Detective Comics #16


Let's talk some more about Slam Bradley, shall we?

The time is June 1938. If that sounds a little familiar, it should; there was a new comic debuting that month, and Slam Bradley's creators had the cover feature. And why shouldn't they? Over the past year, Slam has moved from the last feature in Detective comics to the lead... although, to be fair, this was at least partly because the other features didn't do much to set themselves apart from the pack. But I digress...

The point is, Slam is at the top of his career, and busting Chinese face is hard work, so it's time for a vacation in New York. Being partners for life, obviously Shorty comes with him, and they take in a musical show for relaxation and pleasure. Of course, where our boys go, action follows. Shorty would rather continue the relaxation and pleasure, but Slam can't turn down a chance to solve a case in his own peculiar way.

Slam's way, as it turns out, is quite peculiar indeed.

Slam wants to be a tap-dancer, he wants to be a tap-dancer right now, and by God, he will not take no for an answer. What Slam Bradley wants, Slam Bradley gets, and everyone around him gets it too. Slam has decided that the robberies are inside jobs, and he and Shorty must be tap-dancers to foil them.

Guess how the audition goes. Go on, guess. Slam's performance is convincing, and soon, as the narrator informs us, the unbelievable actually occurs. (Less unbelievable is Shorty's assertion that no lady will ever be his wife.) It turns out that one of the dancing girls is Joan Carter, who has a history of trailing Slam and then moving in on his case. You can figure out what this little dig means for yourself.

Back on stage, Slam and Shorty get heckled. Surprisingly, Shorty is the one to take violent exception this time, and deals some midget street justice. Slam and Shorty get fired; it's not explicitly stated that this is the consequence of beating up the audience, but then again would you tell Slam Bradley something like that? Shorty sneaks back to the theater to pick up Slam's clothes, but overhears the identity of the kidnapper (someone we have never met nor heard of.) Unfortunately, his victim catches up with him and takes some poorly-worded revenge. Of course, nobody can keep Shorty in the closet for long, but as he escapes he runs into Joan, who gets the information from him and punches him out again.

There's the usual running around. The criminal gets a gun on Joan, Shorty comes out of the closet again and manages to warn Slam this time, and it all builds up to... uh...

This.

Yep. That's all the violence Slam gets this issue. The robber is cissy-kicked into submission and Slam gets a five thousand dollar reward. With the five grand, Carol finds Slam suddenly much more attractive, but Shorty makes it clear who's got dibs.

These are the only two classic Slam Bradley posts I had saved - but I have the first fifty issues of Detective Comics ready and waiting for when I have a chance to lay into them. Keep 'em flying!