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

[Captain Comics]

Welcome to our re-read of the first and greatest superhero team in comics ... and quite a bit more!

My plan is to re-read and discuss the Golden Age Justice Society of America, which ran from All-Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940) to All-Star Comics #57 (February-March 1951), and is currently being reprinted in DC's "DC Finest" line.

But, as ever, I am consumed by context. What events brought us to All-Star Comics #3? What characters did editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox have available from which to choose? What else was competing in the superhero space? To achieve that context, I plan to start the discussion at the publisher's beginning, when Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson launched National Allied Publications Inc. in 1935. That was the first step toward the Justice Society — and to DC Comics as we know it today.

So before we even get to the JSA, I'll re-read and open for discussion all the solo stories starring JSA members, mostly from DC's Archives and Famous First Edition series. Which is actually quite a lot! (Although not as much as I'd prefer. I want it ALL!) I'll be writing about non-JSA superheroes created by National, Detective Comics Inc. and All-American Comics Inc. too, like Crimson Avenger and Doctor Occult. I'll also be tipping my hat to some non-powered characters, principally those who managed to appear outside their parent title, like Slam Bradley and Hop Harrigan. That means no re-read for the likes of "Bart Regan, Spy" and "Speed Saunders." Sorry, fellas, but I had to draw the line somewhere — before I found myself doing a deep dive into the history of Ginger Snap. 

But I will be re-reading reprints, or availing myself of online information where reprints don't exist, of 14 of the 17 Golden Age characters who launched or appeared in All-Star Comics #3-57. Those characters include:

1. The Atom: All-American Comics #19-46, 48-61, 70-72; All-Star Comics #3-26, 28-35, 37-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Flash Comics #80, 82-85, 87 89-95, 97-100, 102-104; Comic Cavalcade #22-23, 28; Sensation Comics #86.
2. Black Canary: All-Star Comics #38-57; Comic Cavalcade #25; Flash Comics #86-88, 90-104.
3. Doctor Fate: All-Star Comics #3-12, 14-21; More Fun Comics #55-98.
4. Doctor Mid-Nite: All-American Comics #25-102; All-Star Comics #6 (text story), 8-57.
5. The Flash: All-Flash #1-32; All-Star Comics #1-7, 10, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties)
6. Green Lantern: All-American Comics #16-102; All-Flash #14; All-Star Comics #2-8, 10, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Green Lantern #1-38.
7. Hawkman: All-Star Comics #1-57, Big All-American Comic Book, Flash Comics #1-104, Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
8. Hourman: Adventure Comics #48-83, All-Star Comics #1-7, New York World's Fair Comics [#2].
9. Johnny Thunder: All-Star Comics #2-4, 6-35, 37-39; Big All-American Comic Book; Flash Comics #1-91; New York World's Fair Comics [#2]; World's Best Comics #1; World's Fair Comics #2-3; Flash Comics miniature (Wheaties).
10. Mister Terrific: All-Star Comics #24, Big All-American Comic Book, Sensation Comics #1-63.
11. Sandman: Adventure Comics #40-102, All-Star Comics #1-21, Boy Commandos #1, Detective Comics #76, New York World's Fair Comics [#1-2], World's Finest Comics #3-7.
12. The Spectre: All-Star Comics #1-23, More Fun Comics #52-101, a single panel in More Fun Comics #51.
13. Starman: Adventure Comics #61-102, All-Star Comics #8-23.
14. Wildcat: All-Star Comics #24, 27; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-2; Sensation Comics #1-90.

The obvious exceptions here are Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. Superman and Batman, called "honorary members" in the text, appeared twice in All-Star Comics, but I don't plan to re-read all their adventures from 1938 to 1951. They are peripheral at best to the Golden Age JSA, and would overwhelm the discussion through sheer volume. This problem extends to Wonder Woman as well, who appears in four titles in the Golden Age (Sensation Comics, Wonder Woman, Comic Cavalcade, All-Star Comics). I'll re-read and report on her JSA adventures, but like Batman and Superman, I'll just note her solo stories in passing with a summary that I'll grab somewhere online. That will keep the discussion abreast of any major developments, like new supervillains, in Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman stories.

