Mike Barnett, Man Against Crime #1

A young man, known only as Torrot, is caught in a staged fight at a baseball game after trying to manipulate the outcome, only to be exposed by the real culprit, a fan named Teague. When the lights go out, Mike Barnett intervenes, revealing the deception and turning the ringleader over to the police. The story ends with a twist involving a stadium pass and a warning to never shout "Kill the Umpire!" again.

A nosy neighbor interrupts Doctor Sorebones, prompting a series of exaggerated reactions as he tries to deflect her inquiries about a patient. The doctor’s flustered attempts to maintain secrecy take a comical turn when the woman’s curiosity leads to an unexpected twist.

Mike Barnett, the private detective, arrives in Cairo to track down the elusive counterfeiter Rufus Warner, only to find him dead—and soon after, drawn into a web of deception when a mysterious dark-eyed man, suspected to be the mastermind Dr. Dionysos, begins to close in. As the local police grow increasingly wary of his independent investigation, Mike is forced to navigate the city’s shadowy streets and suspicious allies, where every meal and moment could be a trap.

Colonel Corn boasts about his college education while Korny Kobb, proud that his brother is attending Harvard, tries to impress him with exaggerated tales of his own academic past. The two trade playful insults and absurd stories, culminating in a humorous exchange where Colonel Corn offers Korny a new watch as a gift—only to reveal it’s on installment, leaving Korny stunned.

Dizzy Daisy is thrilled for her first ocean voyage aboard the S.S. Insomnia, but her excitement turns to confusion when she's asked to put on a life preserver during a ship drill. The crew's over-the-top preparedness for a potential wreck has her questioning whether the real danger might be the exaggerated panic itself.