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

Replies

- Captain Comics > The Baron March 6, 2026 at 1:44pm
  
  Sadly, there were no 'oliday snaps involved.
Jeff of Earth-J March 6, 2026 at 1:02pm

Candid photography is central to the story. Was it considered a "cool" technology in the early '40s, like aviation and radio?

I am de facto family historian, and all my grandmother's photo albums fell to me. I later found out that she had so many pictures because she had a "Brownie" camera. The one she had looked exactly like this 1924 model. I used to play with it when I was a kid, but I never made the connection with the photo albums until much later.

Frank King (Gasoline Alley) combined the fads of candid photography and cross-country driving in his comic strip, and Drawn & Quarterly's Walt & Skeezix collections are supplemented by the many photos he took. In addition, v5 (1929-1930) includes a DVD of his home movies, augmenting the already impressive photographs that accompany this classic comic strip reprint series. The DVD demonstrates King's protean artistic talent and the links between his own family life and that of his characters.
- The Baron > Jeff of Earth-J March 6, 2026 at 1:12pm
  
  My grandparents had one like that, too. Alas, I don't know what happened to it.
Philip Portelli March 6, 2026 at 4:26pm

I always assumed that Al Pratt was comfortable during his college years. Maybe he supplemented his income with whatever cash flew out of the crooks that he threw around. Once it hits the floor, it's fair game!

Too bad they didn't make "Doctor Kwack" a regular foe of Doctor Mid-Nite. He could have used one and the Golden Age needed a deceitful conman or two.

With each passing decade, new technology becomes more accessible to the masses: the car, radio, cameras, TVs, etc.!
Captain Comics March 9, 2026 at 2:29pm
OCTOBER 14, 1941

'ACTION COMICS' #43
December 1941
Cover by Fred Ray

Superman
By Jerry Siegel, Leo Nowak and Ed Drobotka (13 pages)

Several planes belonging to Skyway Airlines have mysteriously crashed, and owner Avery Thornton is murdered. Lois investigates, Clark follows her and Superman determines gambler Dutch O'Leary is behind it all. O'Leary used to be a Skyways pilot before being fired, and held a grudge. Dude, get over it. I've been fired plenty of times!

Where I read it: Superman: The Action Comics Archives Vol. 3 (2001)

Famous Last Words (Lois): "But you can't do this! We're reporters!"

See Jeff of Earth-J's Superman from the Beginning.

Continuing: Three Aces, Mr. America, Vigilante, Congo Bill, Zatara.

OCTOBER 20, 1941

'MORE FUN COMICS' #74
December 1941
Cover by Howard Sherman

The Spectre
“Introducing Pervical Popp, the Super Cop”
By (probably) Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily (10 pages)

First appearance Percival Popp!

Percival Popp tries to worm himself into Corrigan's cases so that he can prove fictional detective's methods really work. Meanwhile, The Spectre has to cure mad scientist Mortimer Crandall of his evil tendencies by taking him to the Nebula of Truth.

Where I read it: Online.

Takeaways
- I had never seen a Percival Popp story, so I didn't know any particulars. I guess I had a half-formed idea that he was an actual cop, an incompetent one which Spectre would help invisibly. And probably fat. I probably was imagining something like Henry Boltinoff's "Casey the Cop." So it was a surprise to discover that he's actually just a civilian (and a pest). And skinny.
- In John Ostrander's Spectre, Popp was indeed a cop, which is probably where I got my half-formed ideas.
- Corrigan says, "I can see that from now on fighting crime will be my secondary problem. Eluding Percival will be the first!" Um, no. Your primary mission should remain what The Voice told you it was. Seriously, it's an order from God, and it's in your best interest anyway. But I guess the real God of your universe is the editor!
- This Nebula of Truth thing is idiotic. If it can cure someone of criminal tendencies, Spectre should just march the whole population of Earth past it, one by one if he has to, and end crime. Then he could move on to the afterlife. That's not going to happen, though, so why introduce it?
- You can tell Percival Popp is comedy relief by looking at him. He's sort of a cross between Groucho, Chico and Harpo. I can well believe that the guy who invented the Prankster and the Toyman invented this guy, even if GCD isn't sure. Definitely a product of his time, and I, for one, am glad that time is over.
Doctor Fate
By Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman (10 pages)

Mr. Who's Solution Z, among other uses, allows him to impersonate the mayor. This impersonation ability will somehow allow him to conquer the world.