Here are their appearances that are concurrent with All-Star's run:

• Batman: All-Star Comics # 7 (cameo), 36; Batman #1-63 (February-March 1951); Batman 3-D #1; Detective Comics #1-169 (March 1951); New York World’s Fair Comics [#2]; World’s Best Comics #1, World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951). 
• Superman: Action Comics #1-154 (March 1951); All-Star Comics #7 (cameo), 36; New York World’s Fair [#1-2]; Superman #1-69 (March-April 1951); Superman 3-D #1; Superman at the Gilbert Hall of Science; Superman Miniature; World’s Best Comics #1; World’s Fair Comics #2-50 (February-March 1951).
• Wonder Woman: All-Star Comics #8, 11-22, 24-57; Big All-American Comic Book; Comic Cavalcade #1-29; Sensation Comics #1-102; Wonder Woman #1-46 (March-April 1951).

Fortunately, Jeff of Earth-J is already doing a re-read of the Golden Age Superman. Jeff isn't doing a re-read of all Batman books, but he is compiling "The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told," by which he means "all of them." Recently he's begun re-reading other major Bat-villains, which he discusses in Batman vs. Penguin, Riddler — Prince of Puzzles, The Crimes of Two-Face and Catwoman: Nine Lives of a Feline Fatale.

I should note that my methodology changed over time, as realities required. For instance, I initially lumped books together by monthly cover date, but complications ensued for books without them, like quarterlies and one-shots. As the number of quarterlies and their importance increased, I ended up going by on-sale dates as the primary organizational tool. (Which aren't available for all books, but that's a lesser devil than chronologically misplacing Batman or All-Star Comics). Initially I only included mention of others strips in anthology books if they were of some importance, like Slam Bradley, but eventually I started including all of them. Here and there I would try to improve the format. And so forth. In some imaginary "someday" I'll go back through and make them all consistent.

I've tried to be comprehensive, relying on a variety of sources, from online to reprints to "companion" books. A tip of the cowl to a Luke Blanchard post in what amounts to an outline for this discussion. But I'm sure I've left out tons, especially stories I don't have or can't find, which may be at hand in your collection. I hope folks will do re-reads of stories I've left out, as well as comment on what I've written. So let's hear what I've missed Legionnaires — and what you think!

[Philip Portelli]

The Doctor Fate story sounds somewhat similar to All Star Comics #38 (Ja'48) "History's Crime Wave!" which also included Nero, Goliath and Captain Kidd!

[Captain Comics]

FEBRUARY 21, 1942

All-Star Comics #10, April-May 1942, All-American Publications Inc.
Cover by E.E. HIbbard. Hawkman is far and away the most important visual element of this cover. (Albeit miscolored.) I assume that's because he is now the most popular member, with Flash and Green Lantern gone. On the covers of the previous two issues, Hawkman and Spectre were the most prominent characters — not so much that I considered it noteworthy at the time, but growing in signficance in retrospect. He also became chairman in issue #8, which supports the "most popular member" assumption. Is it true? I can't say for sure. But it becomes moot with the next issue, which brings the mega-popular Wonder Woman to the team for the rest of All-Star's run. 

The four honoraries get vignettes on the cover. Normally I would write that off to a cynical sales ploy, but they do serve minor roles in the story.

Justice Society of America
“The Case of the Bomb Defense Formula!” 
By Gardner Fox and E. E. Hibbard (4 pages)

Splash Page:

The current members (The Atom, Dr. Fate, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hawkman, Johnny Thunder, Sandman, Spectre and Starman) are listed in the Roll Call. The honorary members (Batman, Flash, Green Lantern and Superman) are listed as such the Roll Call, and have insets at the four corners of the page. I suspect this is for internal consistency as much as sales. All four appear in dialogue, all four appear as statues, all four appear in a giant photo and Flash and Green Lantern appear physically in cameo. Might as well acknowledge them on the first page so they don't seem to appear from nowhere.

We're told in a caption that a group of scientists at the American Defense Laboratories have banded together to create a fool-proof bomb defense, but they are menaced by some suit-and-ties described as "a gang of international thieves." Hawkman (and Big Red), Sandman (wearing his new costume in All-Star for the first time) and Dr. Mid-Nite (and Hooty) are responding in defense of the scientists. 

