by Frank Robbins
Chapter 10: Danger À La Carte
Mar 31 - Aug 16, 1947
08/05/22
Mar 31-Apr 1, 1947 - Johnny ponders his situation. Blitz tries to cheer him up.
Most of the intrigue here is in the final panel of the second strip where an unknown and unseen man studies Johnny’s picture in the newspaper.
08/06/22
Apr 2-3, 1947 - a number of people around town take notice of Johnny in the story about him in the newspaper.
I’m not sure where this is all leading.
08/07/22
Apr 4-5, 1947 - Blitz leaves the hotel on foot. He is headed to the hospital to see Robin. A car starts to follow him down the street.
What now? Is someone going to kidnap Blitz and hold him as hostage in order to get Johnny to do some dirty work for them?
08/08/22
Apr 7-8, 1947 - Blitz doesn’t make it to the hospital. He gets stopped by the limousine. The passenger in the back, a woman, wants to talk to him. Blitz returns to the hotel floating on cloud nine and with lipstick marks on his face.
Who is she? Lady Mist? My guess is she is primarily interested in Blitz for what she can get out of him.
08/09/22
Apr 9-10, 1947 - Blitz tells Johnny about the woman he met. He wants Johnny to come with him when he goes out with her that night. She has a friend.
Blitz forgot about Robin awfully fast. Is the woman’s friend also a woman? That seems to be what Blitz thinks and what is implied but it isn’t clear that’s the case.
08/10/22
Apr 11-12, 1947 - Johnny and Blitz are picked up by a driver and taken to a nightclub, Cafe Gourmet. Johnny gets a glimpse of the woman that Blitz has been telling him about, Lady Mist.
What now? Is Robin completely forgotten? What is Lady Mist planning? What role does she envision Johnny and Blitz playing in her plans? Does she have any interest in Blitz or is she just using him to get at Johnny?
08/11/22
Apr 14-15, 1947 - Lady Mist starts to sing for the crowd. Blitz is entranced by the woman but Johnny wants to leave. He agrees to stick around until she has finished singing her first number.
Lady Mist’s performance feels like a scene from Gilda (1946).
08/12/22
Apr 16-17, 1947 - Johnny and Blitz continue to talk about Lady Mist as she continues to sing. Elsewhere, Gloves and Mellow, two gangster types, talk about leaving San Ruiz with the loot that Gloves stole, $1 million in jewels.
There is someone in the shadows in the background in the nightclub. I wonder if that could be Side-Pocket Sam returning once again. Johnny and Blitz are so into their conversation that they don’t seem to notice him.
08/13/22
Apr 18-19, 1947 - Side-Pocket Sam steps out of the shadows and explains that he is working with Lady Mist.
This is a weird turn of events. I wouldn’t expect these two to be working together. Johnny seems equally surprised as me.
08/14/22
Apr 21-22, 1947 - Blitz and Lady Mist step on to the dance floor. Sam explains to Johnny that he’s the owner of Cafe Gourmet. He also explains why he’s working with a treacherous type like Lady Mist.
I’m still not fully satisfied with the explanations.
08/15/22
Apr 23-24, 1947 - Side-Pocket Sam shows Johnny around Cafe Gourmet. It includes a private airstrip, in the back, where he flies in whatever people request.
The private airstrip is a bit ridiculous. It can’t be cost effective. I can’t imagine what the overhead costs on a setup like that must be.
08/16/22
Apr 25-26, 1947 - Johnny watches as hot dogs are flown in from Coney Island. Mellow visits Cafe Gourmet and spots Lady Mist dancing with Blitz.
This operation that Side-Pocket Sam has going seems highly unrealistic. It would take more than just a couple hours to fly from South America to Coney Island and back.
08/17/22
Apr 28-29, 1947 - Lady Mist takes a break from dancing with Blitz to meet with Mellow.
Clearly Lady Mist is not to be trusted but what is she up to and does Side-Pocket Sam know about whatever it is she is scheming?
