All-Star Comics #36

(August-September 1947)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Funny Stuff; The Dodo and the Frog / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.75 page (report information)

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 2) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.25 page (report information)

All-Star Comics Prologue (Table of Contents: 3)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher ?

Pencils

Irwin Hasen (signed as Hasen)

Inks

Irwin Hasen (signed as Hasen)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Superman [Clark Kent] (inset, Honorary Member); Batman [Bruce Wayne] (inset, Honorary Member); The Flash [Jay Garrick] (inset); Green Lantern [Alan Scott] (inset); Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider] (inset); Hawkman [Carter Hall] (inset); Wonder Woman [Diana Prince] (inset)]; Ed Findley (private detective); Mat Matwell (reporter); Saul Philpotts (scientist); Archie Erdner (archaeologist); Ben Stanley (architect); Calvin Stymes (villain)

Synopsis

Calvin Stymes invites five lifelong friends and fraternity brothers out to a western ranch, and, as they sit around the campfire, he recounts the legend of the dried-out stream-bed they were camping in. Called Koehaha, or "Stream of Ruthlessness," it runs once every 100 years. Strangely, those who "drown" in it don't really die, but neither do they come back to life, for the water washes away a man's better nature and replaces it with a ruthless nature. Each man explains what he might do with a criminal nature, then they all go to bed. Stymes moves onto the river bank while the others drown.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Koehaha

Indexer Notes

This is the second JSA story featuring Superman and Batman together since issue #7, where they had minor roles. The inset heads of the JSAers on page 1 are paste-ups by the heroes' solo artists (the same head shots of Flash, Hawkman, Green Lantern and Dr. Mid-Nite will be used on the Junior JSA certificate advertised beginning in All-Star #37). The prologue was probably re-written from the Fox script by Schwartz from what was intended to be an interlude found later in the issue, which accounts for it having no title, and displaced the real opening to the book, now found as the introduction, with the usual JSA meeting.

5 Drowned Men! [Introduction] (Table of Contents: 4)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Diana Prince] (JSA Secretary); The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; Superman [Clark Kent] (Honorary member); Batman [Bruce Wayne] (Honorary member)]

Synopsis

Three days later, the JSA meets in emergency session due to a rash of strange and explosive new crimes, but they discover that two of their members, the Atom and Johnny Thunder, can't participate. Johnny asks JSA honorary member, Superman, to take his place, and the Batman has just come from the bedside of injured Al Pratt. Wonder Woman reads an anonymous letter to the members stating that the crimes have been committed by five respected professionals. While GL sets out to find Stymes, the others will try to locate the others.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Mental Radio

Indexer Notes

The roll call found on the splash page was obviously photostatted from that found in All-Star #35, which featured Johnny Thunder and Atom. Clearly the introduction is a re-write and was perhaps drawn later than the prologue, possibly after it was decided to insert Superman and Batman.

Bruce Wayne must obviously know the Atom's secret identity if Al Pratt couldn't attend the meeting, a fact confirmed by Green Lantern's dialogue, and an anomaly. Wonder Woman gives each member a miniature Mental Radio from Paradise Island in order to keep in contact with them.

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 1] (Table of Contents: 5)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen; John Belfi ? (see notes)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Mr. Ardman; Mrs. Ardman; The Grim Marauder [Ed Findley] (villain)

Synopsis

Batman heads for the town of Zenith, where Ed Findley lives and who has been hired at the Ardman party to protect Mrs. Ardman's set of matched black pearls. When the Grim Marauder appears and snatches the pearls, Wayne changes to Batman and chases after the villain to his office, where Batman is captured. But he frees himself, rushes upstairs, and catches Findley at his desk and captures him, only to get a mental radio message from Wonder Woman to bring Findley with him back to JSA HQ.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Zenith; Zenith Bank

Indexer Notes

Batman substitutes for the Atom, suggesting that this chapter must have been originally written by Fox for the Atom, as Batman does nothing usually associated with him in his own adventures. The opening dialogue box ends with "The Mighty Batman," could have very well been re-written from "The Mighty Atom!" Hasen did NOT entirely ink this chapter -- either a production staffer or another artist (probably John Belfi) touched up some of the Batman and Bruce Wayne figures to give them the look of the Batman artist of the time, Win Mortimer.

