By Andrew A. Smith
Tribune Content Agency
March 26, 2020 — The year 1940 was, in general, a pretty lousy one, what with World War II and all. But it was a great one in comics, with roughly a jillion new superheroes debuting from roughly a jillion publishers, thanks to the popularity of a certain Man of Steel. (See full list below.)
Foremost among those 1940 publishers was today’s DC Comics, which has had some success recently with 80th anniversaries for the aforementioned Superman (2018) and Batman (2019). It planned to celebrate the 80th anniversaries of five more characters this year: Catwoman, Flash (see variant covers below), Green Lantern (see variant covers below), Joker and Robin.
But 2020 has its problems, too — one of which is that whatever plans you make, COVID-19 now gets a vote. On Monday, March 23, Diamond Comic Distributors Inc. — the company that delivers comics to most comics retailers in North America — announced the indefinite suspension of shipments of new comics.
That just adds to some questions I already had about DC’s choices. But let’s start with the one thing we’re sure of: Robin, the Boy Wonder.
The Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular has already arrived at your local comic shop, which probably have some sort of delivery or curbside pick-up. See cover variants below! (Cover art by Jim Lee, copyright DC Comics)
Robin first appeared in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940), in a 12-page story by Bill Finger (writer), Bob Kane (pencils) and Jerry Robinson (inks). Legend has it that he was introduced to give Batman someone to talk to (other than himself) on those windswept Gotham rooftops. But whatever the reason, sales on Detective nearly doubled after the debut of “the sensational character find of 1940.”
In those days most comics were anthologies, with lots of different characters in 68-page comics for a dime. Which is pretty sweet! Detective was no different, with most of the book filled with the likes of Slam Bradley; Speed Saunders, Ace Investigator; and Steve Malone, District Attorney. The lead story — starring Batman, of course — shows Bruce Wayne at the circus, where aerialist Dick Grayson of the Flying Graysons sees his parents brutally murdered by mobsters. Feeling some kinship with the now-orphaned lad, Wayne adopts him as both ward for Bruce and sidekick for the Dark Knight. You can read the whole magilla in DC’s Detective Comics #38 Facsimile Edition #1 ($3.99), which came out March 11.
Eighty years is a long time, and Dick Grayson has packed a lot into it. There’s a neat story on dccomics.com highlighting a dozen milestones in Dick Grayson’s career, as Robin, Nightwing and secret agent; as sidekick and substitute Batman; in solo adventures and with the Teen Titans; in major relationships with Barbara “Batgirl” Gordon and Kory “Starfire” Anders.
DC unleashes a cast of all-star creators on that history in the Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 ($9.99), out March 18. But since the Boy Wonder hasn’t always been Dick Grayson — or even always a boy — you get some stories about some other characters, too. When Grayson became Nightwing, his old red-and-green suit was adopted by, in turn, three guys (Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne) and a gal (Stephanie Brown). In the future-set Dark Knight Returns, another gal, Carrie Kelley, sports Robin colors.
Oh, and the Super Spectacular also offers eight variant covers, each representing a different decade of the character’s adventures. It’s not Pokemon, but some fans will get ‘em all just the same.
The Catwoman 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular was scheduled for April, but won’t be available until after the coronavirus crisis. See preview below! (Cover art by Joëlle Jones, copyright DC Comics)
That was the format planned for four more Super Spectaculars, starring Catwoman and Joker (both of whom debuted in Batman #1), The Flash (Flash Comics #1) and Green Lantern (All-American Comics #16). But with the suspension of comics distribution, there’s no telling when these books — which are almost certainly written and drawn by now — will arrive. Any associated activities will likewise be postponed.
And I will be delighted to get these books, whenever they do arrive. But in the meantime, what about the other DC characters invented in 1940? Are they going to be ignored?
Consider, for example, Flash Comics #1. That was not, as you might assume, a book starring The Flash. No, Flash Comics was an anthology, which gave us the first character to call himself The Flash, a speedster named Jay Garrick (who did manage to make it into the modern Flash TV show). But it also gave us a handful of other new characters worth mention.
OK, I’m not going to shed any bitter tears over The Whip, Cliff Cornwall or Red Rian of the Sky Police, who are deservedly forgotten. Or even “Johnny Thunder,” a humor strip whose biggest claim to fame is introducing Black Canary – well, aside from Johnny being a founding member of the Justice Society of America. He was eventually replaced there by Black Canary, as he was in his own strip, so I can forgive his omission at the 80th birthday party.