Takeaways:

• If I were one of those scientists, I'd wonder why they didn't rate one of the big guns. Swap out Atom for Hawkman, and it's the Just Useless Society. 
• The two bird sidekicks appear, but not Sandy the Golden Boy. I get that they had to have Big Red for plot purposes, but Hooty is superfluous and the slight to Sandy is curious.

Pages 2-4:

The scientists explain that what they're trying to do, but they are constantly being interrupted by fifth columnists. This all comes as news to Hawkman, which is weird. If the JSA don't know who those scientists are and what they're doing, how did three members happen along to defend them? Anyway, Hawkman decides that defending these guys is a job worthy of the JSA. He sends Big Red to round up the team.

Dr. Mid-Nite adds some exposition: "I'd say to send Hooty, but Big Red, being a duck hawk, is the fastest thing that flies!" Good to know.

Big Red goes to "the usual meeting place" (there's still no mention of where that is) and passes the message to Atom, Dr. Fate and Johnny Thunder. Atom plays Mr. Exposition here, mentioning that Hawkman has taught Bird to all members, which is why they can understand Big Red (wheet!). The team arrives, and the delighted scientists "stand treat to dinner" — a phrase I've never heard anywhere else — where one of the scientists mentions to Johnny Thunder that he has a working time-travel method. Johnny suggests the team go to the future, when there's (probably) a working defense against air raids, and bring it back. 

Everyone agrees, but Hawkman notes some of them must stay behind to protect the scientists. Interestingly, Atom and Johnny Thunder assume they will be the stay-behinds. I can only guess it's because they're the youngest. (Al Pratt is a sophomore in college, probably 19 or 20, and Johnny is 24. By contrast, Dr. Fate is 31.) But Dr. Mid-Nite suggests the honorary members. He somehow knows that Batman and Superman are "busy," so the Thunderbolt brings Flash and Green Lantern. Flash has to return to another case — he's busy too, Dr. Weisenheimer — but GL agrees to stay. And, honestly, he's pretty much all you need. 

The team is sent 500 years into the future one by one, with a device that can return them. It isn't explained why they can't all go at once, but it does serve the plot, by separating them into solo chapters. 

The Grand Comics Database identifies the time-ray scientist as Professor Damon Everson, who returns in All-Star Comics #21, which is where he gets a name. All-Star Squadron #2 (1981) establishes that two of the unnamed scientists are Prof. Zee and Per Degaton, from All-Star Comics #35. America vs. the Justice Society #1-2 (1985) establishes the other members of the "Time Trust," which is what the group of scientists come to be called. In addition to Everson, Zee and Degaton, the Trust includes Dr. Wilfred Doome (Leading Comics #3), Dr. James Swanley (All-Star Comics #53) and Erik Pomar (All-Star Comics #53). 

Interestingly, America vs. the Justice Society establishes that Batman's time-travel pal Prof. Carter Nichols was not a member of the Time Trust. And Ray Palmer's time-pool pal Alpheus Hyatt was probably a baby.

Of course, America vs. the Justice Society may now be apochryphal, given the major roles played by Superman and Batman, who no longer exist in the Golden Age. (The story also contradicts the source material, establishing that the team was sent 1,000 years into the future.) But issues #1-2 both recap All-Star Comics #10, as do a couple of pages in All-Star Squadron #2. 

Takeaways:

• I know Fox granted Hawkman's avian zoolingualism to all the members to speed the plot along, but I wish he'd found another shortcut. Hawkman doesn't have a lot of super-powers (two, basically) and giving one of them to the entire team reduces him to just flying — which Spectre, Dr. Fate, Starman and Thunderbolt can also do. 
• Wait, a guy has invented time travel, and doesn't tell anyone until he mentions it in passing to Johnny Thunder?

