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
It was more a 1930s thing.
Here is a "The End is Near" gag from today.
So the Nazis decide that Eve who was arrested for working with the Nazis and is now known by the military would be the perfect person to become a spy for them!
It seems like there were a lot of Nazis in America which is convenient since that's less travel for the heroes!
One subplot was that Colonel Darnell has a thing for Diana who stuns him dressed as Wonder Woman. So even with the glasses and hair pinned up, Diana should still be a knockout!
I wonder if sororities and fraternities were that extreme with pledges to the point of bondage and pain?
As I read those early Mister Terrific stories, I feel that the concept is sound (an incredibly gifted man using his talents, skills and knowledge to help the less fortunate, to play fair) but the presentation was weak. With a better costume and promotion, the Defender of Fair Play could have been AA's Batman!
Stretch Skinner was one of the more useful sidekicks because he could actually fight! He looks like he can be eight feet tall if not more!
It seems like there were a lot of Nazis in America which is convenient since that's less travel for the heroes!
If you read about the Bunds and things like that, it seems there were at least a certain number of sympathizers.
I wonder if sororities and fraternities were that extreme with pledges to the point of bondage and pain?
Yeah, one does wonder. It does turn up in a lot of the popular fiction of that period. there were no fraternities at the low-level state school that I went to, so I've never encountered that sort of thing in person.
I wonder if sororities and fraternities were that extreme with pledges to the point of bondage and pain?
I think it very much depends. Rituals have come out, in court cases, that cross the line into assault and torture. Several fraternities and chapters have been dissolved over this kind of thing, over the decades.* A few fraternities also brand their members, though I've been told the practice is optional and, like most extreme hazing, officially banned by many (most?) academic institutions.**
William Marston did "scientific inquiries" at a sorority ritual that involved some low-level bondage/pain stuff, though the biopic, Professor Marston & the Wonder Women (2017) exaggerates and distorts that element somewhat. I do recommend the film, though, and strongly recommend Jill Lapore's The Secret History of Wonder Woman.
*I've seen Hazing (2022) and the Death in the Dorms doc series from a few years back. Other recent docs that I have not seen include Death of a Pledge: The Adam Oakes Story (2023), Houses of Horror: Secrets of College Greek Life (2024). There is a lot of older coverage of these things, so the media didn't just make it up. The university where I did my undergraduate had banned the fraternities and sororities from campus some years before I got there, and they were working their way back in at the time, trying to be on their best behavior, supposedly. They regained official status during those years; one heard and hears stories.
**I witnessed a voluntary branding a few decades back, though that was outside of the Greek system, with which I have never been directly involved. The point here being that some people do these things, with varying degrees of willingness.
Wanda's disguise is an old woman sellling apples on the street, like Mary Worth in her early days.
From the "People Who Never Were -- Yet Live Today" section of The People's Almanac:
"Then came the Great Depression of the 1930s, and with it, a radical change for Mary. She was brought low by financial reverses, which inevitably changed her personality and appearance. During those hard times, she became earthy, older-looking than she is now, and double-chinned. She was fat in her shapeless polka-dot dress, and her straggled carelessly out of its once neat bun. To sopport herself and her criplled grandson, Dennie -- Slim's boy -- she was forced to sell apples on the street and was affectionately known by her neighbors -- to whom she gave food and grandmotherly advice -- as Apple Mary."
Today she would no doubt be horrified by the way she spoke and acted in those harsh days. For example, at one point she hit a man over the head with a lamp, and when he asked her why she had done it, she replied, "Well, you couldn't keep your big mouth shut by yourself, so I helped you out."
According to Don Markstein's Toonopedia Apple Mary is not Mary Worth - or at least that is King Fratures' stance.
I am aware of King Features' stance, but the Apple Mary strip from February 14, 1935 clearly identifies Apple Mary as "Mary Worth."
Given the passage of time that she has remained a relatively young woman, there needs must have been a king's ransom's worth of Maries in alternate universes. Clearly, this is the "Mary Worth/Apple of Earth-π.
Of course, it could just be.... COMIC CONTINUITY!
LOL, "Crisis of Infinite Busybodies"!
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