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 Golden Age adventures:
- 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 Riddler - Prinze 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 cover date, but complications ensued for books without them, like quarterlies and specials. 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
If the first Golden Age Vision reprint was in 1968, then I would have been in elementary school, too. I don't remember reading it, or having any reaction to it, but I did buy Marvel Super-Heroes #13 off the spinner rack when it came out, so I would have read it in 1968.
I didn't get Marvel Super-Heroes #13 until 1982 or 1983. I had started working part-time after high school and had "disposable" income for the first time. It was then that I truly started collecting comics beyond the new ones.
At the time, no one cared about the non-Starlin Captain Marvel so those issues were fairly cheap like the non-Miller Daredevil, Iron Man, The Flash, Wonder Woman and Captain America!
I remember buying back issues when they weren't grossly overpriced! I could get whole runs filled without breaking the bank. I think the advent of comic shops changed that.
It's December 1940 -- do you know where your children are? Actually, we're so close to All-Star Comics #3 that you can taste it. The next four or five posts will be our last to see where our heroes stand before they join together.
'FLASH COMICS' #12
Cover date: December 1940
On-sale date: Oct. 16, 1940
Cover: Flash takes guns from soldiers, by E.E. Hibbard
The Flash
Untitled story by Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (11 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Flash Archives Vol. 1
Flash goes to war!
"Kurtavia" asks for Flash's help via radio. Before the broadcast is over, Jay's at the embassy, where he's told Kurtavia is being overrun by "Nural." Flash agrees to help. He super-swims there, the run-on-water trick apparently not having been invented yet. He brings a screwdriver, and later arms himself with paper bags and rubber bands. He:
This is a fairly serious story, as Flash stories go, and he wastes no time with a ghost act or invisibility gags. He does manage to show a man in his skivvies once — actually, a bunch of men — but by and large Flash takes his job (to prevent an invasion) pretty seriously. "This has brought home to me how evil war really is," he says, "and how everyone should do everything in their power to help stamp it out." He wins the war single-handedly, without firing a shot, or incurring a single casualty. No wonder Germany in the DCU wanted the Spear of Destiny!
I have to note that the Kurtavian uniforms are evocative of the French army in World War I. The Nuralian army is less obviously German, but it's easy to draw that conclusion. And it looks like the assumption in this 1940 story was the current war would repeat World War I, with trench warfare. Except that this book shipped Oct. 16, 1940, and France had already surrendered, on June 22, 1940. Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Luxembourg were also under the Nazi boot, no trenches required. Either Fox didn't read the newspapers, or the realization hadn't sunk in yet that the West (except Great Britain) had basically fallen, and World War II was going to look a lot different than World War I.
I should also note that this scratches an itch I've had since the beginning for Jay Garrick to use his super-speed in inventive ways, as Barry Allen did in the Silver Age. I had always assumed that some of the innovative ways Flash used his speed in the '60s was largely based on his predecessor's adventures, but until this issue I hadn't seen much evidence of that.
“The Heart Patient” is by Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (8 pages)
Where I read it: Hawkman #25 (April-May 1968)
Carter and Shiera are at a nightclub, where they happen to run into Tommy Rogers, who used to play football with Carter in college. (These college boys! Always running into old chums!) Tommy is drunk, because he thinks he only has months to live, due to a bad heart. Carter and Shiera meet Betty, Tommy's girlfriend, and Dr. Halliday, his heart doctor. Carter doesn't believe Tommy has a bad heart, but the doctor disagrees and tells Carter his heart might be bad, too. He fixes Carter a drink (and puts a pill in it), but Carter only pretends to drink it, and then pretends to have a heart attack. Halliday wants to take Carter to his private clinic, but Carter and Shiera skedaddle. Carter goes to Tommy's apartment to investigate, as does Shiera independently. They run into each other, and discover "tanin" [sic] which they realize Betty has been feeding Tommy to fake his heart condition. (Tannin can cause higher blood pressure in some people.) Despite some complications, Hawkman, Tommy and Shiera get Halliday to confess.
I've included a panel that appears to be a swipe of movie director Fritz Lang (Metropolis). It could be somebody else, though. The image seems strangely familiar and Fritz was as close as I could find. I would not be a bit surprised to discover Baron Strucker is based on this guy, too.
