All-Star Comics #38

(December 1947-January 1948)

History's Crime Wave! [chapter 1] (Table of Contents)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bob Kanigher

Pencils:

Alex Toth

Inks:

Alex Toth

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Justice Society of America [Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman (cameo on splash page); Johnny Thunder; Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Black Canary]; Genghis Khan; Attila; Nero; Goliath; Cesare Borgia; Captain Kidd

Synopsis:

The scene opens at the murder trail of Sonia Gaye, famed concert pianist. When questioned about the death of her violinist brother, John, she states that he was killed by Nero, the Emperor of Rome. While all are having a good laught at that remark, Dr. Mid-Nite races up the steps to the courthouse, only to be met and killed by Nero himself! Meanwhile, in the ring at a wrestling match, wrestler Big Boy Nelson is being grilled about killing a competitor, Little David....but when he says that Goliath killed him, he is arrested and taken away. At the same time, the Atom is being killed by Goliath in a deserted house! A little later, in the harbor, the harbor Police board the Van West yacht, only to find one of the Van West sisters standing over the body of her dead sister, and she claims Captain Kidd actually did the crime. At that moment, the Flash arrives on the scene, and as he attempts to lift himself out of the water at the dock area, Captain Kidd cuts him down! Later still, at Gem Rarities, the owner, Mr. Benson, stands accused of killing his partner....but ironically, Benson says that Cesare Borgia killed him. That evening, at that place of business, Green Lantern is looking for clues, and as he enters the vault, Cesare Borgia poisons the Green Gladiator! At that moment at the Rex Theatre, a mock duel turns to tragedy when one of the duelers is killed....and the "killer" is said to have been Ghengis Khan. At that moment, on the roof of the theatre, Hawkman discovers Khan, but is killed by the tyrant! Elsewhere, at the Riverside death house, a young lady named Mary awaits her fate, claiming that her husband has been killed by Attila the Hun....and, as Johnny Thunder enters the bridge on the road leading to the prison, he is confronted and mortally wounded by Attila. Moments later, Black Canary discovers Johnny, who, with his dying breath, sends her to JSA HQ to tell Wonder Woman what has happened.

Reprinted:

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8

Indexer Notes

The splash page replicates the cover.

History's Crime Wave! [chapter 2] (Table of Contents)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bob Kanigher

Pencils:

Carmine Infantino

Inks:

Frank Giacoia

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Justice Society of America [Wonder Woman; Black Canary; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Johnny Thunder; Atom [Al Pratt]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]]; Paula; Paradise Island; Nero; wax museum guard

Synopsis:

As Wonder Woman sits alone in JSA HQ, wondering what has happened to the All-Stars, Black Canary enters and tells the Amazon Maiden what has happened to Johnny. Wonder Woman leaves and collects the corpses of the Justice Society members, and takes them back to HQ. Then, she and the Canary fly the bodies in the Invisible Plane to Paula's secret lab, to see if the mysterious Purple Ray can bring the JSA back to life. Minutes elapse, but finally the members begin to stir. They are informed as to what has happened to them and immediately they head back to town, visiting the local wax museum, where a display of the villains is being featured. Realizing that wax figures can't kill, they leave the museum and are met by Black Canary, who has followed them from Paradise Island. The members finally agree to tell her their stories of how they were killed, hoping she might have a perspective on how best to track down the villains who did them in. Green Lantern tells her that the members had visited the wax museum the day before to see that exhibit on the greatest villains of all time, and mused what would happen IF they would ever meet such dastardly crooks in the flesh. That evening, Alan Scott receives a message asking him to send Green Lantern to Gem Rarities to discover the truth behind the murder of Benson's partner. When he did, Borgia killed him! As it turns out, all the other members had similar occurances that led to their deaths. Black Canary tells the group that no jury would ever believe their stories in order to save the lives of the accused....but then the JSA members realize that they still have the notes, which had sent each of them to their deaths, in their possession....and as they pull them out, they disappear! As a puzzled JSA tries to figure out what has just happened, Black Canary comes up with an idea of what they should do next.

Reprinted:

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8

Indexer Notes

Art credits from Craig Delich. This is the only JSA story in which Paula appears, and the first JSA tale to feature the Invisible Plane.

[untitled] (Table of Contents)

Ton o' Fun / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Harry Lampert (signed)

Pencils:

Harry Lampert (signed)

Inks:

Harry Lampert (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Indexer Notes

This filler was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

History's Crime Wave! [chapter 3] (Table of Contents)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 11 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bob Kanigher

Pencils:

Bob Oksner

Inks:

Bob Oksner

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Justice Society of America [Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder]; Nero; Goliath; Captain Kidd; Cesare Borgia; Genghis Khan; Attila

Synopsis:

Soon after, a newspaper, the Globe Telegraph, announces that the JSA has caught the killers who masqueraded as the ancient villains, and shows a picture as proof! Naturally, the real villains are purplexed...and as each of the JSA members goes after the real villain involved, and overcomes them, each villain breaks apart, proving only to be wax dummies! Simultaneously, as the figures break apart, they explode, knocking the JSA members unconscious.

Reprinted:

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8

The Chief Returns a Gift (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Charles King (signed)

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

western

Indexer Notes

This text story was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

History's Crime Wave! [chapter 4] (Table of Contents)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bob Kanigher

Pencils:

Alex Toth

Inks:

Alex Toth

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Justice Society of America [Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder; Black Canary; Wonder Woman]; Nero; Goliath; Attila; Cesare Borgia; Captain Kidd; Genghis Khan; wax museum guard (villain)

Synopsis:

As the JSA revives, they finds themselves bound inside a huge wax vat in the basement of the wax museum, with hot wax raining down on top of them. As they look up, the evil villains are standing and gloating over their demise, when suddenly only one of them unmasks, revealing the security guard of the museum, who tells them that he has impersonated ALL of the villains. When they become coated with hardened wax, the JSA will become a private exhibit for him in his own wax museum! Just then, a wax model begins to move and talk, warning him not to do what he is doing. The guard strikes this figure, soon revealed as the Black Canary....and, as he lunges at her, he falls and drowns in the hot wax. Canary breaks the Flash free, who then frees the other members. As the Black Canary turns to leave, the members take her back to JSA HQ and makes her an honorary guest of the Society, and hope that she will one day become a permanent member.

Reprinted:

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8