All-Star Comics #22

(Fall 1944)

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Keystone Kids by John R. Tunis (Table of Contents: 2)

Good Books Worth Reading / text article / 0.44 page (report information)

Script

Josette Frank

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

What War Bonds Buy (Table of Contents: 3)

public service announcement / 0.23 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

?

Inks

?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover.

The Test of Time! [Introduction] (Table of Contents: 4)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Joe Gallagher

Inks

Joe Gallagher

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Starman [Ted Knight]; Johnny Thunder; The Atom [Al Pratt]; Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]]; Conscience of Man (introduction); unnamed young boy

Synopsis

After witnessing an attack on a boy because of his religious beliefs, Dr. Mid-Nite takes the young victim to the JSA, and lets the boy tell his story. But the members aren't sure how they can help until suddenly a strange female being appears and tells them they can IF they are willing to undergo a test, which they agree to do. Each member will be hurled back in time to eras of great persecution and prejudice [without their present knowledge] to become opponents of those prejudices and hatreds. If they let the difficulties of the past overcome them, they will fail their missions.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Indexer Notes

Conscience next appears in All-Star #24.

[The Test of Time! Chapter 1] (Table of Contents: 5)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Sheldon Moldoff

Inks

Sheldon Moldoff

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Hawkman [Carter Hall; aka Ga]; Tow (caveman); Mok (caveman)

Synopsis

Hawkman is in the stone age era, whom the natives consider to be a large bird, enough for several meals. Hawk overcomes their attack and of a bear, and is hailed as the new leader of a tribe. He is shown a cave painting of a woolly mammoth, who members of the tribe believe not to be a painting, but a real animal, and they intend to kill the artist. Hawkman, now known as "Ga," prevents this. The artist tells him these animals indeed exist and helps Ga protect the tribe from a herd of the beasts. He is then accepted as one of their own as Hawkman disappears into the mists of time.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Wheaties / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[The Test of Time! Chapter 2] (Table of Contents: 7)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Stan Asch

Inks

Stan Asch

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Starman [Ted Knight; aka Theodoratus]; Galen (Theodoratus' aide); Leonidas (General); Phidias (a slave); Xerxes (villain, Persian leader)

Synopsis

Starman is in ancient Greece in 480 B.C. where he is a Greek soldier and member of the Strategoi. He recommends the training of their slaves in warfare, making the Greek Army second to none. But the Generals think the slaves are cowards and the plan foolish. Starman begins to train the slaves, until that day when they are first taken into battle. Accidentally discovering the power of the gravity rod, Starman uses it to push the foe back. The slaves win their freedom and word goes out to train their other slaves to fight and earn their freedom as well...all just as Starman fades from view.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Keywords

Gravity Rod; Strategoi of Generals; Thermopylae

Indexer Notes

The Strategoi were members of a ruling Greek class who were considered its ablest military Generals.

"Corn" on the Side (Table of Contents: 8)

Fat and Slat / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Ed Wheelan

Pencils

Ed Wheelan

Inks

Ed Wheelan

Colors

?

Letters

Ed Wheelan

Genre

humor

Characters

Fat; Slat

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit by Craig Delich.

This filler does NOT appear in the Archives.

[The Test of Time! Chapter 3] (Table of Contents: 9)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Stan Asch

Inks

Stan Asch

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

humor; superhero

Characters

Johnny Thunder; The Thunderbolt [Archibald]; Baron's unnamed daughter; unnamed Baron (villain)

Synopsis

Johnny finds himself in medieval England, a lowly shepherd boy, and is brutally flogged for accidentally hurting a soldier. He wants to go before the Baron and tell him that the Serfs are men, not be robbed and left to die, but, instead, makes the Baron laugh and he becomes court jester. The Baron is so impressed that, if Johnny enters the Knight's Tourney and wins, then he'll consider doing something good for the Serfs. With the help of the Thunderbolt, Johnny wins and is knighted by the Baron...but disappears just as the Baron's (ugly) daughter is brought before Johnny as his bride-to-be.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Keywords

Say You

150 Mile Race to Save a Nation! (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Thom McAn / advertisement / 2 pages (report information)

Lead-Lease for China (Table of Contents: 11)

Hop Harrigan / text story / 1.5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

? (spot illustration)

Inks

? (spot illustration)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

aviation

Characters

Hop Harrigan; Tank Tinker; unnamed USAF Major; the Japanese (villains, some die)

Synopsis

Having just flown a shot-up bomber into the Calcutta airport for repairs, Hop learns that he is to pilot a transport plane, loaded down with engines for the free Chinese forces, to Chungking. "No problem," thinks the young airman, until he learns that every other transport plane to try the same thing has mysteriously vanished without a trace!

