The Amazing World of DC Comics #16

(December 1977)

Key to the Cover (Table of Contents)

illustration / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Marshall Rogers (layout); ?

Inks:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

Key to the characters on the wraparound cover, indicated by a numbers on an outlined version of the illustration.

Table of Contents (Table of Contents)

table of contents / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Murphy Anderson

Inks:

Murphy Anderson

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

Table of contents.

Reprints:

• from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #1 (November-December 1967) [page 11, panel 4 (Spectre image)]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with a reprinted image of the Spectre.

Roots of the Golden Age (Table of Contents)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Skip Kirkland

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Synopsis:

Overview of the early history of comics, focusing on DC's adventure heroes of 1937 and 1938.

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art from early Detective Comics and More Fun Comics features.

Freedom Fighters: Quality Is Their Middle Name (Table of Contents)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Roger Klorese

Pencils:

Mark Armstrong (letter column head); ? (Doll Man); Bill Quackenbush ? (Doll Man, Elmo) or Reed Crandall ? (Doll Man, Elmo); Dick Dillin (Uncle Sam); Lou Fine (Ray, Black Condor); Frank Borth (Phantom Lady); Ramona Fradon ? (Human Bomb)

Inks:

John Workman (letter column head); ? (Doll Man); Dick Giordano (Uncle Sam); ? (Doll Man second appearance); Lou Fine (Ray, Black Condor); Frank Borth (Phantom Lady); Vince Colletta (Human Bomb); Bob Smith (Human Bomb)

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Doll Man; Uncle Sam; Elmo (Doll Man's dog); Ray; Black Condor; Phantom Lady; Human Bomb

Synopsis:

History of the DC superheroes acquired from Quality Comics.

Reprints:

• from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #107 [Uncle Sam panel]
• from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #108 [Uncle Sam panel]
• from Doll Man (Quality Comics, 1941 series) #31 [Doll Man, Elmo]
• from Smash Comics (Quality Comics, 1939 series) #17 [Ray panel]
• from Crack Comics (Quality Comics, 1940 series) #18 [Black Condor panel]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with interior art from various 1940s Quality comics, as well as a panel from DC's 1970s Freedom Fighters comic.

Pencils, inks, characters and reprint information from Ted Watson

In the Beginning...Gold or: Where Were You in '42? (Table of Contents)

text article / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Thomas Tuna

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Synopsis:

Article on the Golden Age, including reactions of parents, teachers and librarians to the popularity of superhero and crime comics.

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted art from vintage DC house ads and story panels.

That Rough 'n' Ready Red-Clad Rubber Band Man...Plastic Man (Table of Contents)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Larry Herndon

Pencils:

W. Argyle Nelson-Smith

Inks:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Synopsis:

History of Quality's (now DC's) golden age hero.

Indexer Notes

New illustration of Plastic Man by W. Argyle Nelson-Smith for the article's logo is supplemented by reprinted golden age Plastic Man interior art.

Aging the All-Stars (Table of Contents)

text article / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Paul Levitz

Pencils:

Bob Kane (?); Mike Sekowsky; ?; Joe Staton; Dick Dillin; Wally Wood

Inks:

?; Sid Greene; ?; Bob Layton; Dick Giordano; Wally Wood; Joe Orlando

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Robin (Earth-Two; 1940s, 1967-1975, 1976-Crisis headshots); Atom (Earth-Two), Sandman (Earth-Two), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Spectre (Earth-Two Jim Corrigan), Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), Batman (Earth-Two), Hawkman (Earth-Two), Green Lantern (Earth-Two), Flash (Earth-Two); Sandman (Earth-Two); Superman (Earth-Two), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Star Spangled Kid, Power Girl; Starman (Ted Knight), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), Dr. Mid-Nite (Charles McNider), Wildcat (Ted Grant, Earth-Two), Flash (Earth-Two), Green Lantern (Earth-Two), Wonder Woman (Earth-Two), Star Spangled Kid, Robin (Earth-Two); Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane); Huntress (Helena Wayne)

Synopsis:

Analysis of in-story ages of Earth-Two members of the Justice Society of America.

