(August-September 1941)

DC, 1940 Series
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Volume
1
Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
bi-monthly
On-sale Date
1941-06-25
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
All-American Comics Inc.
Brand
A DC Publication
Editing
M. C. Gaines (managing editor); Sheldon Mayer (assistant editor, uncredited)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration and from ad in All-Flash #1, which says "on sale about June 25th."

The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! (Table of Contents)

Justice Society of America / cover / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
E. E. Hibbard; Sheldon Moldoff (Hawkman helmet wings touch-up)
Inks
E. E. Hibbard; Sheldon Moldoff (Hawkman helmet wings touch-up)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Justice Society of America [Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Dr. Fate [Kent Nelson]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; The Flash [Jay Garrick] (newly elected Honorary Member); The Atom [Al Pratt]; The Hour-Man [Rx Tyler]; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Johnny Thunder (made a member in this issue)]; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Touch-up credits from Craig Delich, confirmed by Sheldon Moldoff.

Here It Is - Boys and Girls All-Flash Quarterly No. 1! (Table of Contents: 1)

All-Flash Quarterly / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
? (red tones)
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 2)

Mutt & Jeff / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
? (red tones)
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Boys and girls! If you like Mutt & Jeff...

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Introduction] (Table of Contents: 3)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
E. E. Hibbard
Inks
E. E. Hibbard
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Justice Society of America [Dr. Fate [Kent Nelson]; The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; The Atom [Al Pratt]; The Hour-Man [Rex Tyler]; The Flash [Jay Garrick] (now an Honorary Member); The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]]; Johnny Thunder (guest); The Thunderbolt [Archibald] (cameo)
Synopsis
Former Chairman of the JSA, and now Honorary Member, the Flash is invited to a special dinner in his honor at JSA HQ. Faced with finding a new member for the group, the members decide to put Johnny Thunder to the test to see if he is an appropriate replacement by tracking down one Killer McPanzee. Johnny reluctantly agrees and leaves, not knowing that McPanzee is a harmless old codger who thinks he's tough and even prints horrific crime-ridden newspapers, detailing crimes he supposedly has committed on his own printing press!
Reprints

Indexer Notes

After being a guest in #3-4, Johnny Thunder replaces the Flash as a member. No roll call on the splash page.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 1] (Table of Contents: 4)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
humor; superhero
Characters
Johnny Thunder; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]; "Killer" McPanzee; Easy Eddie Edwards (villains); Edward's gang (villains)
Synopsis
After having been shown phony newspapers about a Killer McPanzee, Johnny heads out to capture the phony felon at his residence at 222 Park Lane Drive, unaware that the criminal element has also seen the newspapers and decide to take advantage of the situation. Johnny disguises himself when he arrives at McPanzee's home, but the criminals see through that and try to let him have it...especially when they find out he's being initiated as a new JSA member. T-Bolt gives the crooks good manners, and they politely wrap Johnny up in a blanket and throw him in the river!
Reprints
Keywords
Say You

Indexer Notes

Johnny still does not know how to control his Thunderbolt.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 2] (Table of Contents: 5)

The Flash; Justice Society of America / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
E. E. Hibbard
Inks
E. E. Hibbard
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Johnny Thunder (cameo); The Thunderbolt [Archibald] (cameo); Green Lantern [Alan Scott] (cameo); Killer McPanzee; Clancy (Policeman); un-named Police Sergeant; Big Easy Edwards (villain); Edward's gang (villains)
Synopsis
The Flash is contacted by Johnny's Thunderbolt that his pal is in desperate need of assistance from drowning at the hands of a counterfeiting gang, headed by Edwards. Flash uses his ultra speed to aid the counterfeiters in designing the currency and getting the plates to the presses, then running off so much money that it pours out of the house the press is in, alerting passersby. Then Flash rounds up Edwards and gets him jailed while the duped McPanzee leaves shore in a rowboat for Europe!
Reprints

