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.
But I will be re-reading reprints, or availing myself of online information where reprints don't exist, of 14 of the 17 Golden Age characters who launched or appeared in All-Star Comics #3-57. Those characters include:
- The Atom: All-American Comics #19-46, 48-61, 70-72; All-Star Comics #3-26, 28-35, 37-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Flash Comics #80, 82-85, 87 89-95, 97-100, 102-104; Comic Cavalcade #22-23, 28; Sensation Comics #86.
- Black Canary: All-Star Comics #38-57; Comic Cavalcade #25; Flash Comics #86-88, 90-104.
- Doctor Fate: All-Star Comics #3-12, 14-21; More Fun Comics #55-98.
- Doctor Mid-Nite: All-American Comics #25-102; All-Star Comics #6 (text story), 8-57.
- The Flash: All-Flash #1-32; All-Star Comics #1-7, 10, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties)
- Green Lantern: All-American Comics #16-102; All-Flash #14; All-Star Comics #2-8, 10, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Green Lantern #1-38.
- Hawkman: All-Star Comics #1-57, Big All-American Comic Book, Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
- Hourman: Adventure Comics #48-83, All-Star Comics #1-7, New York World's Fair Comics [#2].
- Johnny Thunder: All-Star Comics #2-4, 6-35, 37-39; Big All-American Comic Book; Flash Comics #1-91; New York World's Fair Comics [#2]; World's Best Comics #1; World's Fair Comics #2-3; Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
- Mister Terrific: All-Star Comics #24, Big All-American Comic Book, Sensation Comics #1-63.
- Sandman: Adventure Comics #40-102, All-Star Comics #1-21, Boy Commandos #1, Detective Comics #76, New York World's Fair Comics [#1-2], World's Finest Comics #3-7.
- The Spectre: All-Star Comics #1-23, More Fun Comics #52-101, a single panel in More Fun Comics #51.
- Starman: Adventure Comics #61-102, All-Star Comics #8-23.
- Wildcat: All-Star Comics #24, 27; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-2; Sensation Comics #1-90.
The obvious exceptions here are Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. Superman and Batman, called "honorary members" in the text, appeared twice in All-Star Comics, but I don't plan to re-read all their adventures from 1938 to 1951. They are peripheral at best to the Golden Age JSA, and would overwhelm the discussion through sheer volume. This problem extends to Wonder Woman as well, who appears in four titles in the Golden Age (Sensation Comics, Wonder Woman, Comic Cavalcade, All-Star Comics). I'll re-read and report on her JSA adventures, but like Batman and Superman, I'll just note her solo stories in passing with a summary that I'll grab somewhere online. That will keep the discussion abreast of any major developments, like new supervillains, in Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman stories.
Here are their appearances that are concurrent with All-Star's run:
- Batman: All-Star Comics # 7 (cameo), 36; Batman #1-63 (February-March 1951); Batman 3-D #1; Detective Comics #1-169 (March 1951); New York World’s Fair Comics [#2]; World’s Best Comics #1, World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951).
- Superman: Action Comics #1-154 (March 1951); All-Star Comics #7 (cameo), 36; New York World’s Fair [#1-2]; Superman #1-69 (March-April 1951); Superman 3-D #1; Superman at the Gilbert Hall of Science; Superman Miniature; World’s Best Comics #1; World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951).
- Wonder Woman: All-Star Comics #8, 11-22, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Sensation Comics #1-102; Wonder Woman #1-46 (March-April 1951).
Fortunately, Jeff of Earth-J is already doing a re-read of the Golden Age Superman. Jeff isn't doing a re-read of all Batman books, but he is compiling "The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told," by which he means "all of them." Recently he's begun re-reading other major Bat-villains, which he discusses in Batman vs. Penguin, Riddler — Prince of Puzzles, The Crimes of Two-Face and Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale.
I should note that my methodology changed over time, as realities required. For instance, I initially lumped books together by monthly cover date, but complications ensued for books without them, like quarterlies and one-shots. As the number of quarterlies and their importance increased, I ended up going by on-sale dates as the primary organizational tool. (Which aren't available for all books, but that's a lesser devil than chronologically misplacing Batman or All-Star Comics). Initially I only included mention of others strips in anthology books if they were of some importance, like Slam Bradley, but eventually I started including all of them. Here and there I would try to improve the format. And so forth. In some imaginary "someday" I'll go back through and make them all consistent.
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 a Luke Blanchard post in what amounts to an outline for this discussion. But I'm sure I've left out tons, especially stories I don't have or can't find, which may be at hand in your collection. I hope folks will do re-reads of stories 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
You got my attention. I just read issues 1-4 of Best of the Best on DC Ultra. They also have #5, but I'll conntinue when they have #6.
