13290015674?profile=RESIZE_710x

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. PenguinRiddler — 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!

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    • Rollo, the rich kid in the Nancy comic books had a put-upon butler named Mulch.

      31153223098?profile=RESIZE_710x31153223290?profile=RESIZE_710xHe brought the bulter to summer camp to help him "rough it." 

       

  • BONUS!

    31152912856?profile=RESIZE_400xJSA #19, July 2026, DC Comics Inc.
    Cover by Diego Olortegui

    "The Search for The Spectre Part One"
    By Jeff Lemire and Olortegui

    More is made clear about The Spectre and Kid Eternity. Their clash is in "The Unseen Realms" (which in this case takes the form of the abandoned JSA headquarters we saw last issue). The Spectre we see here is literally Aztar, the angel who is the basis for The Spectre (as revealed in Spectre #60, December 1997). It wants to possess Kid Eternity as the next Spectre, but the process is interrupted by Mr. Keeper and the Dead Justice Society™ (Charle McNider, Wesley Dodds, Kent Nelson, Ted Grant, Rex Tyler and Al Pratt), who encourage Kid Eternity to fight the possession.

    Back on Earth, Mr. Terrific is still looking for Kid Eternity, and Detective Chimp reports in that there's a "hulabaloo" in the Unseen Realms. He says he sent Blue Devil to investigate, but the Azure Avenger couldn't get close. He says he thinks it's The Spectre, and the JSA that's present (Flash, Jade, Green Lantern, Obsidian) look shocked and/or afraid.

    In the gym, Rick Tyler and Sanderson Hawkins are sparring. Rick and Sandy bond over their failed romantic relationships (Jesse Quick and Jade, respectively). Yolanda shows up and out-machos both of them. That sort of thing used to be surprising, but it's pretty much SOP in 2026. 

    Back in the Unseen Lands, Dr. Fate does what I guess is the moral equivalent of a magical firecracker, which allows Kid Eternity to escape Spectre and flee. 

    We switch to Khalid Nassour and Jakeem Thunder playing video games, whereupon Stargirl shows up and threatens to beat both of them (toldja). Then Kid Eternity flies into the room from a magic portal and says she's being followed. Everybody in the mansion runs outside to see a giant, threatening Spectre. Or should I say Aztar?

    Takeaways

    31152897453?profile=RESIZE_180x180It took me by surprise how many original JSAers are dead now. I mean, I knew it intellectually, but it's been kind-of a drip-drip-drip to get here. Al Pratt and Charls McNider died in 1994 (Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #2), Kent Nelson in 1997 (Book of Fate #1), Wesley Dodds in 1999 (JSA Secret Files and Origins #1), and Ted Grant in 2025 (JSA #11). And I'm honestly not sure about Rex Tyler. Wasn't Hourman in some sort of suspended time bubble, where his son could talk to him for minutes here and there, until a collective hour was up? I guess that hour is up, but I don't think we saw when it happened. (He also appeared inexplicably post-bubble, hale and hearty, in JSA All-Stars in 2010, but there's been two reboots since then.) 

    Soooo many dead Golden Age JSA members! DC has been trying to usher the original JSA off the stage since 1986, and it looks like they've finally figured out how to do it: One by one, instead of all at once.

    And this scene doesn't even include all of them! Terry Sloane died in 1979 (Justice League of America #171), I thought Jim Corrigan went on to his reward in 1998 (Spectre #62), Ted Knight died in 2000 (Starman #72), an aged and demented Johnny Thunder was merged with the Thunderbolt in 2002 (JSA #37) and Earth-Two Wonder Woman evaporated into the ether in 2005 (Infinity Crisis #5). Black Canary died in 1983 (Justice League of America #220) and again (off-camera) in 1999 (JSA #1), but fortunately Tom King revived her in Black Canary: Best of the Best. 

    Sadly, at this point the only surviving JSA members from the Golden Age are Jay Garrick, Alan Scott, Carter Hall and Dinah Drake Lance. the Dead Justice Society™ ought to be a little bigger!

    Although I should mention that Fate instructs Kid Eternity to find Jim Corrigan. So maybe rumors of his death have been exaggerated. In fact, I'm a little fuzzy on Spectre's current status.

