I think I'm going to have to miss out on Jingle Jangle #22. Just haven't had a free moment to get to it. My sincere apologies, all.

Assignment #7...

Yes, Jack Cole’s art made the look through for me worthwhile alone, chaotic like a combination of gangster movies and Looney Tunes.

Assignment #8...

"Blasts of Doom"-



Think you used enough dynamite there, Butch?

Some owlhoots are aimin' to rob the train, when Ghost Rider interrupts and drives them off. GR and his buddy Sing-Song (Ugggghhhhh.........casual racism) make some smoke bombs, which come in handy the next time those no good sidewinders try to do it again, with a dynamite diversion. GR nearly gets his head blown off and follows the gang, then does his thing...



He throws gold coins at them and kicks some booty, then rides off to the.....um...sunrise?

Nothing too special but a good, basic story, with the fireworks gimmick. Ayers really handles the movements of the horse well. His figures are still rather basic; but, that improves.

"Dead Man's Bluff"-Some mangy polcats are attackin' the stage. Sing-Song fires a rifle over their head, while Rex Fury rides down (in civies) guns a-blazin'. He drives them off, then finds that the stage has no passengers or payroll; nothing to rob. They come back for more and pin down Rex and the stagehands. They are rescued by Myra Brainard and some sharp shootin'. Myra was supposed to be on the stage and was following. This was the third attempt on her life. She doesn't know why. Her pop was murdered and her paralyzed uncle is running things (sounds pretty obvious to me). The varmits try attackin' a woman in the night and get run off by Ghost Rider. Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye narrate with a song. Or was that Cat Ballou? GR end sup in trouble, but uses his reversible cape (balck on the inside) to hide in the dark and throws his voice to lure the men away. he returns to the ranch, as Rex. Uncle Pete is safe, but can't get out of bed, because his wheel chair is across the room. Wait....how'd he get into bed? Rex wonders, too and sends a wire. The reply says Peter Brainard died on the operating table, trying to have the bullet removed from his spine. GR waits for another attack, suckers them with a dummy on horseback then gets the drop on them. he unmasks Uncle Peter as the leader of the Hennesy gang. Rex rides off with his faithful in...uh...Chinese companion.

Little more intrigue in this one, though it is too short to keep you guessing long. I really liked this one.

"The Ghost Rider Strikes by Day"-Indians have been attacking defenseless ranches. The menfolk want somethin' done; they think someone is alerting them about the defenses. Jed Barr says that's nuts. Rex and Sing-Song go to check on the KC ranch and find Jed signalling with a torch. Ghost Rider drives off Jed and the indians. Rex tracks the indians and sneeks up and overhears Jed order a daylight raid. he heads back and Sing-Song is reading an almanac and says they are in for a big surprise. An eclipse creates darkness and Ghost Rider strikes and wipes them out.

Bit contrived but good action and gimmick. Like the fact that Sing-Song, despite the racial depiction and visual, is portrayed as the brains (making fireworks, consulting almanacs).

"Grim Treasure"-Linda Parry empties her bank account to pay the wages she owes. Her silver mine isn't producing.Jed Bruner wants to buy her out, but she is suspicious, if it is so worthless. he tries to strongarm her and Rex Fury gives him a shot to the jaw...



Linda thanks him and tells him about the sabotage and accidents that have plagued her mine. Rex and Sin-Song investigate. Sing-Song overhears the engineer say the silver is run out. Rex looks at the plans and finds their digging directions strange. He goes out to investigate, as Ghost Rider. He and Sing-Song check the mine and find the new tunnel curving away from where the previous vein ran, rather than deeper into it. The engineer comes in and it is time to make like a ghost. He uses a silver mirror to trick him into seeing two Ghost Riders. he admits he is in on the scam. Linda, GR and Sing-Song find Bruner's men digging under her mine. They fight and win, justice is served.

Not a bad mystery, though, again, length makes short work of it.

So, each story is about 8 or 9 pages, which isn't a lot of room; but, for stories for your dime ain't bad. It's all Ayers, too, apart from a Frazetta cover. Also an add for Bob Benson and Tim Holt western comics, which were also great. AC Comics published a lot of black & white reprints of this material and it holds up pretty well, for the time. ME had a good line in westerns.

Bad for Ayers' bank account....

Also, I find it interesting this costume is called ugly, when to me, it really doesn’t seem any more out place than Superman’s iconic costume: