R. W. VOIGT
Publisher
Chicago
Copyright 1944, by Fox Feature Syndicate, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
This and Rocket Kelly (Fox, 1944 series) #[nn] are the only known cases of Fox Feature Syndicate listing a copyright on a 1944 surrogate-published book.
In 1945, Fox Feature Syndicate, Inc. copyrighted Rocket Kelly with a publication date of Dec 26, 1944, and the unnumbered issue of The Bouncer with a publication date of Jan. 5, 1945, per Catalog of Copyright Entries, 1945 Pamphlets [etc.], page 498.
They were both copyrighted as "one-shots" i.e. their registration records are not included with Periodicals but with Pamphlets, Leaflets, etc. as noted.
Previously, this had been thought to be issue #10 of The Bouncer. Not only the publication dates but the Rocket Kelly story continuity shows that's not correct. There is a continuing Rocket Kelly narrative beginning in The Green Mask #10, then on to The Bouncer issues #11-14. This was straight World War II adventure with the twist of Kelly's plane having rocket engines.
In the final story in The Bouncer #14 Spring 1945 the strip's change to science-fiction (and relocation to the planet Selura) is announced (in the final panel). Except for a 2 page flashback story, all Rocket Kelly's adventures after that are science fiction on the planet Selura, including this issue.
The brand is on the back cover.