Welcome to our re-read of the first and greatest superhero team in comics ... and quite a bit more!
My plan is to re-read and discuss the Golden Age Justice Society of America, which ran from All-Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940) to All-Star Comics #57 (February-March 1951), and is currently being reprinted in DC's "DC Finest" line.
But, as ever, I am consumed by context. What events brought us to All-Star Comics #3? What characters did editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox have available from which to choose? What else was competing in the superhero space? To achieve that context, I plan to start the discussion at the publisher's beginning, when Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson launched National Allied Publications Inc. in 1935. That was the first step toward the Justice Society — and to DC Comics as we know it today.
So before we even get to the JSA, I'll re-read and open for discussion all the solo stories starring JSA members, mostly from DC's Archives and Famous First Edition series. Which is actually quite a lot! (Although not as much as I'd prefer. I want it ALL!) I'll be writing about non-JSA superheroes created by National, Detective Comics Inc. and All-American Comics Inc. too, like Crimson Avenger and Doctor Occult. I'll also be tipping my hat to some non-powered characters, principally those who managed to appear outside their parent title, like Slam Bradley and Hop Harrigan. That means no re-read for the likes of "Bart Regan, Spy" and "Speed Saunders." Sorry, fellas, but I had to draw the line somewhere — before I found myself doing a deep dive into the history of Ginger Snap.
Speaking of drawing lines, I won't be re-reading Superman and Batman. They are peripheral at best to the Golden Age JSA, and would overwhelm the discussion through sheer volume. The volume issue extends to Wonder Woman as well (Sensation Comics, Wonder Woman, Comic Cavalcade), but she was a major player in the JSA, so I haven't decided yet if I'll include her solo stories. (And I have quite a bit of time to decide, since the bulk of DC"s Golden Age Archives books consist of material published before Sensation Comics #1.) Fortunately, Jeff of Earth-J is already doing a re-read of the Golden Age Superman.
I should note that I'm using cover dates instead of ship dates (not all ship dates are available) and assigning specific months to seasonal cover dates. That is to say, I consider "Spring" to mean March-April-May, "Summer" to mean June-July-August, "Fall" to mean September-October-November and "Winter" to mean December-January-February. I know the books with seasonal dates don't always align with the months I've assigned. But I'm organizing by month, so I have to assign months to seasonal cover dates. The cover date for All-Star Comics #3 was Winter 1940, for example, so I'm going to call it "December." (The actual ship date was Nov. 22, 1940, according to the Grand Comics Database, for whatever that's worth.) It's not necessary for Golden Age books to be in specific order very often, but where they need to be (like Detective Comics #38 and Batman #1), I'll order them properly.
I've tried to be comprehensive, relying on a variety of sources, from online to reprints to "companion" books. A tip of the cowl to some of Luke Blanchard's posts in what amounts to almost an outline for this discussion. But I'm sure I've left out tons, especially reprints that I don't have or can't find, which may be at hand in your collection. I hope folks will do re-reads of reprints I've left out, as well as comment on what I've written. So let's hear what I've missed Legionnaires — and what you think!
Replies
It might be similar to the early sound films. Only a few scenes had sound, the rest was silent.
Oh, yeah, makes sense.
I had no idea that Slam Bradley lasted until 1949!
That makes him a better candidate for a Batman replacement!
I had never really thought about a lot of this before I started doing all this research, but strips ran forever in the Golden Age. Slam longer than most, because he started earlier than most.
And equally mind-boggling (to me) was how long the comic strip reprints ran. As much as I thought about it, which wasn't really much, I assumed they kinda faded away when new material became widely available. Sorta like how silent films were driven out by talkies. But no, most of the major comic strip reprint titles ran a decade or more. Famous Funnies began before All-Star Comics, and lasted longer! Take a look at this list:
Everyone talks about how superheroes were dying in the late '40s, but it looks like reprint titles started dying then, too. And Slam Bradley, as we see. It might be that superheroes didn't wane so much as everything did, except crime and horror. I'll find out when I reach the late '40s in the re-read.
Other rising genres were romance, funny animals and teen humour. For a good while they were significant components of DC's line. At the turn of the Silver Age Marvel's longest-running properties were "Kid Colt", "Millie the Model" and "Patsy Walker". War went away and came back in the 1950s.
One of the major shifts was from mixed-content titles to genre-focused titles.
I'll try to document that as I go along.
FEBRUARY 1937
I'm backtracking here a little for the sake of the Doctor Occult story, retroactively titled "The Life Ray."
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #6 [#18]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster (2 pages. Doctor Occult is about to see a lot of dead people. And then becomes one!
It starts with a dying man in the hospital who keeps muttering about the "price of life," so Occult — who seems to be a real doctor here — takes the disturbed man to his home to care for him. While Occult sleeps, a green face in the window urges the dying man to get up and stab Occult. As the knife descends, the face "shrieks out a dreadful peal of triumphant laughter!"