Reprints:

• from DC Special (DC Comics, 1975 series) #29 (August-September 1977) [original JSAers on p. 23]
• from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #113 (September-October 1974) [panel ? (Sandman on p. 26)]
• from All-Star Comics (DC Comics, 1976 series) #64 (January-February 1977) [splash page, Star Spangled Kid & new cosmic converter belt with other JSAers on p. 26]
• from the cover of All-Star Comics (DC Comics, 1976 series) #69 (November-December 1977) [art only, as the JSA fights each other on p. 27]
• from Justice League of America (DC Comics series, 1960 series) #55 (August 1967) [p. 16, panel 1 (figure lifted out, different background here) (Mr. Terrific on p. 27)]
• from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1977 series) #97 (February 1978) [Power Girl on p. 28, background replaced with black field]
• from cover of DC Super Stars (DC Comics, 1976 series) #17 (November-December 1977) [Huntress [Helena Wayne] figure on p. 28, background replaced with black field]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted interior art from 1970s All-Star Comics revival as well as some older art.

["Centerspread"] (Table of Contents)

illustration / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Joe Staton

Inks:

Bob Layton

Content Information

Characters:

Wonder Woman (Earth-Two); Adolf Hitler (Earth-Two); Hawkman (Earth-Two); Green Lantern (Earth-Two); The Flash (Earth-Two); The Atom (Earth-Two); Wildcat (Earth-Two); two Nazi guards

Synopsis:

Pinup of Golden Age JSA members breaking through a wall to rescue a bound Wonder Woman from a pistol-wielding Adolf Hitler.

Indexer Notes

Appears between pages 2 and 3 of "Aging the All-Stars".

The Silver Age of Comics (Table of Contents)

text article / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Mike Gold

Pencils:

Joe Certa; Carmine Infantino; Gil Kane; Mike Sekowsky; Joe Kubert; Murphy Anderson; Steve Ditko; Jack Kirby; ?;

Inks:

Joe Certa; Joe Kubert; Joe Giella; Murphy Anderson; Bernard Sachs; Carmine Infantino; Steve Ditko; ?; ?

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Martian Manhunter; Flash [Barry Allen]; Green Lantern [Hal Jordan]; Atom [Ray Palmer]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Justice League of America [Green Arrow; Green Lantern; Wonder Woman; Atom; Aquaman; Superman; Batma;, Martian Manhunter; Flash]; Hawkman [Earth-One]; Justice Society of America [Hourman; Green Lantern; Atom; Doctor Fate; Black Canary; Hawkman]; Psycho-Pirate [Roger Hayden]; Elongated Man; Creeper; New Gods; Green Arrow

Synopsis:

Essay on DC's superhero comics from 1955 to the early 1970s.

Reprints:

• from Detective Comics (DC Comics, 1937 series) #? [figure of Martian Manhunter on p. 29]
• from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #4 (October 1957) [whole cover, on p. 29]
• from cover of Green Lantern (DC Comics, 1960 series) #3 (November-December 1960) [whole cover on p. 30]
• from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #35 (November-December 1961) [whole cover, with Atom [Ray Palmer] on p. 30]
• from Flash (DC Comics, 1959 series) #123 (September 1961) [page 9, last panel (on p. 30)]
• from Flash (DC Comics, 1959 series) #123 (September 1961) [p. 19, last panel (on p. 31)]
• from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #16 (December 1962) [(?), panel ? (?) (on p. 32)]
• from cover of Brave and the Bold, The (DC Comics, 1955 series) #34 (February-March 1961) [whole cover with Hawkman [Earth-One], on p. 32]
• from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #21 (August 1963) [p. 24, panel 4 (on p. 32)]
• from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #56 (May-June 1965) [whole cover, on p. 33]
• from Detective Comics (DC Comics, 1937 series) #? [panel with Elongated Man in action on p. 33]
• from ???? [montage of separate images of Creeper, New Gods, and Green Arrow, on p. 34]
• from cover of Batman (DC Comics, 1940 series) #183 (August 1966) [partial art image, no logo, etc., on p. 34]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art; ID of the panel from Justice League #16 (group--membership up to Atom--bursting out of cave-like imprisonment) is unconfirmed.