Where I read it: Golden Age Doctor Fate Archives Vol. 1

Takeaways
- Doctor Fate sings. Doctor Fate makes jokes. He all but dances. What a comedown for a great character.
- Doctor Fate has a crystal ring that glows when someone is in trouble nearby. Suddenly. What is it with rings at this company? Spectre, Doctor Fate, Hourman, Green Lantern ... everybody's got a gimmicked-up ring. And it's stupid for Doctor Fate. Maybe he's not magic any more, but just make something he already has glow, like his amulet. Or just write a better way for him to spot trouble. He still has his Tower and the Orb of Nabu, doesn't he? Hm. Maybe he doesn't.
- Speaking of bad writing, Mr. Who's Solution Z gives him any super-power the plot requries. That's pretty lazy writing right there. But it does make him a formidable supervillain, who should go in our JSA rogues gallery.
- Oh, Doctor Fate is overcome by a gas again. He even says he was almost "a goner," so I guess he's not immortal any more. I had forgotten how this gas thing became a regular occurrence, but now that I'm reminded, I am sad.
Continuing: Green Arrow, Radio Squad, Aquaman, Johnny Quick, Clip Carson.
- Luke Blanchard > Captain Comics March 10, 2026 at 3:06am
  
  Re Percival's introduction, I don't know more than the GCD says: "Per Richard Morrissey, Baily claimed to have written this story himself", and the story doesn't have Siegel's byline. But Siegel wrote knockabout comedy like this elsewhere; the previous instalment, with Siegel's byline, announces him; and the fantastic stuff in the instalment is in Siegel's style. Also, #75's instalment is similar and has Siegel's byline. My guess is Baily meant the story in #90, where Jim Corrigan was written out.
  
  Since the feature continues until More Fun Comics #101, if we leave aside the Spectre's instalments in JSA stories there are more instalments with Percival than without him.
Captain Comics March 10, 2026 at 11:33am
OCTOBER 21, 1941

'ALL-STAR COMICS' #8
December 1941-January 1942
Cover by E.E. Hibbard. It's interesting that Spectre is using a crystal ball, which has up to this point been associated with Doctor Fate. But I guess half-helmet, non-magical Doctor Fate had no further use for it, and needed the other magic guy to make it work.

Fun Facts

This issue's cover has inspired a lot of other covers. Here are three:
- Justice League of America #21 (August 1963)
- Justice League of America #29 (August 1964).
- Justice League of America #107 (October 1973)
I imagine there are more, but these are the ones that spring to mind.

Interestingly, the Golden Age left Doctor Fate in his half-helmet and Sandman in his superhero suit. But when those two characters were resurrected in the Silver Age, Fate was back in his full helmet, and Sandman was back in his gas mask. It was a good call by someone (Julius Schwartz? Gardner Fox?), because those are the most interesting versions of those characters.

OTOH, both Hawkmam and Atom were resurrected in the outfits they were wearing in All-Star Comics #57 (1951). I don't really care about Al Pratt enough to care what he wears. I do prefer Hawkman in his hawk-mask (the cool one used in All-Star Squadron, not the Gawdawful one in the '70s All-Star Comics revival) but I understand they wanted to distinguish Carter Hall from Katar Hol, and it's not a hill I would die on anyway. The cloth mask is fine, if a bit boring. It doesn't fundamentally alter the character. Whereas Fate's half-helmet and Sandman's tights were part of the soft reboots of those characters into what I consider inferior versions.

Speaking of which, this is the first issue of All-Star Comics where Doctor Fate wears the half-helmet. He had already switched in his own strip two months earlier, with More Fun Comics #72 (October 1941). Alas, the full helmet would be seen no more in the Golden Age.

All-Star starts carrying "A Superman (DC) Publication" logo on the cover with this issue.

This entire issue was reprinted in Millennium Edition: All Star Comics #8 (February 2001), not to mention All Star Archives Vol. 2 and DC Finest: Justice Society of America — For America and Democracy. I think it's telling that I have all three.

This is the first issue of All-Star Comics with Starman and Dr. Mid-Nite in JSA story roles, and the first without Hourman. It starts what I consider "Phase II" of the Justice Society, with a lineup that remains relatively stable until All-Star Comics #24.

