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Entry #20 Issue #13 January 1941 Rating: 5 The end of 1940 closes the first chapter of the Flash Comics series. The themes of fighting political bosses, underworld gangsters, and Karloff-like mad scientist are going to be sharing space with the new genre that emerges in 1941 – war. Hints of these new stories are seen in this issue’s Les Watts and Cliff Cornwall stories. The former tracks down a Bela Lugosi type thespian that wants to blow up destroyers while they are being launched in the harbor. The latter is invasion of Snowland (Greenland) by Korova (Japan) and Cliff is sent into action to protect the Monroe Doctrine! Both of these stories are an odd mixture of genres that fun to read. The King Standish stories are also unique. Drawn by Flash Comics #1 artist Harry Lampert and scripted by Fox, they are more about a secret love affair between the King, a quasi-good guy and the Witch, an unrepentant criminal. The King, more interested in frustrating the Witch then being a protectorate of the Law, enjoys seeing the Witch fail in her schemes. He joyfully turns her loose in order to play the game again – rather than turn her over to the Police. The art in the Flash becomes more fluid and expressive in the emotions of the bad guys as they confront the speed of the Flash. The cover art would best been used for the Ione Craig stories back in issue #5 and 6.

Entry #19 Issue #12 December 1940 Rating: 5 DC House Ads for this issue:

Entry #18 Issue #12 December 1940 Rating: 5 Although Flash Comics #14 gets the ‘classic cover’ designation, I think this issue is worthy of classic distinction. By the end of 1940, The Flash story has now focused on the looming war in a far off land. Although the name of the countries is imaginary, the content of the story is not lost on the readers. After witnessing the raging war for too long, the Flash proclaims, “This has finally brought home to me how evil war really is – and how everyone should do everything in their power to help stamp it out!!’ With Flash style, coming to the aid of the the Kurtavians, their enemies, the Nuralians, weapons and uniforms are whisked away. Their U-boats disabled. Along with their power stations destroyed – peace is finally won. Following the Flash story is a new strip. Les Watts: Radio Amateur. Where as the Flash is called to duty in war, Les Watts represents the American spirit of innovation and progress in technology. Or as the police officer in the last panel proclaims, ‘. . . real American boys – the kind all boys want to be.’ Having read the twelve installment of Johnny Thunder, I see a strong similarity between his powers and the popular sixties TV show ‘Bewitched’. Much like the comical spell casting of Samantha and her family on the helpless mortals, Johnny can turn ordinary people into animals or make them do things against their will, all for his simple minded whimsical desires. Here is a sample of the the Whip by Homer Fleming. “He keeps coming to the club and making violent love to me! Doctor, I tell you the man’s insane!!” “Well, I’ll admit, Miss Lewis, that he is very erratic. But there is no one in the field of Bio-Chemistry who can equal him. So please humor him a bit or he may have another stroke – Now I must say ‘Good Night’”, says Dr. Ray. I thought I would quote this particular panel from the first installment of “Minute Movies”, by Ed Whelan. Mad Doctor in search of a Bio-Chemical serum that makes young women do whatever he commands them to do, ‘make violent love’. The Hawkman story continues the mythos making hero of the murky underworld themes.

my bid of $667 was trumped with about 25 mins. to go. The action on the #31 kept the snipers away on the #35.

No Flash Comics Journal entry today. Just a personal note. Today is our son's 5th birthday. So I thought I'd share family pictures. Me, Kara, Elijah, and Thomas II next up . . . Flash Comics #12 (my favorite cover of the early issues)

Newsreel 08/40September 1940 began the Blitz of London. 300 German bombers leave bases in France for England.

Entry #17Issue #11November 1940Rating: 5 This issue is the last of the cover not being featured in the story. The splash page of the Hawkman story is best paired with the cover of issue #17. Although there isn’t anything noteworthy about them, the stories are enjoyable to read. Judging from the frequency of early Hawkman panels posted, he is easily the most popular character in year one of the title.

Entry #16Issue #10October 1940Rating: 5 Judging by the ad in the comic, this issue was on the newsstands in August 1940. It interesting that the stories foreshadow real world events that was about to happen. U-boats attacks off the cost of Panama, US Empire in far off pacific islands coming under attack. These early Flash stories are still developing the Flash persona as a protectorate of the common man – and children. The Hawkman is more a shadowy figure that is not interested in using his occult skills for the service of the general public like the Flash. His talents are best used for assisting individuals. DC acknowledges these traits even today with the relaunch of the NEW 52! series. Note the John Denver character in this story. The other stories in this issue are also very entertaining to read. Once again, the classic Flash cover is not reflective of what the story is about in this issue.

Thanks for the responses to my price question. I bought mine, a little rust at the top but squeak free, for $150.

