Beanbags #2 (Spring 1952) picked up right where the first issue left off, with Beanbags and his friends shipwrecked in the land of Disturbia, only to discover that it rains Zanymulch, the substance the U.S. government had sent them to acquire.
But then they see a group of men shove a woman off a cliff into the water. The men seem indifferent to Beanbags' accusation of murder. But soon, we get the back story. It involves...
You know what? It can't be done. The first issue was at least able to pretend it had a logical plot--though it didn't actually fool anyone. This second and (sadly) final issue leaps headfirst into absurdity. I'd be here all day trying to summarize the plot.
There's a back story involving a love affair between a woman with two heads and a man with no head. There's a giant sea serpent that turns out to be a vegetarian. There's a trip down into the ocean, where everyone can breath without explanation, and where King Notzo Mportant gets into a fight with Neptune over some pretty mermaids and Davy Jones runs a pastry shop. And there is, eventually, a submarine trip back to the U.S. with the Zanymulch, only to catch the attention of a mad scientist who needs the Zanymulch for a trip to the moon.
As with the first issue, a few of the gags are forced, but a lot of it is funny, with Ben Brown's artwork--including his exaggerated expressions and fluid action lines-- giving it all real charm.
The series was cancelled at this point. (I found a reference saying that the book was tied to a novelty toy line that flopped, but could not find confirmation of this.) Did Beanbags and his friends end up on a rocket flying to the Moon? Almost certainly they did, but that story is forever lost in Comic Book Limbo.
Oh, well. Next week, we'll get back to the Marvel Universe to find out how the X-Men are faring against Magneto. Until then, enjoy the final recorded adventure of Beanbags HERE.
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