Wanted Dr. Clever Gentleman Ghost Dr. Glisten Captain Cold Mister Who

E. Nelson Bridwell didn't make it easy for future comic historians.  While it was great seeing stories of Johnny Quick, Hawkman, Hourman, Flash and Dr. Fate in Wanted, The World's Most Dangerous Villains, these villains he chose for the seventh and eight issue....

Doctor Clever....Gentleman Ghost (okay, not a bad choice, but he isn't on the Nick Cardy cover!)....Doctor Glisten....Captain Cold (good one there!)....and Mister Who!

Still, here there are!

The Adventure Of The Human Streak

First up for the seventh issue of Wanted from More Fun Comics #76 (February, 1942) by Mort Weisinger and Mort Meskin is the story of Johnny Quick facing a new speedy menace, thanks to his reoccurring foe, Dr. Clever (under an original cover of Dr. Fate by Howard Sherman)!


Johnny Quick's foe, Dr. Clever, fakes his own hanging in prison to get free, and continue his war with his foe. Dr. Clever has a new trick up his sleeve, a ray that gives whomever he shines it upon super-speed, and uses it on his henchman, Breezy.

After sending Breezy on a looting spree, Dr. Clever has his man confront Johnny Quick in the ring (as Johnny was using his speed formula in a boxing exposition to raise money for the USO).  Breezy beats Johnny, and Dr. Clever takes him back to his lab, where he leaves Johnny in a heated cage to perish.  Johnny gets a little extra boost from his speed formula, frees himself, and is able to defeat both Breezy and Dr. Clever.

Dr. Clever had faced Johnny before in More Fun Comics #74, and would return in More Fun Comics #78 and #89, while Johnny Quick would eventually go on to Adventure Comics (with many of these tales reprinted, and later, be a focus of the retroactive comic, the All-Star Squadron).

The Crimes That Couldn't Have Happened

Next up, is a tale of Hawkman and his invisible foe, the Gentleman Ghost (so invisible he didn't make the cover) from Flash Comics #90 (December, 1947) by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert (with original Flash cover by Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia).


Gentleman Ghost returns (his first appearance reprinted in Secret Origins #1), this time having taking the loot from a locked bank vault.  Hawkman and Hawkgirl spring into action, finding out he had taken the jewels before it was placed into the vault.

The Gentleman Ghost strikes again, taking a pharaoh's ruby from a museum, but his gives Hawkman a hint how to trap his foe.  Posing as archeologists having just returned from Africa with a precious gem, the Gentleman Ghost tries to rob the Hawks, who had a phony gem rigged with a camera to take his picture.  In battle with the Ghost, he tries a weapon on the Hawks, which explodes on him, and he disappears.  Checking the camera footage, Carter and Shiera still are unsure whether he was really a ghost.

Gentleman Ghost would return, to face not only the Golden Age Hawkman, but the Silver Age Hawkman as well, revealing that he really was the ghost of Gentleman Jim Craddock! 

Dr. Glisten

The last adventure in issue seven was from Adventure Comics #72 (March, 1942 under a Starman cover by Jack Burnley) with an Hourman (Rex Tyler, the man with power for an hour) story by Ken Fitch and Bernard Baily, featuring his foe, Dr. Glisten.

While patrolling, Hourman comes across a hit and run that was really a kidnapping, taking submarine Captain Frank Preston.  The Captain was taken by Dr. Glisten, who used his hypnotic powers to enslave himself a submarine crew, who he planned to use on his own submarine to loot the seas and blame it on enemy subs.  Hourman tracks down the villain, and puts the lights out on his nefarious scheme.

This was the only appearance of Dr. Glisten, but Hourman had many adventures in Adventure Comics with quite a few of them being reprinted.

The Big Freeze

Wanted #8 starts off with more recent villain, that of Captain Cold, and his second story from Flash #114 (August, 1960) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson (under an original cover by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella).


Leonard Snart was up for parole, with Iris West taking Barry Allen there so she could testify. 

