Jeffy's Missed by Angels and Heroes Alike!

Yes indeedy, Jeffy's not only been scarce here in cyber-blog-land, but also around home and it seems even down at "Ye Olde Drink Hole" there's a sense of lacking his presence...

Loose ends he's left are feeling sorely fatigued and lost since he last visited.  Take for example the heroes of "All American Comics" still back in Champagne Room waiting for Jeffy to end his hiatus from his "A Brief History of the Golden Age of Comic Book Super Heroes"...

This is MORE than just beating a dead horse (though we all know how much fun THAT can be)...Jeffy has really "checked out".

But why?  and to where?

Talk to you soon!

All American Comics - "The Mighty Atom"!

"A 'Slight' History of Golden Age Comic Book Super Heroes" look at the heroes of All American (DC) 's "All American Comics" continues, as I present "The Mighty Atom"!


"The Atom" of the golden age was 19 year old Calvin College student Al Pratt, runty little guy (5' 1") who was put upon by everyone. Rather than get all pissy about it or develope a Napoleon complex, he devoted some time to honing his mind and his body to be the best he could be. Not to seek revenge of bullies, but to help defend all the other underdogs out there who needed someone to stand up for them.

He had no super powers, except that he was a good upstanding fella who wanted to make good. Not a bad person to exemplify if you ask me, and when you clicked on this h'yar blog you kind of did.

Premiering in "All-American Comics" #19 in 1940, The Atom lasted as a feature until the end of the run and in "All Star Comics" (we'll get to it, be patient dear reader) he was a charter member of The Justice Society of America and lasted with the team until their last appearance in 1951, the end of the golden age. In fact, other than Hawkman (we're GETTING there! Calm down!) appeared in more of the JSA's adventures than any other member.

The Atom has since been retconned into having some super powers, but I'll get more into my tirade about fan-boy comic book "writers" trashing whatever came before them to their own ends another time, for now it's time to check out The Atom in his very first appeareance by Bill Flinton and Bill O'Conner.

Enjoy!

Meantime...it seems our little hero has heard there's free beer at "Ye Olde Drink Hole" for anyone who wants to earn it, so he's horning in on Doiby (Green Lantern's pal( Dickles' stage space...

Talk to you soon.

All American Comics - "Dr. Mid-Nite"!

Today's featured hero in my "A 'Slight' History of Golden Age Comic Book Super Heroes" is All American (DC) 's "Dr. Mid-Nite"!


Making his first appearance in "All American Comics" #25 in 1941, and created by Charles Reizenstein and Stanley Joseph Aschmeier (how much crap did that guy get from his school-mates for THAT name?), Dr. Midnight ran right up until the end of tha comics run and as a member of the Justice Society of America in "All Star Comics" until 1952, the end of the Golden Age.


Dr.Charles McNider, skilled surgeon and general practicioner, is striken blind in...ah what the heck, here's that very origin story of how Dr. Mid-Nite began writing prescriptions against crime in a reprint from "All American" #25. Back in the early 1970's DC was big on publishing the comics as big 80 and 100 page spectaculars with the anchor story being a new feature, but the remainder being reprints from it's vast catalogue. It served as a great introduction to green horns like me to forgotten heroes. Doc Mid-Nite's reprints in giant sized "Detective Comics" was always one of my favorites and I dug his costume the most!

Dig in!

Meanwhile...Doiby (Green Lantern's pal) Dickles is still shakin' his money maker for free beers at "Ye Olde Drink Hole". Of all the "witnesses", Dr. Mid-Nite has a distinct advantage...

Talk to you soon.

All American Comics - "The Green Lantern"!

Adrift in the sea of my "A 'Slight' History of Golden Age Comic Book Super Heroes", we sail past "Action Comics" and "Adventure Comics" both from National (DC) Periodicals, and onto All American's flagship title "All American Comics"!

This part's a little confusing, you see All American and National Periodical were sister companies, sharing some of the same owners and...well...even sharing the same characters. By 1945 (still in the thick of the Golden Age) they officially merged, so for the duration of my "slight history" I will be referring to them as one and the same. Only some lawyers pen separaes them anyway.

All-American Comics hit the stands in April 1939. Another great anthology book of the periiod, sporting lots of different types of features, it's first anchor strip was "Gary Concord, the Ultra Man"!


Don't let the title fool you, Gary Concord was just another Buck Rodgers knock-off, and the "Ultra Man" subtitles was a little ploy to capture the new Superman crowd. The first real and lasting star of the book was "The Green Lantern"!

NOT the Green Lantern that is soon to be hitting movie screens, that's the silver age Green Lantern, I'm talkiing about the original power ring wearer, Alan Scott!

Created in 1940 by Bill Finger and Martin Nordell, he would wear the ring all throughout the golden age (and even a little beyond).

I've hit on this Green Lantern once before and even posted his origina story from All American #16 here. This Green Lantern's power ring, was just like his better known successor, powered by the wearers will power. Alan Scott's ring was more magical in nature than the sci-fi version of years to come. With it Scott could walk through walls, read people's' minds and all sorts of stuff.


He was ably assisted for a good chunk of his carreer, not by a kid costumed side-kick like so many of his contemporaries, but by a street-tough Gotham City cab driver named "Doiby" Dickles. Why he had a Brooklyn accent in Gotham I can only guess.

"Doiby" was dumb as a stump but loyal and true as all get out.

And here's a little Green Lantern story highlighting our forgotten helper of the golden age of comics, from "All American Comics" #46.

Enjoy!

Talk to you soon.