08/19/22
Apr 30-May 1, 1947 - Sam wants Johnny to join his operation. Johnny is leery, mostly because of Lady Mist’s involvement. He starts to reconsider his position when he sees the jet engine aircraft that Sam has hidden away.
Is Brandy really gone for good? I liked her better than Sam.
08/21/22
May 2-3, 1947 - Johnny agrees to join Sam’s business operation on condition that he can fly the jet. Lady Mist makes Mellow an offer to help get Gloves, his boss, out of the country.
Presumably Lady Mist is thinking about using the jet to whisk Gloves out of the country.
08/22/22
May 5-6, 1947 - Side-Pocket Sam provides Johnny with living quarters near the airfield. Johnny let’s Blitz, who is still love struck, know that he’s gone into business with Sam.
The pace seems to be picking up. That’s a good thing but the direction in which the story is headed isn’t winning me over.
08/23/22
May 7-8, 1947 - Johnny goes for a walk on the beach after getting settled in his new living quarters. He runs into Lady Mist who is looking to celebrate their new partnership, with kisses.
It’s probably a good thing that Blitz isn’t around to see this.
08/24/22
May 9-10, 1947 - Johnny isn’t won over by Lady Mist’s kisses and he lets her know it. He still considers her to be trouble. Lady Mist doesn’t care for his attitude but she lets him go, for now. Hardhat, Side-Pocket Sam’s assistant, sees everything that transpires between Johnny and Lady Mist.
08/25/22
May 12-13, 1947 - Lady Mist returns to her living quarters only to find Gloves and Mellow waiting for her.
Three-quarters of the first of these two strips is taken up by a large panel that introduces three of the supporting characters (Sam, Mist, Gloves) and explains the story up to this point. My guess is that Robbins is doing this because the strip has been picked up by more newspapers and the new readers are in need of an introduction to the story that is already in progress.
08/26/22
May 14-15, 1947 - Lady Mist and Gloves talk about her price to get him out of the country. He tells her he wants to go to Morocco.
There’s lots of talking but no real action here.
08/28/22
May 16-17, 1947 - Johnny learns that Blitz is looking for a thief named Gloves. Lady Mist and Gloves continue to talk, she assures him that she will keep Johnny in line.
Something’s gotta give and soon. Johnny knows who Gloves is and what he looks like. He probably will balk at helping Gloves out.
08/29/22
May 19-20, 1947 - Johnny gets dressed in his flight suit and goes to inspect the plane which has been christened ‘Hazard’s Hot Plate Special’.
08/30/22
May 21-22, 1947 - Johnny meets some of the other pilots working for Cafe Gourmet. Lady Mist makes plans to sneak Gloves aboard Johnny’ plane.
08/31/22
May 23-24, 1947 - Gloves meets up with Mist. She asks him about payment. He asks her about the plane that will be transporting him to Morocco.
Is Lady Mist planning to double cross Gloves? Is he planning to double cross her? I suspect the answer maybe yes to both questions.
09/01/22
May 26-27, 1947 - Mellow orders some food (fried grasshoppers) at Cafe Gourmet from a restaurant (Cafe Hedi) in Casablanca. The waiter tells Side-Pocket Sam who calls up Johnny and tells him he’s got his first mission to fly for Cafe Gourmet.
Does Sam know what is going on? I don’t think he does.
09/02/22
May 28-29, 1947 - Johnny gets summoned to Sam’s office where he gets his orders. Hardhat is supposed to accompany Johnny but he isn’t too happy about it.
09/03/22
May 30-31, 1947 - Lady Mist asks Johnny to pick up a package with her name on it at Cafe Sphinx. She kisses him when agrees to do it.
Where is Gloves? I don’t think that a jet like that has a cargo space that is suitable for human passengers.
09/04/22
Jun 2-3, 1947 - Johnny and Hardhat head East for Morocco. Johnny wonders about the package that Lady Mist asked him to pick up for her.
Maybe this jet is a little bigger than I thought it was but it still can’t be a comfortable ride for Gloves.
09/05/22
Jun 4-5, 1947 - something goes wrong. One of the fuel tanks reads as full on the dashboard but when Johnny tries switching fuel tanks nothing happens.