Barry then appeared as Flash to testify as well, recommending Captain Cold not be let go.  The prison board agreed, but Snart was able to escape anyway with a refrigeration device he had made.  As Captain Cold, Snart approached Iris West, who informed him she wouldn't have anything to do with him even if he was the last man on Earth.  Captain Cold worked on that, with a new device that froze everyone in Central City except those two.  Barry, being outside of the city, heard of its plight, and sped home as the Flash, breaking through the ice barrier surrounding the city.  Inside, Flash faced off against Captain Cold's cold illusions and real ice threats to knock out his foe, and with Iris' help, turn off the device freezing Central City.

Captain Cold had faced Barry before during his original Showcase run (reprinted in Treasury form), and would repeatedly return to face the Flash!

Mr. Who

Last but not least for the eighth issue, is the first appearance of Mister Who from More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941) by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman, with Sherman also providing the original cover with Doctor Fate!



Dr. Fate shows up to stop hoods from robbing a museum, but their boss, Mr. Who, gets the painting he wanted and escapes. 

Dr. Fate finds Mr. Who's headquarters, and confronts him, but is surprised by the power of Mr. Who, enhanced by Solution Z, which gives him powers of strength, regeneration, growth and camouflage.  Capturing Dr. Fate, Mr. Who tells him the tale of how he was a sickly youth, and developed Solution Z to give himself a new lease on life.  Leaving Dr. Fate to face a giant spider, Mr. Who goes out to steal a diamond.  Dr. Fate escapes the spider, tracks down Mr. Who, and faces him on a boat, where Dr. Fate (still not use to his lesser power with his half helmet), throws Mr. Who through the boat, to the bottom of the lake.

Mr. Who would return a few more times in More Fun Comics (only reprinted in the Doctor Fate Archives), and even later, as a member of the Monster Society of Evil (facing Hawkgirl, Hourman, Dr. Fate and Sandy) introduced during the Crisis during World War II (and tying in with the next issue of Wanted).

Proceeding to the end of Wanted, having Batman, Flash and Golden Age stories (though no Golden Age Flash) with one more issue left (though the letter pages didn't foreshadow this).  Hope was still there, with possible promises of new stories, and perhaps an all female issue of Wanted, with Catwoman, Poison Ivy, Cheetah or the Huntress!

Flash Facts: Spectacular Changes

This time the Flash team up doesn't happen within the regular Flash issue, but instead in a "Flash Spectacular", otherwise known as DC Special Series #11 (May, 1978), written by Cary Bates and with a cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, showing the two Flashes (Barry Allen and Jay Garrick) as well as Kid Flash (Wally West) and even other speedster Johnny Quick and the villain of the piece....Gorilla Grodd, all going "Beyond The Super-Speed Barrier!".

All that....and I'd buy that for a dollar!


Now, the book was split into chapters, each done by a different artist, focusing on a different character, so, here's the breakdown....

Grodd

Starting off with art by Irv Novick and Joe Giella, there's a big event in Gorilla City!  Notorious criminal, Gorilla Grodd, fresh off of causing trouble for most of Earth (including Gorilla City) with the Secret Society of Super-Villains, King Solovar and the High Council of Gorilla City execute Grodd for his crimes.

Kid Flash

Starting the main story with Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Wally Wood, as they draw Wally West...Kid Flash!  Wally is getting ready for his graduation from high school, when his mom, Mary, almost makes the discovery of her life....Wally in his Kid Flash outfit! 

A little super speed saves the day, but enough of hanging around his home in Blue Valley....Wally heads out with his girlfriend, Leslie (she only appears in this issue)....

....and she nearly discovers his identity as well!  Wally's dog, Lightning, takes off with his accidentally released costume (all distracting Wally from what Leslie has been saying), so after getting his costume, Wally finds Leslie leaving on his bike...at super speed! 

