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
Not to stir the pot but look at the Spectre's prominence on the covers of All-Star Comics #2-9 and Hawkman's from #8-16. Who had a similiar spotlight? The Flash and Green Lantern who got their own books. Proof? Hardly but it does make one think.
Granted, the Spectre was at his peak in his first year or so, especially with the Siegel connection but it didn't last long and Percival Popp certainly didn't help.
As for Mort Weisinger, I know that the All Star Companion series raised the question why Green Lantern (in four books), Hawkman (in two) and the Flash (four) had their solo adventures stopped in 1949 while Green Arrow, Aquaman and Johnny Quick (until 1954) continued.
Just imagine Green Lantern in Action Comics, Hawkman in Detective and the Flash in Adventure.
Hawkman is a different case to the Spectre. Sheldon Moldoff drew "Hawkman" from Flash Comics #4 until he was drafted in 1944. Roy Thomas interviewed him in Alter Ego v3 #4, and Wikipedia's page on Moldoff has a link to the interview, which I couldn't find the other day. Moldoff says a Hawkman quarterly was proposed:
MOLDOFF: No. As a matter of fact, that was a problem. At one point Gaines said he wanted to put out a quarterly of Hawkman, but he said, "I want you to do the whole book!" [laughs] And the problem was that, doing all these other covers and all these other things, I just couldn't do a whole book of Hawkman!
In his response Thomas mentions the idea that the Spectre was briefly considered for a title, so it's been around for a good while. But if so I would think it was probably in 1940 to early 1941. The Spectre did have early imitators: Phantasmo in Dell's The Funnies (from #45); Mr Justice in Archie's Blue Ribbon Comics (from #9). The splash panel of the debut of "The Vision" from Marvel Mystery Comics #13 looks based on the images of the Spectre on the cover and in the splash panel of his debut in More Fun Comics #52, so I think the Vision was another, although it's much less obvious.
"The Spectre" initially had a lot of horror in it. DC seems to have taken a decision coming into the 1940s to keep its line kid-friendly, and it may have become uncomfortable with that element.
Dr Fate's makeover in More Fun Comics #71 seem intended to turn him into a mainstream superhero. But its effect was to gut the feature of its imagination and interest.
But it is perhaps just as possible that it was instead AA (or Gaines himself) who would rather not use their best cards in someone else's show.
That is entirely possible, maybe even likely. AA really had a poor showing in DC anthologies, and there must be a reason for that, from one side or the other.
As for Mort Weisinger, I know that the All Star Companion series raised the question why Green Lantern (in four books), Hawkman (in two) and the Flash (four) had their solo adventures stopped in 1949 while Green Arrow, Aquaman and Johnny Quick (until 1954) continued.
That really tips Weisinger's hand for me. Why continue using C-lister Johnny Quick, when you have A-lister The Flash in your stable? Why continue Aquaman and Green Arrow strips, when you have multiple charter members of the Justice Society -- some of which had headlined multiple books -- on the shelf? You don't, unless you're a ruthless editor pushing your own creations in what little superhero space is left.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #39
Cover date: May 1940
On-sale date: April 5, 1940
Cover: Batman and Robin battle crooks in the girders of a skyscraper under construction (again) by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson.
Batman and Robin
"The Horde of the Green Dragon" is by Bill Finger, Kane and Robinson (12 pages).
Where I read it: Batman Archives Vol. 1.
GCD: "The kidnapping of two millionaires and the murder (with a hatchet) of a chauffeur leads the Batman into Chinatown to battle the Green Dragon and their dealings in opium." The last panel teases Clayface.
Continuing: Spy, Red Logan, Crimson Avenger, Speed Saunders, Steve Malone, Cliff Crosby and Slam Bradley.
THE COMPETITION: MAY 1940
Big Shot Comics #1 (of 33, Columbia)
Champion Comics #7 (of 10, Worth Carnahan)
Crack Comics #1 (of 62, Quality)
Crash Comics Adventures #1 (of 5, Temerson/Helnit/Continental)
Daring Mystery Comics #4 (of 8, Marvel)
Exciting Comics #2 (of 69, Pines)
Fantastic Comics #6 (of 23, Fox)
Feature Comics #32 (of 124, Quality)
Fight Comics #5 (of 86, Fiction House)
Hyper Mystery Comics #1 (of 2, Hyper Publications)
Jumbo Comics #15 (of 167, Fiction House)
Jungle Comics #5 (of 163, Fiction House)
Marvel Mystery Comics #7 (of 91, Marvel)
Mystery Men Comics #10 (of 31, Fox)
Nickel Comics #1 (of 8, Fawcett)
Nickel Comics #2 (of 8, Fawcett)
Pep Comics #4 (of 136, Archie)
Planet Comics #5 (of 73, Fiction House)
Prize Comics #3 (of 68, Prize Comics)
Popular Comics #51 (of 145, Dell)
Science Comics #4 (of 8, Fox)
Shadow Comics #3 (of 101, Street and Smith)
Silver Streak Comics #4 (of 23, Lev Gleason)
Slam-Bang Comics #3 (of 7, Fawcett)
Smash Comics #10 (of 85, Quality)
Target Comics #4 (of 105, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)
Thrilling Comics #4 (of 80, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)
Top Notch Comics #5 (of 27, Archie)
War Comics #2 (of 4, Dell)
Whiz Comics #5 [4] (of 155, Fawcett)
Wonderworld Comics #13 (of 31, Fox)
Zip Comics #4 (of 47, Archie)
Detective Comics #39's "Red Logan" story is based on Doyle's "The Adventure of the Speckled Band". #40's is based, very definitely, on a 1938 British movie called Strange Boarders.
