Ed Wheelan - Watt the Question Man: He Courts Trouble This Time

The first piece of original comic art I ever received! In 1969 or '70, I was about 10 years old, and a DC kid. On a visit to New York, my dad (may he rest in peace) called and arranged for us to visit the DC offices. We were met by then-editor-in-chief Carmine Infantino, who gave us a personal tour. As memorable an event as this was, I have to say I remember almost nothing of what I saw! But at the end of the tour, Infantino pointed toward a pile of old Bristol board on the floor -- old originals, destined to be tossed or the backs used for brush tests, I don't know -- and told me to help myself. I probably grabbed whatever was on top: this one-page gag filler "Watt the Question Man: He Courts Trouble This Time," which had been cut into three separate tiers, and brought it home with me. Over the years I didn't take very good care of it, and it acquired the discoloration you can see in the bottom tier. But at some point my dad stepped in again, and had it nicely framed. Thanks again dad!! (And Mr. Infantino!)

Watt the Question Man was the work of pioneering newspaper cartoonist Ed Wheelan, well-known for his strip, "Minute Movies." In the 1940s, he worked for DC, producing gag fillers in much the same role that Murray Boltinoff would play in the 1960s. "Watt" seems to be one of Wheelan's more obscure efforts in this genre, and not well-documented online. Installments appeared in various DC titles in the '40s, including Sensation, Flash and Comics Cavalcade. I have no idea how many "Watt" episodes there were (much later in my life I bought the original for one more), or in which issues this example appeared. If any Golden Age expert can fill me in I'd much appreciate it!