Welcome to a Small Meeting of the Justice Society of America (Table of Contents)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Fred Schneider

Letters:

?

Content Information

Synopsis:

Article on Schneider's custom-made action figures of the JSA.

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with nine photographs of the action figures including one of Schneider working on the Dr. Mid-Nite figure.

Speculations on the Spectre! Chapter Four in the Continuing Guide to Confusing Continuity (Table of Contents)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Cary Burkett

Pencils:

Murphy Anderson; Neal Adams; Jim Aparo

Inks:

Murphy Anderson; Neal Adams; Jim Aparo

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Characters:

The Spectre; Azmodus; Shaithan; Jim Corrigan

Synopsis:

Analysis of the Spectre's in-story history.

Reprints:

• from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #1 (November-December 1967) [p. 11, panel 3 (Spectre figure on p. 38)]
• from Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #60 (January-February 1966) [full cover repro on page 39]
• from Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #61 (March-April 1966) [full cover repro on p. 39]
• from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #5 (September-October 1968) [p. 17 (?), panel 4 (panel atop p. 40) page number from abridged reprint in Adventure Comics #498 (April 1983)]
• from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #440 (July 1975) [p. 17, panel 6 (panel at bottom of p. 41)]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art.

The Legion Outpost (Table of Contents)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jack C. Harris

Pencils:

John Forte; Curt Swan

Inks:

John Forte; George Klein

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Time Trapper; Lightning Lad; unidentified baby-fied Legionnaire, Glorith; Superboy, Matter-Eater Lad, Light Lass, Ultra Boy (the last three baby-fied).

Synopsis:

History of the Legion of Super-Heroes' enemy, the Time Trapper.

Reprints:

• from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) # ? [Time Trapper full figure]
• from Adventure comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) # ? [bust of Lightning Lad]
• from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #338 (November 1965) [Baby Legionnaire and Glorith on p. 43]
• from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #338 (November 1965) [whole cover on p. 44]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art.

Amazing World of Letters (Table of Contents)

letters page / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Letters:

typeset

Editing:

Bob Rozakis

Content Information

Synopsis:

Letters page.

Indexer Notes

Prints letters by readers Robert Kowalski of Detroit, MI and Stephen Doris of Manhattan Beach, CA.

The Great Superman Movie Contest (Table of Contents)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Mike Gold

Pencils:

Curt Swan (?)

Inks:

Murphy Anderson (?)

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Characters:

Superman

Synopsis:

Account of a contest set up by DC to promote 1978's Superman feature film. The contest winners won cameos in the Smallville sequence of the film.

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with a stock shot of Superman and four photos of contest winners 13-year-old Tim Hussey of San Lorenzo, CA and 14-year-old Ed Finneran of Springfield, MA. One photo includes director Richard Donner. Another includes actors Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill who have cameos in the film as Lois Lane's parents.

["Christopher Reeve as Superman Photo"] (Table of Contents)

advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Content Information

Synopsis:

Promotional still from 1978's Superman film.

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover.

["Back Cover"] (Table of Contents)

cover / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Marshall Rogers

Inks:

Marshall Rogers

Colors:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Blackhawk; the Blackhawks; Uncle Sam; Plastic Man (Earth-Two); Vigilante (Earth-Two); Dr. Fate; Shining Knight; Winged Victory; Guardian; Newsboy Legion; Green Lantern (Earth-Two); Doiby Dickles; Starman (Earth-Two); Hourman; the Spectre

Synopsis:

Continuation of image from front cover.