But what about Hawkman? Yep, he and the Crimson Comet both launched in Flash Comics #1 and shared the book for years, with the Winged Wonder even taking the cover slot now and again. I mean, yeah, he’s basically a skeet target who talks to birds, but come on – the Pinioned Paladin is still at least a B-level character.
Speaking of the Justice Society, it was the very first team of superheroes — and it also debuted at the tail end of 1940! Here’s the super-team that inspired all the others, including the Justice League, so where’s the JSA’s Super Spectacular?
Plus, most of the founding members were introduced 80 years ago in one book or another. We’ve already mentioned Flash and Hawkman, but The Spectre came a-haunting in More Fun Comics #52 (February 1940), with Dr. Fate debuting in the same title, three issues later (May). Hourman first appeared in Adventure Comics #48 (March), while the original Atom (who couldn’t shrink, but was very short) premiered in All-American Comics three issues after Green Lantern, in #19 (October).
That’s pretty much it for major DC characters with a 1940 debut, although I’m sure there are boosters of Black Pirate and Congo Bill out there somewhere. Or of the first Red Tornado, who wasn’t a robot like the current one, but was instead a stout woman in red flannel pajamas with a cooking pot on her head.
But DC has also bought out a lot of publishers over the years, and many of them have some terrific characters reaching their oak-and-pearl anniversary. Since those characters are now published under the DC banner, where are their celebratory books?
The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular was also scheduled for April. Hopefully it will arrive before 2021. See cover variants below! (Cover art by Greg Capullo, copyright DC Comics)
For example, DC bought out Fawcett years ago, giving them Shazam (or Captain Marvel, as he was originally called), plus B-listers Bulletman (and Bulletgirl), Ibis the Invincible and Spy Smasher.
DC also owns the rights to Quality Comics, which debuted more than a dozen superheroes in 1940, including major (ish) characters Black Condor, The Ray and Uncle Sam. Also The Red Bee, who kept trained bees in his belt buckle to fight crime. As you do.
Of course, there were a lot of other publishers in 1940 churning out guys (and gals) in leotards as fast as they could, some of which were pretty nice and deserve some sort of commemoration. Maybe that recognition is only in this column. For example:
MARVEL: The House of Ideas struck gold in 1939 with Human Torch and Sub-Mariner, and Captain America in 1941. In between? Not so much. Among the dozen or so flops in books like Daring Mystery Comics were characters named Black Widow and Vision, who resembled their modern counterparts not at all. 1940’s biggest contribution to the Marvel stable was the Human Torch’s sidekick Toro.
MLJ: This publisher, which later changed its name to Archie Comics, gave us Black Hood, Comet, The Fox and The Shield 80 years ago. Archie still trots them out now and again, sometimes to good effect. The Shield, it should be noted, is a patriotic superhero who preceded Captain America by a year.
THE OTHER GUYS: At least 13 other publishers took a whack at new superheroes in 1940, almost none of which are worth remembering. Shall I regale thee with tales of Blue Bolt, mayhap? Silver Streak? The Owl? Black Owl? Raven? Woman in Red? Maybe some other birds or colors? Nah, it’s not worth it.
I will give special mention to Crestwood’s Green Lama, because the art (by Mac Raboy of Captain Marvel Jr. fame) was spectacularly gorgeous.
Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Fiction House’s "Fantomah, Mystery Woman of the Jungle,” because it was so odd and terrifying. Created by Fletcher Hanks, about whom little is known, Fantomah protected the jungle with a variety of bizarre supernatural powers that seemed to appear as the plot required. Among them was screaming through the sky like a banshee with a blue skull face, to wreak terrible and elaborate vengeance on those who would disturb the jungle.
I guess we’ll just have to settle for Catwoman, Flash, Green Lantern, Joker and Robin at our 80th birthday party. But if they really want a wing-ding, they should give ol’ Fantomah a ring.
Find Captain Comics by email (capncomics@aol.com), on his website (captaincomics.ning.com), on Facebook (Andrew Alan Smith) or on Twitter (@CaptainComics).
