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
No, it's not.
Apparently, the song was even recorded by an obscure group called the "Beatles" (What the Hell kind of name is that? ) in the early 60's as part of a failed audition. I wonder whatever happened to those guys.
They look like a bunch of punks. Probably never made much of an impression.
I mean, maybe Stu and Pete amounted to something.
My favorite version is the one by LEON REDBONE. Seriously... just listen to it. (Get at least a minute in.)
My Dad was a big Leon Redbone fan.
I heard him perform live when I was in college.
Early music videos were made for video music boxes in the first half of the 1940s. Wikipedia has an article on them called "Soundie". Spike Jones and His City Slickers did a mildly risque comic video version of "The Sheik of Araby" that can be found at YouTube.
Ethiopia has historic links with Arabia. The coast of Africa is very close to Arabia at the southern end of the Red Sea.
The GCD is wrong about the "Johnny Thunderbolt" story in Flash Comics #6. Johnny’s power causes a fox to talk. The Thunderbolt doesn't appear, even as an electrical bolt.
I had a look at the Thunderbolt's (and the feature's) evolution. In the period Johnny appeared in Flash Comics, New York World's Fair Comics, All-Star Comics and World's Best Comics/World's Finest Comics. My impression is the order in which the issues went on sale doesn't entirely correspond to the order in which the stories were done.
Flash Comics #1's story has images of a non-anthropomorphic bolt bringing about what Johnny says, but the bolt is not referred to in the dialogue. Johnny’s power is spoken of as causing commands he gives to be instantly obeyed. The idea that his power causes what he says to come to pass in a literal way is already present.
In #2 the bolt is referred to in a caption: “This thunderbolt is what happens to people who don’t hop right to it when Johnny dishes out the orders…” Johnny is nicknamed "Thunderbolt" when he becomes a boxer.
In #4 the bolt is called “Johnny’s private thunderbolt”.
In #7 Johnny decides to become “a mysterious avenger of righteousness like in the comic books!” He gets his mother to make him a costume and calls himself the Thunderbolt. He abandons the identity after the story (but the events are alluded to in #8).
The magic thunderbolt first appears in anthropomorphic form in Flash Comics in the splash panel of the story in #8, but the panel is symbolic. It shows him talking to Johnny, so this is also the first panel where the bolt has dialogue. Click to enlarge.
He has dialogue in-story as a non-anthropomorphic bolt in a panel where he tells Johnny something he needs to know late in the story.
The concluding box exhorts the reader to follow Johnny in New York World's Fair Comics as well as Flash Comics. According to Mike's Amazing World New York World's Fair Comics #2 went on sale between Flash Comics #6 and #7, but I think it's likely the New York World’s Fair Comics #2 story was done after this one.
The Thunderbolt makes anthropomorphic appearances in-story in New York World’s Fair Comics #2 and Flash Comics #9. In one of the panels in the latter story he’s shown with an expression of mischievous glee.
In Flash Comics #10 Johnny realises he “must be a magician or something”. The story in All-Star Comics #2 builds on this realisation, and is the last one with the feature name "Johnny Thunderbolt". In these instalments the bolt’s anthropomorphic form doesn’t appear.
In Flash Comics #11 the bolt again appears in anthropomorphic form, and as a non-anthropomorphic bolt in other panels. For the first time Johnny is depicted as understanding that a thunderbolt carries out his wishes, and he starts addressing the bolt as “Thunderbolt”.
In All-Star Comics #3 the bolt appears in his anthropomorphic form again when he gives Johnny a kick to propel him to the JSA meeting, another step in the evolution of their relationship.
In Flash Comics #15 he appears in anthropomorphic form in the splash panel and in the story. By this point his depiction in anthropomorphic form was becoming more elaborate. In a couple of panels he appears as a giant electrical hand.
In #17-#18 the Thunderbolt begins to interact with Johnny in anthropomorphic form in-story
According to Mike's Amazing World World’s Best Comics #1 went on sale just before Flash Comics #16, but my guess is the story was done after the ones in Flash Comics #17-#18 as it takes this further. The Thunderbolt is anthropomorphic, Johnny and the Thunderbolt talk to each other, another character calls the Thunderbolt Johnny’s “electrical sidekick”, and the Thunderbolt looks more like his familiar self.
The Thunderbolt is also clearly a character in Flash Comics #19. Daisy gets angry at Johnny and the Thunderbolt when they damage her father's house and kicks them out.
In All-Star Comics #6 Johnny joins the JSA. The cover is similar in concept to his appearance in All-Star Comics #3, but now the Thunderbolt is the Thunderbolt we know. Johnny still doesn't know what the magic words are, although according to Mike's Amazing World the issue went on sale after Flash Comics #20.
On the first page of the Flash Comics #20 instalment Johnny figures out what the magic words are when the lyrics of a song he's singing activate his magic.
The instalment in Flash Comics #21 introduces Peachy Pet.
On the first page of the Flash Comics #20 instalment Johnny figures out what the magic words are when the lyrics of a song he's singing activate his magic.
Could someone post that, please?
Here it is, with a confirmation panel from two pages later at the side.
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