    The JSA seem worried about The Spectre, but I don't know why. I"m sure there's a reason for it, but I don't remember one. (Outside of Vlatava, which was two Spectres ago.) The last I remember of the Ghostly Guardian was DC All-In Special (2024), where he was absorbed by Darkseid. I don't remember him escaping specifically, but since "our" Darkseid is dead, I presume The Spectre got away. He's no longer attached to Crispus Allen (which happened in one crisis or another). Evidently the Jim Corrigan who was resurrected in New 52 has survived the Rebirth reboot and is whom Kid Eternity is searching for. I will note that Spectre was imprisoned on the dark side of the Moon at the baginning of All-In Special, and I don't know if that was ever explained. Sort of like the trapped-in-a-tomb bit in Justice League of America #83. If anyone remembers recent Spectre history better than me (which is a low bar), a chapter-and-verse would be appreciated.

    Speaking of fuzzy status quos, Sandy has gone through quite a few changes since his silicon monster days. Every time he appears I need a refresh on his status quo, which inevitably changes anyway. We don't get an example of his super-powers here (if any), but he does say that he has a "silicon body," which must be tough to get through airport scanners. 

    At the end, the group that spills out of the mansion is composed of Dr. Fate VI (or V?), Flash, Green Lantern, Hourman III, Jakeem Thunder, Jade, Kid Eternity II, Obsidan, Sandman II, Stargirl and Wildcat II. This may be the team going forward, although the Hawks may be in the wings. Not to mention Atom-Smasher, Dr. Midnight and all the lost sidekicks. And Damage, who was resurrected in Doomsday Clock. And Mr. Terrific II seems to be on call. Geez, even with all the dead ones, the JSA is still an army. Anyway, of the present group, only Kid Eternity doesn't have a connection to the original team.

  • We've hit April 1942 cover dates, which for DC/AA means comics shipping in February. No Pearl Harbor yet. Here are the titles shipping this month:

    • Star-Spangled Comics #7
    • Sensation Comics #4
    • World’s Finest Comics #5
    • Batman #10
    • Flash Comics #28
    • All-American Comics #37
    • Action Comics #47
    • More Fun Comics #78
    • All-Star Comics #10
    • Detective Comics #62
    • Adventure Comics #73
    • All-Flash #4

    FEBRUARY 1, 1942

    31151848071?profile=RESIZE_400xStar-Spangled Comics #7, April 1942, Detective Comics Inc.
    Cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon

    The Newsboy Legion
    Real names: Jim Harper (Guardian), Anthony Rodrigues (Big Words), Patrick MacGuire (Scrapper), John Gabrielli (Gabby) and Tommy Tomkins (sometimes Thompkins).
    Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
    Debut story by Simon and Kirby (13 pages)
    Significance: Golden Age superhero (Guardian) and sidekicks

    First appearance!

    Rookie officer Jim Harper is assigned to Suicide Slum, where he is disdained. A group of thugs beat him up, and in retaliation, he assembles a disguise (we'd call it a costume) to return the favor as The Guardian. When four orphan newsboys rob a hardware store (of hardware, not money), Harper reluctantly stops them. In court, he pleads to take custody, instead of the four being imprisoned. The kids want nothing to do with a copper, and revert to juvenile delinquency. But they are betrayed by Frankie the Fence, and are about to be killed when they are saved by The Guardian. Together, they find the "big fish," Chips Carder. The boys suspect Harper is The Guardian, but don't have any proof.

    Where I read it: Adventure Comics #503 (September 1983)

    Fun facts:

    • Prior to the advent of "Newsboy Legion," Star-Spangled Kid had multiple stories in Star-Spangled Comics and was the cover feature. The Newsboy Legion not only replaced one of the Kid's stories, but took his cover spot.
    • "Newsboy Legion" ran for five years, until Star-Spangled Comics #64 (January 1947). It was replaced by Robin's solo series.

    Golden Age appearances: Boy Commandos #1 (December 1942), Detective Comics #76 (June 1943) and Star-Spangled Comics #7-64 (April 1942-January 1947)

    Status: Prior to Rebirth, the original Newsboy Legion had been killed by Codename: Assassin. That has apparently been retconned away. Now, the original Newsboy Legion kids (includiing later additions "Famous" Bobbie and Walter "Flip" Johnson) were among the time-napped sidekicks in Stargirl: The Lost Children (2023), and have been returned to the present. The fate of their clones (introduced in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133, October 1970) hasn't yet been addressed.