Hawkman
By Gardner Fox and Sheldon Moldoff (7 pages)

Hawkman arrives in 2442, but runs into the police force of the future, the "Defenders." They have flying belts and are too tough to punch. No one believes Hawkman is who he says he is, and he's locked up. He uses his wings to bend the bars and escape. He finds a "televisabrary," which tells him where the "mathematical sections" of the "defense formula against bombs" are located (there are conveniently eight of them, with "a ninth element that turns this force screen into a weapon").Hawkman flies to Swamp City to get his mathematical section, where once again he runs into a Defender. But this one, Hald, studied history and knows that the JSA came to his time to get bomb defense — and succeeded. A judge once again doesn't believe Hawkman, but Hald helps him escape. He gets his section, and some flying belts because "The Atom and Sandman can use them" (no mention of Dr. Mid-Nite). 

Takeaway: I think if it was widely known that, say, Benjamin Franklin briefly visited 2026, we'd all be on the watch for him. It would be an exciting event that everyone would anticipate. But in 2442, the fact that superheroes from 1942 are due for a visit — it's in all the history books, as they say — is top of mind for only a few people. When, really, leadership should have the red carpet at the ready, because they know it' s going to happen. But I guess that wouldn't make for a very good story.

Fun Facts:

• The JSA is revered in the future, and Hawkman is shown a large picture of the group. It includes all eight members and the four honoraries — excluding only Hourman. Again. The poor guy can't catch a break.
• The picture is swiped from the next-issue promo in All-Star Comics #7, which became the splash page to All-Star Comics #8. But it's altered to bring it up to date, with Dr. Fate wearing his half-helmet and Sandman wearing his new outfit.
• In retrospect, it's kind of funny that the future memorializes the JSA lineup as it existed for exactly one issue, All-Star Comics #10. (Sandman is wearing his gas mask in All-Star Comics #9, and Wonder Woman joins in All-Star Comics #11.) I understand they were being internally consistent so as not to confuse the kiddies, but that particular lineup didn't last very long.
• The judge of the future mentions that Hawkman was "permanent chairman." So M.C. Gaines, Sheldon Mayer and Gardner Fox are essentially admitting that Hawkman isn't going to get his own title. 
• Mention is made of "Martian highwaymen" and an "invader from Venus." Because in 1940s science fiction, the nearer planets are always inhabited.
• At the televisabrary, Hawkman says, "Maybe they keep records on television now!" Yep, Gardner Fox predicts the internet in 1942.
• The Ninth Metal gets its due twice in this segment. It's the power of the Ninth Metal that is said to bend the jail bars, and Hawkman is "kept warm by radio ether waves thrown off by his Ninth Metal" when he flies in higher altitudes. Fox is expanding Hawkman's abilities, probably because of his higher visibility.
• Speaking of which: Hawkman's chapter, at 7 pages (8, if you count the one-pager below), is the longest in the book.

Justice Society of America
By Gardner Fox and E. E. Hibbard (1  page)

Hawkman finds the other members, who have all now arrived in 2442. He gives them their assignments (and flying belts to the non-fliers). He knows they will succeed because of Hald, and returns to the present.

Fun Facts:

• There is no logo or other divider to separate this one-pager from the Hawkman chapter. I only list it separately because A) GCD does, and B) it's drawn by a different artist.
• Upshot: The Winged Wonder is not only the cover star, but is very definitely the leader and MVP of this adventure.

Sandman
By Gardner Fox and Cliff Young (6 pages)

Sandman arrives at "a mighty glass-domed city in the middle regions of the United States." He disguises himself as a workman to gain entry, and learns the hard way about moving walkways and super-fast elevators. By chance, he learns of the location of the mathematical section and uses the wirepoon to get to it. A workman sees this and thinks he's stolen the wirepoon from a museum. He fights workmen, and then Defenders, with nothing but the wirepoon. He copies the math section and escapes with a flying belt.

Fun Facts:

• Young does his best Simon & Kirby impression. (It's not a very good impression.)
• We learn the United States still exists 500 years from now. 

The Atom
By Gardner Fox and Ben Flinton (6 pages)

Atom flies to "the mountainlands of the Himalayas." He's caught in some sort of tractor beam, and discovers this land is inhabited by giants. He's put in a bird cage, and fortunately, an eagle is put in with him. Since Fox has already established the JSA can speak Bird, Atom and the eagle conspire and escape. The eagle takes him to the mathematical section, which is located in a museum of ancient weapons. Atom copies the section, battles some Defenders, and escapes.