I’m guessing that Gloves is in the malfunctioning fuel tank, even though that doesn't seem possible.
09/06/22
Jun 6-7, 1947 - Johnny ditches one of the extra fuel tanks but the other one is stuck. Johnny wonders if they can make it all the way to Casablanca.
I’m not following everything that’s going on here. Gloves must be in the fuel tank that is still attached to the jet. Hardhat’s accent is pretty thick and I can’t make sense of what he is trying to communicate in the second strip.
09/07/22
Jun 9-10, 1947 - Johnny and Hardhat arrive in Casablanca where they are welcomed by a couple locals, Meni-Meni and Teckel, with connections to Cafe Gourmet.
There is still no sign of Gloves but presumably he is in the remaining auxiliary fuel tank.
09/12/22
Jun 11-12, 1947 - Johnny and Hardhat head into town. They leave Meni-Meni and Teckel to work on the jet. The two mechs open up the malfunctioning fuel tank. Gloves pops out of the empty fuel tank.
I seriously doubt anyone could survive such a trip in an empty fuel tank but this is a comic strip after all.
09/13/22
Jun 13-14, 1947 - Gloves escapes with some help from the mechanics. Johnny and Hardhat part ways to take care of separate errands. A local boy offers to help Johnny find Cafe Sphinx.
Is that it for Gloves or will he be back? I’m not sure.
09/14/22
Jun 16-17, 1947 - Johny’s guide introduces himself, his name is Flub-Dub. He takes Johnny to Cafe Sphinx. They get there just in time to see someone get violently ejected from the cafe.
09/17/22
Jun 18-19, 1947 - Johnny is approached by Baheea when he enters Cafe Sphinx. She comes on strong and gets angry when he brushes her off.
The first panel in the first of these two strips is wordless. I looked back and it had been about 4 weeks since the last wordless panel. It was on May 21. I like wordless panels, especially if they are done well.
09/19/22
Jun 20-21, 1947 - Johnny is introduced to Fellaheen, who also goes by the name of Gloves. He doesn’t tell Johnny about his other identity but Johnny remembers his face from a photo that Blitz showed him. Johnny wonders how Gloves got there so quickly.
09/20/22
Jun 23-24, 1947 - Johnny explains to Fellaheen/Gloves that he is there to get a package for Lady Mist. Gloves laughs and then before the conversation can go any further he notices that someone is listening to their conversation, Baheea.
The best part of these two strips is the last panel which has no dialogue.
10/06/22
Jun 25-26, 1947 - Gloves manhandles Baheea. She returns the favor by throwing a knife at him as she leaves but the blade hits the wall instead of Gloves. Johnny stops playing around after Gloves refuses to pay and reveals that he knows with whom he is dealing.
There is a wordless panel here but it lacks the excitement of some of the other wordless panels in this arc.
10/11/22
Jun 27-28, 1947 - Johnny explains that he’s taking Gloves back but the gangster’s henchmen step in just as Johnny is about to make it happen.
What now? Will Baheea step in and help Johnny get out of this jam?
10/12/22
Jun 30-Jul 1, 1947 - Johnny manhandles Gloves as his henchmen close in.
I like the action beats in these two strips. I especially like the close up on the table as the henchmen approach Gloves and Johnny in the second panel of the second strip.
10/13/22
Jul 2-3, 1947 - Johnny takes care of Gloves and his two henchmen.
10/14/22
Jul 4-5, 1947 - Gloves pulls a gun but Johnny prevents him from using it.
I like the visual storytelling but it feels like this fight is taking a little longer than necessary.
10/15/22
Jul 7-8, 1947 - Johnny looks up sees one of Gloves henchmen standing over him. Johnny gives it all he’s got but this one is much harder to dent or move than Gloves was.
10/25/22
Jul 9-10, 1947 - the big Moroccan man is too much for Johnny who collapses after getting hit in the head a couple times, first with a blackjack and then with a kick.
11/21/22
Jul 11-12, 1947 - Gloves takes a turn beating on Johnny before deciding it is time to get out of there. He asks Abdul to keep an eye on Johnny. He doesn’t realize that someone else saw what just happened, Baheea.
