The Massive, Extravagant, Over-the-top Golden Age JSA Re-read

[Captain Comics]

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:

1. 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.
2. Black Canary: All-Star Comics #38-57; Comic Cavalcade #25; Flash Comics #86-88, 90-104.
3. Doctor Fate: All-Star Comics #3-12, 14-21; More Fun Comics #55-98.
4. Doctor Mid-Nite: All-American Comics #25-102; All-Star Comics #6 (text story), 8-57.
5. 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)
6. 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.
7. Hawkman: All-Star Comics #1-57, Big All-American Comic Book, Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
8. Hourman: Adventure Comics #48-83, All-Star Comics #1-7, New York World's Fair Comics [#2].
9. 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).
10. Mister Terrific: All-Star Comics #24, Big All-American Comic Book, Sensation Comics #1-63.
11. 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.
12. The Spectre: All-Star Comics #1-23, More Fun Comics #52-101, a single panel in More Fun Comics #51.
13. Starman: Adventure Comics #61-102, All-Star Comics #8-23.
14. 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!

[Captain Comics]

Fantastic! Now I'm wondering if the original novel lifted the idea from something earlier. 

[Captain Comics]

 'ALL-STAR COMICS' #2
Cover date: Fall 1940
On-sale date: Aug. 23, 1940
Cover: Last issue reprinted panels from different strips, but this one reprints just the figures. The Spectre is by Bernard Baily, and comes from All-Star Comics #1. The Flash is by Sheldon Moldoff, and comes from the cover of Flash Comics #8. Green Lantern is by Sheldon Moldoff and comes from the cover of All-American Comics #16.
Where I read it: All-Star Comics Archives Vol. 0

Inside front cover: A letter from "The Editors" (which would be M.C. Gaines and Sheldon Mayer, if they actually wrote it) appears on the inside front cover saying they've given away 1,000 copies of All-Star Comics #2 in response to coupons sent in from All-Star Comics #1, and will do the same for All-Star Comics #3, so cut those coupons, kids! (I wonder how many copies have survived with the coupon gone!) 

Anyway, the letter says that in response to requests, they're adding Green Lantern and Johnny Thunder to All-Star Comics #2, and will add Doctor Fate to #3, as they were the top three requests. Gone are Biff Bronson and Gary Concord the Ultra-Man, and I will shed no tears. And sure enough, Doctor Fate would appear in All-Star Comics #3, albeit in a format never seen before by the eyes of man! His strip would replace, after a fashion, Johnny Thunder. Red, White and Blue would be replaced too, by The Atom.

It's worth noting that six of the eight charter members of the Justice Society (and its mascot) already have features in this magazine.

Hawkman
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (8 pages)

Hawkman happens to spot a crime scene (as usual) and investigates to find a woman who has drowned with no body of water nearby, a glass knife and a slip of paper with the words "Yum-Chac." In his vast library (you know, when people had to look things up in books), Carter Hall finds the Aztec rain god Yum-Chac and goes to his Aztec expert friend to ask about it. (OK, wealthy Golden Age boys seemed to have a LOT of friends to help the story along. But at least this time there's an excuse, since this is tangential to Carter's field.) 

However, there's dirty work afoot and Carter breaks in to find his friend tied up. Aztecs, who killed the drowned girl, have stolen his sister for sacrifice. In the last panel he says he wrote a book about the Aztecs, which made them mad, so they came all the way from Mexico to whatever Northeastern city this is to grab the sister. Sure. Also, they conveniently left a piece of paper behind with their god's name on it. Also, they drowned the girl (in a bucket, it seems) because she was going to talk, and accidentally left behind their ceremonial knife, which they weren't using. Yes, all perfectly understandable, no problem, moving on. 

The treatment of "Aztecs" (who probably don't exist in this form, then or now) isn't exactly P.C., but Moldoff knocks himself out. Nice artwork as Hawkman follows the Aztecs back to their sacred place, and saves the girl as the Mexican police take care of the cultists. 

I looked up "Yum-Chac," and he doesn't exist. Chaac was the Aztec god of rain, and Yum Kaax was the Axtec "Lord of the Forest," so maybe Fox just mushed them together to avoid being tied to existing mythology? Or heard the names wrong at a cocktail party? Doesn't matter, I guess.

Fun Fact: Katar Hol battles a different Chac, with Mayan rain god powers, in Hawkman #1 (May 1964), also by Gardner Fox. Waste not, want not.

