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
Irene Miller was one of the few early Golden Age gal pals that doesn't get her hearthrob!
Green Lantern uses his power ring to act like The Spectre again, walking through walls and reading minds.
See "1001 Uses for a Power Ring."
Irene Miller will... Scott's love interest.
B-b-but... Alan Scott is gay, isn't he?
MORE FUN COMICS #59
Cover date: September 1940
On-sale date: July 26, 1940
Cover: Spectre comes out of a safe to surprise crooks by Bernard Baily
The Spectre
Untitled by Siegel and Baily (10 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Spectre Archives Vol. 1
Corrigan is assigned to guard a fur company's truck shipments, which are being routinely hijacked. But since he can read minds, he knows the driver, Mulligan, is in on the robberies. He lets Mulligan hit him in the head and feigns unconsciousness. Then he Spectres up and Death Stares the guy into immobility. Then he orders Miulligan to take him to his boss.
But "Suddenly — a blinding interference" and Mulligan is "lost in a dimensional current." Sadly, this appears to be Siegel throwing a monkey wrench into his own story, to stop it from ending on Page 2. This "interference" is never explained, and Mulligan is never seen again.
Anyway, Spec follows the furrier's truck, and when hijackers attack, he kills them all. He follows the truck and finds out the furrier, Mr. Henley, is behind it all. (Once again this is pretty obvious, because he's just about the only new character.) He forces Henley to confess.
This isn't one of Siegel's better stories. In addition to the unexplained "interference," Spectre doesn't do anything particularly exciting or novel this time around. I'm beginning to understand why the strip would later focus on Percival Popp. It must be hard to write a story with The Spectre that goes a full 10 pages, unless there's a supernatural foe involved. And in those days, they worried about silly things like stretching the reader's credulity and tried to keep stories grounded.
Doctor Fate
Untitled by Fox and Sherman (6 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1
"Dwelling apart from mankind in his lonely tower north of ghost-ridden Salem is the mysterious Doctor Fate, who calls upon secret and ancient souces for the power with which he fights unusual crimes of the present."
I like that Fox often highlights Fate's magical knowledge as his super-power, instead of always being like his book-mate The Spectre, who just waves his hand to do what he wants. But there is also that "atomic force" in Fate's body, which is his go-to move. Not to mention a right hook.
In this story, a spaceship lands and on an island and draws an ocean liner to it in order to examine us humans. Inza hears about it and calls Fate on a crystal ball (that's new). Fate picks her up and off they go to the ship. Meanwhile, the aliens have boarded the ocean liner, killing any resistance with floating globes. Fate, not being an idiot, wants to know what they are before he fights them. He and Inza board the spaceship, and find more glowing orbs. Fate determines they are powered by electricity, and he attacks the aliens with their own globes. He uses the "atomic energy within me" to shatter the globes, releasing the electricity. The aliens flee, but Fate blows up their ship with that same energy. Fate beats up the aliens, as you do. Fate leaves the aliens to die, saying they're not accustomed to as much oxygen in the atmosphere as we are, and puts the cruise ship back on course.
Fun facts:
Continuing: Detective Sergeant Carey, Biff Bronson, Congo Bill, Captain Desmo, Radio Squad, Lieutenant Bob Neal, Sergeant O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol. There sure are a lot of characters with ranks in this title.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #43
Cover date: September 1940
On-sale date: August 2, 1940
Cover: Batman jumps on a boat with crooks holding Robin, by Bob Kane
Batman and Robin
Untitled by Bill Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman Archives Vol. 1 (1990).
GCD: "Bruce and Dick head out on a cross-country vacation to get away from crime, but when they arrive in a small town, they discover that a new mayor has ties to organized crime, and has established gambling dens and other rackets in town, all protected by police officers on the take."
Continuing: Spy, Speed Saunders, Red Logan, Crimson Avenger, Slam Bradley, Larry Steele, Cliff Crosby.
But "Suddenly — a blinding interference" and Mulligan is "lost in a dimensional current."
If this was a modern book, this would happen a couple of times over a number of issues before the reveal of who was behind it.
