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
For all of its faults, I read that Levitz/Staton Origin of the Justice Society story when I was eight. I loved it -- it was one of the formative epics of my early comics-reading experience, and it'll always be a favorite to me. For a kid who had no sense of the history of these characters, and who had probably only been reading comics for a couple months before I got my hands on this... it was PERFECT. It was thefirst time I ever saw the Spectre's eyes turn into skulls! How cool is that???
I was disappointed in the post-crisis retelling; the art seemed lifeless to me, and Thomas's script felt like a hasty patch-job. Then again, I wasn't 8 anymore.
I don't know if the current JSA Year One storyline will incorporate it or not, but I do hope it touches on it, valkyries and all. (And I think it's likely the spear of destiny allowed Hitler to project his own teutonic mythology into its magic; had someone else used it, those forces would have manifested differently.)
I was probably too harsh. But then, I was in college when DC Special #29 first came out. I never had the opportunity to see it through the eyes of an 8-year-old.
The Spectre scene really was the highlight of the book. "Origin" really should have ended there. But we had to have Superman save the day, didn't we? Then when we didn't have Superman any more, we still had the B plot eat up the last third of the book.
I touched on the Norse thing in my original post, because explaining the valkyries as a manifestation of Hitler's inner beliefs is everyone's first thought (including my own). But from what I knew of World War II in 1977 it felt off, and the more I learned about Hitler as I got older the more I found out he was as dismissive of pagan beliefs as he was of any religion. He wanted to found a secular religion based on Nazism, on himself and Das Führerprinzip. Other beliefs, from Wotan to Jesus, were competition. He did push Wagner, because Wagner was German -- it wasn't the myths he loved, but the nationality. So as I said in my original post, the valks seemed like an effort to lift this story to the mythological, by using the mythology that was, at best, Nazi-adjacent. And because of Marvel's Thor and DC's own Wotan, they couldn't even use the big guns. It just didn't work for me.
But hey, maybe on Earth-Two Hitler was a nut for valkyries. I'm just sorry I didn't enjoy the book as much as y'all did!
When DC Special #29 came out Levitz, Staton and Layton were the team handling the JSA's feature. According to Mike's Amazing World it was released in the month between All-Star Comics #67 and #68.
When Superman appears GL declares "No! It's incredible-- but we've got a reprieve! Look--leaping up from the press building--" Implicitly, Clark was in Washington DC as a reporter. Edit: Philip beat me to it.
I vaguely remembered that DC Special #29 took place in early November which makes me sad. I really, really wanted that unofficial second adventure to have occurred on Halloween. Pity.
Batman wouldn't get an official police status in Gotham City for another year in Batman #7 (N'41) so Commissioner Gordon shouldn't be able to contact him in any way.
I can see Batman thinking "Too many heroes! Getting in my way! If it were just Robin and I, we'd be done by now! No way I'm doing this on a regular basis!"
As for Superman: "They didn't ask for my help! If they don't need me, I certainly don't need them. I'm not going to keep bailing them out of trouble every two months, that's for sure!"
The problem with having both Batman and Green Lantern in Gotham City is that I can't imagine the Emerald Gladiator NOT encountering the Joker and the Penguin nor the Caped Crusader running into the Gambler or Sportsmaster!
I'm guessing that Doctor Fate picks up Hourman in case there's a physical threat while Fate is doing his magic stuff, like Doctor Strange and the Hulk!
I'm going to say that Doctor Fate summoned Hawkman, Sandman and the Atom because his only other choices were the Crimson Avenger, the Whip and the King. There was Zatara but maybe Fate didn't want another magic guy around! Or the Master Magician was on tour in the Midwest!
I do recall that people thought that Post-Crisis, Superman and Batman would be replaced by Captain Marvel (before his Golden Age was erased) and the Crimson Avenger though I still prefer Zatara and Slam Bradley.
Actually, the more I think about it, it should have been the Spectre appearing at the end as the deus ex machina because how apropos would that have been.
As for Superman being in Washington, DC, he's covering a story at the White House. Doctor Fate may have known this and deliberately left the Man of Steel behind to protect FDR and to be the last defense if they had failed.
Another retcon was that the Atom was "magically poisoned" by the Valkyrie and had it drawn out of him by Doctor Fate.
Gundra would return as part of Axis Amerika in Young All-Stars redesigned to resemble the Valkyries that appeared in a Golden Age Wonder Woman story!
One more thing: the castle in Scotland seemed to have a metal portcullis down so Green Lantern may have smashed through that which in turn smashed through the wooden doors.
Batman wouldn't get an official police status in Gotham City for another year in Batman #7 (N'41) so Commissioner Gordon shouldn't be able to contact him in any way.
Another instance of the story ignoring Golden Age canon. But they can always say it’s a retcon.
I can see Batman thinking "Too many heroes! Getting in my way! If it were just Robin and I, we'd be done by now! No way I'm doing this on a regular basis!"