Green Lantern
Untitled by Bill Finger and Marty Nodell (7 pages)

All across the country hobos are being kidnapped and then turning up as "wild-eyed robot men," who commit sabotage. Alan Scott, who has a magic ring, decides to take a hand by ... stealing a corpse. Yes, he steals one of the robot men from the morgue. "I never thought I'd stoop to stealing bodies, but it had to be done!" Uh, no, Alan, it didn't. And you shouldn't have.

And why did you? "I'm going to perform an autopsy!"

Um, what? 

"Good thing I crammed in two years of medical school in college!" Oh, yeah, never mind. That should do it. And, because this is the Golden Age, it does. Alan is able to figure out a drug in the body of the dead hobo, and concoct an antidote "through the long night, examining, mixing, probing." Ugh. He must have really paid attention during those two years of medical school. Then he tracks down the mastermind by ... yeah, you guessed it. He dresses up like a hobo, and gets himself kidnapped. Never fails!

He reveals himself as the Green Lantern and is going to go to take down the bad guys, who are led by a guy named Baron von Zorn, who looks exactly like you'd expect him to, complete with monocle. But as Green Lantern approaches, a net drops down on him from the ceiling. Because A) Baron von Zorn somehow knew that someone he didn't like would, some day, walk under that exact spot and B) as is famously known, magic rings are entirely ineffective against nets. Well, not really. But for this story, they are. Worse, Baron von Zorn injects Alan with the brain-klling, robot-making serum!

All would be lost, except: "Good thing that guy didn't press hard on that hypodermic needle," Alan thinks, "or it would have broken and he'd have realized it's impossible to penetrate my skin with that drug!"

Um, what? First he's Batman, now he's Superman? (I hate to tell you, Alan, but neither of them would have been stopped by a net.) it's almost like they're making things up as they go along! That can't be it, so I must be missing something. Anyway, now he's free to make a whole bunch of antidote, track down the robot men and inject them. They're cured, and the Baron goes to jail.

Fun fact: I had no idea Bill Finger could write anything this bad.

The Spectre
Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily (8 pages)

This one adds a lot to the lore. And it's not even in Spectre's parent title!

An ancient scroll is stolen from a museum, one that predates any known civilization and has never been translated. The guard reports a black cloud emerging from the scroll, and from that a blue face emerges, one with three eyes, that announces he is "Kulak! High priest of Brztal!" Intrigued, Spectre "rises from Jim's body" and summons up an image of the scroll. Kulak appears and warns him off. They go to it, and Kulak paralyzes Spectre — while back on Earth, Corrigan is also paralyzed. (So they're still one and the same.)

Kulak decides to destroy our civilization with "The Whispering Death." This is a darkness that makes everyone act like WWE wrestlers, or maybe cable news hosts, and attack each other. Spectre uses an actual spell "Erigo nosi ranto" to dispel it. Kulak then sends a plague of locusts, and Spectre (checks notes) rips open a portion of space itself to get rid of them. Kulak is pissed, and shows up. He begins to disintegrate The Spectre! "Sensing defeat, The Spectre voices a prayer." To "The Voice," presumably. He's rewarded with the "Ring of Life," forcing Kulak to flee. Even the "long dead legions of Brztal" can't defeat Spectre with the ring.

But while he's busy, Kulak makes the oceans rise on Earth, and it looks pretty grim as we are shown scenes across the planet. And the ring disappears! Kulak is about to destroy Spectre ("Tiwona pari tonili") when Spectre manages to reverse the spell and Kulak is destroyed instead. The oceans recede, and we see the results, including — unfortunately — some African natives, who say "Icky-wacky floy-floy." Hilarious in 1940, I suppose.

But wow, what a story! Spectre is outmatched, and not omnipotent at all. He prays! The Ring of Life saves the day again, but then disappears! (The Voice moves in mysterious ways!) Lots of spectacle! Astounding powers exhibited! Zombie legions! That would earn my dime in 1940.

Fun facts:

• Kulak did not reappear in Golden Age comics, but did return in the 1940s-set All-Star Squadron. He also appeared in modern-day comics, in JSA (first series) and Justice Society of America (second series).
• Historically, a kulak was a wealthy Russian peasant during the 18th and 19th centuries. The word derives from both the Russian and Ukrainian words for "fist," with the implication that kulaks had become rich at the expense of their fellow peasants. The Soviets used it as a pejorative term.

Sandman
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Creig Flessel (8 pages)

Wesley Dodds is talking to Sir Basil Lorimar about medical advances Lorimar and his brother have achieved. 