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude] (Table of Contents: 6)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
humor; superhero
Characters
Johnny Thunder; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]; Inza Cramer; gang of crooks (villains)
Synopsis
Saved from drowning by the Thunderbolt, Johnny is once again pursued by a criminal element, and wishes that a pretty girl would come to comfort him. Inza appears and now Johnny wishes that Dr. Fate was also there because of the crooks attacking him.
Reprints

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 3] (Table of Contents: 7)

Doctor Fate; Justice Society of America / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Dr. Fate [Kent Nelson]; Inza Cramer; The Thunderbolt [Archibald] (cameo); gang of crooks (villains)
Synopsis
The Thunderbolt warns Fate of what is happening to Johnny and Inza, and by the time he arrives, Johnny has disappeared and Inza has been left behind. Doctor Fate then takes Inza with him to search for Johnny, and runs into more crooks, who pose as mechanics in order to enter into and successfully rob banks. He enters their den and makes short work of them, then deposits them in the City Jail.
Reprints
Keywords
City Jail; Tolson Garage

Indexer Notes

Oddity: Dr. Fate has no cape on in panel 1 of page 1.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude] (Table of Contents: 8)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
humor; superhero
Characters
Johnny Thunder
Synopsis
Johnny had hid in the trunk of Inza's car when the crooks stole it and entered a garage where Dr. Fate had tailed the crooks. Johnny accidentally falls down a laundry chute into the midst of walking skeletons and asks for the Sandman to help him.
Reprints

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 4] (Table of Contents: 9)

Justice Society of America; Sandman / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Cliff Young (signed)
Inks
Cliff Young (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Johnny Thunder; The Hour-Man [Rex Tyler] (cameo); Hawkman [Carter Hall] (cameo); the "skeleton men" (actors); un-named Policeman; protection racketeers (villains)
Synopsis
Sandman discovers Johnny in the Playhouse of Horrors and shows Johnny that the skeletons are only actors! However, Sandman discovers that crooks having been trying to extort protection money from the Playhouse, and wades into them, eventually locating and rounding up the entire organization in one fell swoop!
Reprints
Keywords
Playhouse of Horrors; Wirepoon

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 5] (Table of Contents: 10)

The Hourman; Justice Society of America / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Bernard Baily (signed)
Inks
Bernard Baily (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Bernard Baily

Genre
superhero
Characters
The Hour Man [Rex Tyler]; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan] (cameo); The Atom [Al Pratt] (cameo); Mr. Major (theatre manager); theatre cashier; Karl Esso (explorer, Museum Board member); gang of "gorilla" thieves [Wade (former watchman at the museum); rest un-named] (villains)
Synopsis
Back at JSA HQ, several members wonder where Johnny is since the other members have been unable to locate him. So the Hour Man heads downtown and notes a movie theatre showing a film on Africa titled "Thrills of Africa", and reasons Johnny may be at the movies. What he finds instead is a group of felons disguised as gorillas, trying to heist the day's receipts! Tracking them to a museum, the Man of the Hour captures the gang and their leader, Wade, former night watchman fired for drunkenness.
Reprints
Keywords
Center; Miraclo; Natural History Museum

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit added by Craig Delich.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude] (Table of Contents: 11)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
humor; superhero
Characters
Johnny Thunder; group of gamblers [Joe; rest un-named] (villains)
Synopsis
Johnny, meanwhile, is dejectedly walking down the street, not believing himself worthy of JSA membership, when some fellows offer him a chance to gamble and win some big money. Johnny loses and calls the men cheaters, and gets kicked out.
Reprints
Keywords
Say You

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 6] (Table of Contents: 12)

The Atom; Justice Society of America / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Ben Flinton
Inks
Ben Flinton
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
The Atom [Al Pratt]; The Thunderbolt [Archibald] (cameo); Jones (Policeman); group of gamblers [Joe; Bill; rest un-named] (villains)
Synopsis
The Thunderbolt tells Al Pratt what happened to Johnny, so Al heads for the gambling den to search for Johnny. Noting that the gamblers are using marked cards, Al leaves the room and returns as the Atom to wreck the joint, then get the Police to come in and clean up!
Reprints

Look Kids! (Table of Contents: 13)

