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
"Superman [thru the editors] tells his readers that, when he is not busy on a case, he likes to relax and envision what his club members do for relaxation and recreation. He tries to show the importance of every part of this nation. There is a secret Superman code message in Code Neptune No. 7 to decipher, and a coupon is provided for readers to fill out and send in to join the Supermen of America."
I was a proud member of the Supermen of America. I still have the membership badge, the code-card, and all the other neat stuff that National Periodical sent me.
I'm jealous!
I must have hit a nerve on DC Special #29! It seems everybody liked it but me.
Eh. I didn't comment on your initial post because everything you said was patently obvious.
I must have hit a nerve on DC Special # 29! It seems everybody liked it but me. -- Captain Comics
Eh, I didn't comment on your initial post because everything you said was patently obvious. -- Jeff of Earth-J
I didn't remark for the same reason as Jeff's, Cap. But I should've chimed in so you didn't feel like an orphan left out in the wild.
At the time, I couldn't articulate it as you did, Cap, but what I did understand was that the plot of DC Special # 29 just didn't sit well with me. One of the reasons that I did identify was that most of the soon-to-be charter members of the JSA didn't seem to do much of anything. True enow, the lesser members---the Atom, Sandman, the Batman, and, to an extent, Hawkman and Hourman---were pretty much out of their power-level league. But that's no excuse. Gardner Fox, in his JLA tales, often pit the League against world-beating-type villains, and he still found ways for the non-powered Batman and Green Arrow to contribute. I like that you mentioned "The Origin of the Justice League" (that's the real one; not that overcrowded nonsense of a revision that came later), from JLA # 9 (Feb., 1962), because that was the first example that came to my mind as I read your critique.
The alternate storyline you suggested was quite good, Cap, and it got me thinking how I would've done it. I rather liked your idea of having Zor and Wotan team up. Both of them would have their own fiendish reasons for taking over the Earth (and, of course, privately, each plans on double-crossing the other, once their plan succeeds). Because his meglomaniacal evil makes him the perfect foil, Hitler is approached by Wotan and Zor. The evil mages pursuade Hitler to invade and conquer the United States (1. Because America will be the major power he will eventually have to face; and 2. Because, at this time, the U.S.'s isolationist attitude leaves it unprepared for an invasion). Wotan and Zor assure Hitler that they will use their magicks to ensure the conquest succeeds.
But, before the evil duo can begin their machinations, they have to render the Spectre harmless---he's the only one with enough power of his own to stop them in their tracks. (Wotan, of course, believes Doctor Fate is the more serious threat, but Zor outtalks him.) They manage to lure the Spectre to a distant asteroid and put him out of commission---perhaps by tricking him into falling under the paralysis-beam that gave Zor so much trouble in More Fun Comics # 55 (May, 1940). This also provides an excuse for why the Discarnate Detective doesn't end the menace on page two.
Of course, as required by the Super-Villains Handbook, Wotan and Zor brag about their evil scheme to the Spectre, adding the crucial information that their targets are Philadephia (the birthplace of American liberty), Fort Knox, and the California coast. But while Spec may be physically unable to stop the villains, his mind reaches out magically to one whose own brain is mystically charged---Dr. Fate. After Spec telepathically informs him of the dire threat, Fate realises that he's going to need help. There's probably a better way to get the other future-charter members of the JSA into the story, but the only thing that occurred to me is that the Mystic Mage consults his liaison to us ordinary folks, Inza Cramer. She's been keeping a scrapbook-file on the various mystery-men who've popped up lately---and the ones in her file are the Atom, the Flash, the Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hourman, and the Sandman. There's no time to see if there's anyone more capable---Fate has to act, now.
With one humdinger of a spell, Dr. Fate magically transports the named mystery-men to his Salem tower and briefs them on the sinister invasion. Of course, they're in. Next step, Fate transports the whole group to the Oval Office and notifies President Roosevelt of the imminent attack on America. FDR puts the military and law-enforcement authorities in Philly, Fort Knox, and California on alert. Now comes the traditional Gardner Fox trope of dividing the heroes into three sub-teams. Well, all of them, except for the Atom and the Sandman, whom Fate realises probably won't be much help against what he expects will be super-human forces. So, he has those two heroes stay behind, "to protect the President".
I'd leave it to a better writer to determine how the remaining five heroes divide. But it will turn out that Fate's suspicion that they would be facing super-powered/supernatural forces is on the beam. Off the top of my head, I figure the California coast would be invaded by the Fish-Men of Nyari-Amen, from the Dr. Fate story in More Fun Comics # 65 (May, 1941), dropped off by a German U-boat. The attack on Fort Knox (they're not going to steal the gold; too heavy to be practical---they're going to destroy it, which itself would put the U.S. into an economic catastrophe) is enacted by Nazi Fifth Columists leading the genetically enhanced monsters, the Gombezi, whom Hourman encountered in Adventure Comics # 57 (Dec., 1940). (I'd add a nice touch in that even these cruel, heartless Nazis are unnerved by the Gombezi.) Lastly, Philadelphia will be attacked by Valkyries mounted on winged steeds---because Hitler likes Valkyries, so we have Valkyries.
I'm not smart enough to figure out how the five super-heroes thwart their respective attacking forces, but of course, they do. (Now that I've given the matter some thought: Dr. Fate would tackle his old foes, the Fish-Men, on the West Coast, supported by the U.S. Navy, alerted by the President. The Flash and Hourman would deal with the Gombezi at Fort Knox, and as the two remaining high-fliers, Green Lantern and Hawkman would combat the Valkyries in Philly.)
