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 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!
Replies
You could certainly write around that fact, if you were so inclined. Something like the Sun's proximity would overwhelm the rod's absorptive capabilities, meaning it could only be charged at night. But it's certainly not something they bothered to do.
The Miraclo Ray is referred to in All Star Squadron but Gardner Fox must have forgotten about it because Hourman was popping pills in the Silver Age and beyond like he was Underdog!
Satain must have had some long term plans if he thought that he could keep this up for twenty years!
Time travel, super power rays, gravity guns, the Golden Age is not even four years old and the technology available should have ended the war before it started!
"Evidently Starman's Rod only accrues power from starlight -- not the sun. Which is, of course, a star."
"I sometimes wonder whether these writers didn't know any science, or figure that their readers didn't."
"You could certainly write around that fact, if you were so inclined."
As it happens, I was just reading about the classification of stars earlier today. AHEM...
"In the early twentieth century, we figured out that stars themselves can look very different from one another when you analyse their spectra. At one tome, a roomful of computers classified tens of thousands of stars by their 'spectral type,' binning them into fifteen lettered catagories: A through O. With better data and with an emergent understanding of quantum physics, these catagories would be culled and further divided into ten numbered subcategories as well as nine other catagories represented mostly with Roman numerals that track a stars evolutionary state. In recent decades, several additional spectral types would accomodate very dim stars that were not yet discovered when the original data were compiled. A coded system of three dozen additional symbols would furhter accomodate highly unusual or peculiar features on top of an otherwise ordinary star."
The Sun, for example, is spectral class G2V, whereas Polaris is F7I. Perhaps Starman's rod is calibrated only to absorb specific spectra.
The Sun, for example, is spectral class G2V, whereas Polaris is F7I. Perhaps Starman's rod is calibrated only to absorb specific spectra.
I might be showing my own ignorance here, but my understanding is that all visible stars produce energy across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma waves. Which means a G2V is producing the same spectra as an F71. The classification difference is where this energy is most (or least) concentrated.
That being said, suns may not necessarily work the same way in the DC Universe. Red suns evidently produce less energy in certain Kryptonian-sensitive areas of the electromagnetic spectrum than yellow ones, hence Superman's weakness under one and strength under the other. But his absolute power failure under red suns in many stories indicate some sort of absolute difference, as if red stars in the DCU somehow skip over a particular wavelength, which our stars cannot do. (Some stories show red sunlight taking Superman's powers away, which doesn't make any sense -- he ought to run down like a battery.) OTOH, suns of either color produce tremendous amounts of energy, even in areas where they are "weak," so I always wrote that off to Kryptonians having some idiosyncratic genetic quirk where they couldn't absorb whatever it is red suns produce the most of.
In the case of Starman's Gravity Rod being unable to absorb sunlight, I'd lean to the same explanation. I wouldn't fault the source (stars/suns, which should produce along the entire electromagnetic spectrum, regardless of distance to Earth or clssification), but instead fault the receiver (Starman's Gravity Rod, which must not be able to accommodate sunlight, due to design error). IOW, the fault is not in our stars, but in ourselves. (Second time I've gotten to use that line recently!)
Comic book science!
The quote I pulled is from Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson, BTW, so take it up with him.
I vividly recall the Starman story that was reprinted in Justice League of America #112 (Au'74) that came from Adventure Comics #81 (D'42) where a young blind astronomer used a sun lamp to interfere with the Gravity Rod's power to send Starman a message. It seemed to say that sunlight negatively affects the Gravity Rod.
For a moment, young me thought that Starman could only be active at night and the Cosmic Rod had that problem fixed!
We've reached the end of comics cover-dated February 1942, which is roughly when Fox Feature Syndicate declared bankruptcy and got out of the business (for two years). That's off topic for the thread, but still significant enough that I thought it worth mention.
Comics got canceled all the time back then (and now). However, it was clear something was up on Nov. 5, 1941, when three Fox books (with January 1942 cover dates) shipped last issues.
The Flame #8 gave us the last appearances of Voodoo Man and Yank and Rebel. The Flame himself had one more appearance to go.
The Eagle #4 gave us the last appearances of Spider Queen and Joe Spook. (Marvel would later introduce a version of Spider Queen once she was public domain.) Once again the lead character would eke out another appearance.
U.S. Jones #2 gave us the last appearances of Dirk Delancy, Topper and Peg Miller. U.S. Jones himself would stagger on briefly.
Big #3 would die two days later, with its seventh issue. But none of its characters — Blue Beetle, V-Man and The Flame — met their end just yet.
Weird Comics #20 (January 1942), shipping Nov. 15, 1941, was a big final issue. It saw the end of The Eagle (finally), Sorceress of Zoom, Black Rider, The Dart, Marga the Panther Woman, The Rapier (only appearance) and Swoop Curtiss.