    Robotman
    Real name: Robert Crane
    Created by Mort Weisinger and Leo Nowak
    Debut story is by Jerry Siegel, Nowak and Paul Cassidy (13 pages)
    Significance: Golden Age DC superhero

    First appearance!

    GCD Summary: After being fatally shot by a criminal, scientist Robert Crane has his brain placed inside a robot body by his assistant, Chuck Grayson.

    Fun facts:

    • As Robotman, Crane created a new identity for himself, "Paul Dennis."
    • Robotman eventually got a robot dog named Robbie, who was time-napped and returned to the present in Stargirl: The Lost Children (2023).
    • Crane may have assisted Niles Caulder when he created Robotman II (Cliff Steele), depending on which continuity is in play.

    Golden Age appearances: Detective Comics #138-154, 156-202 (August 1948-December 1953) and Star-Spangled Comics #7-61 (April 1942-October 1946)

    Current status: Dead. According to DC Comics Presents #31 (March 1981), Crane had his brain placed inside his assistant's body after Grayson had died, so he could live his last years as a human being. He died in Grayson's body of old age. I have read nothing since that would alter that.

    TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite
    Real names: Thomas N. Thomas and Daniel Dunbar
    Created by Paul Norris
    Debut story by unknown and Paul Norris (6 pages)
    Significance: Golden Age DC superheroes

    GCD Summary: Thomas "Tex" Thomas was a high school chemistry teacher who had an accident with "atomic salts" that imbued him and student Dan Dunbar with atomic energy. That's a pretty cool coincidence, since his initials are TNT! It's like his whole life led up to this!

    Thomas somehow manufactured rings that kept this power in check until the rings were pressed together. When he and Dunbar pressed rings, they were granted strength and speed, plus atomic energy, which mainfested as heat (Thomas) and electricity (Dunbar). 

    Fun facts:

    • TNT and Dyna-Mite next appear in World's Finest Comics #5 (Spring 1942) for some reason.
    • According to Young All-Stars #1 (June 1987), Thomas was killed in 1942. That's a retcon, since his strip ran until 1943 (Star-Spangled Comics #23, August 1943). Or maybe you can squeeze all hls adventures into 1942 in your head canon.
    • Dan Dunbar was a member of Old Justice as an elderly man, but reverted to his sidekick age on Orphan Island in Stargirl: The Lost Children (2023). He is now one of the time-displaced sidekicks in the modern world.

    Takeaways

    • In those days, sales reports generally lagged three of four months behind sales, so the earliest the editors would know how Star-Spangled Comics was selling was around issue #4. By that time, the next couple of issues would be in various stages of production. This sudden influx of new features suggests that the editors got a look at sales on issue #1 around issues #3-4 and decided on a revamp as soon as possible, which would be issue #7.  
    • None of these new superheroes ever joined the Golden Age JSA any more than their predecessors did. Or seemed designed to. So Star-Spangled Comics is going right back into "Off Topic" jail after this issue.  

    Continuing: Star-Spangled Kid, Tarantula. Last Golden Age appearance of Captain X, who was revived as Ronnie Raymond's grandfather in Firestorm #50 (August 1986). Paul "Captain X" Dare was killed off in Firestorm #71 (May 1988). 

  • Comments about these characters that we may not discuss again until much later: 

    THE NEWSBOY LEGION/THE GUARDIAN: One thing that bothered me about the Lost Children story, as far as the Newsboys were concerned, is that they were completely superfluous to it. None of them had any superpowers and they were usually in the background except for one scene where Scrapper called out Dan Hunter. Gabby wasn't goofy, Tommy wasn't a leader and Big Words didn't use any big words!

    Worse still, Flip, formerly Flippa Dippa, lost his scuba gimmick but at least that was HIS gimmick and Famous Bobbi lost her fame. Both were there just for representation.

    And did they erased Kirby's Jimmy Olsen? And the Cadmus Project? Is the Golden Guardian still alive?

    In All Star Squadron Annual #1 (1982), Jim Harper was trained offscreen by Joe Morgan, the same man who trained the Atom and Wildcat (also offscreen). 
    And they never explained why a shield found in a costume shop was so durable! 
    ROBOTMAN: I first saw him in World's Finest Comics #223 (Ju'74) before I saw the Doom Patrol version. I really liked the character. The Metallic Crusader was also one of the heroes shown in Justice League of America #144 (Jl'77) with their "true" origin taking place in 1959, thus putting him on Earth-One.

