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

Replies

- Luis Olavo de Moura Dantas > Philip Portelli December 5, 2025 at 9:31am
  
  This "1st Issue Special" story sure feels like it is the debut of Earth-One Doctor Fate - or, at least, could very easily be made into that with hardly any changes.
  
  According to the current version of the DC Fandom's entry on this issue, it is here that the Amulet of Anubis begins being called the Amulet of Nabu.
  
  That this is Earth-Two Doctor Fate is established, as you say, by Levitz adopting the traits of this Pasko character in his All-Star Comics stories - and that did _not_ happen from the start of his run on the revived "All-Star Comics".
  
  To the best of my understanding the one time we had an in-story explanation for the helmet changes was in "All-Star Squadron #28" (published in 1983, but telling events from pre-Crisis 1942), when Roy Thomas had Kent Nelson decide that he was getting too distanced from humankind and from Inza specifically - and, conveniently, Kulak's latest scheme involved getting the Helmet of Nabu and ended up with him losing that helmet among undetermined dimensions.
  
  At some point between his last 1944 adventures (All-Star #21 and More Fun #98) and 1963's "Justice League of America #21" he recovered or recreated the Helmet of Nabu, but I don't think we were ever told how.
  
  If you interpret the tale of "1st Issue" #9 as canonical to Earth-Two Doctor Fate, then he had the full helmet back by 1955. If you accept "Last Days of the Justice Society" as canonical, he was still using the half-helmet by April 1945.
  
  And if you accept 1978's "Wonder Woman #242" as canonical and unchanged, then Doctor Fate had already recovered the Helmet of Nabu as of V-J Day (September 2, 1945).
Philip Portelli December 4, 2025 at 7:47pm
DC SPECIAL SERIES #10 (Ap'78)
- Paul Levitz and Joe Staon were the regular creative in All-Star Comics by that time so the tone and visuals were constistent.
- Doctor Fate was seriously wounded/died/came back in ASC #61-63 (Au-D'76) yet nothing was said about he and Kent Nelson being different persona. And Inza wasn't there at all.
- But she did return in #66 (Ju'77), ready to brain her husband if he left after he barely survived.
- In her few appearances in ASC/Adventure, she fluctuates from loving to furious to accepting to complaining.
- Doctor Fate does seem kinder to her, calling her "Gentle Inza".
- As for the origin, Kent Nelson looks like he was mesmerized during his entire training process and too awestruck to question anything.
- The "aged to adulthood" seems odd to me. As an immortal, Nabu was in no rush and Kent needed to mature emotionally unless Nabu knew it would be easier if he wasn't.
- Inza seems to think that her not ageing is the result of her being close to Kent, not a conscious decision on his part.
- Is she a victim of Kent Nelson as much as he was a victim of Nabu?
- Again, we don't see how they met.
Captain Comics December 5, 2025 at 1:31pm

1ST ISSUE SPECIAL

PHILIP: Nowhere in the story are the phrases "Earth-Two" or "Justice Society". It seemed like they wanted Doctor Fate to be a "modern" hero, perhaps even existing on Earth-One. Simonson did design a new helmet for Fate which was not used.

LUIS: This "1st Issue Special" story sure feels like it is the debut of Earth-One Doctor Fate - or, at least, could very easily be made into that with hardly any changes.

It looks to me that DC has been high on Doctor Fate for a very long time, even in those periods where they wanted to erase the JSA.

I don’t need to mention to anyone here how prominent Fate was in 1960s and ‘70s JLA/JSA crossovers. Or that he, along with Hourman, was the first Golden Age character to get a Silver Age try-out issue in Showcase.

In addition to the JLA crossovers, Fate appeared in All-Star Squadron, Infinity Inc. AND the All-Star Comics revival.

Roy Thomas says Last Days of the Justice Society Special (1986) was supposed to be permanent; he was told there would be no appearances at all of Golden Age JSA characters ever again … except for Spectre and Doctor Fate, who were conspicuously written to NOT go off to Ragnarok. Power Girl and Star-Spangled Kid also weren’t written out, but were part of Infinity Inc. The rest were supposed to be gone forever.

But they spared Fate, who was the only Golden Age character in the post-Crisis Justice League. And who got a 1st Issue Special try-out (which I read somewhere sold well enough for a series, but for some reason it didn’t happen.) He got two origin issues in All-Star Squadron, plus a third in Secret Origins. Plus a miniseries that turned into an ongoing.

Zero Hour was DC’s next attempt to write out the JSA. But while Dr. Mid-Nite, Sandman, Hourman and others were killed or aged out, Fate continued.

