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Bang-Up Comics
- 1 (December 1941) Buzz Takes Flight
- 2 (March 1942) The Attack on Dictators
These best stories of the comic books are preceded by their issue number.
"Buzz" Balmer
"Buzz" Balmer appeared in all three issues of the short-lived Bang-Up Comics comic book. His first two stories are much better than the third.
Buzz Takes Flight (1941). (Title made up by me.) Young "Buzz" Balmer is accidentally shrunk to a tiny size, when he steps in front of the miniaturizing ray created by his scientist father Professor Balmer. Such shrinking rays were common in comic strips of the 1930's, treated seriously in the science fiction strip Brick Bradford, and more comically in Sappo. The latter is E. C. Segar's companion to the Sunday Thimble Theatre featuring Popeye. Sappo featured comic mad scientist O.G. Wotasnozzle, and his many inventions.
It is not clear if "Buzz" Balmer is a super-hero, or not. In some ways, the tales are essentially science fiction. Buzz does not have any super-powers, other than being small. And he is not the only person or object who gets small in the series. On the other hand, he is a person of unique biology, at the center of the tales: which in some ways means he is essentially a super-hero.
The tale has some delightful dialogue. Buzz is fresh, almost a wise guy, with a snappy line of patter to describe his adventures. Much of this is quite funny.
The Attack on Dictators (1942). (Title made up by me.) Buzz goes into action against the world's dictators. Delirious and brilliantly nutty tale - both politically committed, and outré in its science fiction plotting.
This tale is a direct continuation of the story in the previous issue. In some ways, the two should be regarded as a single, unified work. However, the subject matter is also quite distinct, with the previous tale showing his origin and personal life, and this second tale concentrating on Buzz's public activities in the world.