Fun fact: Hawkman uses a sling this issue. "The ancient Baleiric Islanders were famous for their skill with the sling" he thinks. The sling, in fact, may have been invented by the inhabitants of the Balearic Islands (which Fox spells differenty), an archipelago off Spain. According to Wiki, they were much feared during the early Roman Empire.
Stamp: A helmet from 1400.
Johnny Thunder
Untitled is by John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages).
No reprint, but read online
Daisy's mother won't let her go to the movies with Johnny, since it's been a year since he promised to get a job and marry her, and he's been fired from every job he's had. (I don't think we saw that specific promise, but this is Flash Comics #12, so it has been a calendar year since "Johnny Thunderbolt" began.) She arranges a date with rich guy Grover de Lillys (Har! Har!) but as you'd expect, they keep running into Johnny. Johnny has adventures as a bus boy, and turns Grover into a goat-faced giraffe. All is fixed by the end, but Daisy is so embarrassed she never wants to see Johnny again.
Thunderbolt watch:
Les Watts, Radio Amateur makes his first appearance. That title just makes me laugh. Is his older, stronger brother Moe Watts? Are his parents Hi and Lo Watts? And is being an an amateur such a plus that it needs to be in the title? Honestly, radios and aviation, aviation and radios.
Continuing: The King, Cliff Cornwall, The Whip.
Since you brought up the Spear of Destiny, when it was first used in All Star Squadron #4 in 1981, it only affected the magic based heroes (Spectre, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Johnny Thunder, Wonder Woman) and the weak-to-magic Superman. The Flash was not affected by the Spear. That's why he was left behind at Pearl Harbor so he couldn't help the All-Stars against the now-controlled JSAers!
(The same goes for Starman who was also left behind.)
But in 1999's The Justice Society Returns, it was altered that the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail affects all super-powered beings (I think. It can't be anyone in a mask, could it?) and the Flash could feel the change coming over him while in Germany.
The Spear of Destiny was used before, most notably in a Steve Englehart story published in Weird War Tales #50 (1977) and in Paul Levitz's telling of the origin of the JSA (DC Special #29, later in 1977).
Each time it played a somewhat different role, opening a portal for a group of (nine, IIRC) Valkyries to fight for Hitler in the JSA origin story. In the WWT story it was subtler; it may have been a cursed object that brought cravings for conflict and power, or it may just have inspired those thoughts on its wielders.
I've long had the impression that people back then thought that a Second World War was going to be lilke a "roided-up" version of the First.
With dirigibles, poison gas and fighter planes!
Apparently it is very difficult for people to grasp the full significance of historical conflicts while they are living through them.
WW 1 was itself famously underestimated by the very people who made it happen and last - at least at first. Word has it that some people feared that it might be over too quickly for them to have a chance to show their valor in the field. If only they knew.
Since you brought up the Spear of Destiny ...
The Spear of Destiny was used before ...
You know, I thought the rules changed for that thing over time, but I was fuzzy on the particulars. Thanks for clearing that up. If I continue with a Silver/Bronze Age JSA re-read (and I want to), that will come into focus more sharply for me. (I've already started on an outline.) And now, thanks to Luis, I know to include Weird War Tales #50!
I've long had the impression that people back then thought that a Second World War was going to be lilke a "roided-up" version of the First.
Apparently it is very difficult for people to grasp the full significance of historical conflicts while they are living through them.
All very true. World War I was the only example of a modern, mechanized, land-sea-air, global war that people had, so they really could only imagine a second one in terms of the first. I chuckle when I see a bi-plane in a 1940 comic book, or trench warfare set in 1941. Those scenes are amusing to me as anachronisms, given the full advantage of 20/20 hindsight. But I don't expect any of these writers and artists to be able to see the future. (Or even the present clearly, given the mass-media limitations of the time.) If I have indulged my knee-jerk snarkiness too much, I apologize.
Word has it that some people feared that it might be over too quickly for them to have a chance to show their valor in the field. If only they knew.
According to Shelby Foote, Jeff & Michael Shaara, Ken Burns and others, that was a widespread attitude just before the Civil War as well, especially in the South. As many reading this probably know, citizens of Washington, D.C., came out with picnic baskets before the first Battle of Manassas, to watch. Like it was entertainment. Both sides fully expected to rout the other in minutes. Both sides were duly disappointed. Again and again, for four more bloody years.
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