Detective Comics #39's "Red Logan" story is based on Doyle's "The Adventure of the Speckled Band". #40's is based, very definitely, on a 1938 British movie called Strange Boarders.
I have read both "Speckled Band" and the Red Logan story in question, and didn't make the connection.
I'll say in my defense: So much of the Golden Age is one swipe or another, or a swipe of a swipe, that it all kind of blends together to me in a goulash of '40s tropes. Especially dialogue -- if one had a mind to, he or she could track down where most of the tough-guy lines are lifted from. It's pretty obvious how much comic books swiped from other media, like radio, pulp stories, Victorian adventure fiction and especially movies. Just about every story feels familiar in some fashion, but I'm often hard pressed to say where that feeling comes from.
And then you log in and tell me, Luke!
I've mentioned I work ahead, but I don't always work linearly. Last night I decided to find where every JSA member had died, and add that to their "first appearance" profiles. This required separating "Current status" into two categories for some characters, "Death" and "Current version." And to go back into posts I'd already published. All of which I was happy to do, and did. If you notice some minor changes on things you've already read, that's why: The farther I go into this, the more my initial plan has had to adapt -- sometimes retroactively.
None of which is important now. What is important is the thought that crossed my mind as I was looking up date of death for various characters. And that is: They're all dead. And they all died at the same time.
With a few exceptions. Black Canary I died sometime between Justice League of America #74 and Justice League of America #220. Mister Terrific died in Justice League of America #171. Batman I died in Advevnture Comics #463. But other than that, every single member of the original Justice Society died on cover date March 1986 ... the final issue Crisis on Infinite Earths.
And they weren't alone. All of DC's SIlver Age superheroes died then, too, except for Flash and Supergirl (who were already dead). And virtually every superhero from any age. Because after Crisis, the DC Universe started over with copies of everyone the publishers intended to keep. And any later characters that got introduced, ones that strongly resembled characters from before 1986 -- well, they were copies, too. Copies who had completely different memories about the history of the Earth, athe geography of the United States and often their own pasts. Remember that trip your family took to Central City five years ago? No you don't. Now you remember a trip to Keystone City. You've never been to Central City. Ha ha haaaaaa!
Every post-Crisis character was a new character, one with new memories and new pasts. Did the1987 Superman even remember Supergirl? No he did not. Which means the Superman who did remember Supergirl was dead, and this new guy had taken his place.
I briefly toyed with the idea of deleting where JSA memberd died after 1986 and typing in "died March 1986 and replaced." But that just seemed lazy, so I contineud finding where JSA member supposedly (and permanently) died in-story. But whenever I typed in "Atom was killed by Extant in 'Zero Hour' #3" or something similar, a ghostly voice whispered in my head, "He was already deeeeeeeeaaaad."
Since I don't believe in ghosts, that was quite annoying.
Did the1987 Superman even remember Supergirl? No he did not.
Except that according nto the New History of the DC Universe (And,boy howdy, was your Uncle Bob mad that #3 was delayed!), Supergirl dying in the Crisis is till part of continuity, so he damned well should remember her!
In DC Legacies #5-6 (2010), Supergirl was shown dying in the Crisis which was a complete turnaround for DC.
Remember the Post-Crisis Christmas story where Deadman meets the spirit of Supergirl and the Superman editors lost their minds, virtually yelling that it WAS NOT and COULD NOT be Supergirl who no longer existed. It must have been the astral projection of Power Girl who was severely injured in Justice League Europe!
Also in DC Legacies #3, Wonder Woman was once again a founding member of the Justice League after twenty-five years of telling us that she wasn't! It was really Black Canary who then needed another story of how she joined the JLA!
Black Canary I died sometime between Justice League of America #74 and Justice League of America #220.
At first I considered picking some nits, but I know where you're coming from. Besides, you wouldn't want to have to get into providing alternate dates of death for all of these alternate Black Canaries.
Having said that, though, at some point you really must go back and read Tom King's Best of the Best BC series.
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