He was almost Doctor Fate. He led a Justice League. And he’s the new Nightmaster. But how well do you REALLY know Detective Chimp? Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of The Adventures of Rex The Wonder Dog #4 awaits!

THE ADVENTURES OF REX THE WONDER DOG #4

Writer:  John Broome
Penciler: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Sy Barry
Colorist: Uncredited
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editor: Whitney Ellsworth (credited)/Julius Schwartz (Actual)
Publisher: National Comics Publications (DC Comics)
Cover Price: 10 Center
Current Near-Mint Pricing: $1,450.00
Release Date: May 21, 1952

Previously in The Adventures of Rex The Wonder Dog: Whether you blame it on Lassie, the legacy of Rin Tin Tin, or Krypto himself, heroic dogs were a big deal as DC Comics entered its third decade of publishing. The titular Rex was a veteran of World War II who was more intelligent than you or me, and whose adventures were brought to us by the team of John Broome and Gil Kane, among the most versatile of DC’s Silver Age stalwarts. Four issues later, Rex’s book debuted a hero whose legacy would be even more impressive, though comics readers before 2004 or so wouldn’t have believed it.

Meet Detective Chimp!

Bobo the chimpanzee is a very smart little beastie, helping his owner run his business, The Famous Thorpe Animal Farm (Home Of The Fighting Orwells!), until Fred Thorpe was tragically shot by an unknown person. When Sheriff Chase and his Studebaker arrive to investigate the crime scene, he finds an excited Bobo, the only witness to the crime. The chimp grabs Chase and drags him off, excitedly trying to show him the identity of his “father’s” killer.

It quickly becomes clear that the ape is the brains of the outfit.

Unaware that a member of his own staff is behind the killing, Sheriff Chase just walks away, allowing the nefarious Pete to remedy his short-sightedness and return to bump off the sole witness to his crime. The future Detective Chimp isn’t going to just sit back in his cage and let that happen!

Despite his inability to speak (yet), Detective Chimp’s response to being in danger shows that he has a very impressive, almost human intellect, and combined with his superhuman strength and agility, he is able to escape into the swamps of Florida. Murderer Pete follows, allowing Carmine Infantino to show off his drafting skills and his trademark “Ape Face” that will eventually show up on the villainous Gorilla Grodd. It’s a harrowing ordeal for Jerkface Drummond.

Upon returning to the farm, Drummond tries to convince his boss that BOBO is the murderer, pulling his gun in the name of putting down a dangerous animal. But, as Qui-Gon Jinn would explain years later, but also long, long ago: There is always a bigger fish… Err, primate.

And Tombo the gorilla, while not as smart as our detective chimp, is much more intimidating, convincing Drummond to loudly admit his guilt.

As our first adventure ends, Edward Chase doesn’t seem to realize that he has just discovered the secret weapon that will revitalize his career and actually close some cases in Oscaloosa County, FL. (It’s especially amusing that Chase dresses remarkably like Sonny Crockett from Miami Vice, thirty years early.) The deerstalker cap only makes a brief appearance in The Adventure of Rex The Wonder Dog #4, but all the pieces of the Justice League Dark’s master strategist are seen here, including some really lovely work by Carmine in his prime, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall.

In case you are wondering, Bobo gained the ability to speak in 1981, in an untold adventure wherein he and Rex the Wonder Dog encountered the legendary Fountain of Youth, which also extended both heroes’ lifespans and made the clever Bobo into a soooper GEEEEENIUS, Wile E. Coyote style.

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