Meanwhile, a glowing ball kills guards at a bank, which is reported on the radio. Dodds and Sir Basil go to the scene and offer their services. (They wouldn't get through the police tape these days.) Dodds recognizes a burn on a table as from radium, but Sir Basil doesn't — so Dodds knows he's lying. This leads to a spirited adventure where Dodds is overcome twice by the glowing ball, which, fortunately, isn't radioactive, or Dodds would never recover. Instead, it's the 1940s understanding of such matters. The ball "emanated a ray created by radium in the globe when exposed to cosmic rays. The ray is one that seeps into the skin — weakening, then killing!" It sounds like radiation, but it's not always lethal or permanent, as is usually the case with radiation poisoning. Lucky for Sandman, the chemcials in his gas gun protect him slightly.

The strangest part of this story is that the bad guy (Sir Basil's brother, our only suspect after Sir Basil dies) learns that Wesley Dodds is the Sandman! That's never happened before! And at the last, the brother goes for a pistol, but "the swift-moving Sandman turns the gun against its bearer, killing him instantly!" Wow, I knew Dodds was determined to keep his identiy a secret, but that's pretty hard-core.

Red, White and Blue
Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Bill Smith (8 pages)

Doris and the boys uncover a complicated scheme to steal G-2/Secret Service documents.

Fun facts:

• The story opens on a scene where Red and Doris happen to be together, and if this wasn't a kids' book, I'd say they were on a date.
• When Red wants to investigate a burned-down loft, he won't let Doris go with him because it's too dangerous. He tells the fire chief, "Can you beat that woman, chief? Thinks she can go anywhere a man can." Attitudes like that aren't going to get you anywhere with the ladies, Red.
• Doris follows anyway, because that's what intrepid gals in the movies do in the 1930s and 1940s. She also continues the argument about what she can and cannot do.
• It is Doris who figures out the complicated scheme, and Red catches up a moment later.
• Red, a Marine, says he's with G-2, which is Army Intelligence. Also, G-2 and the Secret Service, two completely separate agencies, are used interchangeably.

Johnny Thunder
Untitled by John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier

Johnny knows he has powers, but the story points out specifically that Johnny doesn't know he needs to say Cei-U, and he doesn't know there's a time limit (one hour). So when his future father-in-law asks him to help throw out some gamblers who won't leave a property Herman Darling has bought, hi-jinks ensue.

Fun fact: The Thunderbolt is twice represented by a red lightning bolt.

'The Invisible Star'
Text story of no consequence.

Hourman
Untitled by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily (6 pages)

As we've seen in concurrent Adventure Comics strips, Hour-man is still hyphenated, and the Minute Men have become an intrinsic part of the strip. In this forgettable story, Hour-Man and the Minute Men break up a scheme by a fake medium to fleece Tyler's boss' brother. 

Fun fact: Three Minute Men are shown, but only Jimmy and Thorndyke are named, the latter for the first time.

Flash
Untitled by Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (8 pages)

Jay Garrick visits his friend Bill Jackson at the "Daily Column" newspaper, only to find the whole building deserted. (Remember when newspapers owned whole buildings? Remember when those buildings had to be built around the presses, which were three stories tall? Remember when newspaper buildings had to have their own spur of a nearby railroad, to deliver gigantic rolls of paper? We're going to be one of the last generations that does remember that.) Flash decides his pal Bill would want the newspaper to come out no matter what (and he would), so Flash does it all himself. Fortunately the stories appear to be filed, but he does all the editing, composing and page-building himself, runs the presses, and delivers the papers. "Boy, there's more to putting a paper together than I thought!" Amen, brother.

Flash then waits to see who's going to show up to investigate how the paper got out, and it's three thugs from a gang that has the newspaper staff locked in their basement. (The boss wants the paper "for political reasons.") He thinks, "I'll have some fun with these mugs," a hallmark of the Flash strip. He pretends to be a ghost, for one thing. He follows them back to the gang's headquarters, where the leader has kidnapped the owner's daughter (and Joan Williams, somehow) to force the owner to sign over the paper. After Flash arrives it's game over.

Fun fact: if you're an old newspaperman like me, the highlight of the story is the one-man-newspaper sequence. Otherwise, the ghost bit is probably the highlight. 

IN THE WAR

Sept. 7, 1940: The Battle of Britain reaches a turning point, as German bombers switch from military to civilian targets.

Sept. 9, 1940: Italian invasion of Egypt begins.

Sept. 22, 1940: Japanese invasion of French Indo-China begins.

Sept. 27, 1940: Germany, Italy and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.

