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 comparing ship dates on books that don't have months assigned to covers, like quarterlies and specials, to ship dates on monthlies to figure out where those books should be placed. All-Star Comics #3, for example, is dated "Winter" on the cover, but the on-sale date places it with books with December 1940 cover dates, so that's where I put it..
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
MORE JANUARY 1940
It's a big month, as Flash Comics #1 -- which introduces three future JSA members -- is joined by major first issues from Archie, Fiction House and Marvel.
'ADVENTURE COMICS' #46
Sandman
Story: "The Sandman Meets with Murder" by Gardner Fox and Ogden Whitney (10 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Sandman Archives Vol. 1
An old college buddy looks up Wesley Dodds, and they go to meet another college buddy. (Dodds seems to have a lot of old friends to use as springboards for stories.) Dodds sees blood seeping under the door of the second friend and leads the first friend away. Returning later as Sandman, he stumbles onto a complicated — and lethal — counterfeiting scheme. It's got some interesting twists and turns, and I didn't guess the ending. Well, until I saw the old lady. You'll know what I mean if you read it.
Fun facts:
Sartorial watch: Green suit, purple cape, orange hat and gloves. That's the same outfit two issues in a row, which is a first.
'MORE FUN COMICS' #51
Biff Bronson has a story.
The Spectre makes his first appearance in a promo in the last panel of The Buccaneer, who makes his last appearance.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #35
Cover: Batman fights Duc D'orterre, by Bob Kane. Since that character appeared in the previous issue, GCD thinks this cover was commissioned for Detective Comics #34. Also, this is where Batman begins his tenure as regular cover feature, through the Golden Age and long beyond.
Batman: Batman battles a Hindu cult over a large ruby (untitled by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff, 12 pages).
Where I first read it: Batman Archives Vol. 1 (1990)
Slam Bradley also has a story.
'ACTION COMICS' #20
Superman: Superman rescues actress Delores Winters in an untitled story by Jerry Siegel and Paul Cassidy (13 pages). But Winters then kidnaps a bunch of people, and Superman discovers that Ultra-Humanite has placed his brain in her body. (Which is not only gross, but makes Ultra the first trans supervillain.)
Where I first read it: Superman: The Action Comics Archives Vol. 1 (1997)
Tex Thomson and Zatara also have stories.
'ALL-AMERICAN COMICS' #10
The Shield, The Comet, Press Guardian and Fu Chang, International Detective, debut in Archie's Pep Comics #1. The Shield (multiple versions) and The Comet (ditto) have both been revived at Archie Comics. Not sure about the other two.
Ultra-Man, Hop Harrigan, Scribbly and Red, White and Blue all have stories.
THE COMPETITION
Fiery Mask (Jack Castle), John Steele, Phantom of the Underworld and Monako, Prince of Magic, debut in Marvel's Daring Mystery Comics #1. Fiery Mask was revived as a character in The Twelve, but was subsequently killed, and his powers transferred to the Phantom Reporter (Richard Jones). John Steele was revived in Secret Avengers, but also subsequently killed.
Mantoka and The Owl debut in Centaur's Funny Pages v4 #1. This is not the Golden Age's only Owl.
White Panther (later Red Panther), Kaänga and Tabu, Wizard of the Jungle, debut in Fiction House's Jungle Comics #1. Ha ha, taboo, I get it.
Red Comet debuts in Fiction House's Planet Comics #1. Not to mention Flint Baker; Auro, Lord of Jupiter; Captain Nelson Cole of the Solar Force; Buzz Crandall and the Space Patrol; Quorak, Space Pirate; and the unforgettably named Spurt Hammond, Planet Flyer.
Big Red McLane (by Fletcher Hanks) stars in Fiction House's Fight Comics #1, along with Shark Brodie, Spy Fighter, Kayo Kirby, Oran of the Jungle, Terry O'Brien Gang Smasher, Strut Warren, Chip Collins and the unforgettably named Kinks Mason.
