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 appearances that are concurrent with All-Star's run:
- Batman: All-Star Comics # 7 (cameo), 36; Batman #1-63 (February-March 1951); Batman 3-D #1; Detective Comics #1-169 (March 1951); New York World’s Fair Comics [#2]; World’s Best Comics #1, World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951).
- Superman: Action Comics #1-154 (March 1951); All-Star Comics #7 (cameo), 36; New York World’s Fair [#1-2]; Superman #1-69 (March-April 1951); Superman 3-D #1; Superman at the Gilbert Hall of Science; Superman Miniature; World’s Best Comics #1; World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951).
- Wonder Woman: All-Star Comics #8, 11-22, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Sensation Comics #1-102; Wonder Woman #1-46 (March-April 1951).
Fortunately, Jeff of Earth-J is already doing a re-read of the Golden Age Superman. Jeff isn't doing a re-read of all Batman books, but he is compiling "The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told," by which he means "all of them." Recently he's begun re-reading other major Bat-villains, which he discusses in 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 monthly cover date, but complications ensued for books without them, like quarterlies and one-shots. As the number of quarterlies and their importance increased, I ended up going by on-sale dates as the primary organizational tool. (Which aren't available for all books, but that's a lesser devil than chronologically misplacing Batman or All-Star Comics). Initially I only included mention of others strips in anthology books if they were of some importance, like Slam Bradley, but eventually I started including all of them. Here and there I would try to improve the format. And so forth. In some imaginary "someday" I'll go back through and make them all consistent.
I've tried to be comprehensive, relying on a variety of sources, from online to reprints to "companion" books. A tip of the cowl to a Luke Blanchard post in what amounts to an outline for this discussion. But I'm sure I've left out tons, especially stories I don't have or can't find, which may be at hand in your collection. I hope folks will do re-reads of stories I've left out, as well as comment on what I've written. So let's hear what I've missed Legionnaires — and what you think!
Replies
'ALL-AMERICAN COMICS' #27
Cover date: June 1941
On-sale date: April 16, 1941
Cover: Green Lantern and Doiby Dickles (in costume), by Howard Purcell
“Introducing Doiby Dickles!” by Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen.
Where I read it: Golden Age Green Lantern Archives Vol. 1 (1999)
Summary
The president of Apex, Mr. Wallace, introduces Irene to Dr. Henry, "who has invented a machine, which, if successful, will insure better, staticless radio reception!"
The president wants Irene to carry the plans to their research laboratory (which all radio broadcasting stations have, of course), because no one would expect a woman to do something important! And someone's after Henry! And also someone's trying to get Wallace to sell Apex! Couldn't be the same guy, could it?
Well, spoiler, of course it is.
Anyway, a thug was listening at the door, and when Irene gets a taxi, they follow her in their "touring car." They try to kidnap her, but the taxi driver gets mad (when they damage his derby) and defeats them all. Yes, it's Doiby Dickles, in his first appearance! Later that night, the Green Lantern himself tells Doiby he's got his gratitude.
Meanwhile, Lantern is suspicious of Barton, the guy trying to buy Apex. So he watches him every night, and finally he overhears Barton ordering the destruction of Henry's experimental new radio tower. The Lantern routs the thugs at the tower, but as they escape, they hit him with the car. Also, they kidnap Irene.
Doiby follows the thugs to Barton's house. Getting an idea, he goes back to town and rents a Green Lantern outfit to scare the thugs into letting Irene go. But they don't believe it's really GL, and rush him. Just then, the real Green Lantern arrives — he wasn't hurt by the car, since it's made of metal — and the two of them beat up the thugs and have them arrested. Lantern leaves a note in Doiby's car inviting him to join him in his "fight against all evil." The last caption says we'll see Doiby every month in All-American Comics.