Dangerous super speed as well, so he goes after her as Kid Flash, watching her burn up and hitting a speed he had rarely reached before getting a dizzying effect...and, as he comes back to Blue Valley, finds Leslie, hitchhiking to get home (as the Leslie he was following was an illusion).  There's also a mysterious simian with a ray gun watching....what's up with that?

Back at the West home, Wally, in his Kid Flash costume, has something he decides to tell his parents (his Kid Flash identity....).

Flash (Barry Allen)

Next chapter by Irv Novick and Joe Giella sees Flash (Barry Allen) arriving at Gorilla City in Africa, finding out from Solovar of how they executed Grodd, because the High Council voted to disperse Grodd's atoms to another dimension (instead of just putting him in an improved Exo-Cube cell as Solovar wanted). 

Barry, accepting he'll never have to face Grodd again, leaves Gorilla City at 7:55 am for his job as a police scientist in Central  City....at 8 am! 

(Plenty of time for the fastest man alive!). 

Barry even has time to prevent a car accident (with his new assistant, Patty Spivot) and still be on time. 

Elsewhere in Central City, Barry's foe from his first appearance, the Turtle, is working on a slow laser, which he will use on the citizens of the city...if he can get it to work!  That mysterious simian shows up again, training his ray gun on the device....and, when the Turtle checks it...finds it now works.

The Turtle gets to rob a bank (eventually), drawing the Flash in...and he hits Flash with his slow laser in the eyes.  This seems to give the Turtle (and everyone else in Central City) super speed?  Closing his eyes, Flash turns back into Barry Allen, and is luckily found by his wife, Iris. 

At home, Barry and Iris figure out that the Turtle's ray took away Flash's speed vision, and find that he needs to reach a certain speed to knock loose the ray's affects and return his vision to normal. 

So a quick jaunt around the Earth (hitting a dizzying speed as well), and Flash can see again....and Barry is ready to capture the Turtle!


At home, Barry and Iris finally figure out the wedding gift to give to Patty Spivot and her soon to be husband, David....lovebirds! 

Though, in light of this recent case, Iris suggests turtle doves!

Flash (Jay Garrick)

Over on Earth-2, with art by Kurt Schaffenberger and Murphy Anderson, Jay Garrick of the Keystone Research Laboratories is revealing his secret identity as the Flash to the world. 

As reporters grill him on his new life (because he still plans to be both Flash and a scientist), Johnny Chambers and Tubby Watts of Sees-All Tells All Video just arrive (a little late), and are just in time to witness an accident that draws scientist Jay Garrick into becoming the Flash (and Johnny to change to his secret identity as super speedster with a formula....Johnny Quick!). 

But, that mysterious simian and his ray gun are doing what here on Earth-2?

Flash tries to stop the runaway water blob...but Johnny only wants to make it worse?  Flash stops the problem, even as Johnny wonders why he acted the way he did (but Tubby found an x-factor...that of a new X in Johnny's speed formula!). 

Johnny goes to Jay's house to apologize, but (thanks to that mysterious simian) says the wrong formula, and kidnaps Jay's wife, Joan!  Flash and Johnny Quick battle, and (after hitting a dizzying speed), Flash defeats Johnny....who seems to be cured of his formula problem.....

...but what is that mysterious simian doing monkeying around with the Flashes?

Flash Team-Up

Finally, Alex Saviuk and Joe Giella provide the team-up part, when both Barry and Wally find their costumes activate from their rings...and the two head to an open field where they meet with Jay...all under the control of the mysterious simian, who Wally and Jay assume is Grodd, and quickly defeat him....

..or do they?

The Flashes find out Grodd has possesses Council member Jroyy, and then uses the other Flashes to tell Barry his plan....(proving Grodd wasn't dead, BTW)... ..manipulating them all to reach a dizzying speed, and pull molecules of Grodd back from that other dimension they reached...all so....

....Grodd can live again!

The three Flashes work together, but find it hard to defeat Grodd, now that he has speed as well as his mind over matter powers.  Barry comes up with a desperate idea...combining with the other two Flashes, hoping that triple Flash powers can defeat Grodd!  It works, and the Flashes get Grodd back to Gorilla City, where he gets to try out Solovar's Exo Cube.