• Atom's bird is called a "mountain eagle," but he doesn't look like one.
• Atom's fight with the giants, and his flight on the (black) eagle look very much like Ray Palmer's later adventures with Major Mynah. 
• Atom tells the eagle to "keep 'em flying." He's the first to use the phrase this issue, and it's suitable for the situation.

Starman
By Gardner Fox and Jack Burnley (6 pages)

Starman flies to "the great treelands of the great Northwest," to a city built in the trees. His Gravity Rod is pulled away from him by some magnetic force. He is captured by Defenders who think he is crazy (dressing up like a historical figure). He is put in a hanging glass bowl, and watches as Defender candidates train on a catapult device. He swings the glass bowl into the side of a cliff and uses the catapult to launch into the city where, luckily, he lands where the mathematical formula is. He fights some Defenders, and copies the formula. He fights some more Defenders, then uses the catapult, and then a flying belt, to escape.

Fun Facts:

• I guess Starman leaves his Gravity Rod in the future. It is never explained what pulled it from him, or why it wasn't strapped to his wrist.
• The Treeland city is described as being in California, which apparently still exists 500 years from now.
• The glass bowl prison is visually cool but kinda dumb. I mean, it's obvious from the get-go you can swing it into the cliff wall and escape. Maybe future people aren't swingers. (Har! Har!) 

Doctor Fate
By Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman (6 pages)

Taking advantage of Fate's weakness to loss of air, Fox sends him to Oceania, a city under the sea, which is about the only thing that could challenge him. When he arrives, a Defender named Karles believes he really is Dr. Fate, but has to take him the the Tribunal anyway. They remand him to Karles' custody, but can't give him the mathematical equations due to agreements with sister-states. They hint, however, that if he were to steal it, they wouldn't be too upset. Karles takes Fate home to his wife Mary, where they enjoy a meal. He shows Fate home movies that reveal the location of the equations at a great depth, protected by "fierce denizens of the deep," and give him a suit that will allow him to breathe. Fate fights the "denizens" (primarily octopi and sharks) and copies the equations. Meanwhile, the Tribunal changes its mind, and sends Defenders after him. Fortunately, their ray guns just push Fate away (instead being "blown to atoms"), and eventually up, to safety.

Fun Facts:

• When arriving at Oceania, Fate says "Lucky thing I can hold my breath for quite a time!" and later says "Fortunately I can hold my breath a long time underwater!" That's news to us readers! In other stories, it seems he collapses if you throw a lariat around his neck! But the asphyxiation weakness does come into play.
• Karles shows Fate a hall of statues of great heroes. They're not all immediately identifiable, but George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Batman, Superman, Flash and Hawkman are obvious. One looks like it might be Green Lantern, and the GCD agrees. But the GCD identifies Lincoln as Thomas Jefferson (when Dr. Fate clearly says "Lincoln"), so I'm not sure it can be trusted. But if that statue really is the Emerald Crusader, that groups Hawkman with DC/AA's four biggest heroes (which are currently the team's four honoraries). Even in the Dr. Fate chapter, Hawkman is a star player. (Dr. Fate, sadly, doesn't seem to have a statue. He probably didn't get a dinner, either.)
• Mary and Karles show Fate "micromovies" on "microscopic-size film." It's not digital movies on the internet, but it's close.
• The ray guns push Fate around because his "body is composed of pure energy — which is indestrucitble!" I guess Fox is making a distinction between Fate being physically impervious, but no longer immortal (he can suffocate). 

Hop Harrigan
"The Ghost Plane"
By Evelyn Gaines (probably, 2 pages)

The text story once again stars Hop Harrigan. I didn't read it.

Dr. Mid-Nite
By Gardner Fox and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)

Dr. Mid-Nite's assignment is the City of Knowledge in the Sahara. Once again, when a JSAer announces himself, the future people assume he's mad. (This doesn't make a lot of sense, when you consider that it's in the history books that eight JSA members will visit 2442 — and succeed in their missions. The future people should be waiting to greet them with flowers and the formulae. This knowledge hasn't been lost in wars or whatever, because some of the future people, like Hald, know it. Maybe universal education is no longer a thing in the 25th century.)