Speaking of which, the helmet itself became important in Countdown to Mystery, the five Helmet of Fate one-shots and 52 itself. Which led to another Doctor Fate ongoing. It remains one of the most important artifacts in the DCU, regardless of who wears it.

Al Pratt, Wesley Dodds, Ted Grant, Charles McNider, Ted Knight, Rex Tyler and Johnny Thunder can only look on with envy. It’s clear that DC has confidence in the concept.

All of which is to say that it I agree that 1st Issue Special #9 was probably meant to launch the Earth-One Doctor Fate, or a Doctor Fate who would simply avoid any mention of the JSA. Either way, or a third way, I think DC was hoping for a solo series divorced from the 1940s.

PHILIP: it came out two months before All-Star Comics #58 (F'76) and does not invoke this story or its interpretation of Fate at all. Doctor Fate is more personable there, especially his friendship with Green Lantern. Later in the series, Paul Levitz will adopt Pasko's mannerisms for Fate, Kent and Inza.

LUIS: That this is Earth-Two Doctor Fate is established, as you say, by Levitz adopting the traits of this Pasko character in his All-Star Comics stories - and that did _not_ happen from the start of his run on the revived "All-Star Comics".

That’s interesting. Man, I really feel like I need to re-visit the All-Star revival. Evidently not much stuck with me from 50 years ago.

Inza Nelson is very much a woman from the 70s, not the 40s.

Very true.

Kent Nelson is not 100% separate from Fate. He claims that he IS Doctor Fate.

That’s just semantics to me. They share a body, so yeah, they are technically the same person. But “I return your husband to you” tells me they are separate individuals WITHIN that body.

His origin is said to have taken place "15 years" ago when Kent was 12, thus making him 27, so he is not the Golden Age Doctor Fate!

Good point!

PHILIP: Has his amulet ever been referred to as "the Amulet of Anubis" again?

I’m sure it has, but I wasn’t watching for that. LUIS says it’s called the “Amulet of Nabu” now, but I don’t know when that happened.

PHILIP: Bubastis was also the named of Ozymandius' mutated tiger from Watchmen.

I assume Alan Moore got the name from Egyptian history, not 1st Issue Special. But that is a cool connection.

LUIS: To the best of my understanding the one time we had an in-story explanation for the helmet changes was in "All-Star Squadron #28" (published in 1983, but telling events from pre-Crisis 1942), when Roy Thomas had Kent Nelson decide that he was getting too distanced from humankind and from Inza specifically - and, conveniently, Kulak's latest scheme involved getting the Helmet of Nabu and ended up with him losing that helmet among undetermined dimensions.

Actually, it was explained in All-Star Squadron #23, and then referenced in the issue you mention (along with All-Star Squadron #27 and countless other issues). But everything else you say is spot on.

LUIS: At some point between his last 1944 adventures (All-Star #21 and More Fun #98) and 1963's "Justice League of America #21" he recovered or recreated the Helmet of Nabu, but I don't think we were ever told how.

If you interpret the tale of "1st Issue" #9 as canonical to Earth-Two Doctor Fate, then he had the full helmet back by 1955. If you accept "Last Days of the Justice Society" as canonical, he was still using the half-helmet by April 1945.

And if you accept 1978's "Wonder Woman #242" as canonical and unchanged, then Doctor Fate had already recovered the Helmet of Nabu as of V-J Day (September 2, 1945).

I could swear I’ve read a story of Kent Nelson reclaiming the helmet, but I might be thinking of all that “52” stuff. If they haven’t told that story, they should. Also, we’ve never learned about the battle between the Lords of Order and Chaos where Chaos got the amulet, who then gave it to Anubis (unless he’s a Lord of Chaos). We’ve never seen the first battles between Wotan and Nabu, and when Nabu called himself Doctor Fate (because Wotan thought Kent-Fate was Nabu, until he realized somebody new was under the helmet). The whole of the post-Crisis DoctorFate/Nabu/Lords of Order backstory could stand to be streamlined anyway. They've done all this tinkering with Fate's origin over the years, and yet there are huge, gaping, unexplained holes.
Captain Comics December 5, 2025 at 1:54pm
'DETECTIVE COMICS' #51
Cover date: May 1941
On-sale date: March 28, 1941
Cover: Batman saves a tied-up Robin from a man with a knife, by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson

Batman and Robin
"The Case of the Mystery Carnival" by Bill Finger, Kane, Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman Archives Vol. 2 (1991)

GCD: "Bruce and Dick visit an amusement park owned and operated by a friend of theirs, but when the Colonel brushes off his old friends, Batman and Robin smell a rat and discover that some crooks have taken over the amusement park."

