Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes

(1976)

[Title Pages] (Table of Contents: 1)

credits, title page / 10 pages (report information)

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Initial pages, including blank pages, title pages, dedication (to Sheldon Mayer), and acknowledgments.

Contents (Table of Contents: 2)

table of contents / 3 pages (report information)

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Illustrated table of contents, showing the hero's image (taken from the story) and the page number. The third page is blank.

Introduction (Table of Contents: 3)

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Carmine Infantino

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Introduction to these stories, by the Publisher of DC at this time. The second page is blank.

Superman...He's the Key, the Granddaddy of them All (Table of Contents: 4)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Superman.

[One Page Origin of Superman] (Table of Contents: 5)

Superman / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Joe Shuster

Inks

Joe Shuster

Colors

?

Letters

Joe Shuster

Editing

Vin Sullivan (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent / Kal-El] (introduction, brief origin)

Reprints

• from Action Comics (DC, 1938 series) #1 (June 1938)

Keywords

Krypton (intro; not named)

The Origin of Superman! (Table of Contents: 6)

Superman / comic story / 15 pages (report information)

Script

E. Nelson Bridwell

Pencils

Carmine Infantino (layouts); Curt Swan (pencils)

Inks

Murphy Anderson

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Editing

Julius Schwartz (original editorial advisor); E. Nelson Bridwell (original assistant editor); Sol Harrison (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Jor-El (flashback); Jonathan Kent (flashback); Martha Kent (flashback); Lois Lane; Lara (flashback); Jimmy Olsen; Superman [Clark Kent / Kal-El]; Perry White

Reprints

• from The Amazing World of Superman, Metropolis Edition (DC, 1973 series) (1973)

Keywords

Krypton

Batman...He Was Unable Not to Fight Criminals (Table of Contents: 7)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Batman.

The Legend of the Batman--Who He Is and How He Came to Be! (Table of Contents: 8)

Batman / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Finger

Pencils

Bob Kane (signed)

Inks

Bob Kane (signed); Sheldon Moldoff (sourced) (backgrounds)

Colors

?

Letters

Sheldon Moldoff (sourced)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Batman (origin); Thomas Wayne; Martha Wayne

Reprints

• from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)
which is reprinted
• from Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #33 (November 1939) [first two pages only], #34 (December 1939) [splash panel]

Indexer Notes

This book says that this story was reprinted from Detective Comics #33, but this really is the version from Batman #1, which itself reprints first two pages from Detective Comics #33 but substituted the splash from Detective Comics #34.

The Origin of the Batman! (Table of Contents: 9)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Finger

Pencils

Bob Kane (sourced)

Inks

Charles Paris (sourced)

Colors

?

Letters

Ira Schnapp (sourced)

Editing

Whitney Ellsworth (original editor)

Feature Logo

Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]

Genre

superhero

Characters

Batman [Bruce Wayne] (origin retold in detail); Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Thomas Wayne (flashback, death); Martha Wayne (flashback, death); Joe Chill (villain, name revealed in this story, Thomas and Martha Wayne's murderer, death); Feets Borgam (killer, death); Monty Julep (illegal gambler, death)

Synopsis

While investigating criminal activity at a transport company, Batman recognizes the owner, Joe Chill, as the man who killed Thomas and Martha Wayne years before. Batman tries to find evidence of Chill's illegal operations, but when he fails, he decides to reveal his identity to Chill and tells him that will be watching him and will catch him eventually. In a panic, Chill flees to his gang, but when they find out Chill is responsible for Batman's existence they shoot him, and only after do they realize that they should have asked Chill for Batman's real name.

Reprints

• from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #47 (June-July 1948)

Wonder Woman...The Female Sex Is Assuming Day by Day a More Dominant Role in World Affairs (Table of Contents: 10)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Wonder Woman.

[The Origin of Wonder Woman] (Table of Contents: 11)

Wonder Woman / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

William Marston (under house name Charles Moulton)

Pencils

Harry Peter (signed)

Inks

Harry Peter (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

Sheldon Mayer (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Ares; Colonel Darnell (cameo); Hippolyte; Steve Trevor; Wonder Woman [Princess Diana] (origin); Ares [Mars]; Aphrodite; Hercules (introduction); Amazons; Mala

Reprints

• from Wonder Woman (DC, 1942 series) #1 (Summer 1942)

Indexer Notes

Origin: Wonder Woman (in detail; cf. Sensation Comics #1).