However, two scientists are injured in an explosion, so Dr. Mid-Nite turns off the lights and operates on them, saving their lives. He is given the location of the mathematical equations. He is followed there by two revolutionaries, who mean to conquer the world with what is hidden with the equations. But Dr. Mid-Nite turns off the lights and beats them up. They are taken to school to un-learn how to be criminals, and Mid-Nite leaves with the equations.

Fun Facts:

• For some reason, the pyramids and the Sphinx are there in the Sahara, instead of near Cairo. I guess it's close enough for children. Or maybe they were moved 500 years from now.
• The people of 2442 are really impressed with the legend of Dr. Mid-Nite! Man, they go on and on about how his surgery skills have never been equalled, and what a swell fellow he was. If I were McNider, I would arrange to stay in the future permanently.

The Spectre
By Gardner Fox and Bernard Baily (6 pages)

Spectre has the "weirdest task of all!" His section of the formula is on the planet Ultima, "the furthest outpost of civilization!" Despite being somewhat familiar with heavenly bodies, Spectre has never heard of it. Jim Corrigan follows two guys whom he overhears discussing Ultima, but it turns out they're up to no good. They notice when Corrigan follows them onto two different spaceships — “he reminds me of one of those old-fashioned detectives!” — and shoot him with a ray gun that paralyzes him. They throw him out an airlock into space. He turns into Spectre and follows the spaceship, and listens in to the plans of the two men. They plan to take over Ultima, and eventually the known universe. Spectre finds a map locating Ultima —  it's a satellite off Neptune — and gets there first. He talks to the leader, The High Savant, and explains the situation. He takes the Savant's place, and when the would-be conquerors arrive, they shoot him with the paralysis ray, but Spectre arises from Corrigan's body and defeats them. He is given the mathematical equations and leaves.

Fun Fact: Evidently when in Jim Corrigan mode, Spectre can be paralyzed by the ray gun. But it doesn't work on him in Spectre mode.

Johnny Thunder
By Gardner Fox and Stan Aschmeier (6 pages)

Johnny Thunder arrives at "Sky City of the American Northwest," just as his flying belt conks out. He doesn't want Thunderbolt to help — "mystery men should be able to fix anything!" — so he fixes the belt himself. But he does it wrong, and flies backwards. A series of slapstick encounters with Defenders convince them he really is Johnny Thunder because he can "outfly" them. "You're one of our legendary heroes, Mr. Thunder," says the chief Defender. “I — er — used to think you were just a dope — but — er — I see you can fly, all right! With skill and daring!”

So once again Johnny's real super-power — his uncanny luck, where his blunders help him succeed — comes into play. But bad luck occurs, too, as word comes that "Black Butch the Killer" has stolen the mathematical equations. The Defenders are confident Johnny can beat him all by himself, and lauch him (backwards) into the sky. Johnny has the Thunderbolt take him to Black Butch, who doesn't appear to be human. He is huge, gray, covered in hair and has fangs. Johnny sends Thunderbolt to get the JSA, but they've all returned to 1942. Thunderbolt returns as Johnny is dodging Black Butch, who is trying to kill him with a crowbar. Johnny wishes his head would stop shaking, so Thunderbolt holds it. Somehow, when Black Butch hits Johnny's head (with Thunderbolt's hands on it), the act breaks his hand. Then he breaks his other hand the same way, and a foot. Johnny takes the defeated Butch to the Defenders, and leaves with the formulae (which he almost forgot). 

Fun Fact: Apparently it never occurs to Black Butch to hit Johnny somewhere other than his face. Also, unlike most criminal masterminds in '40s stories, Black Butch doesn't have a gang and is acting solo. Uncanny luck again, I guess.

Justice Society of America
By Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard (2 pages)

The Justice Society returns at the exact moment they left, because time travel. Flash returns as well. The scientists jabber some techno-babble, which baffles the likes of Atom and Johnny Thunder. (Ha! Ha! They are dumb!) The scientists create the force screen, while Hawkman and Dr. Fate drop bombs on it. It works and "goes into the private vaults of the United States Army" (because the U.S. was still officially neutral). 