Luke Appling (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Wheaties / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 2] (Table of Contents: 7)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Lee Elias

Inks

Lee Elias

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Rex Gardin [aka Gale] (political candidate, Luke Gale's brother); Mr. X [Mat Matwell] (villain); Luke Gale (villain, murderer, death, image only)

Synopsis

At a political rally in Snow City, home of reporter Mat Matwell, pictures are being shown of Governor-candidate Rex Gardin when suddenly, a picture comes up, showing Gardin posing with an executed murderer. Later, Gardin gets a blackmail call, telling him to bring $10,000 to Snow Mountain. The Flash follows him, is briefly captured with Gardin by Mr. X, then captures the villain. Just then, Flash receives a mental message from Wonder Woman, explaining how the situation has changed and to bring Mr. X, Mat Matwell, back to JSA HQ.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Snow City; Snow Mountain

Indexer Notes

Story editor Julius Schwartz recalls asking Bob Kanigher to re-write this chapter as it just didn't sit right with him, as confirmed by Julius Schwartz in a letter sent to Jerry Bails. It is strongly believed that this chapter was to be the lead-in for the prologue, as Mayer and Fox would have arranged it that way, but Schwartz decided to do the book differently, with the prologue coming first, so the Flash chapter HAD to be re-written.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 8) (Expand) /

Kellogg's Pep / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 3] (Table of Contents: 9)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Joe Kubert (signed as J. Kubert)

Inks

Joe Kubert (signed as J. Kubert)

Colors

?

Letters

?

Job Number

AS 36

Genre

superhero

Characters

Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Wonder Woman [Diana Prince] (cameo); Professor Alvin Doty (archaeologist); The Black Rider [Archie Erdner] (villain)

Synopsis

Professor Doty, having just uncovered the Temple of Tlaloc of the ancient Aztecs, is set upon by the Black Rider, who gets the location of the temple, and he and his gang go to loot it. Hawkman comes on the scene, and, after a brief battle, is knocked out by the Rider, and he and the professor are tied to a sacrifice table, but manage to escape. Hawkman goes after the Rider, comes face to face with Archie Erdner with a gun, but overpowers him. As Hawkman tries to figure out what to do, he receives a mental message from Wonder Woman, asking him to bring Erdner back to HQ with him.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Aztecs; New Mexico; Temple of Tlaloc

Indexer Notes

The Wonder Woman figure on the last page is a paste-up drawn by Irwin Hasen.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10) (Expand) /

Old Mill Stabilizer / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 4] (Table of Contents: 11)

Dr. Mid-Nite; The Justice Society of America / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Frank Harry

Inks

Frank Harry

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; unnamed bank President; unnamed Police Commissioner; Professor Saul Philpotts (villain); Calvin Stymes (villain)

Synopsis

In an eastern bank, a bank teller is amazed to see bags of gold floating out of the vault and out the window! Dr. Mid-Nite is informed of the strange event and two others like it by the bank officials, who think an invisible gang is at work. But Mid-Nite thinks otherwise and asks to borrow a gold coin to use as bait for a future crime. The coin suddenly begins to fly away, but Dr. Mid-Nite holds on for dear life and follows it to Philpotts's lab. A stuttering man saves Dr. Mid-Nite, who then receives a mental message from Wonder Woman, and he takes Philpotts back to JSA HQ.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Gold-Magnet

Indexer Notes

The numbering on page 4 is totally different from that found on the first three pages, which may indicate that this chapter was originally five pages long and was cut down during the re-writing. The final tier on page four appears to be a crude re-inking and has different lettering than the top two tiers.

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 5] (Table of Contents: 12)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Superman [Clark Kent]; Hanson Laping (cameo); The Wrecker [Ben Stanley] (villain); The Wrecker's Gang (villains); Calvin Stymes (villain)

Synopsis

Superman heads to Centropolis to try and stop the mysterious Wrecker from blowing up one of Ben Stanley's famous skyscrapers, fails, and then rebuilds it in the blink of an eye. Stymes appears and gives Superman a note and says the building's architect is responsible for the explosion. The Man of Tomorrow locates Stanley lighting some dynamite, which Superman puts out. The Wrecker and his thugs then attack the Man of Steel, before Superman subdues them. Then, Superman gets a mental message from Wonder Woman to report back to JSA HQ with his captive.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Centropolis; Daily Record; Merton Trust Company; X-Ray Vision

Indexer Notes

Superman substitutes for Johnny Thunder, which indicates this chapter was most likely written for Johnny, whose Thunderbolt could have easily done the feats Superman did.

[5 Drowned Men! Interlude] (Table of Contents: 13)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen; John Belfi ?

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Superman [Clark Kent] (Honorary member); Wonder Woman [Diana Prince]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Batman [Bruce Wayne] (Honorary member); Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider] (cameo); Hawkman [Carter Hall] (cameo); The Flash [Jay Garrick]]; Ben Stanley; Ed Findley; Mat Matwell; Archie Erdner; Saul Philpotts

Synopsis

Superman brings in Stanley, at Wonder Woman's request, and he is ushered together with the other four men brought in by the other JSA members. Locking them into a room, Wonder Woman announces that all five of them are in terrible danger due to what Green Lantern discovered, that discovery leading the Amazon Princess to change the plans the JSA had originally made. So, as the members sit around their meeting table, G.L. begins to tell the story of his search for the sixth man of the hunting party, whose body was never recovered: Calvin Stymes!