It turns out that they had 5 and 6 yesterday. What they didn't have was my new credit card expiration date.* I expect to read them both today.
*Some companies automatically get revised expiration dates. DC Universe Infinite/Ultra isn't one of them.
At first I considered picking some nits, but I know where you're coming from.
No, no, pick nits! And gnats! And G'norts! If I get something wrong, I don't want it to stand. My ego can take it.
This is what I remember about the death of Black Canary. Or Canaries, I should say. Let me know where I have it wrong:
The original Black Canary was depicted as moving to Earth-One in Justice League of America #75. Transferring dimensions somehow gave her the Canary Cry.
This was retconned in Justice League of America #220, where it was revealed that the orginal Black Canary's daughter was cursed by The Wizard with an uncontrollable Canary Cry, and was given to the Thunderbolt to cure, but he couldn't and put her in stasis (where she grew into an adult in her early 20s). Meanwhile, the Thunderbolt told everybody she was dead. Canary discovered she was dying of cancer (from exposure to Aquarius, who killed her husband Larry Lance in JLA #74) and also discovered her daughter was in stasis, and had her memories implanted in her daughter. This explained how Canary could still be kicking crime in the face in her '60s, because it was really her daughter's body with the original's memories. I'm still gobsmacked by this cruel story, which was obviously engineered backward from the outcome. Anyway, I don't remember if the Canary's death was depicted on-panel or not, or when it was supposed to have happened. But I assume she was known to be dead by the end of JLA #220.
After Crisis, the original was resurrected, and lived long enough to have a lot of arguments with Diana about not being a superhero. She died again of cancer from Aquarius, who had once again killed Larry Lance. I believe in this one the daughter developed the Canary Cry from long exposure to Green Lantern's ring, Starman's Stellar Rod and other exotic energies. This story was told in Secret Origins #50.
In James Robinson's Starman, an attempt was made to change one of the Dinahs' names to Diana, but it didn't stick.
In New 52, there was only one Black Canary. She had the Canary Cry from government experiments. DC ignores New 52, and so do I.
Rebirth restored the mother-daughter version of the characters. The original was resurrected again, and was depicted dying of cancer in Black Canary: Best of the Best. I don't remember if Tom King mentioned Aquarius, or how Larry Lance died. If he did, I would have rolled right over it as something I already "knew." But it wasn't requisite to the story (people get cancer all the time without being exposed to living stars), so if he hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have noticed its absence. But either way, I'll assume that's back in play. And I won't spoil how that ended until Richard Willis reads issues #5-6!
Anyway, I've already written the Black Canary intro, and incorporated the Best of the Best ending as her status. Like Mister Terrific, the original Black Canary died before Crisis, and could have a nice, neat end point before a copy is made. But unlike Terry Sloane, Dinah Drake Lance was resurrected and continued, so that "counts," just as it does with Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman, who are still the "originals," despite their histories having been revamped/erased in Crisis.
If any of this is wrong, let me know!
If I get something wrong, I don't want it to stand.
No, no, no... nothing like that. I just meant that, as of Best of the Best, the "Dinah Sr." is still alive... at least she starts out that way.
The original was resurrected again, and was depicted dying of cancer in Black Canary: Best of the Best.
Sorry... I was working under the assumption that you hadn't yet read it.
And I won't spoil how that ended until Richard Willis reads issues #5-6!
My lips are sealed!
They're sort of the canaries in the comic-book coal mine.
I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that.
'FLASH COMICS' #6
Cover date: June 1940
On-sale date: April 17, 1940
Cover: Flash rescues a woman, by E.E. Hibbard
The Flash
Untitled by Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (11 pages)
Where I read this story: Golden Age Flash Archives Vol. 1 (1999)
Jay and Joan attend Olympic try-outs but the favorites all lose. They determine that the runners are being drugged by gamblers and the assistant commissioner (of something or other) is in on it. Garrick enters the try-outs (as a former football player from Western University) and beats everyone with a very careless and public use of super-speed. He later just flat tells Wally Stevens, the runner from Western University, that he's The Flash. From Stevens, Flash learns that it's Jonsey the trainer who handles the uniforms before the race, which were drugged. Flash uses his invisibility to induce Jonsey to sign a confession, and uses Jonsey's confession to get the assistant commissioner (of something) to confess as well. Steven goes on to win, as do the other best runners. Garrick says he can't try out for real because making others compete with his "scientific freak gift" would be unsportsmanlike.