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #1 [#13]
There's not much here for our discussion. Humor and historical fiction seem to dominate. Lots of B&W and two-color strips. Federal Men is interesting, maybe. Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson continues some strips, some or all of which I assume he's adapting from his own work. Charles Dickins' A Tale of Two Cities is being adapted. A strip called The Vikings appears to owe a debt to "Prince Valiant," but the art is terrible. I think they missed the point of "Prince Valiant"!
THE COMPETITION
Chesler/Dynamic enters the field with Star Ranger #1 (Western) and Star Comics #1 (humor). Bob Phantom, a magician who is NOT the Archie character, appears in Star Comics #1. It is amazing to me that somebody came up with the name "Bob Phantom" as a lead character's name, because it is so odd. And not once, but twice. I have to wonder if it isn't a swipe from something in 1930s pop culture of which I'm unaware. In this story, Bob Phantom saves a girl from crooks with stage-magician tricks, and appears in street clothes. I haven't found any other appearances yet (aside from reprints).
MARCH 1937
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #7 [#19]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (2 pages). In the last issue, a man under the influence of someone else is about to murder Doctor Occult. But the man resists, shouts something about the "ray of life," and dies. The green face in the window snarls in defeat and flees.
We don't see the fallout, but next evening, Rose arrives and takes Occult to a nightclub to help him forget about it. (This is the first time we've seen Rose in a quite a while.) However, they discover a fully dressed dead man sitting in a chair grinning ... and he's been dead for a month (says another doctor, who apparently can tell by looking at him). I guess Doctor Occult is NOT a medical doctor here. Maybe he wasn't in the other story either.
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #2 [#14]
The adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's She returns (it missed the previous issue). This is probably as good a place as any to mention that DC is also adapting The Three Musketeers and Ivanhoe in their two (soon to be three) books.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #1
See earlier post.
APRIL 1937
For some reason, DC books tend to miss April.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #2
Slam Bradley: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (13 pages)
MAY 1937
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #8 [#20]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (2 pages). Occult rides in the ambulance with with the corpse. Suddenly, the driver is shot and the ambulance crashes. In the ensuing chaos the corpse disappears. Occult reports it, takes Rose home and then walks home, trying to put the pieces together. Then a woman named Nita Crane shows up, whose funeral Occult had attended. Another corpse! She warns him his soul is in danger and disappears. Occult is convinced it's all connected.
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #3 [#15]
I should probably mention Sandor of the Lost Civilization, which is sort of Tarzan in India. And Steve Conrad is an American adventurer in the South Seas, so it probably owes a debt to "Terry and the Pirates." But like The Vikings, the art is so bad it's hard to make the connection. Both of these strips have been running a while. Can you tell I'm casting about for something to write about with this book?
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #3
Slam Bradley: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (13 pages)
JUNE 1937
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #9 [#21]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (2 pages). Occult gets the police to OK looking in Nita's tomb, which is empty. He returns home to phone Rose, and drops dead while on the line! That's all, but what do you want from two pages?
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #4 [#16]
I haven't mentioned Dale Daring yet. It's a strip starring an American adventurer in China, so it probably also owes a debt to "Terry and the Pirates." The art is slightly better, good enough that I can tell it's aping someone. But it's still so bad I can't tell if it's aping Milton Caniff or Joe Shuster or somebody else.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #4
Slam Bradley: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (13 pages)
JULY 1937
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #10 [#22]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (2 pages). We see Occult's funeral. However, later that night Occult's body is dug up and stolen. A man in surgical scrubs calling himself "The Lord of Life" puts Occult in a tube, which is in a room straight out of a Frankenstein (1931). The man in scrubs calls himself the "Lord of Life" and rants as he operates the equipment. "Laboratory lights dimming, the room is now brightened by the intermittent crackling of electricity bolts. From somewhere a shrill whine mounts in pitch. Tubes gleam ... dials flash ... then a green ray strikes full at Occult's face ... there is movement ... features twitch — Dr. Occult is coming to life!"
Or as Colin Clive might say, "Look! It's moving. It's alive. It's alive. ... It's alive, it's moving, it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, it's alive, IT'S ALIVE!" Not that I see any connection.
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #5 [#17]
Nadir, Master of Magic
Created by: Bill Ely
Debut story: Untitled by Bill Ely (4 pages)
Where I read it: Comic Book Plus
Significance: Golden Age DC superhero
Nadir was a prince in India, but gave that up. "Because of a tragedy in his early life, which resulted in the death of his father and mother, he has devoted his life to the elimination of crime." (Hmm. That sounds familiar.) He uses both the science of the West and "the many long-forgotten secrets of the Far East" in his mission.
He also wears a turban, which puts him in a category of characters described in Alex Grand's Understanding Superhero Comic Books, a book I have not read but have read about. Grand posits that most Americans in the late 19th and early 20th centures gained entry into the worlds of fantasy through strage magicians. He lists the "Four Magi" as foundational archetypes, consisting of Harry Houdini (1874-1926); Alexander, The One Who Knows (1880-1954); The Great Blackstone (1885-1965); and Leon Mandrake (1911-1993).