Epilogue

Now, for Wally's graduation, by Irv Novick and Joe Giella.  A few guests show up (like the Teen Titans and Elongated Man)....but sad the next, as Wally lets Barry know that he'll still be Kid Flash at college, but will give it up after he graduates that!

All that, and a couple of text pages on Flash's Rogue's Gallery.  A pretty spectacular issue, showing quite a few changes for the lives of the Flashes....all without a multi-issue cross over, or even more than the one Crisis (but, more Crises are in the future for the Flashes; as Jay and Barry discuss Jay's life change in the sixteenth JLA/JSA team-up, and Wally has to get use to not being in the Teen Titans as their 1970s run just ended with a telling of the team's establishing adventure!).

Flash Facts: Giant Rivals?

To be fair, this issue of the Flash is a bit of a lie. 

While the cover is beautifully illustrated by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson, this, the first of Flash's 80 Page Giants within his own title (numbered Giant #G-21, or just Flash #160 of April, 1966, taking place after a Flash Annual and a couple of 80 Page Giants already devoted to the Flash), it really isn't a collection of his greatest super-speed rivals (at least not entirely)....

...but, take a look through the individual stories reprinted here and see of you agree.

Flash #107

Starting with "The Amazing Race Against Time" from Flash #107 (June-July, 1959) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (with Broome and Giella providing the cover), things seem to relate to racing.

Flash encounters a man faster than he is as Barry tries to stop a runaway truck.  Problem is, the man doesn't recall who he is...so, the Flash tries to help him with his amnesia, as Iris West plans a charity race between the two (with the memory challenged fellow running backwards as he sees he is clearly faster than the Flash).  Flash brings the man to a doctor, who after exposing him to electricity, does return his memory, but at the cost of his speed.  The man is really an artificial lifeform called a Hominoid from another world, with the name of Kyri.  Kyri was trying to return to his home dimension, but cannot without his speed.  Flash helps him out, repairing his ship and providing the needed speed.

All-Flash #32

Next up is a jump back to the Golden Age, with a "Duet Of Danger" from All-Flash #32 (December-January, 1947/1948) featuring Jay Garrick, the original Flash, fighting his foe, the Fiddler, for the first time in a story by Robert Kanigher, Lee Elias and Moe Worthman (with Elias and Worthman providing the original cover!).

Isaac Bowen was a thief who got sent to prison in India, and partnered up with an Indian fakir, transferring the musical magic he learned to a fiddle instead of flute (using the fiddle to kill the fakir).  Returning home, Bowen planned to use his new skills to become a crime boss, but instead ended up facing the Flash in Keystone City.  It appeared at the end of this story that the Fiddler perished, but he would return (to face Flash individually as well as a member of the Injustice Society of the World). 

But Fiddler really isn't a super-SPEED rival....

Flash #113

And now, for something completely different, the reprint of the main story of Flash #113 (June-July, 1960) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, with the Flash facing "Danger In The Air" in the form of....the Trickster!

James Jesse premiered in this issue of the Flash, being a criminal who used gimmicks, including shoes that allowed him to walk on air, to commit robberies (all to make up for the fact that he was a failed circus acrobat...or at least had no affinity for that job; his fear of heights led him to invent the shoes that allowed him to walk on air, and his name, being the reverse of famous outlaw, Jesse James, led him to a life of crime).  Trickster still had a bit to the showman in him, facing off against Flash, at least until his theatrics helped Flash figure out his identity, leading this act...to jail!

Don't worry, the Trickster does return, again and again, same Flash-time, same Flash-channel (but, also not really a speed threat....).

Flash #114

Time for a back up, the Kid Flash back up story from Flash #114 (August, 1960), wherein young Wally West faces off against the "King Of The Beatniks" in a story by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella.

