“The Ghost Gallery” was a successful comic strip that ran in Jumbo Comics from issue #42 (August 1942) to #167 (March 1953). In a 125 installments, the strip had different writers (unknown) and artists including Bob Hebberd, Alex Blum, Jack Kamen and John Belcastro . The strange Northern we are looking at today is from Issue #126 (August 1949) an eight pager written by an unknown author (as Drew Murdoch) and drawn by Jack Kamen.
Tony Harder has joined the Mounties but it gets difficult when he has to arrest an old friend, Michael Leroux (French accent, of course!) for murder. In court the evidence shows that Leroux took two Americans, Mary and Jim Ross, on a river trip and killed them by sending them over a rapid. He stole their stuff to sell to the locale natives. After a sentence of hanging for murder is passed, Leroux escapes out the window. Everybody thinks Tony allowed him to escape with his gang.
Tony knows that his reputation is ruined. The commander discharges him. After he finishes one last job — to give Tony’s ill-gotten gains to the Indians who testified against him — he is to leave.
While gathering up Leroux’s stash, a strange vision appears in the cabin. Ghostly waves reveal Mary Ross’s ghost.
She tells Tony where to look for Leroux. He and his gang have taken the trail up the mountain side at Indian Cove. (Leroux and his gang plan on robbing a gold train before leaving the area. They are holed up in an abandoned mine.)
Tony doesn’t have time to explain if he is going to capture Leroux and get his position as a Mountie back. He paddles off to Indian Cove alone. Leroux sees him coming and captures him. The bad guys tie him up inside the mine.
Things look bad for Tony. Another ghost appears, this time to Ellen, Tony’s girl. It is the ghost of Jim Ross. He tells Ellen where the bad guys are. She gets a dozen Mounties to follow her out to the old mine.
Meanwhile at the mine, Michael Leroux is giving Tony an ultimatum. Join his gang or be shot dead. Tony honors his uniform by declining the offer, just as Ellen and the cavalry arrive. The gang is captured and Tony gets his commission back.
Next month, the tale shifts to another couple (the woman always a brunette) and a new scenario. So long, Tony and Ellen! I hope you enjoy that fresh Canadian air! And fewer ghosts.
All issues of Jumbo Comics are available free at Digital Comic Museum.