Continuing: Spy, Crimson Avenger, Larry Steele, Speed Saunders, Cliff Crosby, Steve Malone, Slam Bradley.

'ADVENTURE COMICS' #62
Cover date: May 1941
On-sale date: April 4, 1941
Cover: Starman, by Jack Burnley

Starman
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley (9 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Starman Archives Vol. 1

Dr. Selby, a scientist, is kidnapped by "The Light," who shrinks him to doll size. Left alone, he calls Woodley Allen, who happens to be an old friend. Seeing the tiny scientist, Allen uses the radioactive device in his pocket (which so far hasn't given him testicular cancer) to call Starman. The scene switches to Ted Knight who, as usual, is being a hypochondriac, and Doris Lee is there, giving him a hard time about it. They are motoring in the countryside. When Knight is signalled by Woodley, he has a "fainting spell" and leaves Doris to drive herself home.

Consulting with Allen, Starman says he must let himself be captured to they can find The Light. But Light is watching from his spaceship on an ultra-televiso-screen! Nevertheless, he does exactly what they want. He kidnaps Allen, and Starman follows. The first thing Starman finds is a doll-size Doris Lee. Then he finds a shrunken Woodley Allen, and when he goes after The Light, is overcome by gas from a "weird idol." Oh no! Not the old weird idol trick! Light shrinks Starman, too, and then leaves so Starman can escape to go to the control room.

A huge — relative to Starman — thug picks up the Astral Avenger. Starman gets away, and finds his Gravity Rod. He abuses the thug with it until the thug agrees to un-shrink Starman. Then they do the same for Woodley and Doris. The Light bursts in, but is caught in his own shrinking ray and is reduced to nothing. Starman tells them to use the de-shrinker on Selby and flies away as Doris says she hopes to see him again.

Takeaway:
- There is zero reason for Doris to be in the spaceship. The last we saw of her, she was driving away in Ted's car. Maybe Light saw her with his ultra-televiso-screen while randomly admiring the countryside and got the hots for her. And wants her small. Because he's mad! Mad, I tell you!
- It's very hard to believe that Doris, looking at Starman's gigantic, unmasked face, does not recognize Ted Knight. Evidently she graduated from the Lois Lane School for Facial Recognition.
- Like many mad scientists in comics, The Light is a polymath who has invented many things in many fields (Shrinking Ray! Spaceship! Ultra-Televiso-Screen!), and has enormous resources, but his plans are delusional. In this story he plans to shrink important people, which will somehow help him conquer the world. I guess that's what puts the "mad" in mad scientist.
Fun Facts:
- As Jack Burnley points out in the foreword to Golden Age Starman Archives Vol. 1, The Light really ought to be called "The Shrink."
- The cover intended for this issue, with a diminutive Starman fighting The Light, ends up on Adventure Comics #63.
The Hour-Man
Untitled by unknown and Bernard Baily (8 pages)
Where I read it: Online

Rex Tyler saves a boy from being run over, and realizes the kid wants to die. They are interrupted by Henry the chauffeur, who drags the boy, named Tommy, off to "Castle Manor," which I assume is built in the Locality Neighborhood, next to House Home and Domicile Dweling. And Tommy clearly doesn't want to go, but the meek chemist does nothing. And besides, there's a Minute Men meeting! Can't miss that! (Hourman's enthusiasm for hanging out with pre-pubescent boys does not look healthy in 2025.)

At the meeting, Thorndyke brings Tommy in, who had escaped Henry with the help of his dog Thunder. He tells the Minute-Men that his evil Uncle Perry beats him, and he wants to join them. Hour-Man sends Tommy home with Thorndyke (there is no indication he lives with Jimmy Martin, who will later be established as his brother). Hour-Man goes to Castle Manor and eavesdrops, discovering that evil Uncle Perry has been robbing Tommy of "huge sums of money" but is worrying about the "executors" or the "board" coming the next night to check on Tommy (I assume this means Uncle Perry is another Evil Guardian™). Fortunately, Uncle Perry suffers from Golden Age Self-Incrimination Syndrome, meaning he keeps incriminating documents in his desk. Hourman beats him up and steals the papers, but has to leave because his hour is up.

Meanwhile, two heretofore unseen thugs working for Uncle Perry are cruising around, looking for Tommy. Cosmos City must not be very big, because they find him right away, with Thunder and Thorndyke. They grab him, but wouldn't you know it, Thunder grabs a wallet from one of the men with his address in it. What a lucky break! Thorndyke puts out the word on the Minute-Men radio, summoning not only all the boys but Hour-Man. They converge on the thugs' house and get Tommy back, while Thunder chases the thugs away. Good boy!