Wally's friend, Jimmy King, gets caught with an answer sheet to a test, and, leaves school.  The teacher, Miss Grant, realizes her mistake and recruits Wally to find him.  Jimmy went to New York to live with his cousin, Paul, the leader of a Beatnik Gang.  Kid Flash busts the Beatniks during a robbery, then, Jimmy returns to Blue Valley and school, to clear his name.

Other than Kid Flash, little speed here.

Flash #124

This time it's two heroes for the price of one, as Flash and Elongated Man have to avoid Captain Boomerang's "Space-Boomerang Trap" as originally presented in Flash #124 (November, 1961) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella.

Captain Boomerang gets out of jail, and has a new scheme with a special boomerang that travels through time, allowing him to establish an alibi for his crimes.  Flash has problems solving this mystery, so calls in detective Elongated Man, and they sniff out the solution (but along the way, all three have to help stop an alien invasion, then have to contend with Captain Boomerang using a weapon gotten from those aliens against the Flash....with Elongated Man barely able to stretch to catch his friend in time!).

A great tale, but the rivals weren't all that speedy!

Adventure Comics #123

Time for an adventure....one from Johnny Quick, from Adventure Comics #123 (December, 1947), as Johnny deals with "The Adventure Of The Antelope Boy" by Don Cameron, Mort Meskin and George Roussos.

Johnny Chambers and Tubby Watts are headed to Africa to find the legendary Antelope Boy who can run so fast, but mobster Mobs Racket tries to get to the lad first.  Shame he didn't count on having to outrun Johnny Quick and his magic formula.  Johnny helps save the lad from the mobster, and is offered track scholarships to many schools in the United States!

A pretty speedy run-through of those stories, along with a Flash pin-up from Flash Annual #1 of 1963, it does lack one individual, the Reverse-Flash, who would most definitely need to be included in any collection of Flash super-speed rivals (but to be fair, at this point, Reverse-Flash only had 3 appearances!).

JLA JSA Super Spectacular

Probably one of the greatest covers of its time, Neal Adams drew the combined Justice League of America and Justice Society of America (as well as Robin, Vigilante and Johnny Quick) on the cover of DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6 (1971)....and what an issue it was.

This issue reprinted some interesting stories, and here they are....featuring quite a few people on that cover.

Justice League of America #21 

First up is the "Crisis On Earth-One" from Justice League of America #21 (August, 1963) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, and historic cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson.  Important for so many reasons....the first meeting of the JLA (charter members Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter, plus Green Arrow and Atom) with the JSA (a representative team of Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, Hourman, Hawkman, Atom and Black Canary....a slightly different line-up from when Barry Allen Flash saved them from Vandal Savage).  It also featured the Crime Champions, villains from two worlds, from Earth-1: Felix Faust, Chronos and Dr. Alchemy, and the Wizard, the Fiddler and the Icicle from Earth-2).  This issue also was where the names of Earth-1 and Earth-2 came from...but so much happening, that it had to continue in the next issue...

Justice League of America #22

...that being Justice League of America #22 (September, 1963) by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Bernard Sachs, with a cover by Murphy Anderson, and the second half of the story, with the "Crisis On Earth-Two".  To be fair, the reprint took out the summary first page, annoying, but as the two issues are together.  The teams of heroes had to work together to get out of their interdimensional prison where their foes put them, but, the heroes pulled it together, and even had time to make a joke about how they'll have to sum all this up for missing honorary JLAer, Snapper Carr!

These two team-ups were so popular, that the JLA/JSA team-ups became a regular thing for the next 19 summers, with an ever rotating cast of JSAers!

More Fun Comics #55

The two team-ups weren't the only issues reprinted in this Super Spectacular.  A tale where "The Spectre Meets Zor" from More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940) by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily (with a Spectre cover by Bernard Baily) was next, where the ghostly guardian had to defend his girlfriend, Clarice Winston, from the supernatural menace of Zor!


The Spectre had many of his Golden Age tales reprinted, but this was one soon after his origin, so his full powers as a deadman had not been revealed as of yet, but readers were starting to realize how much power Jim Corrigan's alter ego had.