Fun facts:
Hawkman
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (9 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Hawkman Archives Vol. 1 (2006)
Hawkman and Ione are still escaping Alamut, but the double burden on his wings forces him to land in the desert. (Which desert? You got me.) He flies up solo to find his direction, and while she's left alone, Ione is taken by "Arab raiders" to Shiek Abdullah, who tries to sell her in the slave market of "Istanyulq." (Probably a portmanteau of Istanbul, Turkey, and Iraq.) Hawkman tries to save her, but is captured. In the dungeon he meets Major Brent, whose Army column (what Army is not said, but I'm guessing British) was wiped out by "Sheba, queen of the desert," who is leading a rebellion against "the hated white man." Sheba arrives and tells Abdullah she wants the winged man, but doesn't care about the girl. Hawkman escapes, and goes to find more of Brent's Army near Aden. Hawkman returns to find Brent and Ione chained in the arena, and kills two lions with a bow and quiver of arrows he conveniently finds in Abdullah's castle. He has to find Sheba (and her keys) to free Brent and Ione. The Army breaks in and Hawkman finds Sheba. He returns to the arena with the keys, but has to kill another lion with a knife. (Shades of Tarzan!) The Army takes over Istanyulq and Hawkman leaves Sheba locked in a tower for them to arrest. (He can't hurt a girl! That wouldn't be chivalrous! Better to lock her in a room until the British get there.)
LIke the last issue, the geography in this one is all over the place. Google tells me "Alamut" is in ancient Persia (now Iran). If my guess on Istanyulq is correct, Turkey and Iraq are brought into play. The biblical kingdom of Sheba (I assume the character is named for it ) was likely in Ethiopia or Yemen. Aden is definitely in Yemen (it's the capital), which is on the other end of the Arabian peninsula from Iraq, with all of Saudi Arabia in between.
In Gardner Fox's defense, last issue Hawkman and Ione traced the cult back to "Araby," which Wiki tells me is "an archaic name for Arabia or the Arab world." If you treat this two-part story as a fantasy adventure in a romantic, archaic, exotic land with no fixed geography, it works fine. Technically Iran and Ethiopia aren't part of the Arab world, but it's all part of the fantastical "over yonder" where One Thousand and One Nights and "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" took place. Fox probably knew better, but didn't care, because the intent was to amaze kids and fire their imagination.
And it probably worked! If there's ever a Greatest Hawkman Stories Ever Told, this two-parter would be an excellent Golden Age choice.
Fun facts:
Johnny Thunder
Untitled by John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages).
No reprint!
This is the earliest story about a future JSA member that hasn't been reprinted. At this point, Superman, Batman, Sandman, Flash, Hawkman, Spectre, Doctor Fate, Hourman and Johnny Thunder have all debuted. And all of their stories have been reprinted, in one place or another ... until this story. That's a milestone of some kind, and not a good one. We'll lose Hourman soon, and I only have five Archives stories each for Atom, Doctor Mid-Nite, Mister Terrific, Red Torrnado and Wildcat. The Flash, Green Lantern, Spectre and Hawkman Archives run out in 1941 or early 1942. Fortunately, Doctor Fate reprints continue until the strip ends in 1944. We'll also pick up Starman, Simon & Kirby Sandman and Black Canary when the time comes, but for the other characters, the well will run dry long before we reach All-Star Comics #57. Heck, most will end before World War II does!
I'll continue to register each character's solo stories where no reprints exist, mostly in the manner I've been doing Superman and Batman, and soon Wonder Woman. I'll use whatever information GCD or other sources provide, and do re-reads for whatever random reprints exist. (Early '70s Justice League of America is a vital resource here.) I'm hopeful that will keep us up to speed on major developments, new villains, emerging trends and cancellations, for use in the All-Star Comics conversations.
While I have all of the Golden Age Archives (and the attendant forewords), and all of Golden Age reprints in regular titles from the 1960s through the 2010s, I have never collected magazines about behind-the-scenes stuff, like Amazing Heroes or Alter Ego. I hope you Legionnaires will chime in with pertinent information from those sources, and any others, as we chug along.
Meanwhile, I don't know much about this story, except that Johnny is still a G-man. GCD says the Thunderbolt appears as a talking fox. I would like to see that.
Continuing: Cliff Cornwall, The King and The Whip.
'ALL-AMERICAN COMICS' #15
Cover date: June 1940
On-sale date: April 19, 1940
Cover: Ultra-Man fights Garoo's monsters, by Jon Blummer
No JSA action.
Continuing: Adventures in the Unknown, Ultra-Man, Hop Harrigan, Scribbly and Red, White and Blue.
That cover reminds me a bit of Showcase #4 (or rather, the reverse), just in terms of general composition.
(Or is there "Flash" another cover I'm thinking of...?)
There was a popular song called "The Sheik (of Araby)" which was first recorded in 1921 and would still have been well-known by the time this comic was published.
1921 was the same year Rudolph Valentino's "The Sheik" came out. I can't imagine that's a coincidence.
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