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
I have often suspected that much of the JSA's post Golden Age lore exists largely to reinforce the trope "Writers are bad at math."
I vividly remember getting Justice League of America #207 right before going to my aunt and uncle's house for a week, reading it there and hoping I wouldn't miss All Star Squadron #14!
I always wondered why more wasn't done with either Earth-Three or the Crime Syndicate. Why were there only five super beings on the entire planet? Why wasn't their roster expanded with characters like Sea Czar, Robber Hood, Human Bullet, Baron Buzzard, etc.!
The reintroduction of Nuclear the Magnetic Marauder confirms my belief that there should have been a companion reprint series so we could read all the stories Roy Thomas kept basing his plots on!
And there's a story behind that Wonder Woman story from 1950. Apparently Nuclear was drawn one way then redrawn with paste overs for how he's portrayed here! And his name was Percy Playboy! Ah, the Golden Age! And yes, Roy explains that, too!
liked Joe Kubert's covers too. He has Aquaman looking like a blond Tarzan! But like other great artists like Jim Aparo, Gene Colan and Gray Morrow, their versions of Superman can be quite jarring!
But what bothered me the most was that the JLA get to meet other Golden Age heroes and two of them aren't actually from the Golden Age!
I always wondered why more wasn't done with either Earth-Three or the Crime Syndicate. Why were there only five super beings on the entire planet?
Grant Morrison answered that in JLA: Earth-2 (2000), with characters like White Martian (Martian Manhunter), Doctor Noon (Doctor Mid-Nite), White Cat (Black Canary), Spaceman (Starman) and Blood Eagle (Hawkman)!
The reintroduction of Nuclear the Magnetic Marauder confirms my belief that there should have been a companion reprint series so we could read all the stories Roy Thomas kept basing his plots on!
Thomas writing with, through and around stories I'd never read was the major drawback to the series fo me. I knew I didn't know enough to know what I didn't know, but I was pretty sure I was missing some things. Here I am, more than 40 years later, finally piecing it all together.
It occured to me yesterday of another alternate world I'd like to see in DC's multiverse -- an evil world like Earth 3, but based on the heroes of Earth 2. If I were ever to write an Injustice League story, the discovery of that world is what would kick it off.
JULY 13, 1982
November 1982, DC Comics Inc., 36 pages
Cover by George Perez
"The Bomb-Blast Heard 'Round the World!" aka "Crisis on Earth-Prime: Book Three"
By Gerry Conway, Don Heck and Sal Trapani (23 pages)
Title Watch: Inspired by the phrase "The Shot Heard 'Round the World," a reference to the opening shot of the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, which ignited the American Revolutionary War.
Calendar Watch: January 1942, probably the third week.
JSA Roll Call: Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Huntress, Power Girl, Starman (1982)
All-Star Squadron Roll Call: Firebrand, Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman and Steel.
JLA Roll Call: Aquaman II, Firestorm, Hawkman II, Superman II, Zatanna
Per Degaton sets off a nuclear weapon from 1962 Earth-Prime in the Pacific to intimidate 1942 world leaders. Five JLAers from 1982 Earth-One help five All-Star Squadron members clear the area, and all of them watch the explosion. In the aftermath, a time bubble appears with the five JSAers from 1982 Earth-Two.
The Justice League apparently have no problem walking around what to them is a historical documentary! And they tell the All-Stars about the future!
"Here's a list of names that you should get really friendly with: Bill Gates, Paul McCartney, George Lucas..."
Superman has to rethink his beliefs on time travel as history has been changed!
And no one is concerned about all the radiation just released in 1942!
btw, where are the Justice Society, Superman, Batman and the Flash while all this is going on? Why didn't FDR summon them?
On the one hand, since at this point in his career, Degaton was a self erasing time traveler, so no one had to worry about revealing anything about the future, as once Degaton was defeated, everything would reset, and none of these events would have happened with no future details having been revealed. Of course, since every time Degaton traveled through time was the first time, no one could remember fighting him before so they wouldn't know that. As annoying as this version of Degaton could be, I still like him better than the most recent version, who seems to have borrowed too many pages from Kang's play book.
Anyway, since the timeline (spoilers) will reset like this adventure never happened, so by the time Superman or the JSA could be called in, there would be no reason to call them, especially since back in the 40s, the JSA were mostly contacted by mail.
IIRC there is a segment during "America Vs. the Justice Society" (a four-issue miniseries published in 1985) that highlights how even the American Congress has to essentially trust the word of the JSA members that Per Degaton attempted to achieve power by changing the past at least three times and never leaving any evidence after being foiled.
Further down the line his schemes end up meshing with Mekanique's, resulting in a very convoluted story.
For some reason, Degaton always seemed to leave one thing behind when time snapped back. In the first story, the JSA found themselves with a bronze shield autographed by Alexander the Great, with no idea how they came to have it. Thanks to Wonder Woman's magic sphere, they learned about Degaton's time tampering, so they knew what had happened, even if they didn't remember experiencing it. Thus, they could recognize Degaton as part of the Injustice Society, even though his previous misdeeds hadn't quite happened. After the All-Star Squadron's origin, Firebrand still had her powers, with no idea how she got them, and presumably with the events that empowered her never having happened. Oh, and he stuck Solomon Grundy on the moon in order to tidy up some continuity. I'll leave Mekanique for the future, where she belongs.
DC did seem to take liberties with its own rules. Not only with "everything's erased" -- where, weirdly, not everything was erased -- but also time travel. When 1947 Per Degaton went to 1942, shouldn't he become a phantom, since he already existed in that time period? The phantom business was an iron-clad rule under Mort Weisinger, but it got spotty after 1970, and at some point DC just stopped paying attention to it.
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