"This issue inaugurates an editorial page (appearing in all DC and AA Comics) which includes a message about DC's new Editorial Advisory Board with names and credentials — a listing of all Superman DC Comics — and (often) reviews of children's books," Roy Thomas said in The JSA All Stars Archives Vol. 1. "One 'advisor,' Charles Moulton Marston, is the real name of 'Charles Moulton' who co-created Wonder Woman; his name will soon be dropped from the Advisory Board, perhaps to avoid an obvious conflict of interest. This editorial page format will appear in virtually all DC Comics through #23. After that the book reviews rarely appear, but the Board and comic listings will continue throughout All-Star's run. Code messages to Junior Justice Society members from Superman (in the Supermen of America code) and later from regular JSAers will soon be added to the editorial page."

In describing Dr. Mid-Nite in JSA All-Stars Archives Vol. 1, Thomas said he "sounds pretty original, until you realize that a pulp-magazine hero called the Black Bat — who had debuted in 1939 at virtually the same time as Batman, with neither apparently having copied the other — had basically the same back story! ... After the tellilng of his origin, Dr. Mid-Nite's stories bore no particular resemblance to those of the Bat."

As to the slangy spelling of his name, Thomas wrote: "Captain Midnight had premiered on the radio in September 1940. Then, over at the smaller Quality Comics, a masked man calling himself Midnight had set up shop in January 1941 — four months before Doc made his first house call. Even the radio flyboy was soon appearing in comic books. Twelve o'clock high was getting crowded; maybe somebody figured that spelling his name Mid-Nite would give him a bit of distinction."

The story is untiltled in the original, but All Star Comics Archives Vol. 2 titles this story "Two New Members Win Their Spurs." and I can live with that.

Where I read it: All Star Comics Archives Vol. 2 (1993)

JSA HQ Watch: It's never said, but when we see Inza waiting outside the meeting in a car, behind her is a free-standing mansion. Somewhere.

INTRODUCTION
By Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (2 pages)

The splash page is the same as the final page of All-Star Comics #7, except for the copy, and Doctor Fate's helmet, which have been altered. It still looks to me like Starman's face has been re-drawn, possibly by Pete Costanza.

The splash page copy notes that Hawkman is now chairman, since Green Lantern is now an honorary member.

"As the examples of Flash and Green Lantern had shown, the route to an Honorary Membership and a book of one's own was through the chairmanship of the JSA," Jerry Bails said in All Star Archives Vol. 2. "Hawkman began his chairmanship in issue #8, presumably as the most popular member of the team, but as it turned out, he remained in that position for the entire run of the series."

So why didn't the Winged Wonder get his own title? Dennis Mallonee explained it this way in All-Star Companion Vol. 2:

"Artist Shelly Moldoff has said that editor M.C. Gaines once talked to him about drawing a projected Hawkman title. But with wartime paper rationing plus reduced page counts across the entire DC/AA line, there was no chance between mid-1942 and war's end in 1945 to launch any new titles."

On the second page, various JSAers compare notes and discover that they have had the same experience: Various important figures in their cases have abruptly gone mad, and been afraid of light. Suddenly, Dr. Mid-Nite appears and asks for their help. "Criminals are using a new weapon — madness instead of murder! Let me tell you my story ..."

CHAPTER 1: DR. MID-NITE
By Gardner Fox and Stan Aschmeier (7 pages)

Charles McNider and Myra Mason hear on the radio that former Commissioner of Roads John Graw, who is now insane, has escaped the sanitarium. McNider dismisses Myra, even though it's late at night, and changes to Dr. Mid-Nite. He consults his files, and amazingly, finds a news clipping about Graw and his symptoms. He races into the night, and immediately runs into Graw, because we only have 7 pages. He subdues Graw, and diagnoses him instantly. A blood test proves his diagnosis. "This is a very rare disease!" Mid-Nite declares. "But it's always found in apes!" Not so rare that Dr. Mid-Nite doesn't know about it! And he's not even a veterinarian!

