Famous Funnies #10

Major Merian C. Cooper has lived a life of extraordinary danger—from bombing runs in the Great War and combat missions over Poland to filming wild animals in the jungles of Siam. This biographical sketch traces how a fighter pilot, sailor, and ambitious reporter has repeatedly brushed with death and emerged to build a career as a Hollywood film executive.

John Keats attempts to compose his famous poem "Ode to a Grecian Urn," drawing inspiration from classical verse, but finds the creative process far less poetic than the lofty words suggest in this humorous take on the Romantic poet at work.

In this brief 1935 gem from *Famous Funnies* #10, Joe’s attempt to join a pickup baseball game takes a wild turn when a wayward pitch shatters a window, sending him and the other kids scrambling. Cornered under a front stoop, Joe’s panic gives way to an unexpected request—his autograph—from the very man he’s just startled.

Mr. Richman arrives at Bear Gulch to pick up Junior and Rudy Nebb after hearing how the boys helped capture the outlaw Blackie Boulton during their canoe trip. Impressed by their bravery, Mr. Richman celebrates their role in the bandit's capture and hints at the reward that awaits them.

Robert Morris financed the American Revolution, but his financial fortunes took a dramatic turn when he later found himself imprisoned for three years over debts—a striking reminder that even those who helped build a nation weren't immune to personal ruin.

Shylock visits a modern loan company to see how they operate, confident that his old-fashioned "pound of flesh" approach will pale in comparison—only to discover that today's bankers have turned extracting money into a far more elaborate (and brutal) art form. This humorous tale from 1935 plays on the contrast between Shakespeare's infamous moneylender and the predatory lending practices of the era.

A man faces the daily challenge of staying in shape, discovering that keeping in condition takes many forms—from the bracing cold bath to the reluctant snow shovel—and that sometimes the best exercise comes whether you're looking for it or not. By J. Norman Lynd, this quick comic vignette pokes fun at the creative excuses we make to avoid real work while calling it wellness.

Sally Scoops uncovers the real reason the Tower of Babel never reached completion—a construction dispute that spirals into chaos when the workers demand better conditions and the project crumbles. This 1935 humor story from Famous Funnies offers a tongue-in-cheek take on a biblical landmark, delivered with the wit you'd expect from the era's comic pages.