Monday, August 10, 2009

Charlton Notebook: Racket Squad in Action #22

I absolutely love this old Charlton series from the 50s. I have maybe a half-dozen issues and always have my eyes peeled for inexpensive copies. Each issue is a collection of short stories involving one old school scam or another, with the bad guys eventually getting their just desserts. This issue's 'rackets' include one about the pitfall of trying to get your hands on 'free' money, a shady mechanic and a supposedly blind street corner bookie. The lead story is incredible fun. It's about a great pickpocketing scam involving a decoy and and an artificial arm. The artwork is nothing to write home about (mostly Charles Nicholas and Bill Molno as far as I can tell), but the stories are nicely told. This series was a genre unto itself, and this issue is a good and inexpensive (I good a VG- copy for $3) place to start.

3 comments:

Jeremy A. Patterson said...

Ths is a good issue!

J.A.P.

Bill Blair said...

That cover is hilariously lame. Thanks, Comics Code!

Anonymous said...

Have never come accross this one, going to have to keep an eye out.