Mid-Nite goes to consult a Professor Able, who is an expert on the disease. Mid-Nite is told Able's in Africa, but finds a "Solution K" in his lab, which is a cure for the disease. He cures Graw who tells him his lawyer infected him. Mid-NIte drops in the lawyer, who is talking to a "notorious political boss" about a Professor Elba. Elba is providing them with an Insanity Serum so they don't have to bump off inconvenient people, which would draw attention, and can drive them mad instead. Mid-Nite defeats the two, but an unseen Elba clobbers him from behind, and only Hooty prevents Mid-Nite from being shot. Elba escapes, but Mid-Nite gets confessions from the other two.

There's a LOT of coincidence in this story, but as I've said before, in the Golden Age "coincidence" is a synonym for "plot."

Fun Fact: Aschmeier is the concurrent artist on the Dr. Mid-Nite strip in All-American Comics.

INTERLUDE
Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (1 page)

Mid-Nite goes to the JSA to help him find Elba. They're all ready to dash off to do so, before Hawkman reminds them they don't know what Elba looks like. Yeah, that's probably important.

Fortunately, Dr. Mid-Nite brought enough Solution K for everybody, so they can all cure the people in their own cases, and maybe get clues as to what Elba looks like and where he is.

Once again, it looks to me like Starman's face has been re-drawn, probably to look more Burnley-esque. They still had high hopes for the Astral Avenger!

Also, anyone familiar with the Napoleon palindrome "Able was I ere I saw Elba" would catch on pretty quick that (spoiler) Dr. Able is also Dr. Elba. Heck, people with dyslexia probably caught on pretty quick! Given how the various artists shadow Elba's face, an alert reader would certainly be expecting a twist.

CHAPTER 2: DOCTOR FATE
Gardner Fox and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)

Inza is waiting outside the meeting with a friend, Bill Ford, who is a victim of the Insanity Serum. He had started a private bus company, and when it became profitable, Goopy Gus Gluck got him injected with Dr. Elba's Insanity Serum and kidnapped his wife, Marge. Fate sanes him up with Solution K, then rescues his wife. Goopy Gus decides the best course is to smash the buses and disappear. Or it might be a bus, singular. Because the gang goes after one specific bus, and Fate is already there, disguised as the driver. Naturally, he beats them all up.

Takeaways
- In later parts of the story, Bill Ford is called Bill Benson. It's clearly an error, not a plot point.
- I didn't know private bus companies were a thing.
- If your name is Gus Gluck, I don't think you have any choice but to turn to crime.
Fun Fact: Fox is the regular writer on Doctor Fate.

CHAPTER 3: THE ATOM
Gardner Fox and Ben Flinton (6 pages)

A shifty man tries to sell Al Pratt, who is clerking at a jewelry store, a valuable gem on the cheap. The owner suspects theft and calls the police. It's a racket, however, as the jewel is legal, and lawyer Hartford Dormley visits the jewlery store to sue for false arrest. The owner has to pay up to avoid bad publicity. The Atom jumps Sam Brent (the shifty man) and Dormley, and takes Brent to the police. But Dormley isn't as unconscious ss Atom thinks, and infects Brent with a blowgun on the sly.

That's where the flashback ends. Atom cures Brent with Solution K, and gets the location of the lawyer's house, where he beats up the gang and calls the police.

Takeaways
- Hartford Dormley, a lawyer, has a blowgun and is good with it. What were they teaching in law school in the '40s?
- Al Pratt used to seem independently wealthy, but in the last All-American story he was broke, and in this story he's working for a living.
Fun Fact: Flinton is the regular artist on The Atom.

CHAPTER 4: SANDMAN
Gardner Fox and Cliff Young (6 pages)

Sandman had captured two members of the O'Hoolihy gang, who were running a photo scam against wealthy people and officials, by taking their picture and adding fake compromising details. But the two men were infected with the Insanity Serum (somehow), so Sandman left them with Dian at a hotel while he went to the JSA meeting. On his return, he cures them with Solutition K and finds out where O'Hoolihy and the photographer are. He leaves the two with Dian while he goes to beat up O'Hoolihy and the photog.

Takeaway: Not much of a story. The biggest thing I got out of it is that Dian was put on henchman-sitting duty twice, and I like to think Wesley got an earful about that.

CHAPTER 5: STARMAN
By Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley (6 pages)

As with most other chapters, Starman has a victim of the Insanity Serum, and we have to flash back to find out how things got that way.