FULL LIST OF 1940 SUPERHERO DEBUTS
ACE COMICS
- Lash Lightning (Sure-Fire Comics #1, Jun 40)
- Raven (Sure-Fire Comics #1, Jun 40)
ALL-AMERICAN COMICS (DC Comics)
- Atom (Al Pratt), Ben Flinton and Bill O'Conner (All-American Comics #19, Oct 40)
- Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman (More Fun Comics #55, May 40)
- Flash (Jay Garrick), by Harry Lampert (Flash Comics #1, Jan 40)
- Green Lantern (Alan Scott), by Martin Nodell and Bill Finger (All-American Comics #16, Jul 40)
- Hawkman (Carter Hall), by Gardner Fox (Flash Comics #1, Jan 40)
- Johnny Thunder, by Stan Asch (Flash Comics #1, Jan 40)
- Justice Society of America, by Gardner Fox (All-Star Comics #3, Win 40)
- The King (King Standish), by Gardner Fox and William Smith (Flash Comics #3, Mar 40)
- Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel), by Sheldon Mayer (All-American Comics #20, Nov 40
- The Whip (Rodney Gaynor), by John B. Wentworth, George Storm (Flash Comics #1, Jan 40)
CENTAUR
- Airman, by George Kapitan and Harry Sahle (Keen Detective Funnies #23, Aug 40)
COLUMBIA COMICS
- The Face, by Mart Bailey (Big Shot Comics #1, May 40)
- Skyman, by Gardner Fox, Ogden Whitney (Big Shot Comics #1, May 40)
DETECTIVE COMICS/NATIONAL COMICS (DC Comics)
- Black Pirate, by Sheldon Moldoff (Action Comics #23, Apr 40)
- Catwoman (Selina Kyle), by Bob Kane and Bill Finger (Batman #1, Spr 40) 1940 (April)
- Congo Bill by Whitney Ellsworth and George Papp (More Fun Comics #56, Jun 40)
- Hourman (Rex Tyler), by Ken Fitch and Bernard Bailey (Adventure Comics #48, Mar 40)
- The Joker, by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson (Batman #1, Spr 40) 1940 (April)
- Robin (Dick Grayson), by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson (Detective Comics #38, Apr 40)
- The Spectre (Jim Corrigan), by Jerry Siegel (More Fun Comics #52, Feb 40)
DELL
- The Owl, by Frank Thomas (Crackajack Funnies #25, Jul 40)
EASTERN
- Hydroman, by Bill Everett (Reg'lar Fellers Heroic Comics #1, Aug 40)
FAWCETT (DC Comics)
- Captain Marvel, by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck (Whiz Comics #2, Feb 40)
- Bulletman and Bulletgirl, by Bill Parker (Nickel Comics #1, (May 40)
- Ibis the Invincible, by Bill Parker and Bob Kingett (Whiz Comics #2, Feb 40)
- Master Man (Master Comics #1, Mar 40)
- Mr. Scarlet, by France Herron and Jack Kirby (Wow Comics #1, Win 40)
- Spy Smasher, by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck (Whiz Comics #2, Feb 40)
FICTION HOUSE
- Fantomah, by Fletcher Hanks (Jungle Comics #2, Feb 40)
FOX
- Dynamo, by Robert Webb (Science Comics #1, Feb 40)
HOLYOKE
- Cat-Man, by Irwin Hasen (Crash Comic Adventures #4, Sep 40)
LEV GLEASON
- Daredevil, by Jack Binder (Silver Streak Comics #6, Sep 40)
- Silver Streak, by Joe Simon, Jack Binder (Silver Streak Comics #3, Mar 40)
MLJ (Archie Comics)
- Black Hood, by Harry Shorten (Top-Notch Comics #9, Oct 40)
- The Comet, by Jack Cole (Pep Comics #1, Jan 40)
- Firefly, by Harry Shorten and Bob Wood (Top-Notch Comics #8, Sep 40)
- The Fox, by Joe Blair, Irwin Hasen (Blue Ribbon Comics #4, Jun 40)
- Scarlet Avenger, by Harry Shorten and Irv Novick (Zip Comics #1, (Jun 40)
- The Shield, by Harry Shorten and Irv Novick (Pep Comics #1, Jan 40)
NEDOR COMICS
- Captain Future, by Kin Platt (Startling Comics #1, Jun 40)
- Doc Strange, by Richard E. Hughes and Alexander Kostuk (Thrilling Comics #1, Feb 40)
- Ghost (Thrilling Comics #3, Apr 40)
- Woman in Red, by Richard E. Hughes and George Mandel (Thrilling Comics #2, Mar 40)
NOVELTY PRESS
- Blue Bolt, by Joe Simon (Blue Bolt Comics #1, Jun 40)
- Target and the Targeteers, by Dick Hamilton (Target Comics #10, Nov 40)
PRIZE PUBLICATIONS
- Black Owl (Prize Comics #2, Apr 40)
- Green Lama (Price Comics, #7, Dec 40)
QUALITY COMICS (DC Comics)
- Alias The Spider, by Paul Gustavson (Crack Comics #1, May 40)