Meanwhile, Uncle Perry and Henry are passing off an actor as Tommy, so that "the executors" will give them the rest of Tommy's money. But Hour-Man and the real Tommy show up, and Uncle Perry is destined for jail.

Minute Men watch: Tommy joins, and Thorndyke and Captain Jimmy Martin are named. "Minute Men" is hyphenated throughout, including the logo.

Fun facts:
- Hourman is still Hour-Man and Hour Man throughout.
- One of the Minute Men is depicted as Black. That's surprising, but his dialect ("Yowsa, boss!") is not.
- The last panel is a house ad for The Spectre.
Sandman
Untitled by unknown and Creig Flessel (8 pages)
Where I read it: Online

Summary

Dian is with a friend and her father, when the father (in seat F-7) suddenly dies. Wesley Dodds arrives at the theater shortly after, and Dian tells him what happened. He consults with the doctor, who can't find a cause of death but can't rule out poison until an autopsy. Dodds decides it was death by death ray. Which is so preposterous, even Dian points out that there isn't any such thing. But Dodds is convinced, and that night examines the lights above the seats. He finds nothing unusual.

But he gets a ticket to the next night's performance in seat F-8. He meets the man in F-7, who says he was sent an invitation but no ticket. Dodds changes and checks out the lights again, and finds a new bulb over seat F-7. He swings on his wirepoon wire down and rescues the man in F-7 just as the death ray fires. The man says he was the judge in the Norkutt case, the same one the dead man prosecuted. Dian arrives, and Sandman tells her he already knows who the killer is (and so do we) and where he is (which I didn't know). It's Norkutt, of course, who was the cashier, because without a ticket he had to recognize the judge on sight to give him seat F-7.

Takeaways

Flessel's art is fluid and dynamic as ever, but I have to call shenanigans on the plot. Sure, death rays turn up in comics all the time. But in this story they don't exist (per Dian), and Sandman insists one exists, with no evidence whatsoever. That he turned out to be right is just writer's fiat.

I think wire-poon has lost its hyphen, so its wirepoon from now on.

Continuing: Federal Men, Steve Conrad, Manhunter, Cotton Carver. Last appearance of Mark Lansing. Created by Howard Purcell, "Mark Lansing" was an unusual Golden Age strip in that it ran only 10 issues. Somebody needs to write a flashback showing Lansing dying heroically after this issue, or being abducted by aliens or something.

THE COMPETITION

Amazing-Man Comics #22 (of 26, Centaur)

Army and Navy Comics #1 (of 5, Street and Smith)

Big 3 #3 (of 7, Fox)

Big Shot Comics #13 (of 33, Columbia)

Blue Beetle #7 (of 60, Fox)

Blue Bolt #12 (of 101, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)

Blue Ribbon Comics #12 (of 22, Archie)

Captain America Comics #3 (of 73, Marvel)

Cat-Man Comics #6 (Temerson/Helnit/Continental)
- Cat-Man, created by Irwin Hasen, debuts. Picks up the numbering from Crash Comics Adventures.
Champ Comics #13 (of 25, Harvey)

Crackajack Funnies #35 (of 43, Western)

Doc Savage #4 (of 20, Street and Smith)

Exciting Comics v3 #3 [#9] (of 69, Pines)

Fantastic Comics #18 (of 23, Fox)

Feature Comics #44 (of 124, Quality)

Four Favorites #5 (of 32)

The Funnies #55 (of 64, Dell)

Green Hornet #4 (of 6, Temerson/Helnit/Continental)

Hit Comics #11 (of 65, Quality)

Jumbo Comics #27 (of 167, Fiction House)

Jungle Comics #17 (of 163, Fiction House)

Marvel Mystery Comics #19 (of 92, Timely)

Master Comics #14 (of 133, Quality)

Minute Man #1 (of 3, Fawcett)

Mystery Men Comics #22 (of 31, Fox)

National Comics #11 (of 75, Quality)

Pep Comics #15 (of 136, Archie)

Planet Comics #12 (of 73, Fiction House)

Popular Comics #63 (of 145, Dell)

Prize Comics #10 (of 68, Prize Comics)

Reg’lar Fellers Heroic Comics #6 (of 15, Eastern)

Shadow Comics #10 (of 101, Street and Smith)

Silver Streak Comics #10 (of 23, Lev Gleason)