Fun Facts:

• Atom says he spent weeks in the bird cage! That wasn't clear in his chapter.
• When Flash returns, he greets Green Lantern, so we see he is still there. Which means there are 10 JSA members in this chapter, a rare occasion in the Golden Age.
• Hawkman was told in his chapter that "the defense formula against bombs consists of eight separate mathematical sections, kept in eight localities. The ninth element that turns this force screen into a weapon is a military secret." Evidently, Fox forgot about the ninth element, because it is never mentioned again. Or maybe the 1942 scientists figured it out.
• The bomb defense has to fail subsequently, or it would have prevented Pearl Harbor, and other major World War II events, which Gardner Fox wouldn't have known about when he wrote this story in 1941. Roy Thomas deals with this problem in All-Star Squadron #2 (October 1981), where we are told that Per Degaton (who wasn't introduced until All-Star Comics #35, but has been retconned to be a member of the Time Trust) sabotaged the bomb defense mechanism so that it no longer worked. At the time I read All-Star Squadron #2, I hadn't yet read All-Star Comics #10, and didn't know the story ended with the device functioning perfectly.
• The failure of the bomb defense plays a major part in America vs. the Justice Society (1985). In the first issue, Helena Wayne (acting as the JSA's defense attorney) says, "The way I see it, there are two charges which, if proven to the committee's satisfaction, will lead to you being tried for treason. First: that all of you, except maybe Superman, worked for Hitler during the war ... and second, the sabotage of the bomb-defense ray in '41."
• Note that “The Case of the Bomb Defense Formula!” takes places no later than the first week of December 1941, despite the book shipping on Feb. 21, 1942, and having an April-May 1942 cover date. That's really the only way it can make sense, as the next issue takes place on Dec. 8, 1941, immediately after Pearl Harbor. Comics at the time (and maybe still) took three or four months to produce, so it wasn't until the spring of 1942 that comic books began to reflect America's entrance into the war.

Where I Read It: All Star Comics Archives Vol. 2

[The Baron]

He finds a "televisabrary," which tells him where the "mathematical sections" of the "defense formula against bombs" are located 

I might have taken a moment while I was there to look up how the war ended.

[Captain Comics]

I might have taken a moment while I was there to look up how the war ended.

Or just asked one of the people they met. You'd think that might have come up when Dr. Fate was having dinner with Karles and Mary. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

So M.C. Gaines, Sheldon Mayer and Gardner Fox are essentially admitting that Hawkman isn't going to get his own title.

Or (alternately) that All Star Comics is Hawkman's title.

The Winged Wonder is not only the cover star, but is very definitely the leader and MVP of this adventure.

See?

Back in the '90s, I always wonder why Peter David didn't pitch "The Pantheon" as its own series. It didn't occur to me (at the time) that The Incredible Hulk was the Pantheon's series.

...so it wasn't until the spring of 1942 that comic books began to reflect America's entrance into the war.

Similarly, the Sub-Mariner story in Marvel Mystery Comics #31 (May 1942) opens "on the eigth day of December, 1941."

 

[Philip Portelli]

More than Professor Everson (or whoever) building a Time Machine, he already used it, saying he traveled ten years into the future so he should know who won the war plus so many other things! Like how superhero comics suffered.

Professor Nichols originally used hypnosis as his time travel method, making it literally happen in your mind!

Maybe the Atom could put "Can Talk to Birds" on his resume! I'm sure this ability was used again. At least, Doctor Mid-Nite should be able to converse with Hooty now! Or if any of them get a parakeet!

Johnny sends the Thunderbolt for the Flash and Green Lantern! Maybe they don't speak bird! And presumably neither does Superman and Batman!

I'm pretty sure this is the most Superman and Batman get mentioned in a JSA story until ASC #36!

[Captain Comics]

Or (alternatively) that All Star Comics is Hawkman's title.

I hadn't thought of that, but what a great theory! I don't know when the publishers got word that paper availability was going to be cut back during the war. Maybe they just assumed it. But it isn't hard to imagine a scenario where Gaines realizes that no new titles are going to happen "for the duration," and decides to make the most of where Hawkman already is. It's a theory worth watching for more confirmation.