Popsicle / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Illustrated advertisement from the Popsicle Service Station in New York City, offering a variety of free gifts (like watches, baseball mitts, binoculars, harmonicas and much more) for sending in the required number of either Popsicle, Fudgicle, or Creamsicle bags.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 7] (Table of Contents: 14)

Justice Society of America; The Spectre / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Bernard Baily (signed as B. Baily)
Inks
Bernard Baily (signed as B. Baily)
Colors
?
Letters
Bernard Baily

Genre
superhero
Characters
The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Bob Randall; Jean Matthews (Bob's fiancee); four headless zombies (villains, all die); mad scientist (villain, death)
Synopsis
The Spectre now heads out to find Johnny and is suddenly attacked by a man with no head! After dispatching him to the outer realms, the Man of Darkness decides to track down the evil genius behind these headless creatures using the fiancee of Bob Randall as bait. However, Bob is taken prisoner by a mad scientist, as is Jean. The Spectre enters the scene again just in time to overcome the zombies and scientist.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit by Craig Delich.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 15)

Hop Harrigan's All-American Flying Club / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Jon Blummer
Inks
Jon Blummer
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Here are small reproductions...
Genre
aviation
Characters
Hop Harrigan

Indexer Notes

Illustrated advertisement for Hop's All-American Flying Club, which displays items that readers will receive once they join, such as membership card, gold-winged emblem, and the opportunity to enter many contests to win prizes and free trips, plus actual baggage stickers from major airlines like Eastern and TWA. Coupon is provided.

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 8] (Table of Contents: 16)

Green Lantern; Justice Society of America / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Irwin Hasen
Inks
Irwin Hasen
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Johnny Thunder (cameo); un-named Police Sergeant; truck hi-jackers [Fruity Leman; rest un-named] (villains)
Synopsis
Deciding to look for Johnny Thunder himself (and actually spotting him once), the Emerald Crusader sets off to seek out crime and runs into a team of truck hi-jackers! Rounding several groups up and turning them over to the Police, G.L. then continues his search for Johnny.
Reprints
Keywords
Green Lantern

Dr. Mid-Nite Thinks Fast! (Table of Contents: 17)

Dr. Mid-Nite / text story / 1.5 pages (report information)

Script
Charles Reizenstein (credited)
Pencils
Sheldon Mayer (spot illustration); Stan Asch (spot illustration)
Inks
Sheldon Mayer (spot illustration); Stan Asch (spot illustration)
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Genre
superhero
Characters
Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; Myra Mason; Hooty (an owl); un-named Police detective; "Snakey" Scarlotti (villain)
Synopsis
"Snakey" Scarlotti decides to get his revenge on the blind Dr. McNider, who has written some disparaging things about the gangster in one of his articles. But McNider notices the gangster outside his home listening in to his dictation being given to his secretary, Myra. And the quick-thinking doctor decided to use a ruse on the gangster, which works out beautifully, allowing the Man of Night to capture him.
Reprints

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 18)

The Green Lantern; All-American Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Howard Purcell
Inks
Howard Purcell
Colors
?
Letters
?

Characters
The Green Lantern; Doiby Dickles
Keywords
Goitrude (cab)

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude] (Table of Contents: 19)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Stan Asch
Inks
Stan Asch
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
humor; superhero
Characters
Johnny Thunder; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]; Kidnappers Klub Inc. (villains)
Synopsis
After being thrown out of the gambling den, Johnny wishes for an airplane to whisk him away from the scene, and the Thunderbolt complies. Then Johnny wants down on a ship that he sees below him, and again the T-Bolt complies. Johnny is then faced with a group of thugs and Johnny calls out to Hawkman for help.
Reprints

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 9] (Table of Contents: 20)

Hawkman; Justice Society of America / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
Sheldon Moldoff (signed as Shelly)
Inks
Sheldon Moldoff (signed as Shelly)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Hawkman [Carter Hall]; The Thunderbolt [Archibald] (cameo); Shiera Sanders; Johnny Thunder (voice only); Kidnappers Klub, Inc. [un-named ship's Captain; rest un-named] (villains)
Synopsis
The Thunderbolt tells Hawkman that Johnny now faces another peril, and the Winged Wonder races off to help. Meanwhile, Shiera learns she has inherited a fortune, and is kidnapped, forcing Hawkman to locate her and save her, while also locating Johnny, allowing him and the T-Bolt to clean up the ship's evil crew.
Reprints