    Which was where DC Comics Presents #31 (Ma'81) took place! I just dug it out and reread it. It said that Robotman was last seen in 1960, since he was buried by a cave in for twenty years! He has his brain transplanted into Chuck Grayson's deceased body and states that there already is another Robotman, obviously Cliff Steele.

    The resolution of Robotman annoyed All Star Squadron creator Roy Thomas so much that he requested that no more Golden Age characters be used in the "Whatever Happened To " feature. But then, he made it Earth-Two canon in America Vs the Justice Society #2 (F'85) where Bob Crane in Chuck Grayson's body testified for the JSA.

    Oh, and Roy made Chuck and Dick (Robin) Grayson cousins because that was the tradition when characters shared the same last name!

    TNT & DAN THE DYNAMITE: The Atomic Duo were revived in Super Friends #12 (Jl'78), never aging but unable to be near the other without their powers going out of control. TNT was shrunken and sent to Kandor while Dan was kept in Atlantis. Naturally this shouldn't be in continuity but TNT did show up in an issue of Superman Family but I have to search for which one!

    • It would make more sense for the clone Newsboys to have been the time lost ones, given the presence of Flip and Bobbie, plus the fact that I doubt Jim Harper would have felt the need to become the Guardian at all if the Newsboys hadn't been in need of guarding.   The text of the Lost Children arc and most recent History of the DC universe contain enough "wiggle words" that there was plenty of room to assume that not all of the lost kids were from the 1940s .  Bobbie,  what little we saw of her, still seemed to be the same "contemporary " girl she was created as, and not a faux Golden Age character like Quiz Kid or Ladybug.

  • One thing that bothered me about the Lost Children story, as far as the Newsboys were concerned, is that they were completely superfluous to it. 

    Agreed. And given the contradiction with Fourth World stories, it would have been best for all concerned if they simply weren't included in Lost Children.

    Worse still, Flip, formerly Flippa Dippa, lost his scuba gimmick but at least that was HIS gimmick and Famous Bobbi lost her fame. Both were there just for representation.

    Kirby's Flippa always made me cringe anyway, so I don't know of any way to salvage the character that I'd be happy with. And, while I read Guardians of Metropolis (1994), where Famous Bobbie made her debut, I don't rememer a thing about it. Was she really famous? At any rate, she'd have been friends with the clones, so retconning her to a '40s character is ... whew. This just gets more complicated.

    And did they erased Kirby's Jimmy Olsen? And the Cadmus Project? Is the Golden Guardian still alive?

    As I said in my post, these things have yet to be addressed. IOW, I guess we'll know when they tell us.

    And they never explained why a shield found in a costume shop was so durable! 

    I have always assumed that when he decided to continue the gig, he crafted a heavy-duty shield, probably out of heavy scrap metal. Throughout the first issue, he thought "Guardian" was one and done. But then when the guise was useful with the kids, he decided at the end to continue. In my head canon, that's when he upgraded the whole suit. I mean, that's what I would have done.

    ROBOTMAN: I first saw him in World's Finest Comics #223 (Ju'74) before I saw the Doom Patrol version.

    Which was exactly opposite my experience. When reading WFC, I thought "What th-!? Robotman is a legacy name? How long did this other guy last, anyway?" Turns out the answer is: Quite a while! He had just never been mentioned the whole time I was reading comics, up to WFC #223.

    The resolution of Robotman annoyed All Star Squadron creator Roy Thomas so much that he requested that no more Golden Age characters be used in the "Whatever Happened To " feature.

    I did not know that.

    But then, he made it Earth-Two canon in America vs. the Justice Society #2 (F'85) where Bob Crane in Chuck Grayson's body testified for the JSA.

    Man, I really disliked America vs. the Justice Society, top to bottom. I usually vibed with Roy Thomas' stuff, you know, but not that time.

    Oh, and Roy made Chuck and Dick (Robin) Grayson cousins because that was the tradition when characters shared the same last name!

    Well, of course. I'm obviously related to every Smith on the planet.

    It would make more sense for the clone Newsboys to have been the time-lost ones.