Alexander, The One Who Knows, was a stage magician who wore a turban, pretended to know secrets of the Far East and used a magical talisman (a crystal ball). He is likely the inspiration for Chandu the Mystic, who had a radio show and several movies (one of which starred Bela Lugosi). If this all sounds familiar, it's because a lot of comics characters arise from the "Alexander" tradition, including Fawcett's Ibis the Invincible, DC's Sargon the Sorcerer and Archie's Kardak the Mystic.
Nadir fits right in this paradigm, with his turban, Eastern roots and pencil-thin mustache. (Very popular with magician characters.) He has not one but two magical talismans, a crystal ball and a magic ring. Despite having a name that means "the lowest point," Nadir lasted until New Adventure Comics #30 (September 1938).
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #5
Slam Bradley: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (13 pages). Shorty goes undercover as a student ... in the sixth grade.
AUGUST 1937
'MORE FUN COMICS' v2 #11 [#23]
Doctor Occult: Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (4 pages). The Lord of Life sends Occult and Nita to steal "a valuable relic," but they are seen by Rose (which is quite the coincidence). Occult and Nita panic and flee, and the Lord flogs Occult for having failed his mission. While they think him unconscious, the Lord and his flunky Zolar discuss their plan, so Occult (and the reader) get the full scoop. It turns out Lord of Life isn't killing people, but drugging them into a death-like state and then bringing them "back" to life. They then must obey the Lord of Life, or he'll withhold the ray, which they needt to counteract the serum once a month. Occult discusses this with Nita (who I keep thinking is Rose, because they are drawn so much alike). "Suddenly an idea strikes Dr. Occult! for the first time, he sees how he can outwit the Lord of Life!"
Occult injects the Lord of Life with his own drug, and the Lord races to get the antidote. That shows Occult where it is. Occult prevents the Lord from using the antidote, and turns him over to his victims, who kill him. They are all given the antidote, so they won't need the ray treatment any more, and Occult tells them not to mention their ordeal to anybody. Should be interesting to hear what they tell their friends and relatives, who went to their funerals, but Siegel and Shuster don't show that part.
This is a really creepy story, but once again Occult doesn't do anything magical. With the exception of "The Seven" storyline, he's just been a detective. Also, we never get an explanation for how the Lord of Life can be a creepy green face in Occult's window, but I'm going to write that off to artistic license (it was all in the guy's head). And Luke Blanchard suggested where Siegel might have read it before. We also don't learn what the "valuable relic" was, but I can live with that.
Fun fact: The Doctor Occult feature is now 4 pages.
'NEW ADVENTURE COMICS' v2 #18
Honestly, I don't find this title a very compelling package. But maybe it was boffo in 1937, when kids didn't have TV or video games or the Internet. I'd sure like to know what some of those kids thought of it, but I don't know of any such accounts.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #6
Slam Bradley Untitled by Siegel and Shuster (13 pages)
The New History of the DC Universe identifies Dr. Occult as the first superhero of the 20th century: "Osgood Armsby, an orphan raised by the mystic cult known as The Seven, began his career in the 1930s as a supernatural detective under the name Dr. Richard Occult. In one early adventure, Occult donned a red suit and cloak, making him the century's first superhero."
I'm not going to sully the purity of your chronology with this revision throughout the discussion, but I thought I'd mention it this once. When the History gets the the 20th century, it starts with Enemy Ace, and the backstory of "Congo Bill" Glenmorgan, Roderick Burgess and Dream, and Sven and Kent Nelson. Surprisingly, the Crimson Avenger is not mentioned at all (although he is in the endnotes, along with Cyril "Speed" Saunders and the Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
Feel free to sully!
And that is very interesting information. I wonder if "Osgood Armsby" was established in one of the Secret Origins series, or if Waid made it up just now. And if Richard Occult had a name previous to "The Seven," did Rose Psychic? I mean, it seems obvious that's a pseudonym. But it's never been established as such, as far as I know.
Also, starting the 20th century with Hans von Hammer seems like it's leaving something out, but I can't put my finger on it. Andrew Bennett maybe? One of the World War II heroes' fathers? Billy Batson's dad? There's Steve "Balloon Buster" Savage, but he could be concurrent with Enemy Ace. Wesley Dodds was a Navy pilot prior to being the Sandman, but it was never established exactly when, and if he was in the Great War he'd be in his late 30s or early 40s when Sandman debuted in 1939. So Waid wouldn't want to put him there. It's possible Matt Wagner made him that old in Sandman Mystery Theatre, but I don't remember. (Note to self: Re-read Sandman Mystery Theatre.) Maybe I'm thinking of all the Marvel characters we know from WWI, like Nick Fury's dad, Phantom Eagle and so forth. Hrm.
Eight years ago, I wrote about what DC characters would be around during World War I HERE!
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