Pelican Publications (actually Funnies Inc., according to GCD) enters the field with Green Giant Comics #1 sometime in 1940. Green Giant, Dr. Nerod, Master Mystic and Black Arrow make their only appearances. This one issue is all I can find from Pelican Publications.
The Eye debuts in Centaur's Keen Detective Funnies v3 #1. The Eye is a giant, floating eye. The Golden Age was weird.
Street and Smith enter the field with Shadow Comics #1. The Shadow, Doc Savage and Iron Monroe debut (in comics, anyway). Iron Monroe was used by Roy Thomas as a substitute for Superman in DC history after Crisis on Infinite Earths removed the Man of Steel from the Golden Age.
Dell publishes War Comics #1, which becomes War Stories with issue #5.
Bob Phantom appears in Blue Ribbon Comics for the last time, as he moves to Top Notch Comics.
IIRC, the Green Giant makes an appearance in Dynamite's Project Superheroes series!
The SHIELD is another hero that could have joined the JSA in an alternate reality. The COMET might have been too dangerous, much like the Human Torch.
For the briefest of moments, the Ultra-Humanite was the greatest villain of the early DC period.
I think the cover of Detective Comics #33 is a swipe, as I've seen similar images elsewhere. An example is p.1 panel 2 of the "Speed Saunders" story in Detective Comics #13. I don't know the source. Prince Valiant?
The cover is tied to the story as it shows Batman with a holster, and he wears one and uses a gun in the story. At that point Batman was appearing on every other cover, although that was shortly to change. It seems clear #34's story was originally supposed to appear in #33. So I think the matching of covers and stories was thrown out of whack by the decision to run #33's story early.
Sartorial watch: Green suit, purple cape, orange hat and gloves. That's the same outfit two issues in a row, which is a first.
Every time I note this part of your Sandman reviews, Cap, my thoughts go back to an item I remember from that seminal comic-book tome All in Color for a Dime (Arlington House, 1970). Jim Harmon wrote the chapter "A Swell Bunch of Guys" on All Star Comics and the Justice Society, and one of his comments on the Sandman has remained stuck in my mind since I first read it fifty-five years ago. To wit:
Then there is the Sandman. His costume is . . . are you ready? . . . a bright green double-breasted business suit, lavender cape, orange gloves, a bright golden slouch hat, and a yellow-and-blue gas mask that serves the additional purpose of concealing his face. Now all super-heroes have their weaknesses, or at least they ought to. Making them totally invincible and invulnerable makes reader identification difficult and tends to make the stories all end on page two, when the hero steps in and---pow! ends the menace.
I have long suspected that in Sandman's case his fatal weakness was color blindness.
Or...the Sandman just doesn't care about fashion! He's making an impression!
Batman, the Crimson Avenger and the Sandman all started as crimefighters who principally operated at night. (The Sandman's choice of costumed identity alludes to this, as Batman's does.) So the question of the appropriateness of his attire is how it appeared at night, under natural or streetlamp illumination.
Captain Comics said:
I should note that PS Artbooks is reprinting Doll Man Quarterly, which I'm reading (and the art is awesome) but I haven't read any of the Feature Comics episodes. except those DC reprinted in the '70s and '80s.
Comic Book Plus has three issues of Doll Man from I.W. Publishing/Super Comics and 52 issues of Doll Man Quarterly from Quality.
Commander Benson said:
I have long suspected that in Sandman's case his fatal weakness was color blindness.
Philip Portelli said:
Or...the Sandman just doesn't care about fashion! He's making an impression!
Or…
(In between these comments to which I am replying I have a lot of catching up to do)
Every time I note this part of your Sandman reviews ...
Sadly, the Sartorial Watch is coming to an end soon. Tuesday, I think. Sandman's attire becomes more consistent from this point on. Well, until that purple-and-gold atrocity comes along.
Or … He wants to be remembered.
Wati'll we get to Green Lantern! Your perspicacity will be confirmed!
Maybe it was a tactic on Wesley's part - he bought some outfits that he wouldn't normally be caught dead in, so there'd be no chance of someone saying, "Hey, that outfit that the Sandman is wearing looks just like that suit I saw Wes Dodds in!"
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