11/23/22
Jul 14-15, 1947 - Gloves makes plans to move to Algiers while Johnny is still unconscious. Johnny wakes up after Gloves has left. He tries to get up but he is still feeling out of it and seeing double.
11/24/22
Jul 16-17, 1947 - Baheea tries to help Johnny escape but his head is still ringing and he feels too weak to do much of anything. He instead sends her to find Hardhat.
12/01/22
Jul 18-19, 1947 - Johnny, too weak to move, sends Baheea to find Hardhat, which she does.
Some of these strips are in really bad shape. I assume that they must have looked better when they first appeared in newspapers, 75 years ago.
12/02/22
Jul 21-22, 1947 - Baheea brings Hardhat to the room where she left Johnny. The henchmen are standing there waiting for them.
Baheea can’t seem to get Hardhat’s name right. She keeps calling him Hothead.
12/04/22
Jul 23-24, 1947 - Hardhat launches himself at the pair of henchmen and knocks them off their feet. Johnny is still too weak to do anything but sit and watch.
12/05/22
Jul 25-26, 1947 - Hardhat explains his secret weapon and then they make a mad dash to the airport to find Gloves.
12/07/22
Jul 28-29, 1947 - Johnny, Hardhat, and Baheea rush to the airport. They get there in time to see Gloves leaving. Johnny jumps in the Hot Plate Special and gets ready to follow Gloves.
Who is in the airplane with Johnny? Hardhat? Baheea? It looks like Johnny is feeling much better now.
12/08/22
Jul 30-31, 1947 - Johnny‘s airplane is much faster than the one in which Gloves is riding. Johnny’s antics make Omar, the pilot of the other airplane, nervous and he makes plans to land. Gloves quickly nixes that idea.
I can’t tell if there is anyone else in Hot Plate Special with Johnny.
12/09/22
Aug 1-2, 1947 - Gloves shoots Omar after he tries to return to the airfield that they just left. Gloves tries to land the airplane on his own but the Omar's body adds a level of difficulty of which Gloves is unaware.
Johnny is only in one panel from each of these strips.
12/10/22
Aug 4-5, 1947 - Gloves’ airplane crashes to the ground. He gets out and tries to escape on foot but Hardhat catches him from behind.
The second panel in the first strip shows the airplane crashing. I’m surprised that Gloves wasn’t injured considering how hard and fast it came down.
12/12/22
Aug 6-7, 1947 - Johnny gets ready to leave with Hardhat. Baheea does her best to convince him to stay.
12/13/22
Aug 8-9, 1947 - Johnny and Hardhat return to Cafe Gourmet, leaving Baheea behind. They are greeted by Side-Pocket Sam and Lady Mist when they arrive.
12/14/22
Aug 11-12, 1947 - Johnny explains and then shows Sam the cargo (Gloves) that Lady Mist had him take to Morocco. Lady Mist doesn’t take kindly to Johnny’s attempt to return the cargo and pulls a gun on him.
12/15/22
Aug 13-14, 1947 - Lady Mist forces Johnny to fly her away from Cafe Gourmet in the Hot Plate Special. Once they are far enough away she ejects from the plane and deploys her parachute.
That’s one way to get rid of a character. Is that it for Lady Mist? Will she ever return? I don’t know. I’m not sure I care enough to find out.
12/16/22
Aug 15-16, 1947 - Johnny returns to Cafe Gourmet. Hardhat, at gunpoint, forces Gloves’ pal Mellow to eat the fried grasshoppers he brought back from Morocco.
That’s the end of this arc and this collected edition. I think this strip has lost some of its luster in my eyes. I am going to put it down for now. I might return to it at some point in the future but I’ve had my fill for now. I have now read a little over three years worth of this strip which ran for about 33 years. I have no idea where the strip goes next but I think what it is lacking is a good supporting cast. Ditching Brandy wasn’t the best idea. She was one of the best things that this strip had going for it. Lady Mist and Baheea were poor, one-note substitutes for Brandy.
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