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Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Golden Age chronology!

For no particular reason (well, there's one, but you don't get to know about it for a while), I'm posting a chronological list of the debuts of the golden age characters of DC.




1935
Oct, More Fun Comics #6 – Dr. Occult, Rose Psychic

1937 

March, Detective Comics #1 – Slam Bradley and Shorty Morgan

1938 


Apr, Action Comics #1 – Superman, Zatara, Tex Thopson
Oct, Detective Comics #20 - Crimson Avenger and Wing

1939 
May, Detective Comics #27 – Batman
Jul, Adventure Comics #40 - Sandman


1940
Jan, Flash Comics #1 – Flash, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Johnny Thunder
Feb, More Fun Comics #52The Spectre
Mar, Adventure Comics #48 - Hourman
Spr, Batman #1 – Catwoman
Apr, Detective Comics #38 –  Robin
May, More Fun Comics #55 – Dr. Fate
Jun, More Fun Comics #56 - Congo Bill
Jul, All-American Comics #16Green Lantern
Oct, All-American Comics #19The Atom
Nov, All-American Comics #20 – Red Tornado
Win, All-Star Comics #3 The Justice Society of America (Hawkman, Atom, Flash, Green Lantern, Dr. Fate, Spectre, Hurman and Sandman).

1941
Apr, All-American Comics #25 – Dr. Mid-Nite
Apr, Adventure Comics #61 - Starman
Sep, More Fun Comics #73 – Aquaman, Green Arrow, Speedy
Sep, Adventure Comics #66 – Shining Knight
Sep, Action Comics #40 – Star-Spanged Kid, Stripesy
Oct, All-Star Comics #8 - Wonder Woman
Oct, Star-Spangled Comics #1 - Tarantula
Nov, Action Comics #42 – Vigilante
Winter, Boy Commandos #1 – Liberty Belle
Winter, Leading Comics #1 Seven Soldiers of Victory

1942
Jan, Sensation Comics #1Wildcat, Mr. Terrific
Feb, Detective Comics #60 – Air Wave
Apr, Star-Spangled Comics #7 – Robotman, TNT and Dan the Dyna-myte, The Guardian


1947
Aug, Flash Comics #86Black Canary

1948
Jun, - Star-Spangled Comics #81 – Gimmick Girl

1983
Jul, All-Star Squadron #23 – Amazing Man


Adoptive characters

A bunch of current DC Comics properties were created outside National Comics / All-American Publications. In this list I'm mixing Fawcett Comics, Quality Comics and Fox Comics. However, it must first  be considered that [besides the ancient and classic god pantheons and the biblical characters] certain classic characters that exist in the current DCU were created even before that:

c. 9th Century: King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table
c. 1422: Robin Hood
1887: Sherlock Holmes and John Watson
1904: Rima, the Jungle Girl
1912: Tarzan
1933: Doc Savage

1939
Aug, Mystery Men Comics #1 Blue Beetle

1940
Feb, Whiz Comics #2Captain Marvel, Spy Smasher
May, Nickel Comics #1 – Bulletman and Bulletgirl
May, Crack Comics #1 – Black Condor
Jul, National Comics #1Uncle Sam
Jun, Register and Tribune SyndicateThe Spirit
Sept, Smash Comics #14 – The Ray

1941
Aug, Police Comics #1 – Plastic Man, Phantom Lady, Human Bomb, Firebrand
Aug, Military Comics #1 – Miss America, Blackhawks
Dec, Whiz Comics #25 – Captain Marvel Jr.

1942
Dec, Captain Marvel Adventures #18 Mary Marvel

1943
Jul, Military Comics #20 – Lady Blackhawk (unnamed)
Oct, Wow Comics #18 – Uncle Marvel

1944
Apr, Feature Comics #77 – Doll Man

It is interesting to note that in both cases, most of the characters were created between January 1940 and December 1941, and that, in general, they also had more staying power than the rest, with the exception being the two big archetypes that predate them: Superman and Batman.