    Even that would take a lot of explanation. But after Crisis on Infinite Earths and Flashpoint, anything's possible. My guess is they'll simply say that post-Rebirth, there never were any clones. Oh, sure, all those Kirby stories happened. But the clones simply weren't there. Jimmy Olsen was just talking to himself.

    • I guess we'll know when they tell us.

      Or "if".

      Well, of course. I'm obviously related to every Smith on the planet.

      And you're the same guy as the Andrew Smith who wrote an episode of Doctor Who back in the 1980s.

  • Or "if".

    That's a good point. Continuity-minded writers who do whole stories to explain, say, why Aquaman once wore yellow gloves, are largely gone. You could count on a Roy Thomas or a Geoff Johns to explain things eventually, but I don't know if anybody cares about continuity at DC any more.

  • FEBRUARY 3, 1942

    31151849101?profile=RESIZE_400xSensation Comics #4, April 1942, All-American Publications Inc.
    Cover by Harry Peter

    Wonder Woman
    By William Marston and Harry Peter (13 pages)

    31081942070?profile=RESIZE_180x180i wondered if Marston planned on following up with Eve, who was saved from prison by Diana Prince last issue. And sure enough, he does. When I read these stories originally I did so just for enjoyment, but now I'm paying attention to the details. I must report accurately to the Legion!

    First, though, Diana is suspicious when a fellow secretary in the intelligence community calls out sick for a week, and then is murdered. She checks the records, and sure enough, another secretary, Carla Swanson, has called in sick. Her landlady says she has gone to live with Baroness Paula von Gunther. Diana calls on the baroness, but she says she doesn't know any Carla (although Diana notices she knows more about Carla than she should) and throws Diana out. 

    Meanwhile, Eve has been threatened by her former employers, who are Gestapo spies. They want her to go to espionage school and spy for them. She reports to Steve, and they decide she should keep her meeting with the spies. But she's a Beeta Lamda pledge, and she is chained in her room until 11 p.m. -- with the meeting scheduled for 9 p.m.!

    31157512467?profile=RESIZE_400xSteve thinks Eve has chickened out, and goes to the meeting himself. He beats up all of the spies, except one (Henkle), who escapes, and Steve follows. Meanwhile, Eve has finally escaped and goes to the meeting. She is followed by the Holliday Girls ("bring your ropes and paddles!"), who spot Steve and follow. So Henkle, in Steve's car, is being followed by Steve, on a motorcyle, who is being followed by Etta and the Holliday Girls, in their jalopy.

    Meanwhile meanwhile, Diana asks Col. Darnell about the baroness, and he says she's an Austrian royalist who helps the Allies. Diana wants an introduction, so he takes her to the baroness' costume ball. (Diana is dressed as Wonder Woman, of course.) WW challenges the baroness, who kidnaps her. (WW plays along, to find out where the baroness has Carla.) She is taken to an abandoned coal mine in West Virginia (close enough to D.C., I guess) where she discovers an entire spy school, with many kidnapped girls, among them Carla, who have been drugged and hypnotized into being slaves and are being trained as spies. Wonder Woman bides her time, but then the baroness has a blacksmith weld a chain between her bracelets, and Wonder Woman discovers her strength is gone! 

    "Wonder Woman, in despair, remembers too late the queen's warning," a caption reads. 

    "Daughter, if any man weld chains on your bracelets," the queen intones, "you will become weak as we Amazons were when we surrendered to Hercules and his Greeks."

    Notwithstanding that a Greek Hercules would be Herakles, that seems like a thing Diana would remember. Alas.

    Steve arrives, and is captured. Because he's Steve. He and Wonder Woman are to be executed by firing squad. And the Holliday Girls arrive, creating havoc. 

    Wonder Woman uses the firing squad's bullets to breaks the chain, a la bullets and bracelets (evidently her speed is unaffected by the chains). WW, Steve and the Girls clean up the whole spy school and free the captives. Diana calls in sick the next day, and Darnell is happy to grant her request, even though, from his perspective, she disappeared from the party while she was his date, and von Gunther said she was going to tell him she left with another man. "You must have had a gay time!" he says. Mighty gracious, that Col. Darnell.

