Police Comics #76 (1948)

In a bizarre twist, the usually flamboyant Mr. Morbid—once a melodramatic crook—abandons his usual antics for a new, melancholy scheme after being deeply affected by a failed romantic gesture involving perfume. When a chance encounter with a cheerful stranger triggers a crisis of existential despair, he creates a devastating new perfume designed to spread unhappiness, turning his criminal spree into a tragic mission of emotional devastation.

In a lighthearted 1948 tale from Police Comics #76, Jo, a perpetually nervous man, tries to avoid paying ten cents for a movie by pretending to be Rocky’s kid brother—only to find himself caught in a far more elaborate scheme when Rocky, ever the schemer, uses the ruse to infiltrate a gang of criminals. The story unfolds with Jo’s desperate antics and Rocky’s mischievous confidence, culminating in a surprising twist that turns the tables on the crooks with a cleverly hidden recorder.

In the midst of a string of art thefts, Patrolman Dan Richards finds himself baffled when a priceless painting vanishes right under his nose—only to be framed by a suspicious art enthusiast, Ritz Regan. With Manhunter and Thor stepping in to unravel the mystery, they follow a trail of bizarre paintings and strange payments, leading them to a shocking discovery about the true source of the stolen masterpieces.