Adventure Comics #190

Next up is a fun tale of Johnny Quick, an at-the-time unaffiliated speeder from Adventure Comics #190 (July, 1953) where he had to be a "Stand-In For 100 Convicts", with the story by Don Cameron and Hy Mankin (though Superboy, not Johnny, was the cover star).  Johnny had to save 99 convicts who were thought to have escaped, but didn't.

Johnny Quick was all over More Fun Comics and Adventure Comics, with many reprints, and later, had been a member of the All-Star Squadron, thanks to some retroactive continuity from Roy Thomas in the 1980s.

Action Comics #146

Next up was a story of the Vigilante and his young sidekick, Stuff, where they faced the Fiddler (not the Crime Champion/Injustice Society member) from the story of "The Galleon In The Desert" from Action Comics #146 (July, 1950) by Joe Samachson and Dan Barry (with a non-Vigilante cover from the issue).  Vigilante and Stuff had to stop this villain from plundering a ship lost in the desert....

The Vigilante (a member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory) also had a few of his Golden Age solo tales reprinted, as did the members of his team.

Wildcat Story

The Wildcat story in this issue was something odd.  It was an unpublished Golden Age story, found by the industrious interns at DC Comics at the time, saved from destruction, and published as a treat to all fans of the Golden Age. 

This tale, where "Crime Wore A Costume" featured Wildcat facing off against his foe, the Golden Age Huntress, who had faced Wildcat many times in Sensation Comics, as well as joining the Injustice Society of the World.


If you are looking for tales of the Wildcat and where they were reprinted from the Golden Age, look here!

Brave and the Bold #36

Last, but not least, a story from the JLA member who wasn't on the team when the JLA and JSA first met, Hawkman, and the tale of the "Strange Spells Of The Sorcerer" from Brave and the Bold #36 (June-July, 1961) by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert (who also did the cover of the issue, which featured the other story of the issue, Hawkman's first battle with the Shadow-Thief).

In this tale, Hawkman and Hawkgirl faced Konrad Kaslak, an amateur sorcerer who was quite capable enough to cause some mystical menaces for the Thanagarian Hawkman and Hawkgirl to face with their scientific prowess, all the while with the pair having to deal with Mavis Trent, and her intentions of breaking up the married super-hero couple, or at least their Earth identities of Carter and Shiera Hall, who worked at the Midway City Museum.

Along with a back cover that supplied a key to the heroes on the cover (but readers here know them all, right?), it provided a checklist of character debuts, all the heroes who had their own features from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin and the Teen Titans, the Doom Patrol, Deadman, Eclipso, Metamorpho and the Metal Men, even Forgotten Heroes like Animal Man and Dolphin, to the most modern characters of Orion, Mr. Miracle and the Thorn!

Best of all, this whole issue was reprinted as the DC 100-Page Super Spectacular No. 6 Replica Edition in May, 2004...

...so you, too, can thrill to these exciting stories without having to break the bank!

Historic Formation of the All-Star Squadron

December 7th, 1941 was "a date which will live in infamy" as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, as the Japanese fleet launched an attack on Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.

But, how did that date go in a fictional world where Superman was active since June, 1938, Batman since May, 1939, and there was a teams of heroes like the Justice Society of America and the Seven Soldiers of Victory?

So It Begins

That question was answered starting with Justice League of America #193 (August, 1981) in a special preview comic, by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway, as readers saw Flash, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman race and be captured by Solomon Grundy; Sandman, Johnny Thunder and Starman be taken down by the Sky Pirate; Dr. Fate and the Spectre be defeated by Fate's foe, Wotan; Superman, Batman and Robin be defeated by the Alchemist, Professor Zodiak) while opening a USO function; but, Hawkman, Atom and Dr. Mid-Nite were able to defeat their foe, the attacking Monster (all while being watched by a man in a trenchcoat).  If there was trouble on this day (December 7th, 1941), who could FDR call?  (The answer would be, "The All-Star Squadron", but they didn't exist yet.).