THE COMPETITION

Big 3 #1 (of 7, Fox)

Big Shot Comics #5 (of 33, Columbia)

Blue Bolt #4 (of 101, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)

Blue Ribbon Comics #6 (of 22, Archie)

Crack Comics #5 (of 62, Quality)

Crash Comics Adventures #4 (of 5, Temerson/Helnit/Continental)

• Cat-Man debuts. This isn't the same short-lived Catman we've already discussed. This Cat-Man (sometimes Catman, sometimes Cat Man) had a relatively long career across a couple of publishers. I guess no one has revived him thanks to DC's Catman. But I'd be curious to read an issue. He had a female sidekick named Kitten, which is suggestive to the modern reader. Well, those of us with dirty minds. Anyway, what little I know is that he was raised by jaguars, making him a sort of a cross between Batman and Tarzan.

Cyclone Comics #4 (of 5, Worth Carnahan)

Daring Mystery Comics #6 (of 8, Marvel)

• Dynaman debuts. He is resurrected (and killed) in The Twelve.
• Marvel Boy debuts. This isn't the same caracter as the one Bill Everett did in the '50s.

Exciting Comics #5 (of 69, Pines)

Fantastic Comics #10 (of 23, Fox)

Feature Comics #36 (of 124, Quality)

The Flame #2 (of 8, Fox)

Future Comics #4 (of 4, McKay)

The Green Mask #2 (of 17, Fox)

Hit Comics #3 (of 65, Quality)

Human Torch #2 (of 38, Marvel)

• Toro, The Falcon, Microman and Mantor the Magician debut. There was no Human Torch #1, as it was Red Raven Comics. However, there will be two issues of Human Torch numbered #5, and issue #4 will be numbered #3. Because the Golden Age.

Jumbo Comics #19 (of 167, Fiction House)

Jungle Comics #9 (of 163, Fiction House)

Keen Detective Funnies #24. (Centaur)

• Doctor Darkness debuts in a text story. He would later appear in an actual comic book story.

Marvel Mystery Comics #11 (of 91, Marvel)

Master Comics #6 (of 133, Fawcett)

Mystery Men Comics #14 (of 31, Fox)

National Comics #3 (of 75, Quality)

Pep Comics #8 (of 136, Archie)

Planet Comics #8 (of 73, Fiction House)

Planet Comics #9 (of 73, Fiction House)

Red Ryder #1 (of 5, Hawley)

• Hawley enters the field.

Rex Dexter of Mars #1 (of 1, Fox):

Samson #1 (of 6, Fox)

Science Comics #8 (of 8, Fox)

Silver Streak Comics #6 (of 23, Lev Gleason)

• Daredevil debuts. Silver Streak Comics #6-9 have been reprinted in Dark Horse's Silver Streak Archives Featuring the Original Daredevil HC.

Sky Blazers #1 (of 2, Hawley)

Slam-Bang Comics #7 (of 7, Fawcett)

Smash Comics #14 (of 85, Quality)

• The Ray debuts. The Ray stories from Smash Comics #14-22 have been reprinted in Golden Age Classics; Black Condor/The Ray Vol. 1, with more volumes on the way.

Sure-Fire Comics #3a (of 4, Ace)

Target Comics #8 (of 105, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)

Thrilling Comics #8 (of 80, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)

Top Notch Comics #8 (of 27, Archie)

• Firefly debuts. I find the lack of hyphen in Top Notch Comics ... disturbing.

Weird Comics #6 (of 20, Fox)

• Dynamite Thor debuts. There were almost as many Thors in the Golden Age as there were Herculeses. Herculi?

Whirlwind Comics #3 (of 3, Temerson/Helnit/Continental)

Whiz Comics #8 (of 155, Fawcett)

Wings Comics #1 (of 124, Fiction House)

Wonderworld Comics #17 (of 31, Fox)

Zip Comics #8 (of 47, Archie)

[The Baron]

 "Icky-wacky floy-floy."
Perhaps they were influenced by this popular hit of the recent past.

[Philip Portelli]

The Spectre's Ring of Life would later be said to have a connection to Sargon the Sorcerer's Ruby of Life! 

I would first see the Ring of Life in the infamous Justice League of America #124 (N'75) where the Spectre beseeches the Voice to use its power to bring back six JSA members back to life!

As for Green Lantern's medical knowledge (or lack therefore), perhaps this story inspired them to create Doctor Mid-Nite. Having a real doctor around does come in handy!

[Captain Comics]

I find it hard to believe that "autopsies" is an undergrad elective at any college in the world. 