A boy named Billy, who was dared to enter an abandoned "haunted house," finds a trunk full of money. Running into a nearby road with excitement over his discovery, he is nearly hit by Ted Knight's car. Knight, with Doris Lee, takes the boy to a social event at the house of publisher B. Jamieson Baker, a candidate for governor, who is discomfited by the news of a trunk full of money. Ted changes to Starman, and takes the boy to the "haunted house," where they find crooks crowing over the money, which they have extorted from Baker. Starman attacks the gang, most of whom flee after injecting "Whitey" Wolf with the Insanity Serum. Starman ties Whitey up and goes to the JSA meeting, with Billy standing guard.

After the meeting, Starman injects Whitey with Solution K. When he recovers, Whitey informs on the gang that poisoned him. Starman goes to their hideout, and beats them all up.

Takeaways
- Burnley's art is so superior to the rest of the book it's startling.
- One of the crooks is named Alabama. Probably just to give Starman the opportunity to croon "Stars Fell on Alabama."
- The Starman chapter is the only one where nobody says "Keep 'em flying."
Fun Fact: Fox and Burnley are the regular team on Starman.

CHAPTER 6: HAWKMAN
By Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (8 pages)

Hawkman has a crook named Watkins trussed up in "the Valley of the Hawk," because he's injected with the Insanity Serum.

This story began when Watkins and fellow crook Hunt discovered that Preston Nevel, president of a trust company, had served time. They extort him, but he doesn't have the money so he tries to commit suicide near Hawk Peak, drawing the attention of the Feathered Fury. Hawkman goes to summon his army of hawks, while Shiera (now in Hawk-gear) flies directly to the crooks, who down her with a "lightning thrower" that Hunt and Watkins had stumbled upon. Hawkman arrives with birds and takes them out, but Hunt injects Watkins before escaping. Hawkman trusses Watkins up and leaves him under the watchful eye of a hawk named "Red." (This may be the first appearance of Big Red, who assisted the Silver Age Hawkman.)

After the JSA meeting, a revived Wakins turns on Hunt. Watkins tells him about the lightning thrower, and Hawkman races to her side, leaving Watkins guarded by the hawks. He tries to flee, and is accidentally killed in an avalanche.

Hawkman finds Shiera. "It was the Ninth metal in her belt that formed a protective aura around her, that kept her alive!" (I'm no electrician, but wouldn't it also be a factor that she was't grounded?) Hawkman goes after Hunt, who accidentally electrocutes himself.

Takeaways
- Sheldon Moldoff's art isn't as strong as Burnley's, but it's strong enough to not be a huge let-down. Yes, there are a lot of swipes, but he's swiping from the best.
- Watkins was terrified of being buried, and Hunt professed to be afraid of electrocution. Since we're rarely privy to that sort of information, it wasn't hard to guess how they were going to end up.
- The Hawkman features in both Flash Comics and All-Star Comics have gotten very, very close to saying "Hawk Valley" without quite getting there. I imagine it's coming, since the term appeared in the Silver Age.
- Shiera doesn't have a code name yet. She's just referred to as "Shiera," even while wearing the wings, both here and in Flash Comics. I imagine that will change soon as well.
Fun Fact: Fox and Moldoff are the regular team on Hawkman.

CHAPTER 7: THE SPECTRE
By Gardner Fox and Bernard Baily (6 pages)

As mentioned in the introduction, Spectre's star witness in a lottery-racket investigation, Louis Scaloni, had gone starkers. Now we know why, and the Ghostly Guardian drops into the jail where he had been left — only to discover that the warden had transferred Scaloni to his sister's house, because "Boss" Williams told him to. The sister's address turns out to be an empty house.

Spectre changes to Corrigan, and barges into the Boss' mansion. Williams brags about all the cops he's killed, shows hin the now-insane Scaloni in a basement cell and then injects Corrigan with the Insanity Serum. Corrigan pretends to die, but really scoots off as the Ace of Shades, and rescues Scaloni. After curing Scaloni and stashing him in outer space (yes, really), Spectre imprisons Boss Williams in the basement cell and turns his gang over to the Chief. Then he brings in Scaloni, who squeals, and the Boss kills himself.

Fun Fact: Baily is the regular artist on Spectre.

All-Flash and Green Lantern get a shout out, and Superman and Batman weasel into the act.