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Keywords

Bay of Bengal; Burma Road

Now! The Complete Old Testament Edition (Table of Contents: 12) (Expand) /

Picture Stories from the Bible / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[The Test of Time! Chapter 4] (Table of Contents: 13)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Joe Gallagher

Inks

Joe Gallagher

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Atom [Al Pratt; aka Nathaniel Pratt]; Julie (Nathaniel's wife); Nathaniel's unnamed Mother; Mother Rathlow (supposed witch)

Synopsis

Atom is in old Salem in Colonial America, where witch hunts and trials occurred. At home hears of a "witch" living in the forest, and he later finds her trapped by a tree and saves her. Her knowledge of medicinal herbs brands her a witch. Later, using his disguise as the Atom, he tackles a mob and tries to convince them that she isn't. Instead, they believe him to be a wizard and flee. Then Mother Rathlow comes by and thanks him for understanding, and that she is going to live with relatives in Virginia. Just then, Atom begins to vanish, making Mother Rathlow to think he actually is a wizard!

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Keywords

Old Salem

Those Super-Duper Dealers in Unrationed "Corn" (Table of Contents: 14)

Fat and Slat / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Ed Wheelan

Pencils

Ed Wheelan

Inks

Ed Wheelan

Colors

?

Letters

Ed Wheelan

Genre

humor

Characters

Fat; Slat

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit by Craig Delich.

[The Test of Time! Chapter 5] (Table of Contents: 15)

The Justice Society of America; Dr. Mid-Nite / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Stan Asch

Inks

Stan Asch

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider; aka Dr. De Nider]; Le Duc De Harigny (a nobelman); Le Duc's unnamed son; Duc D'Ormonde (villain, military commander)

Synopsis

Dr. Mid-Nite is in Paris in 1793 during the French Revolution, embroiled in the deep-rooted mistrust and hatred of a royal family that has does much harm to the common people. As a city doctor named M'sieu De Nider, he is told about a seriously injured nobleman, and heads out to help, being branded a traitor by the common people, but is also fearful that the people have let their new freedom go to their heads. Re-disguising himself as Dr. Mid-Nite, he travels out into the night to keep the people from trying to kill all noblemen and succeeds only at the last moment.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Actually Fly (Table of Contents: 16) (Expand) /

Wheaties / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[The Test of Time! Chapter 6] (Table of Contents: 17)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Stephen Hare (inventor); Robert Fulton (steamboat inventor); unruly mob (villains)

Synopsis

The Spectre, in the year 1815, meets Stephen Hare, who has invented a tiny motor powered by electricity, which is not well received by the townspeople who want to smash the invention. The Spectre intervenes, and afterwards, convinces Hare to continue with his inventing, that someday people will accept such things rationally. But Spectre's work is not finished, as other inventors are headed for the same treatment. Heading such an attack off, the Ghostly Guardian introduces a young inventor named Robert J. Fulton, who just invented a contraption called the steamboat, to Hare.

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Keywords

Claremont

[The Test of Time! Conclusion] (Table of Contents: 18)

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

Script

Gardner Fox

Pencils

Joe Gallagher

Inks

Joe Gallagher

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Starman [Ted Knight]; Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder; The Atom [Al Pratt]; Wonder Woman [Diana Prince] (cameo); Johnny Thunder; The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]]; Conscience of Man; unnamed young boy

Synopsis

The JSA members return to their HQ after having all succeed in their individual assignments. Conscience now identifies herself to the members as the Conscience of Man and tells them that by educating people, their understanding will then overcome their hatreds, fears and prejudices. Conscience then disappears, but the young lad whose dilemma started the whole matter, suggests that the JSA visit his school and start a program of education there. They do, with resounding success!

Reprints

• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #5 (1999)

Indexer Notes

The last page is a full page spread where the JSA and the students all stand and repeat together the Pledge of Allegiance.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 19) (Expand) /

The Junior Justice Society of America / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

How Joe's Body Brought Him Fame Instead of Shame (Table of Contents: 20) (Expand) /

Charles Atlas / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Captain Tootsie Battles Monster Man! (Table of Contents: 21) (Expand) /

Captain Tootsie; Tootsie VM / advertisement / 1 page (report information)