    Where I Read It: Wonder Woman Archives Vol. 1

    Takeaway: Four issues in, and it looks like Marston has discovered the need for Diana to have a weakness. This story establishes that being chained by a man is her kryptonite. She has been bound by men before, so apparently Marston means welded chains, specfically (as well as men, specifically). I can't say I'm crazy about that, because it gives men unearned power over her, which is antithetical to her concept. But it's a magic thing from the goddesses, who make extraordinarily stupid decisions. (See: Amazons lose their power if Paradise Island is invaded by men.) That doesn't excuse Marston for this decision, but I can write it off in my head canon.

    Fun Facts

    • Carla is chained in her room ... with a dog collar. She is also spanked ... with a wooden paddle. Beeta Lamda has unusual taste in accessories.
    • When Wonder Woman escapes, she tells Steve to "keep 'em flying!" I'll allow it.
    • Baroness Paula von Gunther makes her debut. It's not the last we'll see of her.

    Mr. Terrific

    By Charles Reizenstein and Hal Sharp (8 pages)

    31146623464?profile=RESIZE_180x180Terry Sloane runs into an old schoolmate, Buster Anderson, who is now a beat cop. It's his first day on the job, and he arrests "Dapper" Joe for shaking down a small businessman for protection money. Buster is warned by Joe and by his own desk sergeant not to arrest "Dapper" Joe, but he insists on pressing charges, and Terry Sloane volunteers to be a witness. Joe makes his phone call and an army of lawyers arrive to get him out. Buster is warned not to mess with Joe, because of the "big boys" who protect him. Disillusioned, he intends to quit.

    Later. "Dapper" Joe and two henchmen confront Buster to make sure he got the message, and to put him to work for the mob. Instead, since he's quitting, Buster lights into them. Mr. Terrific arrives, and gives him a hand — or two fists, rather.

    Mr. Terrific decides to get "the big boys." So he doctors some money to show "paid to 'Dapper' Joe for protection" when heated, and has Wanda Wilson spread it around to the mob in disguise. Mr. Terrific shares his plan with the unnamed district attorney, and while the D.A. is questioning "the big boys," Mr. Terrific cranks up the boiler so it gets super-hot in the room. The secret message show on the money of all the "big boys," and they are arrested. Buster can now freely arrest small racketeers and enjoys his job.

    Where I Read It:  The JSA All Stars Archives Vol. 1

    Takeaways:

    • This isn't a bad little story, as it relies more on smarts than strength. 
    • Wanda's disguise is an old woman sellling apples on the street, like Mary Worth in her early days. Was that a real thing in the '40s, or just a comic strip thing?
    • Buster tells Mr. Terrific to "keep 'em flying" when he enters the melee. Fair play.

    Wildcat
    "Introducing Stretch Skinner"
    By Bill Finger and Irwin Hasen (10 pages)

    31081911491?profile=RESIZE_180x180Ted Grant is joined on his morning run by a very tall and skinny man named Hiram "Stretch" Skinner. Skinner has an exaggerated Southern accent, seems inspired by Li'l Abner, and has come to the big city to become a "dee-teca-tif." Later, Wildcat is chasing some crooks when he trips over Skinner's long legs, stretching out of an alley. Wildcat explains he's going to a masquerade.

    Skinner becomes a partner (by paying $2,000) in the Gile (sometimes Giles) and Hogg detective agency. Meanwhile, Wildcat has been investigating small robberies involving jewels, and discovers that Gile and Hogg are returning the jewels to their owners for a huge finder's fee. Wildcat breaks into their offices, where he finds a notebook with past and planned robberies. (As established, Golden Age criminals always keep written records of their crimes in their desks.) wildcat runs into Skinner, and after the requisite fight, plan to catch Gile and Hogg's gang in action the next night. They do, and after subduing the gang Wildcat and Skinner become partners.

    Where I Read It: 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-14

    Fun Facts:

    • Wildcat's motorcyle, the Cat-O-Cycle, is introduced. It's a motorcycle with a big cat face attached, if you're wondering.
    • After announcing "From now on, it's Wildcat and Skinner against crime!" Wildcat tells no one in particular to "keep 'em flying!" Maybe he was telling Stretch. Or the unconscious thugs. Or the reader. Hard to say.
    • Stretch knows only two people in the big city, Ted Grant and Wildcat. It's the Golden Age, so he doesn't guess they're the same person.

    Continuing: Black Pirate, Gay Ghost, Little Boy Blue

    • Was that a real thing in the '40s, or just a comic strip thing?

      I imagine it's at least as real as someone carrying a sign which reads "THE END IS NEAR."

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