Smash Comics #22 (of 85, Quality)
- Jester debuts.
Speed Comics #13 (of 33, Harvey)

Stars and Stripes #2 (of 6, Centaur)

Startling Comics v3 #1 [#7] (of 53, Pines)

Super Comics #36 (of 65, Western)

Super-Magic Comics #1 (of 1 Street and Smith)

Superman #10 (of 423, May-June)

Target Comics v2 #3 [#15] (of 105, Novelty/Premium/Curtis)

Thrilling Comics v6 #1 [#16] (of 80, Pines)

Top Notch Comics #15 (of 27, Archie)

Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #8 (of 263, Dell)

Weird Comics #14 (of 20, Fox)

Whiz Comics #17 (of 155, Fawcett)

Wings Comics #9 (of 124, Fiction House)

Wonderworld #25 (of 33, Fox)

Zip Comics #14 (of 47, Archie)
- Philip Portelli > Captain Comics December 5, 2025 at 2:17pm
  
  Four months later, another villain would call himself "The Light" in Superman #13 (D'41) and the original's end by being shrunk into nothingness would also be Brainiac's "ultimate" fate.
  
  Two years later, Starman would get shrunk again (along with the rest of the JSA) in All-Star Comics #17 (Jl'43).
  
  How Cat-Man with later sidekick, Kitten wasn't sued into oblivion is beyond me! Over at Dynamite/Project:Superpowers, he was redubbed "Man-Cat"!
  
  The Jester, though peripherally connected with both the All Star Squadron and the Freedom Fighters, had a good Golden Age run, lasting until 1949.
- Captain Comics > Philip Portelli December 5, 2025 at 4:07pm
  
  I looked up Jester on wikipedia, and boy, what a prime example of the Golden Age. I don't mean that in a good way.
  
  And yes, DC allowing Cat-Man to exist is a little surprising. Maybe he just wasn't successful enough for them to bother.
Philip Portelli December 7, 2025 at 6:13pm

The rest of Doctor Fate's Origins!

ALL STAR SQUADRON #23--the briefest of the Roy Thomas origins because it was meant to remind readers what Doctor Fate initially was and still is as they had to become accustomed to the water-downed version for the last two years.

I always saw Inza's touch as helping Kent resist Nabu's control as his bond with her was stronger than his link with Nabu.

And it was more foreshadowing for "The Justice Society Story The World's Not Ready To Know" which was harped upon over and over!

Plus, Fate basically gave the "PG" story to the Atom who he might have considered, either consciously or subconsciously, too young for the full truth. If Kent Nelson knew the full truth then.

ALL STAR SQUADRON #47---It's amazing that Fate's origin can't seem to fill up a full-length story.

This one establishes that Nabu was manipulating/controlling Kent to be his new host. There is no affection present. Nabu is no Shazam! The repression of Kent's grief reflects his lack of emotional growth which, again, is why he needs Inza in the first place.

Doctor Fate is both a Lord of Order and a novice to the world. Within the helmet. Kent knows this and that explains why Fate wants to be part of the Justice Society. More than allies, he craves friendship!

For as many times Wotan is used, I never found him that interesting.

Which leads to...

SECRET ORIGINS #24---a letdown of a SO issue to me as neither Fate nor Blue Devil's origins were needed to be retold.

Here, in this very verbose tale, they up the creepiness factor with the aging of young Kent Nelson so Inza becomes both a partner and a mother figure to him as shown with the then new Doctor Fate.

Also, they really have Inza go all "cheesecake" here! Fate can't conjure up some clothes!

Believe it or not, Kent, Inza and Fate do merge in the Doctor Fate series in The Flash.
Captain Comics December 8, 2025 at 12:09pm

Doctor Fate was seriously wounded/died/came back in ASC #61-63 (Au-D'76) yet nothing was said about he and Kent Nelson being different persona. And Inza wasn't there at all.

I read synopses of these issues in different places that offered no additional information. And, once again, I realize I’m going to have to re-read the All-Star Comics revival at some point—despite not having enjoyed it sufficiently the first time to have re-read it in the ensuing 50 years. (I remember liking the Wally Wood contributions, but not much else.)

But she did return in #66 (Ju'77), ready to brain her husband if he left after he barely survived.

In her few appearances in ASC/Adventure, she fluctuates from loving to furious to accepting to complaining.

As you or Luis noted, Inza from about 1 st Issue Special onward was a ‘70s woman, as opposed to a ‘40s one.

Doctor Fate does seem kinder to her, calling her "Gentle Inza".

He was very polite to her in the various origins!

As for the origin, Kent Nelson looks like he was mesmerized during his entire training process and too awestruck to question anything.

