The Best Reason To Join A Military Academy??

Don't tell anyone, but I think that publisher Novelty Press was pretty enthusiastic about publishing Dick Cole stories:

Dick Cole had debuted a couple of years earlier in Blue Bolt Comics, and apparently was quite a hit--so much so that editors were sure that he his type of adventures would replace super-heroes any day now:

And the relentless enthusiasm continues on the splash page:

So who is Dick Cole again?

Ahh, so the public is tired of "super-fantastic" characters, but they'll love an orphan given super strength by a scientific formula who kills dinosaurs and has a nemesis who invents a mind-control drug and...?

Most of Dick's adventures took place during his time at Farr Military Academy, with his best friend Simba, and---

Wait, did you say "kills dinosaurs?"

Yup. Dick Cole makes Turok look like Elmer Fudd!!

See, some (other) scientist has discovered and captured an unknown species of dinosaur in "darkest Africa," and of course brought it home to show off.

Had no one in this universe seen King Kong...?

Yup, that's a new species, all right!

So, yes, Dick is pretty famous:

This is a 30-page story, so another student, jealous of Dick's fame and prowess, invents a mind control drug, and uses it to make Dick steal some top-secret military papers. Dick is caught, convicted of treason, and sentenced to death! With Simba's help he escapes, is lost at sea, sneaks aboard a naval transport vessel on its way to Europe, but is captured. Ah, Golden Age--no decompression here!!

When the ship is attacked by a U-Boat, we get to see just how strong Dick Cole is:

Yup.

Meanwhile, the kid who framed Cole has his really really rich father buy the dinosaur as a school mascot:

When Dick returns, and clears his name, we're set up for the chase:

Wait--you killed the only living dinosaur?!?!?! NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, anyway, that was a typical day for Dick Cole.

Now, if anybody told me I'd have had a chance to fight dinosaurs, maybe I would have joined a military academy...

From 4Most #1 (1942)