On Nov. 21, 1941, we come to Blue Beetle #11 (February 1942), the last from Fox for a while. As we all know, the title would continue at Holyoke for two years, before Fox roared back to life and re-claimed it. So we know Blue Beetle himself continues, but it’s the last the world would see of Davy the Wish Master and The Gladiator (from Fantastic).
Wonderworld #33 (January 1942) shipped on Nov. 28, 1941, and was another big finale. The end comes for Patty O’Day Girl Photographer, Yarko, Dr. Fung, “Spark” Stevens of the Navy and Lu-Nar. U.S. Jones and The Flame, who had lost their own titles, finally succumb.
Green Mask #9 (February 1942) shipped on Dec. 10, 1941. Green Mask himself wouldn’t be picked up by Holyoke, but he would return at the reborn Fox in 1944. Alas, Bonnie O’Toole, Mickey and the Magic Bottle and Nightbird all snuff it.
Mystery Men Comics #31, February 1942, Fox shipped Jan. 21, 1942. It’s the last issue of the title that started Fox’s run. Blue Beetle and Green Mask make their last Fox bows, but they’ll return. However, it’s the end for Private O’Hara, Mortimer, The Wraith, The Lynx and Zanzibar.
The awkwardly named V…- (mimicking the Morse code for the letter “V”) launched on Oct. 8, 1941, suggesting Fox didn’t really know the end was near. On the other hand, maybe they did, and this was just a way to burn off inventory they’d already paid for.
It only lasted two issues, with V…- #2 (March 1942) shipping Feb. 11, 1942. That gives this oddity the honor of being Fox’s last issue to ship … for two years. Its leader character, V-Man, and another feature, Black Fury, would continue at Holyoke. But it was sayonara for V-Agents, Queen of Evil, Banshee and Yank Wilson.
As you can see, this was the end for a huge swath of superheroes and adventure characters — direct competitors for Timely, Fawcett, DC/AA and Quality characters, many of whom they resemble. I don’t know what impact this had on the field, especially since any individual publisher’s growth would be stunted by coming wartime paper shortages. But the world lost a lot of characters in early 1942 that … well, most of them weren’t very good. But it’s historic, and worth mention.
Aman the Amazing Man, Meteor Martin, The Blue Lady, Hobo Harper Electric Ray, King of Darkness and Nightshade all appeared in Amazing Man #26, and I assume it was the last Golden Age appearance for all of them. Needless to say, any other Centaur characters had already met their end.
And yet a third publisher met their demise around this time. GCD calls it TemersonHelnit/Continental and far be it from me to obviate their research with my own. But it or they went down the tubes about this time, with Holyoke picking up Captain Aero Comics and Cat-Man Comics.
(As an interesting side note that I’ll probably forget to mention when the time comes, Cat-Man Comics has some of the most exotic numbering of a title during an era known for exotic numbering. It picks up numbering at different times from Et-Es-Go’s Cat-Man Comics, Temerson’s Crash Comics Adventures and Temerson’s Green Hornet Comics. This is complicated by the use of volume numbers, allowing for abrupt numbering resets. At one point Cat-Man Comics and Captain Aero Comics simply switch numbering for no discernible reason.)
Is there any reason that three publishers went belly up more or less simultaneously in early 1942, beyond coincidence? If anybody knows, please post!
The quote I pulled is from Starry Messenger by Neil deGrasse Tyson, BTW, so take it up with him.
I don't think I have any quarrel with Mr. Tyson. At no point does he say any star fails to radiate the entire electromagnetic spectrum, and that's all I was saying.
Is there any reason that three publishers went belly up more or less simultaneously in early 1942, beyond coincidence?
I think that it's possible that it's coincidence. I've always had the impression that a lot of those early comics publishers were fairly shaky outfits. Of course, the war may have had something to do with it, as well.
1942 was the first year to feel the economic and business impact of the USA's participation in the war. Rosie the Riveter was created around that time.
I expect that many if not most business that did not tap into the war effort struggled at the time, particularly if they had significant reliance on articles rationed during wartime (such as paper and fuel) or were small enterprises that depended of a small number of people that were hard to replace and had no significant protection from the draft or from the drift towards activities that had the military or the wider government as ultimate clients and were therefore perceived as more secure and perhaps better paying.
On top of that, of course, many people had to deal with more personal fallout from the war - e.g., older brothers that had to be available at home to help with their younger ones due to loss or unavailability of one or both parents to the war or to new, previously unplanned jobs.
If a comics publisher can't have a measure of security about the availabilty of a core crew (editor, writer, penciler, inker, letterer, colorist, printer, distribution manager), and production resources (money, paper, ink, printers, distribution network) odds are that it will close its doors sooner rather than later, and I have to assume that plenty found themselves under just that situation from 1942 to 1945.
That's an insightful analysis, Luis. I'd also add that the three publishers who went under were minor ones, whose output was checkered. For example, it took Centaur 29 months to produce 22 issues of the "monthly" Amazing Man.
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