauty philosophy for teenagers in this practical fashion guide. She emphasizes that true sophistication means dressing appropriately for the occasion—relaxed for informal settings, romantic (never eccentric) for formal ones—and keeping makeup and hairstyles soft and face-framing to enhance natural youthful charm. Her key advice: match your look to the moment, and let subtlety, not extremes, be your signature.

The 'Gentlemen of Japan' Have Not Surrendered!
3 pp · non-fiction

A pictorial review of Andrew Roth's "Dilemma in Japan," this three-page story traces how Japan's ruling clans and business elite shaped the nation from the 1868 Meiji Restoration through World War II, examining their claims of powerlessness against the military fanatics who drove the war machine. Roth argues that these so-called "moderates"—the zaibatsu businessmen and nobles—worked hand-in-hand with the military to control the population through state religion, suppression of dissent, and imperial propaganda, leaving impoverished peasants vulnerable to promises of conquest. The piece cuts through the post-war excuses of Japan's leadership to reveal a deeper complicity in the nation's path to aggression.

Milt Gross Reviews the News
3 pp · humor

Cartoonist Milt Gross takes a satirical look at the absurd news stories of the day in this three-page humor piece, from a duck-raised chick causing neighborhood chaos to an Alcatraz prisoner with a paratroop-induced phobia. Each vignette—whether it's a baby-faced criminal, a subway beautification scheme gone hilariously wrong, or a college contest to find the most beautiful words in English—skewers the earnest reporting of postwar America with Gross's characteristic irreverent wit. It's a rapid-fire romp through the ridiculous headlines that had people shaking their heads in 1946.

People's College
2 pp · non-fiction; math & science

"People's College" offers a visual tour of our solar system and beyond, explaining how planets orbit the sun, how comets and meteors behave, and revealing that our galaxy is just one of countless others scattered across the cosmos. This 1946 educational feature breaks down the essential facts of astronomy—from the comparative sizes of the planets to the nature of starlight—in clear, accessible diagrams and captions designed to expand your understanding of the known universe.

The Adventures of Al Jennings, Last of America's Daring Train Robbers
3 pp · non-fiction; western-frontier
Al JenningsO. Henry

Al Jennings, America's notorious train robber, recounts his flight to Latin America with his brother and their dramatic encounter with a Spanish Don—an incident that would unexpectedly bind him to O. Henry, destined to become one of the nation's greatest short story writers. After their capture and imprisonment, Jennings finds himself reunited with his former acquaintance behind bars, where both men confront the consequences of their pasts in ways neither could have predicted.

The California Flash!
4 pp · non-fiction; sports
Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson, baseball's first Negro player signed by organized baseball, rises from a childhood in Pasadena through college stardom and military service to become the center of a historic moment when Branch Rickey signs him to the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in 1945. This non-fiction account, written by sports authority Charles Wessell, traces the athlete's remarkable journey and the mixed but ultimately hopeful reaction from the sporting world to his groundbreaking entry into professional baseball.

Restored edition © comicbooks.com. Our digitization, remastering, and presentation are our own work.

See something wrong with this issue? Report it.