Villains

And finally the villains (I might do supporting cast if I'm ever in the mood). It's funny I'd have never expected Wonder Woman to have the clearest gallery or Superman to be so difficult.
In this case we can also appreciate that, unlike superheroes, must of the villains were not created in 1940 or 1941. However, many archenemies are from those years: Luthor, Joker, Catwoman, Clayface, Scarecrow, Penguin, Hugo Strange, Sivana, Captain Nazi, Wotan, Karkull, Mr. Who, Hath Set, Dummy, Zor, Oom and Blackjack (hey, he was basically the only Aquaman guy back then!)

Wonder Woman
1942, Feb, Sensation Comics #2 – Doctor Poison
1942, Apr, Sensation Comics #4 – Baroness Paula von Gunther
1942, Sum, Wonder Woman #1 – Ares
1942, Fall, Wonder Woman #2 – Duke of Deception, Lord Conquest, Earl of Greed
1943, Apr, Wonder Woman #4 - Mavis
1943, Jun, Wonder Woman #5 – Dr. Psycho
1943, Oct, Wonder Woman #6 – Cheetah
1943, Dec, Comic Cavalcade #5 -Zara
1944, Mar, Wonder Woman #8 – Queen Clea
1944, Jun, Wonder Woman #9 – Giganta
1944, Fall, Wonder Woman #10 – Eviless
1944, Win, Wonder Woman #11 – Hipnota
1945, Apr, Sensation Comics #42, Draska Nishki              
1946, Sep, Sensation Comics #59 – Blue Snowman
1946, Oct, Comic Cavalcade #17 – Gunra the Valkyrie
1947, Jul, Wonder Woman #24 – The Mask
1948, Mar, Wonder Woman #28 – Villainy Inc.
1948, Apr, Wonder Woman #29 – Minister Blizzard
1949, Sep, Wonder Woman #37 - Circe
1953, Nov, Wonder Woman #62 – Angle Man


Batman
Wasn't able to get any Kane gallery, but here's some Sprang.
1939, Jul, Detective Comics #29 – Dr.  Death
1939, Sep, Detective Comics #31 – Monk & Dala
1940, Feb, Detective Comics #36 – Professor Hugo Strange
1940, Spr, Batman #1 – The Joker
1940, Apr, Detective Comics #38   Boss Zucco
1940, Jun, Detective Comics #40 - Clayface
1941, Fall, World’s Finest Comics #3 – The Scarecrow
1941, Dec, Detective Comics #58 – The Penguin
1942, Ago, Detective Comics #66 – Two-Face
1943, Apr, Detective Comics #74 – Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum
1943, Nov, Detective Comics #81 – The Cavalier
1947, Sep, World's Finest Comics #30 – The Penny Plunderer
1948, Oct, Batman #49 – The Mad Hatter
1950, Jun, Batman #59 – Deadshot  
1951, Feb, Batman #63 – Killer Moth
1952, Jun, Detective Comics #184 - Firefly
1983, Jul, The Brave and the Bold #200 – Brimstone

Captain Marvel
1940, Feb, Whiz Comics #2 – Dr. Sivana
1941, Dec, Master Comics #21 – Captain Nazi
1942, Mar, Captain Marvel Adventures #8 – Mr. Banjo, Ibac
1942, Apr, Captain Marvel Adventures #9 – Nippo
1943, Feb, Captain Marvel Jr. #4, Sabbac
1943, Mar, Captain Marvel Adventures #22 - Herkimer
1943, Ago, Captain Marvel Adventures #26 – Mr. Mind, Goat Man
1944, Jun, Captain Marvel Adventures #36 - Jeepers
1944, Nov, Captain Marvel Adventures #41 – Evil Eye
1945, Dec, Marvel Family #1 – Black Adam
1946, May, Captain Marvel Adventures #61 – Oggar
1947, Nov, Captain Marvel Adventures #78 – Mr. Atom
1951, Oct, Captain Marvel Adventures #125 – King Kull