HOP HARRIGAN
"Sky Cutups"
By unknown and Jon Blummer (spot illustration)
Text story (2 pages)

Hop's sidekick Tank Tinker puts on an aerial stunt show as "Super Duper Man," promising he "could out-do any JSA member living!" This attracts the attention of the JSA, who attend the show on their own platform.

All three of Tank's stunts fail, and he is saved by JSAers (Superman, Flash and Hawkman, respectively). But they perform their saves so fast, or in such a circumspect manner, that the crowd is unaware and Tank is awarded $50,000. (Although it's not clear by whom. And an online calculator says that $50,000 in 1941 is equivalent to $1.5 million in today's money. Whoa!)

The story claims the entire JSA membership is in attendance. Mentioned by name are Batman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and Superman. That probably represents five of the six most popular JSA members (which means all four honoraries and all three chairmen). Does that mean Dr. Mid-Nite was as popular? Or were they trying to make him as popular?

Takeaways
- Not a great story, but the absence of Johnny Thunder elevates it.
- The title really ought to have a hyphen. Without it, cut-ups reads to me as KEW-TOOPS.
I know that nobody puts out a bad product on purpose, and no doubt DC had high hopes for Star-Spangled Comics. But, boy, those first six issues stunk up the place. It was nowhere near the same quality as the other six monthlies.
Captain Comics March 10, 2026 at 11:33am
CHAPTER 8: JOHNNY THUNDER
By Gardner Fox and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)

Johnny plans to use Solution K on a fake contractor named Oscar K. Doodle who had gone bananas (mentioned in the intro). Johnny wants to show his stuff as a mystery man, so he rejects Thunderbolt's help. He does, in fact, cure Doodle and rescue him without Thunderbolt's help (although, as usual, it's more accident than competence). It turns out Doodle isn't a crook, but he knows the whole scam and Johnny gives it to the police. They catch all the crooks, but Elba catches Johnny.

Takeaways
- I don't usually laugh during Johnny Thunder stories, but I did when Daisy and Mr. Darling see Johnny with the police, and assume he's being arrested. "I knew he'd come to a bad end," Mr. Darling says.
- I've read that Johnny doesn't use the Thunderbolt much in post-war JSA stories. I don't remember if that's true, but if so, then this might be an experiment in that direction. I can well understand Fox wanting to limit the use of a wish-granting machine. The only reason Thunderbolt doesn't end every story on Page 2 is because Johnny is written as an idiot.
Fun Fact: Aschmeier is the regular artist on Johnny Thunder.

EPILOGUE: JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
By Gardner Fox and E. E. Hibbard (2 pages)

As Dr. Elba is about to inject Johnny with the Insanity Serum, he accidentally says Cei-U and wishes the JSA was there. Thunderbolt obliges, bringing the other members — except for Dr. Mid-Nite. Johnny has to send Thunderbolt on a special trip for him. "You see," the narrator says, "Johnny's first wish was for the members only ..."

Which is weird, because he sure seemed like a member in the introduction, and the first story. And he sure seems like a member here. After battling Elba in the dark (resulting in Elba's accidental death), Hawkman says, "Fine work Dr. Mid-Nite! Very fine work! We can be proud of our newly acquired members!" Then Sandman says, "Let's give three cheers for our two new members — Dr. Mid-Nite and the Starman! They both have earned their spurs!"

So how and when did Dr. Mid-Nite become a member? There are only four panels between his exclusion in the "members only" caption and his inclusion in the "newly acquired members" word balloon. And those panels consisted of the battle between Mid-Nite and Elba.

The Golden Age has no answer. Fortunately, Roy Thomas does, which I'll get to in the All-Star Squadron #20 section.

Fun Fact: Hooty is made the official mascot of the JSA.

To think that at one time page count was so high that throwaway pages like this could be included.

Speaking of page count, this issue of All-Star Comics was bumped up from 68 pages to 76 pages to accommodate a preview of AA's newest character, Wonder Woman. The Amazing Amazon was a smash hit, receiving her eponyous title in record time, and becoming the most famous female superhero in the world. But there is no mention of it on the cover, and the price remained 10 cents. Imagine the delight of a kid in 1941 finding those extra pages in the back, which started an exciting new character and mythos. I would have been an All-Star Comics fan for life.