- Black Condor, by Will Eisner and Lou Fine (Crack Comics #1, May 40)
- Madame Fatal, by Art Pinajian (Crack Comics #1, May 40)
- Magno, by Paul Gustavson (Smash Comics #13, Aug 40)
- Merlin The Magician (National Comics #1, Jul 40)
- Neon the Unknown, by Jerry Iger (Hit Comics #1, Jul 40)
- Quicksilver (Max Mercury), by Jack Cole and Chuck Mazoujian (National Comics #5, Nov 40)
- The Ray, by Lou Fine (Smash Comics #14, Sep 40)
- The Red Bee by Toni Blum and Charles Nicholas (Hit Comics #1, Jul 40)
- Red Torpedo (Crack Comics #1, May 40)
- Uncle Sam, by Will Eisner (National Comics #1, Jul 40)
TIMELY (Marvel Comics)
- Black Widow (Claire Voyant), by George Kapitan and Harry Sahle (Mystic Comics #4, Aug 40)
- Dynamic Man, by Daniel Peters (Mystic Comics #1 (Mar 40)
- Electro, by Steve Dahlman (Marvel Mystery Comics #4, Feb 40)
- Fiery Mask, Joe Simon (Daring Mystery Comics #1, Jan 40)
- The Ferret (Marvel Mystery Comics #4, Feb 40)
- Laughing Mask, by Joe Calcagno (Daring Mystery Comics #2, Feb 40)
- Marvel Boy, by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby (Daring Mystery Comics #6, Jun 40)
- Master Mind Excello (Marvel Mystic Comics #2, Apr 40)
- Mercury (later Hurricane), by Martin Burnstein and Jack Kirby (Red Raven Comics #1, Aug 40)
- Mister E, by Joe Calcagno (Daring Mystery Comics #2, Feb 40)
- Phantom Reporter (Daring Mystery Comics #3, Apr 40)
- Red Raven, by Joe Simon and Louis Cazeneuve (Red Raven Comics #1, Aug 40)
- Thin Man, by Klaus Nordling (Mystic Comics #4, Jun 40)
- Toro, by Carl Burgos (Human Torch Comics #2, Fall 40)
- Vision by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby (Marvel Mystery Comics #13, Nov 40)
'CATWOMAN 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR' #1 PREVIEW
Cover A by Joëlle Jones and Laura Allred
1940s variant cover by ADAM HUGHES
1950s variant cover by TRAVIS CHAREST
1960s variant cover by J. SCOTT CAMPBELL
1970s variant cover by FRANK CHO
1980s variant cover by STANLEY “ARTGERM” LAU
1990s variant cover by GABRIELE DELL’OTTO
2000s variant cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
2010s variant cover by JEE-HYUNG LEE
Index page
"Helena" by Tom King and Mikel Janin
"The Catwoman of Earth" by Jeff Parker and Jonathan Case
"The Art of Picking a Lock" by Ed Brubaker and Cameron Stewart
Jae Lee and June Chung pin-up
Ty Templeton pin-up
'FLASH' #750 VARIANT COVERS
1940s variant by Nicola Scott
1950s variant by Gary Frank
1960s variant by Nick Derington
1970s variant by José Luis García-López
1980s variant by Gabriele Dell'Otto
1990s variant by Francesco Mattina
2000s variant by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
2010s variant by Francis Manapul
'GREEN LANTERN 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR' #1 VARIANT COVERS
1940s variant by Nicola Scott
1950s variant by Matt Taylor
1960s variant by Doug Mahnke
1970s variant by Neal Adams
1980s variant by David Finch
1990s variant by Philip Tan
2000s variant by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert
2010s variant by Jim Lee and Scott Williams
'JOKER 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR' #1 VARIANT COVERS
Cover A by Greg Capullo
1940s variant by Arthur Adams
1950s variant by David Finch and Steve Firchow
1960s variant by Francesco Mattina
1970s variant by Jim Lee & Scott Williams
1980s variant by Bill Sienkiewicz
1990s variant by Gabriele Dell’Otto
2000s variant by Lee Bermejo
2010s variant by Jock
'ROBIN 80TH ANNIVERSARY 100-PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR' #1 VARIANT COVERS
Cover A by Lee Weeks
1940s variant by Jim Lee, Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair
1950s variant by Julian Totino Tedesco
1960s variant by Dustin Nguyen
1970s variant by Kaare Andrews
1980s variant by Frank Miller
1990s variant by Jim Cheung and Tomeu Morey
2000s variant by Derrick Chew
2010s variant by Yasmine Putri
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