Cover page: Happy, Froggie, and Mickey try to stop their goat from hitting them, while Janet and Buckwheat cheer them on.
Overview[]
Our Gang Comics # 13 was the thirteenth issue in Walt Kelly's Our Gang Comic Book series. The issue was first released by Dell Comics around September to October of 1944. The Our Gang material for the book is covered for twelve pages. This issue marked the last appearance of Mickey Gubitosi.
Main Characters[]
- Buckwheat Thomas
- Froggy Laughlin
- Happy Laughlin
- Janet Burston
- Julip the Goat
- Mickey Gubitosi
Supporting Characters[]
- Barney
- Bruiser
- Goat
- Horace Grimes, Happy's uncle
- Jaxon
- Miss Simpson
- Mr. Slater
The Story[]
Plot: Back home from their adventure with Deadlight Dan, the gang reflect on changes that have taken place in Greenpoint since their absence. One of the most notable changes is that the kids' clubhouse has been destroyed, and the material taken for usage in the war. The gang go around to various neighbors to ask for permission to build a new clubhouse. Everyone grumpily refuses to let the kids on their lot, due to constant mischief recently being caused by neighborhood kids. Happy suggests asking his uncle, Horace Grimes, to use his old stone stable for an athletic club. Uncle Horace initially refuses, but eventually gives in, just as long as the kids don't make too much noise. While the gang are preparing their new clubhouse, a wounded solider and college athlete, Barney, arrives to watch the kids. The kids find out who Barney is, and immediately begin asking him questions about his days in the war. Barney makes a deal with the kids, becoming their athletic coach, as long as they try not to ask him about his war service. Meanwhile, a couple of older boys watch the kids from a distance. The two boys are not particularly fond of the gang's angelic attitude, and decide to give them trouble. They garner the help of a tough teenager, Bruiser, to give them a hand. Late one night, the bullies tear up Uncle Horace's lawn, making it look as though the gang really caused the damage. Uncle Horace angrily yells at the gang for their supposed misbehavior, but Barney believes that the gang is innocent. Barney, Happy, and Buckwheat split up to find the culprits; the two boys run into the bullies, and are promptly beaten up by them. After the tough kids leave, Froggie arrives with a plan to expose the real culprits. The gang hide themselves in boxes out on Uncle Horace's front lawn, which the tough kids immediately try to wreck. A fight breaks out between Our Gang and the bullies, and Barney and Uncle Horace arrive on the scene just in time to see the older kids exposed. Barney decides to let the tough kids go, and Uncle Horace allows the gang to stay on his property. Later that day, Bruiser and his company arrive at the athletic club, asking if they can join. "Any athletic club that'll teach a guy to sock as hard as Froggie hit me is okay", says Bruiser.
Quotes
- "You know whut's better? Git dat ol' goat of ours... he's a good 'nough fighter to beat up Hitler!" - (Buckwheat)
- "Hey! What happened!" - (Froggie)
- (after telling the story) "So that's how it is - 'n' those tough kids 're jus' tryin' to make things hot for us!" - (Happy)
- "So it's ma suggestion dat us round up de goat and give dem boys de one-two!" - (Buckwheat)
- "Well, brains 'r' better'n brawn... we'll set a trap fer them!" - (Froggie)
- "Sounds good! But how you gonna do it?" - (Happy)
- "Ah still say sic on de goat!" - (Buckwheat)
Sequence[]
- Previous Issue: Our Gang Comics # 12
- Next Issue: Our Gang Comics # 14