Takeaways
So, many supereroes in the 1940s get comedy relief of some sort, and Green Lantern is now one of them. Doiby was based on character actor Edward Brophy, and brings working-class Noo Yawk humor into the mix. I wouldn't be surprised if a little Lou Costello wasn't in there somewhere, too. Although, in this issue he's shown with a tooth sticking up out of his gums, giving him a sort of feral look. That would go away quickly.
Given that Green Lantern was made retroactively gay in 2011, one might wonder if his sudden interest in Doiby now has a romantic/sexual element. But Alan Scott: The Green Lantern (2023) makes clear that their partnership was platonic.
Fun Facts
Doctor Mid-Nite
Untitled is by Charles Reizenstein and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)
Where I read it: JSA All-Star Archives Vol. 1 (2007)
Summary
While McNider and Myra are taking a walk at night, a criminal is killed in a drive-by shooting. Since he can actually see, McNider recognizes the shooter as "Gallows" Gallagher, who's supposed to be in jail. He and Myra visit Gallagher, and McNider gets a copy of his fingerprints. They're not Gallagher's, so Doctor Mid-Nite breaks the imposter out of jail, and outruns the guards with "Gallagher" on his shoulder.
It turns out the jail guy is Gallagher's brother, part of scheme to let Gallagher go free, and the warden is in on it. Mid-NIte has the brother lead him to Gallagher's hideout, where the brother walks in and asks to go back to jail. Mid-Nite rides on their back bumper. At the jail, he uses a blackout bomb and locks warden and Gallagher's men in a jail cell. He fights his way out, while the D.A. arrives to keep the warden and the gang in jail, because Mid-Nite sent him a note explaining the scheme. A masked man accused a prison warden, must be true!
Takeaways
"No one has ever been able to catch up with Dr. Mid-Nite," says one of the guards. Because how on earth could they possibly catch a guy on foot carrying 200-plus pounds on his shoulder? It can't be done! They don't even try.
Fun facts:
The Atom
Untitled by Bill O'Connor, Ben Flinton and Leonard Samsone (6 pages).
Where I read it: Online
Summary
Al Pratt comes to the rescue of a boy who is being bullied. It's because his father's in jail, but the boy says he's innocent. Good enough! Al tells Mary James about it, and then Atom goes to see the man in jail. He finds out that he's accused of burning down a factory, and that the man who owns the factory, Stroehm, is pressuring his wife to sell their house and land. Atom goes to see the wife, and finds out where Stroehm is. But Mary James got to the wife first, and now she's hiding from Stroehm and his henchman at his office. She overhears that they framed the father, beause they want the land, because it's got a rich copper load under it. She finds a shotgun, and forces Stroehm to write a confession. But she is jumped and overpowered, just as Atom arrives and beats everybody up. (Well, not Mary.) Somehow the coerced confession stands up and Stroehm goes to jail, and the boy's father is released.
Fun fact: Atom is described as "weirdly hooded." Because all the heroes are weird creatures of the night at DC/AA!
Continuing: Red Tornado and Scribbly, Hop Harrigan, Red White and Blue, Sargon
"Stroehm", eh? Could he be one of them Nahrzee agents that were so common in nhem days?
Green Lantern was the first Justice Society member to get a comic sidekick before the Flash got the Three Dimwits and even before Batman was joined by Alfred.
You would think that all their invididual sidekicks/girlfriends/old chums would form some friendships along the way.
I don't think even other dimwits would want to hang out with Three Dimwits. Especially Doiby, who was reasonably intelligent.
IIRC, the Captain America serial was parodied in Captain America's book precisely because it took a few creative liberties due to its origin as a repurposed Mr. Scarlet feature.
I don't think "parodied" is the right word; "tributed" might be closer to the mark.
Don Glut: "Understanding my tenure on Captain America was not permanent, and not one to let an opportunity slip by, in issue #219, I took Captain America and Bucky to Hollywood to investigate sabotage during filming of his movie serial. This was one of my most fun comics-writing experiences (plus an excuse to explain why alterations may have been made for Republic's chapterplay). As ownership rights of the serial were cloudy, I made various changes: It was now Democracy Pictures, the title was expanded to The Adventures of..., the serial comprised twelve, not fifteen, episodes, et cetera. Readers who were also serial fans probably deduced that Lyle Dekker was named after Republic's special effects wizard Howard Lydecker."
