Bruce Gentry

Bruce Gentry was a U.S. Air Force hero who went to work after the war for Southern Cross Airlines in South America. After chasing Latin lovelies for years, Bruce finally married Cleo Patric on January 6, 1951 (an event which also ended the comic strips’s run).

This is the first issue* of six, published January 1948 by Standard Comics.  It is actually a pretty good read, with classic lines like:

• “Wow! Couldn’t ask for a snazzier senorita.”
• “Is it the custom in your country to kiss a girl the first time you speak with her?”  “Not exactly cookie, but you didn’t ask me here because you like my hair cut!  I’m a busy man.”

Created by cartoonist Ray Bailey, Gentry was another entry into the popular aviation comic strip genre and also another example of syndicated newspaper strips reprinted into comic book form.

* Sold copy