Spectre has been tripped up by this sort of thing more than once, but none of these events are explained or connected in-story. I kinda wish Siegel had connected them and revealed a hidden foe, so these ham-handed writer's fiats would have some sort of in-story explanation. I guess that really wasn't possible back then, with the assumptions about readership (random). So alas, we modern readers who obsessively read issue to issue have to wince our way through them.
The good news is that this might be the last of them, or close to it. I've re-read Spectre through August 1941, and they disappear from the strip.
There's an out-of-nowhere bit in the "Spectre" sequence in All-Star Comics #4 where he's drawn into the occult world. I think it's an indication Siegel wrote the All-Star Comics #4 sequence, and the early JSA stories were partly done as round-robins. The sequence was recycled in the "Mr Justice" story Siegel wrote for Mighty Comics #47 in the bit involving the "Geometricals".
So far, Fox has made sure to have Fate throw at least one punch every issue. This fistfight Fate indulges in makes very little sense.
This sounds like an editorial mandate. “The readers are young and stupid, so they need to see something easy to understand.”
Agreed.
GCD: "Bruce and Dick head out on a cross-country vacation to get away from crime, but when they arrive in a small town, they discover that a new mayor has ties to organized crime, and has established gambling dens and other rackets in town, all protected by police officers on the take."
This would later have run afoul of the Code by having the Mayor and/or the police as crooks.
'ADVENTURE COMICS' #54
Cover date: September 1940
On-sale date: August 7, 1940
Cover: Hourman and the Minute Men, by Bernard Baily. I'm not quite sure what the kids are running on. At first I thought maybe a parachute, but one of them is jumping off it, and it's holding the others up. Cement at a construction site, maybe?
Sandman
Gardner Fox and Creig Flessel (10 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Sandman Archives Vol. 1
Dian's friend Nana has to get married in a year or lose her inheritance. She is kidnapped by a gang led by a man who demands he marry her, and Dian and Wes go in pursuit. Sandman captures the "suitor," but the other gang members escape with Nana — and Dian! Sandman barges into a party at the D.A.'s house to inform him, and takes a cop with him who knows Nana. Together they bring in the gang and rescue the girls. Nana marries the cop. Not the best Sandman story, as Dian is sidelined for most of it.
Wow, having to get married or lose your inheritance! And a guy can just force her to do it! Of course, this is a '40s story written for kids, so maybe a woman couldn't be forced to marry against her will even then, and it was just a convention to get the story rolling.
Also, Sandman goes into a room full of cops and is not arrested. As I've said before, it's always written that the cops tolerate, if not respect, Sandman. It could be D.A. Belmont's influence, as I've mused before, but sometimes he seems to forget he knows the Sandman's secret ID. Another convention, I suppose, or Sandman WOULD be arrested, and that's the end of the series.
Fun fact: Sandman wears ordinary gloves here, that stop at the wrist.
Hourman
Untitled is by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily (6 pages).
No reprint (but read online)
One of the Minute Men, Rodney Morvin, is forced to resign by his parents. (To be fair, it's dangerous! Hourman is guilty of child endangerment, but every superhero with a sidekick was.) The boy is kidnapped, but Hourman and the Minute Men save him, so his parents relent and Rodney is allowed to rejoin. Although I would think that would just reinforce their fears about the danger. I guess they thought he was in danger either way, and he was safer with Hourman and the other kids.
This is the first appearance of Thorndyke Thompkins, who eventually replaces Jimmy Martin as the foremost member of the Minute Men. He doesn't get a first name until All-Star Comics #2, and doesn't get a last name until Adventure Comics #72. He's the most visually distinct, with a turtleneck sweater up to his nose and a cap. He appears frequently until Adventure Comics #83 (February 1943). Fifty-seven years later he appears as the costumed Second Sweep, a member of Old Justice (Young Justice #16, January 2000).
Jimmy Martin graduates to being in the logo. As to Rodney, I doubt we'll ever see him again. I will be surprised if any Minute Man is name checked more than once, except Jimmy and Thorndyke.
Continuing: Barry O'Neill, Mark Lansing, Federal Men, Cotton Carver, Socko Strong, Steve Conrad.
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