Kings Are Wild (Part 1)-- Smash Comics #64 (APR 1946)

Despite nice artwork, I was a little disappointed by this story as it seems to be a rehash of the mistaken identity gag from the previous issue.  As this one begins, radio announcer Dave Clark is informing the public that, "the people of the Kingdom of Vaporia have voted to restore King Zoris to the throne!"  The only problem is--no one knows what became of Zoris!  He disappeared after the Germans invaded (and apparently conquered?) his country in 1940. 

Predictably, Sniffer claims to be an expert in locating missing royalty.  Just as predictably, Gabby retorts that Sniffer, "couldn't find a king in a pinochle deck!"  Sniffer storms out in a huff, intent on proving his simian critic wrong.  Following Sniffer's departure, Doc convinces Gabby that they, too, ought to go on the hunt for Zoris. 

(There's no surprise here.  It's the standard formula for bickering among Midnight's entourage.  What did stand out to me was the civic interpretation being given, via Doc Wackey, to WWII.  To me, this sounds a lot more like Woodrow Wilson's justification for WWI than it does WWII.)

While Doc's civic-minded appeal doesn't sway Gabby, the announcement that Midnight will conduct his own search persuades the monk to join the hunt.  So...once again, our heroes's efforts to locate a missing person are divided into three independent streams:  (1) Sniffer and Hotfoot, (2) Doc and Gabby, (3) Midnight.

Sniffer and Hotfoot are aimlessly wandering down the sidewalk when a sedan with some rather mobster-looking types roll up and ask for directions to the Vaporian Consul's office.  A distressed-looking passenger in the car is crying about how he "doesn't wanna be a king!"  This elicits a pistol-whipping that knocks the "king" unconscious.  The driver tells Sniffer not to worry--"His majesty just hates going back to work."

Rather than raising any suspicions on the part of the self-anointed "world's greatest detective," Sniffer announces, "Your Majesty, I've found you."  He then squeezes into the car and volunteers to personally lead the entourage to the Consul's office.

Simultaneously in another part of town, Doc and Wackey witness a recently-fired actor emerging from the theatre-house still decked out in kingly costume.  Noticing nothing other than the guy's clothes, Wackey just strolls up and asks, "Are you the King of Vaporia?"  [Because...sure, that's the most-logical conclusion Mr. man-of-science.]  Given his dearth of cash-flow, the opportunistic thespian immediately seizes upon this as an opportunity for his "next meal ticket," and proclaims that, "of course" he is "the King of Vaporia!"

Meanwhile, the solo Midnight has opted to begin his search for Zoris in Big City's Vaporian enclave.  He stops at a non-descript laundry (that, surprisingly, is opened at midnight?!) and asks the proprietor if he has any information on the whereabouts of the missing king.  The cagey shop-owner, however, proves unhelpful, only telling our hero, "you could find King Zoris if you really wanted to."  Intent on doing just that, the blue bastion of justice heads for the door when suddenly:

The shop-owner next gives our hero a "parting gift," shovels his unconscious form into a laundry bag, and dumps him off a pier on the way to deliver the Vaporian Consul's wet wash.

IS THIS THE END OF BIG CITY'S SENTINEL OF JUSTICE?!  Come back next week to find out!