Rusty Ryan

*************first by gustavson? Rusty and smiley Scott save a boy from drowning not knowing that the boys demise was engeineered by crooks after his inheritance money bring to attention of Cappy Jenks, director of Boyvillel . wore a B on his sweater tricked the con men into showing themselves (#32) whitey (33) playing football against Stamford, and already looking much older than when he debuted . 1st Chuck Hanley38

The “Rusty Ryan” feature began as a simple young boy’s adventure story, with the title character finding himself smack-dab in the middle of every scandal in Boyville. Rusty and his friends resided at the dormitory of a boy’s school and frequently wore shirts adorned with a large “B.” Rusty’s best friend was Smiley Scott and others included Ed, Whitey and Scotty.

The others’ names were rarely mentioned even after they adopted colorful patriotic costumes and became the Boyville Brigadiers. This change came a year into the feature, during which time Paul Gustavson had aged the boys somewhat. Too young to join the army, Rusty and his pals received special commission from army intelligence to become the Brigadiers. Their uniforms were dead ringers for Captain America’s (who debuted just before the boys’ switch, in March 1941).

Rusty created the Boyville Brigadiers after uncovering Fifth Columnists at Boyville. They were part of a gang led by Babyface Malone of Chicago. (Feature #45) They were very successful in rooting out Nazi saboteurs and faced some real grown-up drama when they decided to challenge the Japanese Black Dragon Society. To this end, they accepted Moi Yutong, a young Chinese woman, into their ranks. Soon after meeting Yutong, she was kidnapped in front of their eyes. It took some gunplay and rough stuff to rescue her. (#57) The Black Dragon returned to mine the San Francisco Bay, and killed the Brigadiers’ commander, Col. Ames. (#58)

In 1943, the feature went in a different direction when Gustavson introduced two colorful sidekicks on an adventure in North Africa: the Arab Alababa and Pierpont Lee, a zoot-suited African-American. (#65-69) The number of Brigadiers fluctuated between five and six. After the addition of Alababa and Pierpont the Brigadiers became (a still unnamed) four. It took a long time for them to return home. They meandered through the South Pacific where Pierpont found a magic lamp and wished them up a boat. (#71) Alababa was a great help as they made their way across Arabia or wherever, sometimes finding Axis enemies, the occasional femme fatale, or a dinosaur island. 

The feature eventually reverted to simply “Rusty Ryan” again in Feature #101 (Aug. 1946). The Brigadiers took a hike while Rusty, Alababa and Pierpont continued their plainclothes globe trotting.

A regular feature of the strip was the “Commando Tactics” where the reader was warned to pay special attention so they could learn a combat move from Rusty.

*********************ear;ly adventures hair went back and forth from red to blond 

inexplicably blessed with the strength to fly from ropes and rescue people fight the tide of a watefall