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The Golden Era... June 1938 to 1945, Part III
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Detective Comics #38, the first appearance of Robin, comics' first kid sidekick
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April 1940 featured the release of
Detective Comics No. 38 and the first appearance of Robin, the Boy
Wonder. Bob Kane wanted to introduce a sidekick for two reasons. It would give Batman an associate
to talk to and, at the same time, give the youngsters reading Batman someone with which to identify.
He felt every boy would want to be like Robin, no school, no homework, living in a mansion, riding in
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The Green Lantern first appeared in July 1948's All American Comics #16
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the Batmobile, it was a fantasy come true! Jack Liebowitz, Kane's boss, didn't agree however. Kane
was able to convince his to try Robin for one issue though and was proved right. Detective Comics
No. 38 sold almost twice as many copies as the usual
Detective Comics and Robin
was here to stay.
DC/All American, a publisher owned by M. C. Gaines and independent, but with a strong relationship to
DC, including the DC logo, published All American Comics No. 16 in July 1940. In it was the first
appearance of The Green Lantern, with a premise that must have been
influenced by Aladdin, a hero with a magic ring powered by a magic lantern. Though his final name
was Alan Scott, he was originally to be called Alan Ladd.
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The first appearance of the Justice Society of America
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Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #1
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World's Best Comics #1, the beginning of Superman and Batman team-ups
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The unusual cover of Captain Mravel Adventures #1
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October 1940 and American Comics No. 19 brought The Atom, Al Pratt. After being mugges in front of
his girlfriend, the five foot Pratt trained and donned a costume. The first "team-up" occurred in
Marvel Mystery Comics No. 9 in July 1940 with the team-up of The Sub-Mariner and The Human Torch.
The following month, Eastern color published Heroic Comics No. 1 featuring Hydro-Man, who was also
created by Bill Everett and was very similar to the Sub-Mariner.
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All Star Comics #1, featuring all the original members of the JSA, though not yet as the JSA.
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The Human Torch #2, the first appearance of Toro, the Torch's kid sidekick
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The Flash, The Spectre, The Hawkman and
The Sandman appeared together in All
Star Comics No. 1 but didn't appear as the Justice Society of America until No. 3.
The original team featured The Flash, Johnny Thunder, The Green Lantern, The Spectre, The Hawkman,
The Hourman, The Sandman, The Atom, and Dr. Fate. The JSA appeared in All Star Comics until No. 51 in
early 1951.
Western comics made their entrance with Red Ryder Comics No.1, published by Hawley, and Tom Mix Comics
No. 1, published by Ralstan Purina Co. Both were published in September 1940.
The Human Torch got his own title with the publication of The Human Torch No. 2 (previously known as
Red Raven Comics) in Fall 1940. This issue also introduced another kid sidekick, Toro, who had similar
powers and a natural immunity to fire.
One of the most significant publications of 1940 was Dell's Walt Disney's Comics and Stories No. 1, a
title that is still be published today..
Green Hornet Comics No. 1 appeared in December 1940 from Helnit Publications. The Green Hornet
originally appeared as a radio show, created by Fran Striker, who also created The Lone Ranger. The
Green Hornet was the great-nephew of The Lone Ranger and a vigilante crime fighter.
The Big Red Cheese got his own title with the publication of Captain Marvel Adventures No. 1 from
Fawcett in January 1941. He also appeared later that year in America's Greatest Comics No. 1. In
February 1941 DC printed a black and white title, reprinting the cover to Action Comics No. 29 to
secure the copyright to World's Best Comics No. 1 in Spring 1940. With No. 2, it changed to World's
Finest Comics, the location of Batman and Superman team-ups for over forty years.
me@dereksantos.com - Derek Santos - webmaster
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