War of the Wonder Women! (Table of Contents: 12)

Wonder Woman / comic story / 23 pages (report information)

Script

Cary Bates

Pencils

Don Heck

Inks

Vince Colletta

Colors

?

Letters

Ben Oda

Editing

Robert Kanigher (original editor); Allan Asherman (original editorial assistant)

Job Number

R-203

Genre

superhero

Characters

Hippolyta; Mars; Nubia (origin); Wonder Woman [Princess Diana] (origin)

Reprints

• from Wonder Woman (DC, 1942 series) #206 (June-July 1973)

Indexer Notes

Writer miscredited as "Gary" Bates as in the original.

The Flash...You Can Do Almost Anything With Him... (Table of Contents: 13)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Flashes (Jay Garrick and Barry Allen).

[Origin of the Flash] (Table of Contents: 14)

Flash / comic story / 15 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Harry Lampert

Inks

Harry Lampert

Colors

?

Letters

Harry Lampert (masthead)

Editing

M. C. Gaines (original managing editor); Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Flash [Jay Garrick] (origin) (introduction); Joan Williams (introduction); Major Williams; Sieur Satan; Serge Orloff; Duriel; the Faultless Four; Professor Hughes

Reprints

• from Flash Comics (DC, 1940 series) #1 (January 1940)

Keywords

Midwestern University

Indexer Notes

First line is 'But before he became known and feared as "the fastest thing on Earth", Jay Garrick was an unknown student at Midwestern University...'

Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt! (Table of Contents: 15)

The Flash / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Carmine Infantino

Inks

Joe Kubert

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Editing

Julius Schwartz (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Flash [Barry Allen] (origin) (introduction); Iris West (introduction); Flash [Jay Garrick] (on a comic book cover); The Turtle Man (villain; later The Turtle)

Reprints

• from Showcase (DC, 1956 series) #4 (September-October 1956)

Green Lantern...No Evil Shall Escape My Sight (Table of Contents: 16)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Green Lanterns (Alan Scott and Hal Jordan).

[The Origin of Green Lantern] (Table of Contents: 17)

Green Lantern / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Finger

Pencils

Marty Nodell

Inks

Marty Nodell

Colors

?

Letters

Marty Nodell

Editing

M. C. Gaines (original managing editor); Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Green Lantern [Alan Scott] (origin) (introduction); Jimmy (death); Chang the Lamp Maker (flashback); Billings (flashback); Dekker (villain, death)

Reprints

• from All-American Comics (DC, 1939 series) #16 (July 1940)

SOS - Green Lantern! (Table of Contents: 18)

Green Lantern / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

John Broome

Pencils

Gil Kane

Inks

Joe Giella

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Editing

Julius Schwartz (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Green Lantern [Hal Jordan] (origin) (introduction); Green Lantern [Abin Sur] (death, origin) (introduction)

Reprints

• from Showcase (DC, 1956 series) #22 (September-October 1959)

Hawkman...The Weirdness Seems to Be Part of Hawkman's Appeal (Table of Contents: 19)

text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Hawkmans (Carter Hall and Kartar Hol).

[The Origin of Hawkman] (Table of Contents: 20)

Hawkman / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Dennis Neville

Inks

Dennis Neville

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

M. C. Gaines (original managing editor); Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Hath-Set (introduction); Hawkgirl [Shiera Sanders] (introduction, later Hawkgirl); Hawkman [Carter Hall] (origin) (introduction); Kolar; Doctor Hastor

Reprints

• from Flash Comics (DC, 1940 series) #1 (January 1940)

Indexer Notes

The title here was given in Golden Age Hawkman Archives vol. 1 where this story was also reprinted. First line is "In the weapon-lined library of Carter Hall, wealthy collector of weapons and research scientist -".

Creature of a Thousand Shapes! (Table of Contents: 21)

Hawkman / comic story / 24.67 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Joe Kubert

Inks

Joe Kubert

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Editing

Julius Schwartz (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Byth (villain) (introduction); George Emmett (introduction); Hawkgirl [Shiera Sanders] (origin) (introduction); Hawkman [Katar Hol] (origin) (introduction); Mavis Trent (introduction)

Reprints

• from The Brave and the Bold (DC, 1955 series) #34 (February-March 1961)

Keywords

Thanagar

Indexer Notes

Story is really 24.67 pages, with a vignette of Hawkman and Hawkgirl from page 8 filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

Green Arrow...A Streamlined Robin Hood (Table of Contents: 22)

text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Golden Age and Silver Age Green Arrows.