Wonder Woman
Real name: Princess Diana of Paradise Island
Adopted identity: Lt. Diana Prince, U.S. Army Intelligence
First appearance: All-Star Comics #8
Created by "Charles Moulton" (William Marston) and Harry Peter. The "Charles Moulton" pseudonym is derived from the middle names of Max Charles Gaines and William Moulton Marston.
Significance: JSA member

First appearance!

"Introducing Wonder Woman"
By William Marston and Harry Peter (9 pages)

We all know the story of Wonder Woman's first appearance — or do we? Reading it with fresh eyes yielded some new thoughts for me.

Many of the Wonder Woman elements that have become entrenched over the years are certainly present. The hidden island of women. The goddesses who protect them. Bullets and bracelets. The opening line, repeated for decades, of Diana being as lovely as Aphrodite and as wise as Athena, with the speed of Mercury and strength of Hercules.

But she also has "a hundred times the ability and strength of our best male athletes and strongest wrestlers!" Evidently that line didn't meet the test of time.

Also, the law barring men from setting foot on Paradise Island, resulting in the loss of Amazon power, didn't exist yet. When Army Intelligence Captain Steve Trevor crash lands, he is VERY definitely on the island. The rule here, found in a text feature, is that Amazons will lose their power (and the Magic Girdle) if they allow themselves "to be again beguiled by men," NOT the setting-foot thing. That's a little less arbitrary, since a man could land on Paradise Island without them knowing it, or hundreds could parachute in at the same time. It hardly seems fair to punish them for things they can't control. (Especially since the punishment would make them easy prey if a whole lot of men did land on the island. Looking at you, Wehrmacht.) I much prefer this original version, which relies on Amazon character, not chance.

Also, with all the Amazons chirping about "a MAN on Paradise Island," I couldn't help reading those lines with this voice:

"Operator, there's a MAN in the bathtub!"

And I didn't remember that when Trevor flew to the island, he was in pursuit of a spy plane. I don't remember exactly what younger me thought he was doing, but I sure didn't remember the spy plane. Evidently, that didn't meet the test of time either, especially after the war ended.

There's no Paula von Gunther and her purple healing ray yet — she comes along a few issues down the road, first as a villain and then as an ally. Instead we have a bespectacled, unnamed Amazon in charge of medicine. (Glasses mean you're smart!) But we do get the Magic Sphere crack out of the box. And, while this aspect has shifted occasionally, the Amazons are definitely immortal (assuming they retain the Magic Girdle).

The goddesses encourage Hippolyta to send an Amazon back with Steve, and to stay and battle fascism.

"Yes, Hippolyta, American liberty and freedom must be preserved," Athena says. "For America, the last citadel of democracy, and of equal rights for women, needs our help!" Boy, that line isn't resonating very well these days.

A tournament is held to select the champion to Man's World, and as always, Diana (as the Masked Champion) wins. This element changes with various reboots, too, but a penultimate panel flatly states that leaving the island will cost Diana her immortality. I believe the current Wonder Woman is immortal again.

Another thing I forgot: If saving America is a specific part of Wonder Woman's remit, then the red-white-and-blue outfit, which I have sometimes questioned, needs no explanation.

In retrospect, I probably remembered later re-tellings better than the original (and conflated them with the original) because I read them first.

Golden Age appearances: All-Star Comics #8 (origin), #11-22, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Sensation Comics #1-106; Wonder Woman #1-97.

Current status: Dead. Crisis on Infinite Earths established that the Earth-One Diana was regressed through time to her original clay, and the original ascended to godhood. Infinite Crisis #5 (April 2006) showed the latter fading into non-existence.

Current version: Wonder Woman #1 (February 1987) established that Diana of Themyscira came to man's world in the modern day, and this story has basically. moved with her. DC has rebooted this a few more times, but I like to think today's Wonder Woman is this one.

What the Experts Say

"ALL STAR #8 ...was a very special issue," Jerry Bails said in All Star Archives Vol. 1. "There was nothing on the cover to indicate it carried a 9-page story heralding one of the greatst icons ever created for the comics. To my knowledge, ALL STAR was the first comic ever to provide a free bonus insert introducing a new character. ... There was no mention of the bonus story on the cover. Can you imagine that happening today?"

No, I cannot.

