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

[Captain Comics]

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:

1. 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.
2. Black Canary: All-Star Comics #38-57; Comic Cavalcade #25; Flash Comics #86-88, 90-104.
3. Doctor Fate: All-Star Comics #3-12, 14-21; More Fun Comics #55-98.
4. Doctor Mid-Nite: All-American Comics #25-102; All-Star Comics #6 (text story), 8-57.
5. 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)
6. 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.
7. Hawkman: All-Star Comics #1-57, Big All-American Comic Book, Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
8. Hourman: Adventure Comics #48-83, All-Star Comics #1-7, New York World's Fair Comics [#2].
9. 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).
10. Mister Terrific: All-Star Comics #24, Big All-American Comic Book, Sensation Comics #1-63.
11. 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.
12. The Spectre: All-Star Comics #1-23, More Fun Comics #52-101, a single panel in More Fun Comics #51.
13. Starman: Adventure Comics #61-102, All-Star Comics #8-23.
14. 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 Batman vs. Penguin, Riddler — Prince 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!

[The Baron]

 Thousands of Jews are murdered in various massacres in Lichtenstein, Poland, Ukraine and the Baltics. 

To clarify - Liechtenstein was never occupied by the Nazis. It was on their list, intended to be occupied when they occupied Switzerland, but they lost the war before they got around to it. Could you have meant Luxembourg, which was occupied by the Nazis, and which lost between 1,000 and 2,500 Jews in the Holocaust?

[Captain Comics]

I probably made a mistake summarizing the month. I should limit myself to things that directly affects the comics, like Pearl Harbor.

[Captain Comics]

OCTOBER 12, 1941

'FLASH COMICS' #24
Cover date: December 1941
Cover by E.E. Hibbard

The Flash
By Gardner Fox and E.E. HIbbard (13 page)

Summary
Jennings, one of Jay Garrick's colleagues, has invented a way to go to Mars. Garrick doesn't believe him, until Jennings kidnaps the contestants in a "Healthy Familes" contest to start a colony. Flash gets aboard during launch, but is captured. Enzil, the financier, usurps control from Jennings to become King of the Mars Colony, because he is the Elon Musk of his time.

When they get to Mars, they discover that giant, intelligent, spider-like beings called the Krigli already run the place, and take the ship and colonists captive. They evaporate Enzil with their weapons. Flash defeats the Krigli temporarily, and gets everyone on board and off back to space just in time. The colonists think the trip was a reward from the "Healthy Families" contest and Flash doesn't disabuse them of the notion. Jennings apologizes for his temporary madness, and Flash lets him go back to work at the research lab. 

Where I read it: Online.

Takeaways

• GCD's suggested title for this unnamed story is "The Spider-Men of Mars." I hope nobody tells the David Bowie estate.
• The opening caption says Flash is "faster than the speed of light." But then it says he's "faster than the sprinting cheetah," which is nowhere near in the same category. Maybe they didn't know just how fast light really was in 1941.
• Jennings, who works with Jay Garrick, does not recognize him as the unconscious Flash — who is not vibrating, and not wearing his helmet. It's an unwritten Golden Age Rule that nobody guesses the superhero's secret identity. Heck, Starman just lets his bare face hang out, and his girlfriend doesn't recognize him. Sometimes it's hard to believe!
• Flash is obviously and loudly bored by the "Healthy Families" contest, which is kinda funny. 
• Jennings is redeemed, as so often happens in Flash stories.

Johnny Thunder
By John Wentworth and Stan Aschmeier (8 pages)

Summary
Ethelmere Van Der Vander, who is enormously rich, decides to do good in the world by kidnapping a bunch of urban children and taking them to her country estate for a day. Among the children is, of course, Peachy Pet. Carnage ensues, and Johnny is blamed for it. After the alleged humor has run its course, Thunderbolt takes Johnny and the kids back to the city.

This is a humor strip, so despite Van Der Vander committing various crimes, it's all for laughs. But even in the '40s, she's probably too rich to be arrested.

Where I read it: Online.

Takeaways

• I read Johnny Thunder so you don't have to.
• The intro says Johnny got Peachy Pet "in a rummage sale at the local orphange." That's not what happened, so I assume this is an attempt at humor.
• To delay the ending, Thunderbolt is suddenly allowed one day off a year, and by enormous coincidence, this is it.

Hawkman
By Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (9 pages)

Summary
Carter gives Shiera a functional Hawk-outfit to go to a costume party. Later, some birds summon her to a crying girl, thinking she is Hawkman. The crying girl tells of a fake-injury grift that is bankrupting her and her husband, Fred Alden. (She is never named.) Shiera tries to stop the crooks, but fails, and Hawkman has to finish the job. He takes the costume back.

Where I read it: Online.

