Indicia title is "LITTLE JOE, No. 1." No code number. Copyright 1937, 1938, by Chicago Tribune-N.Y. News Syndicate, Inc.
Cover
Little Joe / 1 page
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Ze General
Notes
Original cover by unknown artist. Ze General appears on the cover but does not appear in any of the stories reprinted in the comic itself.
Comic Story
Don Jose (6 pages)
Synopsis
Don Jose builds a hacienda on a mesa and tries to use his band of bandits to force Little Joe and his family off their ranch.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak; Don Jose (villain)
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Notes
Story is highly edited. Many missing strips were likely left out because of excessive violence. Story begins on inside front cover in black, red, and white. Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped.
Comic Story
Black Jack Smith (8 pages)
Synopsis
An "outlaw with a heart of gold" escapes from a posse by hiding at the Oaks' ranch.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak; Black Jack Smith
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Notes
Sunday pages are reformatted to fit comic book pages, but no panels are dropped.
Comic Story
The Sheep Herders (4 pages)
Synopsis
Utah and Little Joe run off ornery sheep herders who have brought their sheep to the valley.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Notes
Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped.
Comic Story
Farmers, Eutopia, and Dust Storms (20 pages)
Synopsis
Conman Blurb sells claims on free range land in the valley to farmers who establish the village of Eutopia. But drought and lack of ground cover cause massive dust storms that ruin both the farmers and their land.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak; Judge Blurb (villain)
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell
Notes
Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped. The story is obviously inspired by the Great Plains "Dust Bowl" of the mid-1930s.
Comic Story
The New Ranch House (7 pages)
Synopsis
Using labor from the destitute farmers and lumber from deserted houses, a new ranch house for the Oaks is built at the end of "Hidden Valley."
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Notes
Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped.
Comic Story
Utah runs for Sheriff (8 pages)
Synopsis
After shooting a gang of bank robbers, Utah is elected sheriff. He later wipes out a gang of cattle rustlers.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak; Three-Card Al
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Notes
Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped.
Comic Story
The Power Plant (14 pages)
Synopsis
Mr. Drill builds a hydro-electric dam on the Oaks' ranch to generate power for an airplane guidance beacon.
Feature
Little Joe
Genre
Western-frontier
Characters
Little Joe; Utah; Mrs. Oak; Three-Card Al
Script
Harold Gray
Pencils
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Inks
Harold GrayRobert Leffingwell (signed)
Notes
Each Sunday strip is rearranged to fit on the comic page, but no panels are dropped. Strips are printed out of order. 1938.02.27 is the inside back cover and is printed in black, red, and white. 1938.02.20 is the back cover.
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