[The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Conclusion] (Table of Contents: 21)

Justice Society of America / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox
Pencils
E. E. Hibbard (p. 1); Stan Asch (p. 2)
Inks
E. E. Hibbard (p. 1); Stan Asch (p. 2)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
superhero
Characters
Justice Society of America [Johnny Thunder (joins the JSA); The Flash [Jay Garrick]; The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; The Atom [Al Pratt]; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Hour-Man [Rex Tyler]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]]; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]; Killer McPanzee; Kidnappers Klub, Inc. (villains)
Synopsis
The Thunderbolt finally rescues Johnny from the kidnappers and returns him, the ship, and McPanzee to JSA HQ where Johnny is finally approved for JSA membership.
Reprints

1000 Copies of the Next Issue of All-Star Comics Absolutely Free! (Table of Contents: 22)

All-Star Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

The readers are invited to vote for a JSAer to receive his own magazine and become an honorary member (since the JSA by-laws only allow eight active members at a time), as well as name his replacement, in exchange for the chance for a free copy of All-Star Comics #7.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 23)

All-Star Comics; The Justice Society of America / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
E. E. Hibbard
Inks
E. E. Hibbard
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
And now the members of the Justice Society of America...
Genre
superhero
Characters
Justice Society of America [Doctor Fate [Kent Nelson]; The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder; The Atom [Al Pratt]; The Hour-Man [Rex Tyler]; The Flash [Jay Garrick] (Honorary Member, inset); Superman [Clark Kent] (Honorary Member, inset); Batman [Bruce Wayne] (Honorary Member, inset)]

Indexer Notes

Illustrated promotional advertisement for the next issue of All-Star Comics, now a bi-monthly, and on sale about August 25th.

At the Top of the Field! (Table of Contents: 24)

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

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
? (red tones)
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside back cover.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 25)

Johnson Smith & Company / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Indexer Notes

Back cover.

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder!
    Justice Society of America
  2. 1. Here It Is - Boys and Girls All-Flash Quarterly No. 1!
    All-Flash Quarterly
  3. 2. ["Boys and girls! If you like Mutt & Jeff..."]
    Mutt & Jeff
  4. 3. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Introduction]
    Justice Society of America
  5. 4. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 1]
    Justice Society of America
  6. 5. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 2]
    The Flash; Justice Society of America
  7. 6. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude]
    Justice Society of America
  8. 7. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 3]
    Doctor Fate; Justice Society of America
  9. 8. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude]
    Justice Society of America
  10. 9. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 4]
    Justice Society of America; Sandman
  11. 10. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 5]
    The Hourman; Justice Society of America
  12. 11. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude]
    Justice Society of America
  13. 12. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 6]
    The Atom; Justice Society of America
  14. 13. Look Kids!
    Popsicle
  15. 14. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 7]
    Justice Society of America; The Spectre
  16. 15. ["Here are small reproductions..."]
    Hop Harrigan's All-American Flying Club
  17. 16. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 8]
    Green Lantern; Justice Society of America
  18. 17. Dr. Mid-Nite Thinks Fast!
    Dr. Mid-Nite
  19. 18. [no title indexed]
    The Green Lantern; All-American Comics
  20. 19. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Interlude]
    Justice Society of America
  21. 20. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Chapter 9]
    Hawkman; Justice Society of America
  22. 21. [The Justice Society of America Initiates Johnny Thunder! Conclusion]
    Justice Society of America
  23. 22. 1000 Copies of the Next Issue of All-Star Comics Absolutely Free!
    All-Star Comics
  24. 23. ["And now the members of the Justice Society of America..."]
    All-Star Comics; The Justice Society of America
  25. 24. At the Top of the Field!
  26. 25. [no title indexed]
    Johnson Smith & Company
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • Craig Delich
  • Juan Gonzalez
  • Matthew Head
  • Per Sandell
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore