This blog post isn't about that character. Instead, this is a story about Kitty Kelly, the world's first comic book social worker!
And when I say "social worker," it's worth noting that Kitty Kelly was pretty much "social worker" in name only. She made seven appearances starting in 1941 in PUNCH COMICS #1. It wasn't until RED SEAL COMICS #17 was published in 1947 that Kitty Kelly suddenly transformed from an air hostess/anti-Nazi fighter into a social worker at a "public nursery." Which is 1940s speak for "orphanage." I think. Did I mention that Kitty Kelly somehow became a super-strong action fighter from time to time??
It seems that the kids started getting sick and dying at Kelly's public nursery. She checked it out and discovered that their butcher's meat had been personally certified as safe by the USDA. So the kids couldn't be getting sick from him!
Except that Kitty Kelly discovered that bad meat was being dumped at the local butcher shop and sold to the unsuspecting public nursery. So instead of getting help the police...
Kitty Kelly put on a costume and beat up the bad guys with a giant butcher's knife! The neighborhood's meat problem was solved and the bad guys finally got arrested!
It was never exactly clear what Kitty Kelly's role as a social worker entailed at the public nursery. Presumably, she shuffled paperwork and made referrals. We never witnessed her actually working. But sometimes being first is enough.
Sometime later this week (or next), I'll write about the world's second (and better) comic book social worker! Until then...