What is the current market value of a 'HEY!!KIDS COMICS" rack?

(thumbs u Those large logo covers are the light to this moth.

This week's musical entry is dedicated to John Denver. It will make sense with my next post.

Yes, I will start including the cover dates. I'm up to 09/40. I'm also including historical markers from when the issues would have been on the newsstands. Generally, two months prior to the cover dates. Issue #9 would have been on the newsstands at the same time Germany occupied Paris.

Entry #15 Issue #9 09/40 Rating: 5 The only miscue with this issue is the cover. The Hawkman is not out west in the story. He does travel to an abandon gold mine in Colorado to investigate a man named John Denver in the next issue. In this issue, the Hawkman occupies the first story position. He is down under the sea off the coast of NYC. He meets Poseidon; who aids in defeating a sea demi-god. The Flash story is a case of science in the hands of crooks. Their plan goes wrong when the giant gila monster that they created terrorizes a town. This is another story where Jay is known by another one of his old college buddies as the Flash. All the stories in this issue are excellent. A great variety of super-hero action, crime, espionage with a ‘foreign country’ with a U-boat off the coast at the Panama Canal, humor, and wild west adventure.

Newsreel 05/40From Luxemburg to Dunkirk. May 15, 1940. UFA Tonwoche No. 506. (English transcript) Against an impending enemy extension of the war in the territory of Belgium and Holland, and with that a drive into the Ruhr by the Allies, the German West Army has undertaken an offensive on a wide front across the German western borders in the early morning hours of May 10. Bridge obstacles have been removed. A Luxembourg customs official is led away.Here, an iron border gate is taken down. The remainder is removed with hammers and torches. In Luxembourg there was hardly any resistance offered. Placards inform the local population. The tanks advance over the cobblestone streets. The columns move forward according to plan. The advance towards the decisive battle in the West has begun. A concrete barrier is unable to halt the column.Rolling stock makes its way quickly through Luxembourg. A security troops keeps a look out.Our brave infantry is greeted by the German border population.Everywhere the German infantry are given refreshments. The advance into Belgium continues at the same time. Here the border barriers are removed in only a short time. The path leads over ruined roads. A tank assists in clearing the roads. Our troops are given a warm welcome by the German population of Eupen-Malmedy, which had been cut off from the rest of Germany. The Luftwaffe has attained supremacy from the first hours in action. Infantry climb aboard a transport aircraft.They are given a special task. In quick flight they are taken to their goal, while marching columns move far below them. In rolling attacks, bombers and Stukas support the the advancing infantry. Enemy defensive installations, defensive positions,marching columns and troop concentrations are attacked from the air. Railroads and bridges are damaged or destroyed.The enemy airbases have been cleared in the first great attack. The result of one German bomb.Thus everywhere railway lines and stations have been reduced to rubble, preventing the enemy from moving supplies. Here, enemy aircraft have bombed the defenseless city of Freiburg in Breisgau (Baden-Württemberg). Schools,kindergartens and hospitals have been destroyed or heavily damaged. 50 persons have been killed - including 13 children - as a result of this brutal and unscrupulous attack upon this defenseless German city.

(thumbs u I revised my entry to include: Gardner Fox is credited for writing the Batman stories in Detective Comics #29 - 32. "The Batman Meets Doctor Death", "The Return of Doctor Death" , "Batman vs. the Vampire, Part 1 and 2" Sheldon Moldoff for Backgrounds and Lettering in #30 - 34.

Entry #14Issue #8Rating: 5The Flash and the Hawkman are cementing their personalities by this issue. Flash, an altruistic defender of justice, is more personable with the citizens. The Flash, through a slightly skewed prism, could be Keystone Cities Superman. The counter balance, Superman\Batman Flash\Hawkman is taking shape nicely. The Hawkman is darker and his good deeds are less known amongst the public at large. The Hawkman stories read like they could be altered slightly and become a Dark Knight adventure. Gardner Fox is credited for Detective Comics #29 - 32."The Batman Meets Doctor Death", "The Return of Doctor Death" , "Batman vs. the Vampire, Part 1 and 2"Sheldon Moldoff for Backgrounds and Lettering in #30 - 34. The Witch returns, again, to square off with the King. I have yet to comment in detail about the other strips in these early issues. They are very good. The early Whip Johnny Thunder, and Minute Movie strips are very wordy and leave little room for art. The house ad on the last page has a 1/2 page for All-Star Comics #1. The bottom half features a thumbnail image of Batman #1 – ‘Now On Sale’.

The Mystery Men story you present reflects the relative quietness of the War at the beginning of 1940. With Hitler invading Eastern Europe, it was believed that the West was safe with the shield of the Maginot Line and the English Channel.