Or Sandman thinking, “This guy is useless! We don’t need him on our team! I’ll handle the detective work, and I don’t need a 10-year-old to help me!”
The problem with having both Batman and Green Lantern in Gotham City is that I can't imagine the Emerald Gladiator NOT encountering the Joker and the Penguin nor the Caped Crusader running into the Gambler or Sportsmaster!
Agreed. It’s idiotic to put GL in the same city, when you can just make up another one.
I'm going to say that Doctor Fate summoned Hawkman, Sandman and the Atom because his only other choices were the Crimson Avenger, the Whip and the King.
All of whom would probably do more than Batman does in this story.
There was Zatara but maybe Fate didn't want another magic guy around! Or the Master Magician was on tour in the Midwest!
I think the Midwest if well-acquainted with enchanted tentacles. What else is there to do on those long, cold Michigan nights?
I do recall that people thought that Post-Crisis, Superman and Batman would be replaced by Captain Marvel (before his Golden Age was erased) and the Crimson Avenger though I still prefer Zatara and Slam Bradley.
It would have changed Secret Origins considerably if Thomas had used Arn Monroe and Flying Fox.
Actually, the more I think about it, it should have been the Spectre appearing at the end as the deus ex machina because how apropos would that have been.
It would have been better! As it is, we had a better climax on page 24 than we did on page 34.
As for Superman being in Washington, DC, he's covering a story at the White House.
We shouldn’t have to make up stuff to make the story work. That’s the writer’s job.
Doctor Fate may have known this and deliberately left the Man of Steel behind to protect FDR and to be the last defense if they had failed.
See above.
Another retcon was that the Atom was "magically poisoned" by the Valkyrie and had it drawn out of him by Doctor Fate.
Where did that happen?
Gundra would return as part of Axis Amerika in Young All-Stars redesigned to resemble the Valkyries that appeared in a Golden Age Wonder Woman story!
I don’t remember a thing about Young All-Stars, so I'll have to re-read that with fresh eyes.
DC Special #29 states that Superman was seen flying out of the Washinton DC press building so Clark Kent was sent there for a story.
All Star Squadron #7 (Ma'82) has President Roosevelt bring up Doctor Fate removing the magical poison from the Atom. It was the first time I ever heard about it.
'ACTION COMICS' #33
Cover date: February 1941
On-sale date: Dec. 20, 1940
Cover: Superman carrying an armored car over his head, by Wayne Boring
Superman
Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Jack Burnley (13 pages)
Where I read it: Superman: The Action Comics Archives Vol. 2 (1998)
GCD: "When the profits from a huge lumber mill operations, which normally go to under-privileged children, start disappearing, it becomes a job for the Man of Steel!"
See: Jeff of Earth-J's Superman from the Beginning.
Mr. America
Real name: Harold "Tex" Thomson
Created by: Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily
Debut story: Untitled by Fitch and Baily, 8 pages
Where I read it: Online
Significance: Golden Age DC superhero
First appearance in tights!
Tex Thomson resigns from the staff of special prosecutor Maloney, with whom he had apparently been working. He goes on a special mission for the "war relief commissioner" (a position that I doubt ever existed) on board the Angelus, which is delivering food and medical supplies to Europe. Tex leaves Bob Daley, his sidekick, at Maloney's office. But ithe Angelus blows up, thanks to a foreign agent, and all hands are presumed lost.
Meanwhile, foreign agents are at work in whatever city this is, and a man dressed in revolutionary war garb, calling himself Mr. America, is working against them. His main (and maybe only) weapon is a whip. He whistles "Yankee Doodle Dandy" at just about every opportunity, and leaves a red-white-and-blue feather with his name on it at crime scenes. At the end, after Mr. America catches the big bad, he reveals himself to Bob as Tex. He explains that he drifted in the ocean for 24 hours before being picked up by a Portuguese fishing boat, and has returned to wreak vengeance on foreign agents like the one that blew up the Angelus. He tells Bob to keep pretending Tex is dead, while Mr. America works out of the special prosecutor's office.
Let's hope Bob brings big lunches, and has access to Tex Thomson's bank account. Seriously, this origin story probably sounds more exciting than it was. And I'm not impressed with a guy who brings a whip to gunfights. Maybe he'll be more exciting as Americommando.
Both the feather bit and the whistling are kinda dumb. If one were to take it seriously, one would have to wonder where Thomson gets all his feathers and how he dyes them the right colors. Then you imagine him sitting up late at night carefully signing his name to each of them. As to the whistling, that just gives away the element of surprise, which a guy armed only with a short-range weapon should not do. Needless to say, though, these are just Golden Age tropes intended to differentiate Mr. America from the other three million mystery men on the newsstands in 1941.
Fun facts:
Continuing: Pep Morgan, Black Pirate, Three Aces, Clip Carson, Zatara.
When I first saw Mister America in a cameo in All Star Squadron, he was descibed as "bewigged" and looked silly. Of course, he was barely used except for a mini-crossover between Secret Origins and Young All-Stars.