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Golden Lasso

Indexer Notes

During the time period that Fox may have written this story, the use of interludes in JSA tales was not all that uncommon. Even though this page is numbered "5," I believe the page was actually an interlude page to bridge the preceding chapters and Green Lantern's chapter. The page also features several unusual situations, one of which is that Wonder Woman does not cast a shadow on the wall, nor the table between her and Hawkman. In addition, Hawkman's right wing has no shadow and the left wing's shape does not match the shadow on the wall, nor does Hawkman's helmet and wings. It is apparent that the Hawkman figure (most likely by Joe Kubert) was pasted onto the last panel over Hasen's original figure, even though the touch-up artist, whom I believe to be John Belfi, did not touch-up the helmeted head of Hawkman on the wall, which clearly shows Hasen's art. The wings on Hawkman have been re-touched, and are cut off by lots of black ink, which I believe blot out the shadows of Atom and Johnny Thunder on the wall, allowing easy insertion of Superman's and Batman's figures. For all these reasons, I believe that the last panel was part of the original story's art that was re-touched and figures added, and the page numbered from a lettered page.

No Help Wanted (Table of Contents: 14)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Ted Udall

Pencils

? (illustrations)

Inks

? (illustrations)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

Genre

adventure

Indexer Notes

This text story was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

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

Ton o' Fun / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

Script

Harry Lampert (signed)

Pencils

Harry Lampert (signed)

Inks

Harry Lampert (signed)

Colors

?

Letters

Harry Lampert

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Will the Green Falcon survive the clutches of the Purple Dragon?

Genre

humor

Indexer Notes

This filler was NOT reprinted in the Archive. Letterer credit by Craig Delich.

Roller Skate Facts (Table of Contents: 16) (Expand) /

Winchester Skates / advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 17)

Rockhead McWizzard / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Ed Wheelan

Inks

Ed Wheelan

Colors

?

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Now for that big once a year bath - Oboy!

Genre

humor

Characters

Rockhead McWizzard

Indexer Notes

Art credits per Jim Van Dore. We formerly credited this feature to Jack Farr in error.

This filler was NOT reprinted in the Archive.

[5 Drowned Men! Chapter 6] (Table of Contents: 18)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen

Colors

?

Letters

?

Job Number

AS 36

Genre

superhero

Characters

Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Hawkman [Carter Hall] (cameo); The Stuttering Man [Calvin Stymes] (villain)

Synopsis

In Milville, home of Calvin Stymes, GL sees someone taking mail from Styme's mailbox, and follows him. G.L. enters an isolated log cabin, and a mysterious figure hits him over the head with a club. As Green Lantern recovers, he finds himself tied in front of a fireplace, with a shotgun aimed at him by Stymes, who tells him the story of why he hates the other five so much. After patiently listening to the story, G.L. uses his ring to melt the shotgun and free himself, but not before Stymes makes his escape...so he reports to Hawkman, who now knows the identity of the stuttering man.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Milville

Indexer Notes

Another anomaly has this chapter beginning: "Who is the stuttering man...."? The reader has known all along as he was introduced in the prologue, which indicates that this opening panel of this chapter HAD to come later than the original placement of the prologue. It is believed that the prologue, latter part of the GL chapter, and page 5 of the Superman story were ALL part of the original long interlude Fox wrote, and Schwartz cut it up, pasted here and there and re-wrote panels of both the prologue and this chapter featuring Green Lantern to accommodate this change. The name of the college in Fox's original tale was Magnifica.

[5 Drowned Men! Conclusion] (Table of Contents: 19)

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

Script

Gardner Fox (original plot); Sheldon Mayer (original plot); Julius Schwartz; Robert Kanigher

Pencils

Irwin Hasen

Inks

Irwin Hasen

Colors

?

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

Justice Society of America [Batman [Bruce Wayne] (Honorary member); Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]; The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Superman [Clark Kent] (Honorary member); Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Diana Prince]]; The Stuttering Man [Calvin Stymes] (villain, death); Ben Stanley (villain, reforms); Mat Matwell (villain, reforms); Archie Erdner (villain, reforms); Saul Philpotts (villain, reforms); Ed Findley (villain, reforms)

Synopsis

The JSA enters the locked room in which Wonder Woman had locked the five friends of Stymes, only to discover they had escaped through a window. Knowing that Stymes is loose and is out to kill them, Wonder Woman vows that the JSA must find them. GL's Power Ring traces the men to Koehaha, to which they must return to drink from, and where Stymes plans to kill them. He sets off dynamite, but the JSA saves them, but the explosion costs Stymes his life. Then Superman uses his strength to push a giant mountain of rock into the stream so that it will never run again.

Reprints

• in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (DC, 1980 series) #3 (July-August 1980)
• in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #8 ([October] 2002)

Keywords

Koehaha; Power Ring

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 20) (Expand) /

Parker Johns / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Watch Out! It's Loaded! (Table of Contents: 21) (Expand) /

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

Drama on the Highway! (Table of Contents: 22) (Expand) /

Adventures of "R. C." and Quickie; Royal Crown Cola / advertisement / 1 page (report information)