As the Journal moves on, I'll be posting more covers. I'll be posting covers of comics I own. Which is about 90 of them.

vaillant . . . The images capture the collective imagination of the era.

Thanks for the support, fellas! I now have 74 reviews completed. By issue 74 the series survives with the aid of Joe Kubert's reboot of the Hawkman. Here is a preview of that issue with its proto-SA magical whistle: The other stories during 45-46 begin to get silly and repetitive. Same can be said for Action, Detective, and Sensation.

Entry #13Issue #7Rating: 5Flash Comics #7 is one of the earliest examples of the cover art hinting of the actual story within the issue. The ‘Hawk’, as he is referred to in these earlier stories, battles a Frankenstein like creature, the czar. It’s creator, Boris Nickaloff, injects adrenalin into his statue of plasm-clay sculpture. The czar goes on a rampage robbing banks and killing anyone that stands in his way. Shiera’s part in this story is nothing more than the girl that gets abducted and awaits the Hawkman’s arrival to rescue her. The Flash story is a variation of the previous one. Instead of the Olympic try-outs, the setting shifts to a 500 mile race. The Flash needs the help of a former college friend – identity revealed again. The bad guy extorts the help of an inventor that has made a gun that makes metal evaporate. It wasn’t really clear why the bad guy decided to use the weapon on fixing the race rather than selling the tech to a foreign country. Without Joan in this one, the story was not that interesting. Inside cover has a full page ad for the introduction of the Green Lantern in All-American Comics.King Standish is the master of disguise, who’s real face has never been seen by the underworld. 'The beautiful witch has tried to trap him but has always failed.’. Competing gangs race to a lawyers home to steal $100000 in securities. The King also hears of the set-up and is waiting. I like the King because he has the same contacts as the gangsters but can move in and out of the underworld without detection. The beautiful Witch is cleaver enough to learn the Kings existence. You can almost sense the pheromonal exchange between these two. Why does the King let her go? Why does she secretly wish to find the King? There is just enough mystery to make me want to buy the next issue.I really can’t read Rod Rian. The vignettes are uneven with no coherent tie-in. Apparently this strip was a ‘John Carter of Mars’ quickie. Like the Atom strip years later, I struggle to read these stories. For the sake of perseverance, I’m reading them – very quickly.A full page house ad alerts readers to look for a new issue of Flash Comics about the 15th of every month.For those lucky readers of DC comics back in the summer of 1940, here is the line up: 1st of the month More Fun Comcis – the Spectre 5st of the month Detective Comics – the Batman 7st of the month Adventure Comics – the Sandman 15st of the month Flash Comics – the Flash20st of the month All American Comics – the Green Lantern23st of the month Action Comics – SupermanAlso advertised on the last page is the ‘coming soon’ issue of All-Star Comics.Johnny Thunder gets fired as a G-man and tries being a superhero – ‘The Thunderbolt’. His SAY YOU hour of power helps him catch a beautiful secret agent.

Newsreel 05/40 President Franklin Roosevelt's address to the nation, delivered May 26, 1940. Responding to Hitler's invasion of Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France, Roosevelt attempts to prepare Americans for increased support for Great Britain. The President also seeks to reassure the public of America's readiness to deal with any threats to the nation, and he notes particularly the nation's expanded military production.

Entry #12Issue #6Rating: 5 Joan Williams' character is established here. Technically, she couldn't be called a forties feminist. She still leans on the support of a man too much for that label. Jay doesn’t feel it necessary to keep his identity a secret.The 1940 Olympics trials is a good story line for the Flash to catch crooked organizers. Due to the outbreak of WWII, the Olympics were cancelled. They were scheduled to be held in Finland from July 20th – August 4th. An ad at the back of this issue places the street date of this issue at mid-April. Here is an unrelated youtube tribute to Jesse Owens.The Hawkman story completes the 2 part try-out of the rescue of Ione Craig. Craig, a government agent, transforms into a helpless waif in need of a hero. Feedback for this story line must have convince the editorial staff that they need to move in the direction of creating the Hawkgirl. The artwork is so great that Moldoff used it as inspiration for the cover on issue #19. The King once again squares off with his nemesis the Witch. It works, I like it.Cliff Cornwall features another team up of Fox\Mordoff for a spy thriller. The story is loose and not as tight as the Hawkman stories that these two are best known for. Ed Whellan’s A Flash “Picture Novelette” is able to translate his audience’s juvenile anxiety of atomic energy into a satirical space-comedy. This story foreshadows the anxiety I felt as late as the 1980s with Ronald Reagan’s tough talk on first strike nuclear weapons. It’s easy to laugh about it now, but Ed Whellan was going deep into the mass psychosis play book with this story.