So Where The Hell Is My George Clooney Comic?

I dare you to say something snarky about this cover:

 "Actually, that's four fingers and a thumb, because..."

SMACK.

Anyway, the most interesting thing here is this:

See, you young 'uns are to obsessed with your Twitters and your Googles and such, but Dick Powell was a pretty well known actor in the day.

He got his break as a singer/comedian/romantic lead, but in 1944 everything changed when he became the first actor to portray Phillip Marlowe on screen. After that he starred in a whole bunch of noirs and crime dramas, as wise-cracking detectives and tough guys.

But what's most interesting is that in this comic book (part of an anthology series from Magazine Enterprises, similar to Dell's Four Color) does not star one of Dick Powell's characters--it stars Dick Powell, as himself!!

Of course, "himself" is very much his movie personna of the day--joking tough guy:

Five Fingers Of Satan!! Holy heck!!

Here's a terribly anatomically-focused secret agent report on The Five Fingers of Satan:

Intense.

But mostly, the story is an excuse for Dick Powell to fight and quip:

Oh, and straight up murder some crooks, too!

And beat the truth out of some more!

And stab them...

Oh, I'm sorry...no stabbing, just a corny speech.

Obviously, the idea of comic books starring actors--as themselves--having crazy adventures is one that really ought to revived.

From A-1 #21 (1949)