| Comments |
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| Even given the fact that Golden Age comics covered a wide variety of genres, I'm surprised that such an off-the-wall character as The Barker lasted so long. 32 issues cover-featured in National Comics and 15 issues of his own magazine. It's also interesting that his National covers were for the most part low-key symbolic images (e.g. a clown carrying balloons with the cast's faces on them). Quality often used simple, rather quiet cover images, which probably stood out on shelves full of garish action-packed covers. The Barker took that trend to the extreme. I'd think his covers wouldn't have pulled in new readers, but with that 47-issue run I guess I'm wrong. |
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| I suspect that they didn't buy the book specifically to read 'The Barker'. This was an anthology book, like 'Walt Disney Comics and Stories' and like that book, you didn't buy it for any one story, but for the variety of stories. Also the quality of a 'Quality' book was much higher than the average and didn't disappoint. |
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| So Jack Cole's super-speedster Quicksilver now has to borrow a horse to follow the villains? How are the mighty fallen. Looks like he needs three Weetabix!! |
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| Additional Information |
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| Publication | June 1947 | Price: 0.10 USD | Pages: 1 | Frequency: bi-monthly |
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| Cover | Big Ed Grew? |
| Content | Genre: Adventure; Humor | Characters: The Barker [Carnie Callahan] |
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| Comic Story | Big Ed Grew (11 pages) |
| Content | Genre: Adventure; Humor | Characters: The Barker [Carnie Callahan]; Big Ed Grew (first appearance; villain) |
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| Comic Story | Phantom Pirates of the Bay (8 pages) |
| Synopsis | Sally gets invited to a party on a yacht. A lot of uninvited guests show up too. |
| Content | Genre: Detective-mystery | Characters: Sally O'Neil; Bill; Cassidy; Max Vult (villain); Sam Shark (villain); Shrimp (villain) |
| Notes | formerly credited to Al Bryant? |
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| Content | Genre: Humor |
| Notes | Final appearance in National Comics. Windy Breeze will move to Candy (Quality Comics, 1947 Series) starting with issue #7 (December 1948). |
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| Comic Story | Juvenile Delinquency (7 pages) |
| Synopsis | Retired Judge Putzwillie speaks to elementary school children and says they can come to him any time with problems. Lassie takes him literally and the judge eventually has a nervous breakdown. |
| Content | Genre: Humor; Children | Characters: Lassie; Judge Gadsby T. Putzwillie; Laddie; Winfield; Clara Putzwillie |
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| Comic Story | Mr. Worm (7 pages) |
| Content | Genre: Detective-mystery | Characters: Granny Gumshoe; Mr. Worm (first appearance; villain) |
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| Comic Story | The Disappearance of Bob Van Dorn (7 pages) |
| Content | Genre: Superhero | Characters: Quicksilver |
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| Text Story | Mingoes (2 pages) |
| Credits | Letters: typeset |
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| Comic Story | The Gasoline Formula (6 pages) |
| Content | Genre: Adventure; Humor; Children | Characters: Intellectual Amos |
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| Comic Story | Shake Hands With Terror (6 pages) |
| Content | Genre: Detective-mystery | Characters: Steve Wood |
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| Advertisement | How Jet Propulsion Works! (1 page) |
| Featuring | US Royal; US bike tires |
| Credits | Pencils: Al Plastino | Inks: Al Plastino |
| Content | Characters: US Royal; Elm City Bike Club |
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| The data in the additional content section is courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under a
Creative Commons Attribution License.
More details about this comic may be available in their page here |
