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!
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Jeff of Earth-J warned me that I probably wouldn't like this story. He was right.
I don't want to say "I told you so," but...
Readers who bought Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 without knowing the story started elsewhere might have felt tricked.
I don't know if I even realized it. FWIW, here's what I posted about #1 on October 26, 2023:
ALAN SCOTT: GREEN LANTERN #1: This book was so anachronistic I honestly was barely able to finish reading it. The main story takes place in 1936, with a framing sequence set in 1941. Right off the bat, a newspaper article refers to the movie King Kong as a "talkie" which, okay it might have been called that eight years earlier so I'll let that one pass, but the writer tries too hard to achieve "authentic" 1940s style patter. For example: "'I seen the light (sic)!' exclaimed the young doll with the drop-dead drumsticks when none other than the Green Lantern himself arrived for the rescue. And rescue he did! But is this the young butter-and-egg fly that can tame the heart of the city's most elligible and visible bachelor? Dames all over the tristate are bound to be green with envy if Miss White has her way. Though, sources say, it's more likely that she's just another of the hundreds of dishes who've tried and failed to get the Lantern to shine his light in their direction." I get that this is supposed to be ironic in light of Green Lantern's sexual orientation, but that paragraph appeared in a newspaper under the headline "'I('ve) seen the light!' Rescued Dame Swoons."
Next, in a flashback to the year 1936, Green Lantern and his lover take a selfie (!) with a Brownie camera in the mirror of a hotel room in 1936 (!). People did not take selfies in mirrors in 1936, most especially not gay men in hotel rooms! (For one thing, the flash would ruin the exposure.) Alan and his lover are way too open about their sex life for 1936. Alan's friend is no longer called "Doiby" but rather "Derby" (which is all the more confusing since he no longer wears a derby hat). The phrase "Light it up" is also used (in the same sense Captain Comics pointed out earlier this week in a recent Sgt. Rock comic). Also, the "I've got you! / Who's got you?" bit from Superman: The Movie is lifted verbatim.
the flash would ruin the exposure
I am picturing the exposure being ruined by Jay Garrick here.
Alan and his lover are way too open about their sex life for 1936.
There were gay bars in the 1930s, as well as identified meeting places, often in private homes and such. As you have both noted, being too open was dangerous. I don't know how many military men who were queer would have gone to such places in uniform, but I suspect it would not have been many.
I am picturing the exposure being ruined by Jay Garrick here.
It's just the sort of invisible prank he'd pull in the Golden Age.
I forgot to mention the anachronism of the selfie. Not only would it not work, but it underscores the modern sensibilities at work here. Selfies didn't become a widespread phenomenon until the advent of personal phones with cameras. The word "selfie" didn't even come into existence until the 21st century. I'd imagine people in 1936 would consider the idea of trying to include themselves in a photo they were taking as egotistical. It was a very different time.
I would note that The New Golden Age established that the cover of All-Star Comics #3 was a photo, and the photo was taken by Johnny Thunder, explaining why he wasn't in it. "Who took the picture?" was a common refrain when going through photo albums in my life, because the picture-taker was never in the picture. Of course, photo albums themselves are a thing of the past now, too.
As I think I've posted somewhere else, I had the same issue with the jazz comic book Deep Cuts. It had much to recommend it and the writers knew (so far as I could tell) the history of jazz, but they kept tripping over historical realities and cultural attitudes. These ranged from unexplained "modern sensibilities" to things like someone referring to the police as "5-0" in the early 1950s.
I hear you. Nothing yanks me out of a period piece faster than an obvious anachronism. Sometimes I think movies, TV and comics should have a DOP -- a Designated Old Person -- to read every period-piece script for out-of-place phrases or concepts. They'd work cheap just to have people to complain to about their aches and pains! Barring that, I'd guess a historian would do.
I like the idea of an official curmudgeon. Since a chief lighting tech is called the "Gaffer," perhaps the Designated Old Person could be the "Geezer."
I can handwave a few anachronisms or errors, especially obscure ones. Stephen King's first short story, "Jerusalem's Lot," has someone use the word "ectoplasm" in a letter written in the 1850s. The word was not coined until the 1890s. I would call that a nit. Major anachronisms, or too many minor anachronisms, take me out of things.
Of course, this does not refer to stylizations (most of the time) or deliberate anachronism. The Princess Bride revels in its failure to be set in any particular era, and I cannot imagine it having been written (and filmed) any other way.
Agreed. I probably wouldn't notice an expression appearing a few decades too early in the 19th century, and wouldn't care if I did. What I dislike is a modern expression in a period piece. It indicates a) the application of a modern sensibility on people of the past who don't share it, and b) carelessness with, or ignorance of, the period in question. It puts me at a remove from the whole story, as I no longer trust the author.
Speaking of linguistic anachronisms, I was recently "corrected" (by a stranger, in my LCS) for using the word "swag" to describe pirate booty. I was told that it was incorrect to use it in that way because "swag" is an acronym of recent coinage meaning "stuff we all get."
I was recently "corrected" . . .
From the way you placed quotation marks around corrected, I gather you know that the stranger at the LCS was wrong. In fact, I expect you knew he was at the time.
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