The Team Forms

Answers came in All-Star Squadron #1 (September, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), as Pearl Harbor was being attacked, Hawkman learned of the JSA's capture, fighting off King Bee with Plastic Man, and Dr. Mid-Nite and the Atom meet the man in the trenchcoat, the original Robotman, and the lot head to the White House as people begin to think of "The World On Fire".

Heroes Johnny Quick and Liberty Belle (who are reporters in their alter egos, and were both present during events chronicled in the Justice League issue as Johnny Chambers and Libby Lawrence) meet outside the White House as Hawkman and FDR decide to gather all heroes to find out what's going on....and the villain of the piece, time traveler Per Degaton. is revealed to the reader while he attacks the Shining Knight (of the Seven Soldiers of Victory) with his villainous minions.

Taking Action

The newly formed All-Star Squadron head west (adding Quality heroine, Phantom Lady as well), as Per Degaton, "The Tyrant Out Of Time" works on attacking San Francisco with the villains he had recruited from 1947, as Degaton figures this will get the USA to attack Japan first, allowing him to take over the world...and the newly formed All-Star Squadron defeat the villains (with them going back to their own time) and freeing the captive Justice Society of America, Shining Knight and Danette Reilly (who had been exposed to mystic forces and volcanic gas) in All-Star Squadron #2 and #3 (October and November, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway), and the heroes begin to get an idea of "The Dooms Of Dark December".

Grim Reality

The All-Star Squadron, whose members include all the heroes mentioned above, get a look at the results of the attack on Pearl Harbor by flying there on December 8th, 1941 in All-Star Squadron #4 (December, 1981 by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway) in the "Day Of The Dragon King"....the heroes had planned to go to Japan immediately, but a new villain, the Dragon King, is introduced, who uses the supernatural power of items like the Holy Grail, and Spear of Destiny to create a mystical shield that affects supernatural and otherworldly powered heroes like Dr. Fate, Spectre, Johnny Thunder, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and even Superman, making them work for the Axis forces, forcing the heroes to all retreat...and let the war be fought in conventional ways, as Danette Reilly learns her brother Rod was injured at Pearl Harbor.

In All-Star Squadron #5 (January, 1982 by Thomas, Buckler and Ordway), Danette learns her brother was the non-powered hero, Firebrand, now unable to be Firebrand for a time thanks to injury, and learns she received flame powers thanks to her time, takes over his mystery man name, and joins the All-Star Squadron in fighting a new menace, the Feathered Serpent, who is working with the Nazis...


...continuing the story, and adding Hawkman's girlfriend, Hawkgirl, into the mix as well....

.

Continuing the Fight 

The heroes continued the fight against the Axis on the homefront, as All-Star Squadron lasted 67 issues (and 3 Annuals), eventually adding most of the Golden Age heroes to its roster (and covering comic history to about April, 1942).  The series also filled in DC history, exploring what happened to the Quality heroes on December 7th (and how they went to another Earth, stopping the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, allowing the Nazis to win World War II....and forming the Freedom Fighters under Uncle Sam), as well as adding to the history of Earth-2, and the Justice Society of America (including future members Hawkman's partner Hawkgirl,  Sandman's partner Sandy, Wildcat, Mr. Terrific and Robin), the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and even other Golden Age characters like Johnny Quick, Liberty Belle, Robotman and Plastic Man...

...with later additions to the team, like Tarantula, the Guardian, TNT and Dan the Dyna-Mite, Air Wave, Manhunter, Zatara, Sargon, Mr. America, Midnight, the Whip, Dr. Occult, and even World War II heroes created later, like Steel (renamed Commander Steel after the assistance of the All-Star Squadron in freeing him from Baron Blitzkreig), as well as new heroes like Firebrand and Amazing Man, and facing off against the Marvel Family and the Monster Society Of Evil...

...but it all started on one day, and the machinations of Per Degaton.