The Birth of the Battling Bowmen (Table of Contents: 23)

Green Arrow / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Samachson ?

Pencils

Cliff Young (signed)

Inks

Steve Brodie (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

Jack Schiff (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Green Arrow [Oliver Queen] (origin); Speedy [Roy Harper] (origin); Mr. Harper [Roy's father] (flashback, death); Quoag [Mr. Harper's Indian servant] (death); Dippy Parker; Curator Morgan; Lefty; Louie

Synopsis

Archaeologist Oliver Queen is visiting Lost Mesa where he meets Roy Harper, a young boy marooned on Lost Mesa and raised by Quoag, his father's Indian servant. There they are beset upon by thugs searching for a gold mine. After Quoag dies from gun shots, only Oliver and Roy's skills with archery and knowledge of Indian lore save them.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #89 (March 1943)

Keywords

Lost Mesa

The Green Arrow's First Case (Table of Contents: 24)

Green Arrow / comic story / 6.67 pages (report information)

Script

Ed Herron

Pencils

Jack Kirby

Inks

Jack Kirby; Rosalind Kirby (backgrounds)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

Jack Schiff (original managing editor); Mort Weisinger (original story editor); George Kashdan (original story editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Green Arrow [Oliver Queen] (origin); Speedy [Roy Harper]

Reprints

• from Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #256 (January 1959)

Keywords

trick arrows (origin)

Indexer Notes

Story is really 6.67 pages, with a vignette of a bow and a quiver of arrows filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

The Atom...Not One Person out of Ten Knew What an Atom Was (Table of Contents: 25)

text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Atoms (Al Pratt and Ray Palmer).

Introducing the Mighty Atom (Table of Contents: 26)

The Atom / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Bill O'Connor

Pencils

Ben Flinton

Inks

Leonard Sansone

Colors

?

Letters

?

Editing

Sheldon Mayer (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Atom [Al Pratt] (intro, origin); Mary James (intro); Joe Morgan (intro)

Reprints

• from All-American Comics (DC, 1939 series) #19 (October 1940)

Indexer Notes

Inker credit verified by Craig Delich & Jerry Bails (Nov. 2005).

Birth of the Atom! (Table of Contents: 27)

The Atom / comic story / 9.67 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Gil Kane

Inks

Murphy Anderson

Colors

?

Letters

Gaspar Saladino

Editing

Julius Schwartz (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Atom [Ray Palmer] (origin) (introduction); Jean Loring (introduction)

Reprints

• from Showcase (DC, 1956 series) #34 (September-October 1961)

Indexer Notes

Story is really 9.67 pages, with a vignette of an atom filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

Shazam!...In One Thing a Sense of Fun and the Whole Sense of Adventure (Table of Contents: 28)

text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Captain Marvel.

[Introducing Captain Marvel] (Table of Contents: 29)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Parker

Pencils

C. C. Beck

Inks

C. C. Beck

Colors

Bill Parker

Letters

?

Editing

Bill Parker (original editor)

Genre

superhero

Characters

Captain Marvel [Billy Batson] (origin) (introduction); Shazam [Billy Batson] (introduction); Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana (introduction); Sterling Morris (introduction); radio station WHIZ (introduction); Seven Deadly Enemies of Man (introduction), Ebenezer Batson (introduction, flashback); Phantom Companion

Reprints

• from Whiz Comics (Fawcett, 1940 series) #2 (February 1940)

Plastic Man...One of the Wildest Imaginations... (Table of Contents: 30)

text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Denny O'Neil ?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Plastic Man.

[The Origin of Plastic Man] (Table of Contents: 31)

Plastic Man / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Jack Cole (signed)

Pencils

Jack Cole (signed)

Inks

Jack Cole (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

Jack Cole

Editing

Ed Cronin (original editor)

Job Number

N-396

Genre

humor; superhero

Characters

Plastic Man (origin) (introduction); Rest-Haven monk; Skizzle Shanks

Synopsis

Gangster Eel O'Brian's dip in a vat of acid turns him into the superhero Plastic Man and against the mobsters he used to work with.

Reprints

• from Police Comics (Quality Comics, 1941 series) #1 (August 1941)

The Author (Table of Contents: 32)

text article / 4 pages (report information)

Script

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

biography

Indexer Notes

Final pages, including a one-sentence biography of Dennis O'Neil and 3 blank pages.

[Back Cover] (Table of Contents: 33) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)