The cowboy continues to replace the superhero in September 1948, as DC’s All-American Comics follows “More Fun” out of the superhero genre. It gets a name tweak to “All-American Western” and a new cover star: Johnny Thunder. This means no more solo stories for Dr. Mid-Nite in the Golden Age. Green Lantern still has his […]
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The Western craze continues with the introduction of a new Western character with an old name in All-American Comics #100 (June 1948): Johnny Thunder! Yes, just six months since Johnny Thunder disappeared from DC comics, a completely new character steps in and takes over his name. Johnny Thunder is a blonde school teacher who has […]
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After 6 months as a supporting cast member of Johnny Thunder, Black Canary is given a solo feature in Flash Comics #92 (December 1947), replacing Johnny Thunder. Here is where we first learn that Black Canary is actually florist Dinah Drake. Her love interest is also introduced: Larry Lance, a private investigator who falls in […]
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Flash Comics #87 (July 1947) features the second appearance of the Black Canary in Johnny Thunder’s story. This time, it is firmly established that the Black Canary is working on the side of the law and is being framed by criminals. She and Johnny end up with a lot more action this time and it’s […]
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in Flash #86 (June 1947), in a six-page Johnny Thunder story, we get what I believe is the last significant character introduced during the Golden Age of Comics: Black Canary! Created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino, she is positioned in this story not as a hero, but as someone who robs crooks. Stylistically, she […]
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In All-Star Comics #7 (August 1941), we finally see an in-story meeting of Batman and Superman. The Justice Society of America decides to raise a million dollars for the world’s war children. At the end of the story, Johnny Thunder wishes in the honorary members of the JSA: Superman, Batman and the Flash, who bring […]
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Johnny Thunder becomes an official member of the Justice Society of America, in All-Star Comics #6 (June 1941), while Jay Garrick (the Flash) becomes an honorary member like Superman and Batman. It’s pretty clear that DC / National only considers the team-up a gimmick to boost readership, because once the Flash gained a solid-enough founding […]
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DC and National Comics seem to be upping their “supporting character” game in mid-1941. In All-American Comics #27 (April 1941), Green Lantern introduces a comic relief supporting character named Doiby Dickles. I agree with this article that Doiby is one of the worst sidekicks of all time. I’ve never been a fan of mixing slapstick […]
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The Justice Society of America debuts in All-Star Comics #3 (November 1940). In its first incarnation it consists of a whopping nine characters across Detective Comics Inc and All-American Comics (still separate companies at this point): The Flash, the Atom, Green Lantern, Hawkman, the Spectre, Doctor Fate, Sandman and Hourman, with Johnny Thunder thrown in […]
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In Flash #10 (August 1940), Johnny Thunderbolt finally realizes he has some power, but remains clueless as to how to invoke it.
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