Type Comic
Date 1940-06
Tags comics go to war, zombies, fiction

All-Star Comics #1

All-Star Comics #1 (1940-06)

The editors apparently wanted to raise the profile of their other magazines (besides Action Comics and Detective Comics), so they put together All-Star Comics featuring stories about characters from their other four monthlies.

Hawkman

Summary: Hawkman rescues a brother and sister from their evil uncle, who was using zombies to work a mine.

That's a pretty passionate embrace, for brother and sister.

The Sandman

Summary: Wes Dodds, the Sandman, observes a jewelry store robbery. Strangely, he soon after sees a man who looks just like the robber, but who is dressed differently. It turns out that the two are twins, working together.

Notes: This is the first Sandman comic I've read. He's usually in Adventure Comics, which I haven't been reading, so far. Interesting that, unlike other comic heroes, he neither dodges nor is impervious to bullets.

The Ultra-Man

Summary: War has broken out in Europe, resulting in American exports being stopped, leading to massive unemployment. This economic trouble has caused riots in America between the supporters of each of the two European nations at war. Says Ultra-Man of the arguing workers: "You are both right! Those nations are both wrong! But we, all of us, are Americans no matter what our origins! That war is not our fight! And we'll have none of it here!" He solves the problem by making men settle their disagreements with boxing matches. Eventually he finds that a third country caused the wars, hoping to profit. He reveals this, and the war ends. In the end, he says: "All wars are foolish, Mr. President! Untold suffering caused by inhuman greed!"

Notes: This is another comic I've not been reading, before. He's usually in All-American Comics. This is interesting as an anti-war comic, but otherwise not so great.

The Flash

Summary: The Flash gets himself a temporary job as a police officer in order to solve a murder. Which he does, in just a few minutes. In a flash.

Notes: Why did the Flash bother becoming a police officer? He just did his usual stuff.

The Spectre

Summary: The Spectre punishes a man, Dr. Cragg, who has been deliberately setting fires to collect the insurance money.

Notes: Yet another comic I've not been reading. The Spectre is usually in More Fun Comics. The comic wasn't too bad, but it was obvious from the get-go that Dr. Cragg was behind it all.

Hour-Man

Summary: Hour-Man stops a criminal who was threatening a man to sell his property.

Notes: Hour-Man is usually in Adventure Comics. I'm not too impressed by this story. The one hour time limit just seems like a gimmick to add tension to the story.

Red, White and Blue

Notes: This comic is usually in All-American Comics. I read All-American Comics #1 and wasn't too impressed by this comic, so I'm skipping it.