The more I read these, the more I feel like Nabu really did a number on Kent. Nabu wiping away Kent’s grief is just plain old mind-control. And not allowing him to process his emotions, while also artificially aging him, really means about the same. Kent would have nothing to imprint on but Nabu. He’d be really unsocialized.

The "aged to adulthood" seems odd to me. As an immortal, Nabu was in no rush and Kent needed to mature emotionally unless Nabu knew it would be easier if he wasn't.

Yeah. (Although Kent isn’t artificially aged in all the origins. But either way, he spends all his formative years, into his early 20s, isolated with Nabu.)

Inza seems to think that her not ageing is the result of her being close to Kent, not a conscious decision on his part.

It feels like every modern take on JSA characters is always beating itself up to explain how they characters aren’t aging. The more I read it, the more it irritates me. Superman doesn’t age, Spider-Man doesn’t age. Heck, Dick Tracy doesn’t age. Get over it!

Honestly, the ideal method was the one they originally had, where the characters were all on a parallel earth, where it could be said that aging happened differently. Barring that, they could just say that the Crisis de-aged WWII characters to their 40s. Done! Move on!

Is she a victim of Kent Nelson as much as he was a victim of Nabu?

In recent years, they started playing Nabu as a not-so-good-guy. Here’s my theory:

The ‘40s origin didn’t ruffle anybody’s feathers, as the attitude was that kids had no rights and adults knew best. If that’s how Nabu chose to raise Kent, it was his right as a “parent.” Alos, by the standards of the time, Kent had it much better than a lot of American kids, like those in urban slums or rural Okies. Kent had three squares and a cot. He had a place to live, and a teacher. He had it made!

But in retrospect, with modern sensibilities in play, with living standards having risen and more understanding of nurturing and child development, More Fun Comics #67 makes Nabu look pretty callous, controlling and manipulative. Which is how they started characterizing him.

I think this fits with that. I think they've even replaced him in the helmet with somebody who wasn’t such a creep. (But I'm not familiar with that storyline and could be corrected.)

ALL STAR SQUADRON #23--the briefest of the Roy Thomas origins because it was meant to remind readers what Doctor Fate initially was and still is as they had to become accustomed to the water-downed version for the last two years.

I assumed the point of this one was to explain the half-helmet.

I always saw Inza's touch as helping Kent resist Nabu's control as his bond with her was stronger than his link with Nabu.

Especially when she cried on him! Magic tears!

And it was more foreshadowing for "The Justice Society Story The World's Not Ready To Know" which was harped upon over and over!

Did they mention that a lot at the time? I don’t remember. But if so, All-Star Squadron Annual #3 must have been in the works for a very long time, more than a year at least.

Plus, Fate basically gave the "PG" story to the Atom who he might have considered, either consciously or subconsciously, too young for the full truth. If Kent Nelson knew the full truth then.

When you said "PG" story I initially thought "Power Girl" ...

Anyway, it was Kent, not Fate, speaking … so maybe you’ve hit on it. Kent never knew everything that Fate/Nabu did. Also, I doubt Roy wanted to cast Fate in a bad light.

ALL STAR SQUADRON #47---It's amazing that Fate's origin can't seem to fill up a full-length story.

This story was originally meant for Secret Origins, and was incorporated into All-Star Squadron via framing devices, so maybe the length was dictated by its original format. Other re-purposed Secret Origins origins: Liberty Belle (All-Star Squadron #61), Shining Knight (#62), Robotman (#63), Johnny Quick (#65) and Tarantula (#66). That happened because All-Star Squadron was treading water while Young All-Stars was being ramped up. Dat ol’ debbil Crisis bringin’ us down. Roy was also ordered to stop using Golden Age characters in Secret Origins around this time, even though the book was originally conceived as a device to tell all post-Crisis DC origins in chronological order. (They skipped Doctor Occult because he wouldn't be strong enough for a first issue. Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel slipped in "under the wire," so to speak, as word came down not to mention Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow and Aquaman ever again in a Golden Age context. Then word came down that every third issue was to have a Silver Age or later story. Then word came down that the book would be 52 pages, with one Golden Age and one modern story. Then word came down to remove all Golden Age stories. Then Roy Thomas left the book. Post-Crisis was a mess.)

This one establishes that Nabu was manipulating/controlling Kent to be his new host. There is no affection present. Nabu is no Shazam! The repression of Kent's grief reflects his lack of emotional growth which, again, is why he needs Inza in the first place.

I just said something similar above. We’re on the same track.