[Captain Comics]

As October begins in the real world, our re-read hits October in 1940 (cover date, anyway). It's another milestone month, as it adds the final member of our main JSA cast! The Mighty Atom debuts tomorrow! 

 'FLASH COMICS' #10
Cover date: October 1940
On-sale date: Aug. 16, 1940
Cover: Flash deals with a lot of water, by Sheldon Moldoff

The Flash
Untitled story by Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (11 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Flash Archives Vol. 1 (1999)

While on a walk, Jay Garrick happens on a mugging. He rescues the man by whisking him away invisibly, and it turns out to be the former superintendent of education, who has been replaced along with the school board by members of Killer Kelly's gang. They mean to milk the school system dry on phony projects. Flash takes on Kelly's men, and some of them turn on him when they see he doesn't care if he kills them in his battle with Flash. The turncoats turn state's evidence, and the whole gang goes to jail. The original superintendent and board are restored. 

Well, that happened.

Fun facts:

• There was no reason for Flash to stumble on the superintendent except to start the story with some action. He could have found out about the school board shenanigans in any number of straightforward ways that didn't require an enormous coincidence.
• Fox always writes Flash's too-fast-to-see ability as his primary power. I've been waiting for Jay Garrick to use his speed in clever new ways like Barry Allen did, but that's not Fox's approach. So far, anyway.

Hawkman
Untitled story by Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (9 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Hawkman Archives Vol. 1 (2006)

Carter Hall is outbid for an old Spanish blunderbuss at an antique weapons auction. Suspicious beause the bidder paid four times what it was worth, Hawkman investigates at the bidder's house (the police call this "breaking and entering") and discovers a treasure map in the barrel. The bidder and a henchman bring in the auctioneer and threaten him, forcing Hawkman to act. He subdues them, finds out who wanted the blunderbuss, and mails it (with the map) to him. (It's John Denver of Colorado. Yes, John Denver.) Turns out Denver is after some gold in a mine now owned by "Goldie," a blonde woman who inherited the mine from her father. Hawkman finds the gold and captures Denver, but not before he shoots his partner in the back.

Fun facts:

• Hawkman flies to Colorado by commercial airline. In previous stories, he had flown to Arabia and South America under his own power.
• At one point Hawkman uses a "an Italian stiletto used by Cesare Borgia" and at another point a battle-axe.
• There is no "Hawkman stamp" this issue.

Johnny Thunder
Untitled by John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)
No reprint (but read online)

Johnny and Daisy take their parents on a picnic, by taking boards down from a fence and taking up residence in some random farmer's pasture. Was that normal practice? Anyway, Johnny accidentally says his magic words, and suddenly the group has to deal with talking cows, goats and a bull. The bull, as is usual in such stories, takes exception to the humans' presence. So does the farmer.

But something important actually happens. Johnny tells Daisy that he seems to have some sort of power, and she tells him to prove it. Usually when this happens Johnny's hour of power has run out, but not this time. He tells the sky to rain, and it does. The narrator informs us this is no one-off:

"So Johnny has finally found out about his remarkable Cei-U power! See how he uses it in the next issue of Flash Comics!"

Johnny still doesn't know about the magic words, or the time limit, or the thunderbolt (depicted in this story as a yellow lightning bolt). But he knows he has a magic power. It's about time this idiot figured out something!

Continuing: The King, Cliff Cornwall, The Whip, Rod Rian of the Sky Police.

[Philip Portelli]

Let those thugs try to bilk the Board of Education! The paperwork alone will destroy them, not to mention the red tape and the PTA! 

As for Johnny realizing that he has magic powers, it seems like another hint to the Justice Society. He can't very well join (or want to join) unless he has some inkling about his powers and how they work!

[Captain Comics]

Where he is now, or will be in the next issue, is pretty much where he is at the beginning of All-Star Comics #3. You're right, this is another brick in the wall. Or the foundation, I should say.

[Richard Willis]

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. 

I’ve seen at least two movies from the 30/40s that had stipulations in a will about marrying at a certain age; if not, the inheritance skips over you. Since probate law isn’t in the Constitution, it would probably depend on the judge whether it was binding. Marrying against her will would probably involve physical threats.

Johnny knows he has powers, but the story points out specifically that Johnny doesn't know he needs to say Cei-U, and he doesn't know there's a time limit (one hour).

I always questioned how likely it would be that “say you” would roll off the tongue if they didn’t know it was magically connected.

[The Baron]

Remember, this was the Forties, when people were constantly saying stuff like, "Say, you mugs!"