In order to give the Atom and the Sandman something to do, unknown to the Spectre or Dr. Fate, Wotan and Zor have installed an assassin within the White House, disguised as someone who has business being in the White House, to kill President Roosevelt. But the Atom and the Sandman tumble to this and save FDR at the last minute.
All that's left is to rescue the Spectre. As the only two super-heroes capable of going into space, Dr. Fate and Green Lantern follow the Spectre's mental link to the distant asteroid. They rescue the Ghostly Guardian, and then the three heroes put paid to Wotan and Zor. (I'd freeze the two baddies under the paralysis-beam, then have G.L. use his ring to propel the asteroid to a lifeless universe millions of light years away.)
When all eight heroes regroup at the White House, they want to go after Hitler next, but FDR nixes that notion---the political climate in the U.S. isn't right to have a colourful, conspicuous bunch of (mostly) American heroes invade Germany, a country with which we are not presently at war. But the President does suggest that the heroes form a private organisation to handle future threats of such magnitude. ("I foresee dark days ahead for our nation, gentlemen.") Thus, begets the Justice Society of America!
In an epilogue, Dr. Fate contacts two other super-heroes whom the President's intelligence sources recommend as worthy additions. First, the Mystic Mage contacts Superman, and after telling him of the recent near-crisis, invites him to join the JSA. The Man of Steel demurs; he's too busy with his own adventures to tie himself down to regular meetings or being called away at the group's beck and call. Suppose we make you an honorary member, suggests Doctor Fate, in case the situation at hand is so critical that we need you. That'll work, says Superman.
Then, Fate contacts the Batman, and after informing him of America's near-disaster at the hands of two supernatural beings, offers him a place on the team. The Gotham Goliath also turns it down---for a different reason: he's just an ordinary guy---there's not much he can contribute to a team of super-powered champions. But the Batman does agree to honorary status, as well.
It's rough, and there's probably a great deal a professional writer could improve. But even my off-the-cuff idea has the merit of giving each hero a chance to shine. I know it reads like one of Gardner Fox's rejected JLA scripts, but chalk that up to my love of the Silver-Age Justice League of America.
Good retro-Golden Age story. I'd buy that.
I'd have added a cameo by the Red Tornado, helping out with the collateral effects of the plot.
Also, I would remove this sort of nonsense:
The rest of the western world, and most of Asia, would like to have a word with DC's editorial staff.
I don't know if this matters or not but in case this doesn't come up: In World's Finest Comics #271 (S'81) while listing all the times Superman and Batman met on Earth-One, the first meeting of Superman and Batman from "The Adventures of Superman" radio show* was said to take place on Earth-Two. However, said episode happened in 1945.
Robin does say the two "hardly know each other" but no mention is made of either DC Special #29 or All-Star Comics #7. Ironically, it is written by Roy Thomas whose All Star Squadron series would have Superman and Batman interact numerous times between 1941-1942 alone!
*Batman and Robin would appear and sometimes take over Superman's radio program so Bud Collyer, the voice actor fror Superman/Clark Kent could take a vacation!
I didn't remark for the same reason as Jeff's, Cap. But I should've chimed in so you didn't feel like an orphan left out in the wild.
I confess I did feel that a bit. But I don’t want it to go the other way, either! Nobody’s right and nobody’s wrong when it comes to whether a given person likes a story, but it is fun to talk about.
As to your story suggestions, Commander, they hit that spot I wanted. My favorite bit is having old foes from various solo stories as the antagonists. One of my complaints about DC Special #29 Is that it wasn’t JSA-specific enough for an origin story, and having a host of old foes corrects that. I started with Zor and Wotan but didn’t think it through; you carried the ball across the goal line with the fish-men and Gombezi and so forth. Philip suggested we make a list of potential re-useable foes from the solo stories, and as if in answer, you provide a story suggestion where that list would come in handy.
The rest of the Western world, and most of Asia, would like to have a word with DC's editorial staff.
The idea that World War II didn’t start until the U.S. entered would come as a surprise to all the people on at least three continents who had been invaded, killed, occupied or otherwise found themselves fighting a war ever since the Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931 (and before, if you lived in Korea). Even my high school classes in the ‘70s taught the war officially began when Germany invaded Poland on Sept. 1, 1939. I wrote that panel off to hyperbole, but even so, it’s just not accurate.
Robin does say the two "hardly know each other" but no mention is made of either DC Special #29 or All-Star Comics #7.
Or All-Star Comics #36. That is odd. Maybe he didn’t want to muddy this particular story by raising the specter (ha!) of so many other superheroes, who would not appear. But still, an odd omission from an expert.
Blue Blazes! I put the wrong issue number! I fixed it!
I didn't mention ASC #36 because it was supposed to be about the Earth-Two Superman and Batman's first meeting which I assume was DC Special #29 chronlogically or ASC #7 publishing-wise, though even ASC #3 strongly implies that the two may have already met.
The idea that World War II didn’t start until the U.S. entered would come as a surprise...
I suggest the following rewrite: "1940: the Nazi juggernaut sweeps across Europe, but 'World War Two' has not yet officially begun... for America." That's still a bit nationalistic, but not out of step with the strong isolationist sentiment which existed in the United States prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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