Superman
1939, Jun, Action Comics #13 – Ultra-Humanite
1940, Jan, Action Comics #20 – Dolores Winters (who woud become Ultra-Humanite)
1940, Apr, Action Comics #23 – Lex Luthor
1941 Nov, Superman #13 – The Archer
1942 Aug – Action Comics #58 – The Prankster
1942 Nov, Superman #19 – Funny Face
1942, Jun, Action Comics #49 – The Puzzler
1942, Sum, World’s Finest Comics #6 – Metalo
1943, Sep,  Action Comics #64 – Toyman
1943, Nov, Superman #25 – Hi-Jack
1944, Jan, Superman #26 - J. Wilbur Wolfingham
1944, Sep, Superman #30 – Mr. Mxyzptlk
1950, Feb, Superboy #6 – Humpty Dumpty

Flash
1942, Sep, Flash Comics #33 – The Shade
1942, Dec, Flash Comics #36 ­– Rag Doll
1943, Fall, All Flash Comics #12 – The Thinker
1945, Win, All Flash Comics #21 – The Turtle
1947, Nov, Flash Comics #89 - Thorn
1947, Dec, All Flash Comics #32 – The Fiddler, Star Sapphire
1949, Feb, Flash Comics #104 – The Rival

Green Lantern
1943, Win, Green Lantern #10 – Vandal Savage
1944, Sum, Green Lantern #12 – The Gambler
1944, Oct, All-American Comics #61 – Solomon Grundy
1947, May, All-American Comics #85 – Sportsmaster
1947, Ago, Green Lantern #27 – Sky Pirate
1947, Sep, All-American Comics #89 – Harlequin
1947, Oct, All-American Comics #90 – Icicle



Dr. Fate
1940, May, More Fun Comics #55 - Wotan
1941, May, More Fun Comics #67 – Nergal
1941, Jul, More Fun Comics #69 – Ian Karkull 
1941, Nov, More Fun Comics #73 – Mr. Who
1942, Jun, More Fun Comics #80 – Octopus
1942, Jul, More Fun Comics #81 – The Clock

Justice Society of America
1943, Feb, All-Star Comics #15 – Brainwave
1945, Win, All-Star Comics #23 – Psycho-Pirate
1947, Apr, All-Star Comics #34 – The Wizard
1947, Jun, All-Star Comics #35 – Per Degaton
1947, Oct, All-Star Comics #37 – Injustice Society of the World 
1948, Dec, All-Star Comics #44 – Evil Star
1951, Mar, All-Star Comics #57 – The Key
1999, Dec, Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80-Page Giant #1 – Johnny Sorrow

Hawkman
1940, Jan, Flash Comics #1 – Hath Set
1940, Fall, All-Star Comics #2 - Nyola
1941, Jan, Flash Comics #13 – Satana
1945, Apr, Flash Comics #64 – The Monocle
1947, Oct, Flash Comics #88 – The Gentleman Ghost


Plastic Man
1950, May, Plastic Man #23 – The Figure
1950, Sep, Plastic Man #25 – Mr. Aqua

The Spectre
1940, May, More Fun Comics #55 –  Zor
1940, Win, All-Star Comics #3 – Oom

Aquaman
1941, Dec, More Fun Comics #74, Blackjack

Green Arrow
1946, Sep, World's Finest #24 – Bulls-Eye

Dr. Mid-Nite
1947, Feb, All-American Coics #82 - Dr. Light

Starman
1941, May, Adventure Comics #62 – The Light
1941, Oct, Adventure Comics #67 – The Mist

Vigilante
1941, Win, Leading Comics #1 – The Dummy

Zatara
1938, Apr, Action Comics #1 – The Tigress
1938, Oct, Action Comics #5 – Amen-Hotep

Congo Bill
1940, Jun, More Fun Comics #56 - The Skull

Robotman
1943, Feb, Star-Spangled Comics #17 – The Turtle

Wildcat
1943, Ago, Sensation Comics #20 – Yellow Wasp
1947, Ago, Sensation Comics #68 – The Huntress

Sandman
1942, Sum, World’s Finest Comics #6  - Ramulus

Boy Commandos
1946, Jun, Boy Commandos #15 – Crazy Quilt


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