Doctor Fate is both a Lord of Order and a novice to the world. Within the helmet. Kent knows this and that explains why Fate wants to be part of the Justice Society. More than allies, he craves friendship!

Seems likely!

For as many times Wotan is used, I never found him that interesting.

It would help if he was more than a one-dimensional villain. What’s his backstory? Why is he green? Why does he hate Nabu? If we knew anything at all about him, maybe he’d be interesting.

SECRET ORIGINS #24---a letdown of a SO issue to me as neither Fate nor Blue Devil's origins were needed to be retold.

The All-Star Companions have an off-hand reference to Roy feeling the need to incorporate the events of Doctor Fate #1-4 (1987) into the origin. And it extrapolated a bit on More Fun Comics #55-56. But as you say, it doesn’t cover so much new ground that it felt necessary.

Here, in this very verbose tale, they up the creepiness factor with the aging of young Kent Nelson so Inza becomes both a partner and a mother figure to him as shown with the then new Doctor Fate.

Ick.

Also, they really have Inza go all "cheesecake" here! Fate can't conjure up some clothes!

Maybe it’s all part of Kent’s “education.”

Believe it or not, Kent, Inza and Fate do merge in the Doctor Fate series in The Flash.

And they do again before the events of Zero Hour. And maybe again before or during Book of Fate #1 as Jared Stevens takes over, but I don’t remember. Doesn’t really matter, I suppose, once the ice was broken in The Flash and then they were dead.

I suppose I'm going to have to get that Doctor Fate collection with all the Linda & Eric Strauss business. For all its faults, it's an important part of the Fate mythos, as it transitions away from Kent & Inza to other players. But in my original read I had serious trouble getting over the "ick" factor of Linda and her artificially aged stepson being a couple. I mean, I would throw up in my mouth a little every issue.
Richard Willis December 8, 2025 at 6:58pm

Beginning my catch-up comments.

October 20:

Captain Comics said:

As to Pinky Butler, the only reference I found to it being an odd name is that it wasn't, at least in the Jewish community, where "Pincus" was a common male name in the '30s and '40s.

I’m not Jewish either, but my late wife Gayle was. One of her granduncles (I think) was named Pincus. The “Behind the Name” website tells me that it is an Americanized version of Yiddish spellings of an Old Testament name. I’d be surprised if it’s still in use. After being called Pinky, a father would be reluctant to give the name to his infant son.

October 24:

Captain Comics said:

The JSA had a substantially higher percentage of college grads than the general population in the 1940s, and I understand that. It's aspirational…..

It’s not related to education, but I have been struck by the popularity of movies released during The Great Depression that depicted ultra-wealthy lifestyles. Also aspirational.

'DC SPECIAL' #29

Hitler “decides” to invade England and “orders it.” Why do they think he was sending bombers and, later, rockets to try to destroy London and its industrial cities? The object was to invade Britain and subjugate it. Try having a D-Day launching from New York if that had happened.
Captain Comics December 9, 2025 at 11:54am
We've reached June 1941! Here's what's coming up:
1. Flash Comics #18
2. All-American Comics #27
3. Batman #5
4. Action Comics #37
5. All-Star Comics #5
6. More Fun Comics #68
7. Detective Comics #52
8. Adventure Comics #63
9. World’s Finest Comics #2
10. Superman #11
'FLASH COMICS' #18
Cover date: June 1941
On-sale date: April 16, 1941
Cover: The Flash, by Hal Sharp

The Flash
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Hal Sharp (11 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Flash Archives Vol. 2 (2006)

Summary

Joan's friend Brenda Forest, "the former debutante," tells her of a protection racket threatening her chain of restaurants. Flash catches some gangsters at a Forest restaurant, and hits them with pies and cakes until they flee. He follows them invisibly to their hideout. He discovers their boss, Morgan, isn't present. Flash follows as they go to intimidate Brenda, who happens to have visitors, Joan and Brenda's manager, Fred Devere. Flash makes the thugs all hit each other, invisibly, until they flee. Devere says Brenda should pay the racketeers. (Which tells me he's Morgan.)

The next day, it's reported that Devere has been killed and burned in his car. He is burned too badly to be identified, but Brenda IDs his watch. (I'm not fooled.)

Flash checks on the Foster restaurants, and finds thugs at work in three of them. In the first, he repeats the food-fight routine. In the second, he force-feeds the boys until their stomachs bulge comically. In the third, he invisibly moves the cashier's arms so she beats up the thugs. Meanwhile, Brenda and Joan get a phone call telling them to come to the Mannerly Arms to learn about Devere's death, where they are captured. Flash follows the thugs to Morgan's hideout, which is also at Mannerly Arms. And guess who Morgan is?