"By far the most important thing about #8 was Wonder Woman's origin," according to All-Star Companion Vol. 1, "shoehorned into the issue, without advance notice or even a cover mention, a month before her official debut in Sensation Comics #1 (Jan. 1942); in #8 she has no connection with the JSA. (As suggested by this author in Alter Ego Vol. 3, #2, it is possible this story was originally a 13-pager intended for Sensation #1 and cut by four pages to squeeze into All-Star #8 -- which contains 8 more pages than the usual 1941 comic book.)"

This isn't the only place it's been suggested that the preview was meant for Sensation Comics #1, and adapted to All-Star Comics #8. It's noted in one of the All-Star Companions or other that the story planned for Sensation Comics #2 ended up in Sensation Comics #1. Taken all together, the evidence makes for a compellling argument that the Wonder Woman story in All-Star Comics #8 wasn't written and drawn for that publication, but for Sensation Comics #1. And then someone had a brilliant marketing idea.

"Wonder Woman made her debut in All-Star #8 because, as a promotional tool, All-Star had worked," Dennis Mallonee wrote in All-Star Companion Vol. 2, "Flash and Green Lantern had already graduated from it to their own titles, and surely the expectation was that more characters would follow. DC had high hopes for the new Starman, for example, and putting him into All-Star must have seemed the pathway to success. But where DC used All-Star #8 to promote a new character (Starman), its sister company All-American used it to promote a whole new magazine. What better way to boost sales on the first issue of Sensation than by giving All-Star's readers a sneak peek at its lead feature a few weeks early?"

DC/AA wasted no time getting WW into a house ad.

Another house ad. I think "in the movies" refers to the Fleischer Studios cartoons, which would have been shown in movie theaters. The first Superman serial, appropriately titled Superman, didn't arrive until 1948. Superman and the Mole Men, a trial balloon for the Adventures of Superman TV show, was shown in theaters in 1951. When the series began, Mole Men was split into the first two episodes. I wasn't born yet for any of those, but I was for Superman: The Movie (1978), the first real Man of Steel movie!

BONUS!

'ALL-STAR SQUADRON' #20
April 1983

"For the Dark Things Cannot Stand the Light"
By Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway (23 pages)

This issue is set in 1942, as the All-Star Squadron (Commander Steel, Firebrand, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman and Tarantula) and most of the JSA (Atom, Dr. Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder, Sandman, Starman plus non-member Wonder Woman) battle Brain Wave. What concerns us now is a flashback to the last two pages of All-Star Comics #8.

In All-Star Squadron #20, Brain Wave claims to have been using Dr. Able/Elba as a cat's paw for the entirety of All-Star Comics #8. That's new.

And a flashback shows him mingling with the JSA during the conversation at the end, dressed as Henry King. While they're chatting, Brain Wave implants a mental image of an old foe in the mind of The Spectre, who flies off (and is later seen battling Kulak, High Priest of Brztal, so maybe the mental image wasn't all phony).

He also implants a subconscious command for the remaining JSA members to go, in 1942, to a specific place at a specific time, which they do in All-Star Squadron #19.

But Thomas also explains the membership/non-membership scene with Dr. Mid-Nite. To recap, All-Star Comics #8 treats Dr. Mid-Nite as a member from the beginning (and actually from the end of All-Star Comics #7). Then says he isn't one on the penultimate page. Then says he is four panels later. Thomas tries to straighten that out. He establishes that Mid-Nite hadn't yet joined when Thunderbolt brough the other six members to Johnny. The six are described, in fact, as "active members," a phrase I think is used to exclude honorary members, as well as "non-member" Dr. Mid-Nite. In this version, Hawkman specifically invites Dr. Mid-Nite to join after Elba's death, and he accepts. Starman is already a member, and the rest occurs as previously established.

A lot more occurred in All-Star Squadron #20 than just this flashback, including an explanation for why Green Lantern didn't win the Pacific War single-handedly. But I'll address that story where it falls, between All-Star Comics #11 and All-Star Comics #12.
- The Baron > Captain Comics March 10, 2026 at 12:32pm
  
  Dead. Crisis on Infinite Earths established that the Earth-Two Diana (the original) was regressed through time to her original clay.
  
  Actually, that was the Earth-One Wonder Woman that that happened to. The Earth-Two Wonder Woman and her Steve Trevor were shown living on Olympus at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths #`12
- Captain Comics > The Baron March 10, 2026 at 1:38pm
  
  Apparently I conflated the two. Thanks, and fixed!

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