Takeaways

• The intro paragraph re-introduces the birds of the valley, so (as expected) they are meant to be a continuing part of the lore. So far the valley isn't named.
• When she puts on the costume, Shiera calls herself Hawkwoman. Later, when someone asks if she is Hawkman, she says yes. "Hawkgirl" isn't mentioned in this issue.
• The chief bad guy is Bark Bennett, the man with the fake injury is Clinky Cassell. Hawkman recognizes Clinky straightaway, because Golden Age superheroes know all criminals on sight.
• The birds are confused by two Hawkmen, until Hawkman explains (with exasperation) that the "other" Hawkman is his mate.
• Despite Carter taking the costume back, the final panel reads, "... but Shiera flies again with the Hawkman every month in Flash Comics". I guess, to be a manly 1941 man, Carter must try to stop his girlfriend from getting into trouble. But, this being adventure fiction, he must fail to stop her.

[The Baron]

The first estimation of the speed of light was by Ole Remer in 1676, although the figure has been refined a bit since then.

[Captain Comics]

Yeah, but did Gardner Fox know that? His science seems a bit shaky in these early stories.

[Luke Blanchard]

I think he liked to be outrageous and silly. Hence the "luck glands" premise in Justice League of America #6.

[Captain Comics]

NOVEMBER 11, 1941

'ALL-AMERICAN COMICS' #34
January 1942
Cover by Irwin Hasen

Green Lantern
By Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen (13 pages)

Green Lantern investigates a collapsed building and finds out the construction company, owned by Nick Darcy, is a front for the real construction company, Livingston Construction Co.. That company used inferior materials, so Lantern ties up Darcy and tells Mayor Kantor about it. But Darcy turns up dead, and the mayor blames Green Lantern. Then a new bridge almost collapses, and Green Lantern holds it together until everyone is safe. (This would have been a dramatic scene in today's comics, but was drawn in a fairly pedestrian style in the Golden Age.) The bridge was also built by Livingston Construction Co., so GL paralyzes Livingston until he gives up the real boss, who is the mayor. Kantor tries to escape by cab, but guess whose cab he picks! It's not your day, Mr. Mayor.

Where I read it: Golden Age Green Lantern Archives Vol. 2

Notable Error: Alan Scott is misspelled "Allan" in the opening panel, but is spelled correctly the rest of the way. Everyone knows that "Alan" is the only proper spelling of the name, since that's how I spell my middle name. Ha-rumph. 

The Atom
By Ben Flinton, Bill O'Connor and Leonard Samsone (6 pages)

Al Pratt stumbles on to a phony war-bonds grift, which is being run by foreign agents. Mary confronts them and is taken prisoner, and will be killed by a bull. But Atom follows the gang and rescues her. The leader of the gang falls in with the bull and is killed.

I make fun of Atom stories a lot, but I'll give them this: Mary James shows a lot of spunk. Unlike Lou Grant, I like spunk. She takes no guff, and is forever getting in the faces of dangerous men. Often, she gets physically involved. I'm starting to like this girl. 

Too bad she has two first names, because Peter David said you should never trust anyone with two first names.

Where I read it: Online.

Takeaways

• Al Pratt complains that he is "flat broke." He's always seemed to be well off before — he owned an abandoned farm in his first story — so either his status has changed or this is a one-off.
• Mary says "Keep 'em flying," more or less out of the blue. That's said a lot of these late 1941 stories, and I don't mention it because it's so common. This seemed like a good place to do so.
• Pete and Mike are two of the gang, but the rest are unnamed.

Dr. Mid-Nite
By Charles Reizenstein and Stan Aschmeier (8 pages)

Old family doctors like Dr. Robinson are being driven out of business by Dr. Kwack who is, you may be surprised to learn, a quack. One of his tricks is to convince healthy men (who are also wealthy) that they have Flocus Corpus Extremis, which Mr. Google cannot find. (Although the other doctors in this story think it's a terrible disease.) Mid-Nite exposes him, and he is drummed out of the medical society. That'll teach him!

Where I read it: Online.

Check out this caption with a hand! Carmine Infantino did it all the time in Silver Age Flash, but I think this is the first time I've seen it in the Golden Age. And it's by Stan Aschmeier, not Infantino!

Continuing: Red Tornado and Scribbly; Sargon; Red, White and Blue 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Everyone knows that "Alan" is the only proper spelling of the name, since that's how I spell my middle name.

Me. too. Waitaminute... that means your initals are...?

Mary says "Keep 'em flying," more or less out of the blue. 

The first time I ever heard that phrase was in The Planet of the Apes. Taylor says it to Lucius, who asks, "Keep what flying?" to which Taylor responds, "The flags of discontent." That was either the first time or it may have been one of those "Famous First Edition" TEs.

[Captain Comics]

Waitaminute... that means your initals are...?

My initials are AAS, thank you very much. I'm lucky my middle name isn't Scott or Sidney or something.

Taylor says it to Lucius, who asks, "Keep what flying?" to which Taylor responds, "The flags of discontent." 

Wikipedia says the expression referred to "the official motto of the U.S. Army Air Corps, some five months after it had been reformed into the USAAF. Keep 'Em Flying reflected the 'spirit of the times' and encouraged many young men to volunteer for flight training."

In comics immediately following Pearl Harbor, it becomes ubiquitous.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

My initials are AAS...

Sorry, I have obviously lost my ability to spell. (How embarrassing!) It's good to know your parents didn't saddle you with Scott or Sidney.