The only times I've been interested in him was in two very different series: Hero Hotline and The Golden Age.
'MORE FUN COMICS' #64
Cover date: February 1941
On-sale date: Dec. 27, 1940
Cover: That's a mighty big Spectre. By Bernard Baily.
Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily (10 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Spectre Archives Vol. 1
The Spectre has trouble with another ghost.
This one is named Watson, and he was going to testify against Paul Jenks, a crooked political boss. He was killed by Bugs Benson, and Corrigan's partner Wayne was badly wounded. With all the witnesses intimidated, Jenks gets off, but Corrigan's at the trial and "hears" a gangster named Pete Donley thinking about the hit. The Spectre gives this guy the "scare treatment" and convinces him to confess, but he is killed in front of the police station by Watson's ghost.
Then the ghost goes after Gyp, another of the Benson mob. After he kills Gyp, Watson goes after Benson. But Spectre saves Benson, and then saves Benson from committing suicide (twice). He hypnotizes Benson to go to the police station and confess. Then Spectre goes to protect Jenks, who is leaving town. Suddenly, Spectre realizes Wayne is dying, and races to the hospital and saves him. Then he goes back to Jenks, who is on a train. Watson's ghost is going to kill the whole train. Once again Spectre wrestles with forces of darkness (black cloud) and defeats the forces with the Ring of Life. That apparently takes care of Watson's ghost, and Spectre teleports Jenks to jail. Wayne is now a Spectre fan.
This is the second issue in a row where somebody, with no explanation, gets to be a ghost — and gives The Spectre a hard time. Apparently, your standard ghost is on equal footing with The Spectre, unless the Ghostly Guardian uses the Ring of Life.
Green Lantern and Spectre have both hypnotized criminals to confess. I wonder how well that stands up in court. "Your honor, my client's confession was coerced. He says he was hypnotized by a ghost." "Send this man to Arkham."
Fun fact: The final panel tells readers that Bernard Baily also draws Hourman, so kids, go read Adventure Comics! I didn't know DC ever touted its artists like that.
Doctor Fate
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman (6 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1
This one isn't told in linear fashion. It begins with Inza accompanying Bill Credon, whose name we don't learn until page 3 of a six-page story, to Mexico, because he says he saw a monster in the Yucatan jungles. (Do they still have jungles in Yucatan? Probably wall-to-wall tourists now.) Inza is "always ready to learn more about the occult and the unknown." That would be foolish for anybody not protected by Doctor Fate, but she is, so cool.
We find out later in the story that Mayoor, an ancient Mayan deity, had hypnotized Credon into getting Inza there to free him from where Fate had imprisoned him. Mayoor gloats over Inza, whom he will hold hostage if Fate arrives. Fate has discovered that Mayoor is free in his crystal ball, and that he has Inza, but he doesn't know where they are. (Hint: Try going to where you imprisoned him.) Inza apparently doesn't have "Call Fate by Telepathy" abilities in this story. So Fate casts the "Pall of Darkness" over the world, looking for "the light of evil." That seems backwards to me. Shouldn't evil be dark? Also wouldn't half the world freak out about being plunged into darkness without explanation?
Anyway, Fate sees the glow of evil from Mayoor's Yucatan ziggurat and goes to the rescue. He is fired upon by Bill Credon, but Fate knocks the gun out of his hand with internal energy (depicted as lightning bolts). Then here on Page 5, Bill tells his story of being hypnotized into bringing Inza to Yucatan. Mayoor tries to hold Inza hostage, but Fate sets Mayor on fire with energy from his fingers (fire this time) and Mayoor falls into a deep chasm while on fire. Fate notes that Mayoor wasn't as powerful as before, due to it being centuries since he last used his power, and Fate uses his all the time "fighting crime and evil." Oh, and Mayoor is really dead, because Fate says Bill Credon died when Mayoor did.
This one really emphasizes Fate's otherworldliness.
Continuing: Detective Sergeant Carey, Congo Bill, Captain Desmo, Radio Squad, Lance Larkin, Biff Bronson, Sergeant O'Malley of the Red Coat Patrol.
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #48
Cover date: February 1941
On-sale date: Dec. 27, 1940
Cover: Batman and Robin chase crooks on a pier, by Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos
Batman and Robin
“The Secret Cavern” by Bill Finger, Kane, Robinson and Roussos (13 pages)
Where I read it: Batman Archives Vol. 1 (1990)
GCD: "A man accidentally discovers a huge cave under the gold vaults of Fort Knox, and a group of crooks put that knowledge to use when they convince the man's daughter that she has killed a man, hoping to get him to reveal the cave's location."
Fun fact: Gold is really, really heavy, and ordinary crooks, even with access to Fort Knox, couldn't steal much of it. Unless, like Goldfinger, they thought to use a train.
Continuing: Spy, Larry Steele, Cliff Crosby, Speed Saunders, Steve Malone, Crimson Avenger, Slam Bradley.
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