Meanwhile, I notice All-Star Comics #9 is the last one where Spectre is prominent on the cover. Some have already speculated that Spectre's popularity was probably at its height in his first year, and dropped off after that. And maybe the covers reflect that. But it could also be a chicken-and-egg thing: Did Spectre lose prominence to reflect his waning popularity, or did his popularity wane because DC/AA began emphasizing other characters? I don't know if that's a question that can be answered, but it's worth thinking about.

More than Professor Everson (or whoever) building a Time Machine, he already used it, saying he traveled ten years into the future so he should know who won the war plus so many other things! Like how superhero comics suffered.

These were comics for kids, and throwaway culture at that. So I'm sure Gardner Fox didn't consider for five seconds after turning in this story how the existence of time-travel technology would change everything. So it's incumbent on us, adult readers eight decades later, to try and explain why it didn't. I'm going with "time travel messes with your brain and it's impossible to retain memories of what happened in the future when you return." Certainly the JSA (and probably Fox) forgot all about this story by the next one! 

Professor Nichols originally used hypnosis as his time travel method, making it literally happen in your mind!

I never understood that.

At least, Doctor Mid-Nite should be able to converse with Hooty now! 

Good God, you're right! Dr. Mid-Nite should have been able to talk to Hooty over in All-American Comics, but didn't! Maybe time travel affects your language center, too!

Of course, Hawkman gained the power to breathe underwater in Flash Comics #9, and it was never mentioned again. 

I'm pretty sure this is the most Superman and Batman get mentioned in a JSA story until ASC #36!

You're probably right. But they didn't participate, so it felt like an early Justice League of America where Superman and Batman are said to be on a space mission, or "on a vital case of their own." Or a Roy Thomas Avengers, where Thor and Iron Man cameo, but conveniently leave before the villain arrives.

[The Baron]

So I'm sure Gardner Fox didn't consider for five seconds after turning in this story how the existence of time-travel technology would change everything. 

Is "giving a sh*t about continuity" Stan Lee's true greatest impact on comics? It seems sometimes that no one worried about that stuff before the Marvel Age started. 

I'm going with "time travel messes with your brain and it's impossible to retain memories of what happened in the future when you return."

That's typically been the reason that they use  in Doctor Who episodes where the current Doctor meets his previous selves to explain why the incumbent incarnation doesn't have his previous selves' memories of the meeting  -  when they return to their own time, they lose their memories of meeting their future selves.  "The timelines are out of synch, you can't retain it.."  Orf course, the show hasn't always been consistent about that, but that's another story.

[Dave Elyea]

I always figured that Nichols' hypnotic time travel was inspired by the concept of using hypnosis to induce past life regression,  only he added some science fiction stuff so that, instead of Bruce Wayne sitting in Gotham City experiencing a sample of one of his previous incarnations life, Bruce's mind was sent back in time to temporarily inhabit either the body of one of his earlier incarnations,  or the nearest suitable body.  Possibly,  while Bruce was in the past, his host's mind was in Bruce's body in Gotham,  in a more traditional past life regression situation.   Sure, there are massive leaps of logic here, but if we limit ourselves to stories that actually make sense,  we'd lose most of them. 

[Captain Comics]

FEBRUARY 21, 1942

Detective Comics #62, April 1942, Detective Comics Inc.
Cover by Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson
Jeff of Earth-J notes that this is the first time Joker has made a cover appearance (not counting Detective Comics #40, which has a lot of asterisks). 

"Laugh, Town, Laugh"
By Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Robinson and George Roussos (13 pages)

Jeff of Earth-J already covered this one on Page 4 of his The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told thread, so I don't have much to add. I'll repeat Jeff's IDs of the "five famous comedians" the Joker tries to kill for their clues to the fortune of a sixth comedian, Happy Hanson, who has died:

• Freddie Banter (Eddie Cantor)
• Denny Jackson (Jack Benny)
• Claude S. Tilley (W.C. Fields)
• Buster Parks (Buster Keaton)
• Ted Allenby (Fred Allen)

I'm impressed, because I doubt I would have gotten all those on my own. Happy Hanson doesn't appear to be based on anyone, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone came up with a match.

Continuing: Spy, Cliff Crosby, Crimson Avenger, Air Wave, Larry Steele, Slam Bradley.