Aw, I already gave it away. It's Devere, who faked his death. Flash ties up the thugs with their own neckties, punches Devere and makes him promise to pay Brenda back. Brenda tells Jay and Joan that Flash is a man she could fall in love with, but Joan says she has no chance.

Takeaways
- Obviously, a lot of this is played for humor. Flash is never in any serious danger, nor are the people he's protecting. He pranks the heck out of the gangsters, almost always while invisible.
- We never find out how Devere faked his death, or who the burned body was. That would probably be too depressing in a light-hearted strip.
Fun facts
- The introduction says Jay Garrick gained super-speed "at a Midwestern college." D'oh! It was "Midwestern University" in Flash Comics #1, but it's been "Western University" since. Now "Midwestern" is back in the mix!
- Jay and Joan are described as being on a date, but Joan is still described as Jay's "friend." I can't remember ever seeing the word "girlfriend" in a DC/AA book, which makes me wonder if there's an editorial mandate against it.
- Flash and Joan have a small, meaningless spat. I appreciate that, as it gives Joan some personality.
- Joan is shown smoking, which was a lot more glamorous then than now.
Hawkman
Untitled by Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (9 pages)
Where I read it: Golden Age Hawkman Archives Vol. 1 (2006)

Summary

Shiera's cousin Hank Sanders is one of a group of miners who discover gold in Alaska. But they read that the miners' cabins and food has burned, and they are dependent on a Fairbanks food company to get them sustenance before a big snowstorm. Shiera can't be dissuaded from flying there (by commercial plane), so Hawkman takes to the air and beats her there.

Hawkman discovers a gang of thugs with food from the Alaskan Food Company, which they have no intention of delivering, because they work for Mr. Harrel, who owns the company, and he's the one who manufactured the crisis, by having his Inuit, Nogtcha, burn down the miners' cabins and food. He has promised the food in exchange for shares in the gold strike, but intends to let the miners die also. A blizzard arrives, and Hawkman flies through it to deliver the food. He gets Harrel's name from the miners and heads for Fairbanks.

Shiera has arrived and been hoodwinked by Harrel. But she runs into Nogtcha, and discovers the plot. He kidbaps her, and takes her to Harrel. Hawkman arrives and clobbers Harrel, while convincing Nogtcha to turn state's evidence.

Fun facts
- Like with The Flash feature, Gardner Fox occasionally takes a panel to explain something to the reader. In this case: "When Carter Hall, research scientist, invented the Ninth Metal, he also discovered that this metal radiated heat. He controlled this, and now it serves to bathe him in an aura of warmth which allows him to move freely in Arctic weather." The SIlver Age Hawkman also had some technobabble about being resistant to the cold and vacuum of space. Now I know where the idea came from.
- Nogtcha speaks in the standard DC Comics pidgin English, used by babies and Bizarros, but does not seem less intelligent in any way.
- The Hawkman stamp, now called "Weapons of the Past" pretty consistently, is a crossbow.
Johnny Thunder
Untitled by John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier (7 pages)
Where I read it: Online

Johnny answers an ad to do dangerous work for millionaire Manny Bucks (Ha! Ha!). There's a lot of competition, but Johnny beats them all "down to their socks," which is a sight gag. Manny hires him for $200 a week, which ain't chicken feed in 1941. The pay is high because Manny's last 12 bodyguards all died on account of bullet holes. Manny has a horse, Slim King, which is favored to win a race, so Jake "The Pirate" Crane and Mouse steal him in a dirigible. Johnny gets in the dirigible, thanks to Thunderbolt, and gets Slim King to the race. But he's late, and Manny has already sent the jockey home. So Johnny is the jockey. Jake and Mouse drug Slim King, but you know how that's going to go.

Thunderbolt watch:
- In a header that's not part of the story, Johnny fusses at Thunderbolt again, who talks back. Thunderbolt is depicted as a pink lightning being with a lightning mustache.
- Thunderbolt appears in the story proper as pink lightning, or a pink lightning being. He speaks twice, but there's no indication Johnny or anybody else can hear him. he doesn't quite look like his Silver Age self, but the building blocks are there.
- Manny says he'll be a monkey's uncle, and Johnny's answer gives him a talking monkey who is his nephew and comments on the goings-on. According to the rules, the monkey should disappear after an hour, like all of Thunderbolt's changes to reality. But the monkey stays throughout the story. One assumes that's because Wentworth liked the gag, and didn't care about his own rules.
Continuing: Les Sparks, The Whip, The King.

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