I agree. Sorry for my miswording.
'BATMAN' #5
Cover date: Spring 1941
On-sale date: April 16, 1941
Cover: Batman by Bob Kane. Appears to be re-worked from the splash page of the anchor story in Batman #4.
Fun facts: There is a facsimile edition of this issue, either for the Joker story, the introduction of Linda Page, or both.
Batman and Robin
“The Riddle of the Missing Card!"
By Bill Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 2 (1995)
GCD: "With the help of some new partners in crime, the Joker sets up a gambling ship for the rich and wealthy, hoping to get them drunk so that they can be pumped for information about their valuable jewels."
See Jeff of Earth-J's The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told.
Batman and Robin
“Book of Enchantment!”
By Bill Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 2 (1995)
GCD: "Batman and Robin are sent to Fairyland by an inventor's strange machine that allows people to actually enter into the scenario of a book they are reading in order to try to locate his daughter he had sent there a few days earlier and return her safely."
Batman and Robin
“The Case of the Honest Crook!”
By Bill Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman #241 (May 1972)
GCD: "Batman helps out a young convict released from prison who is having trouble getting an honest job to support his new, but sick wife. The Caped Crusaders then vow to help track down the rats who set him up to be arrested originally, but Robin is nearly beaten to death, and the Batman swears vengeance on those responsible."
Takeaway: Demonstrates the folly of Robin's very existence. The lesson Batman should learn isn't that Robin needs to be avenged, but that he shouldn't bring a child into dangerous situations. But there's no stopping the Robin train now.
Batman and Robin
Untitled by Bill Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages).
Where I read it: Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol. 2 (1995)
GCD: "Batman finds it very odd that a bank robber he is fighting with comes to the aid of another until he realizes that they are brothers. And he must rescue Linda Page from the clutches of one of the gangsters in order to save his brother from a life of crime." First Linda Page appearance.
ACTION COMICS #37
Cover date: June 1941
On-sale date: April 23, 1941
Cover: Superman stops a saboteur, by Fred Ray
Superman
Untitled by Jerry Siegel and Paul Cassidy (13 pages).
Where I read it: Superman: The Action Archives Vol. 3 (2001).
GCD: "The criminal element of Metropolis is killing every Police Commissioner appointed, and Clark sees a connection between the criminal element and certain crooked politicians. But Clark is dumbfounded when it is suggested he take the job to crack down on that criminal element!"
See: Jeff of Earth-J's Superman from the Beginning.
Continuing: Pep Morgan, Three Aces, Black Pirate, Mr. America, Zatara. Congo Bill arrives from More Fun Comics #67 (May 1941).
It's probably for the best that Batman wasn't a regular member of the Justice Society so he wouldn't be questioned about having an eleven year-old fighting crime, though the Sandman would later get a pass with Sandy, too.
It does make you wonder what these guys thought was and wasn't acceptable!
And I just got the second DC FINEST GOLDEN AGE SUPERMAN volume, and boy howdy, people get killed a lot in Metropolis! Too bad everyone doesn't get the consideration/protection that Lois Lane got!
Well, it was a different world, back then. Things got by in fiction that wouldn't get by, today. Heck, they probably wouldn't've gottern by in the real world, back then. I remember a later era Harold Grey Little Orphan Annie strip where, through Annie and Daddy Warbucks, Grey commented on how "what was acceptable" had changed since the early days of the strip.
In the 1943 Batman movie serial, Robin is clearly not a child. Neither was Billy Batson in "The Adventures of Captain Marvel" nor Stuff in "The Vigilante". And Bucky was dropped in "Captain America"!
-
96
-
97
-
98
-
99
-
100
of 109 Next