All-American Publications is one of three
American comic bookAn American comic book is a small magazine originating in the United States and containing a narrative in the form of comics. Since 1975 the dimensions have standardized at 6 5/8" x 10 ¼" , down from 6 ¾" x 10 ¼" in the Silver Age, although larger formats appeared in the past...
companies that combined to form the modern-day
DC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, one of the world's two largest comics publishers.
SuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es created for All-American include the original Atom,
FlashJay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
,
Green LanternAlan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
, Hawkman, and
Wonder WomanWonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, all in the 1940s'
Golden Age of comic booksThe Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
.
Publishing history
Max GainesMaxwell Charles Gaines was a pioneering figure in the creation of the modern comic book. Born Maxwell Ginsburg or Maxwell Ginzberg, he was also known as Max Gaines, M.C...
, future founder of
EC ComicsEntertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...
, formed All-American Publications in 1938 after successfully seeking funding from
Harry DonenfeldHarry Donenfeld was an American publisher who is known primarily for being the owner of National Allied Publications, which distributed Detective Comics and Action Comics, the originator publications for the superhero characters Batman and Superman...
, CEO of both
National Allied Publications (publisher of
Action ComicsAction Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
and other titles) and sister company
Detective Comics (publisher of that
namesake comic bookDetective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
). As Gerard Jones writes of Donenfeld's investment:
While All-American, at 225 Lafayette Street in Manhattan, was physically separated from DC's office space uptown at 480 Lexington Avenue, it used the informal "DC" logo on most of its covers for distribution and marketing reasons. (The DC logo at the time was also used for National's unofficial branding, capitalizing on the success of
BatmanBatman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
in
Detective Comics.) In 1946, Gaines let Liebowitz buy him out, keeping only
Picture Stories from the Bible as the foundation of his own new company, EC. "Liebowitz promptly orchestrated the merger of All-American and Detective Comics into National Comics.... Next he took charge of organizing National Comics, Independent News, and their affiliated firms into a single corporate entity,
National Periodical Publications".
Before that merger, Gaines had first rebranded All-American with its own logo, beginning with books cover-dated February 1945:
All-Flash #17,
Sensation ComicsSensation Comics is the title of a comic book series published by DC Comics that ran for 109 issues between 1942 and 1952. For most of its run, the lead feature was Wonder Woman. Other series that appeared were the Black Pirate, the Gay Ghost, Mr...
#38,
Flash Comics #62,
Green Lantern #14,
Funny Stuff #3, and
Mutt & Jeff #16, and the following month's
All-American ComicsAll-American Comics was the flagship title of comic book publisher All-American Publications, one of the forerunners of DC Comics. It ran for 102 issues from April 1939 to October 1948, at which time it was renamed All-American Western. In 1952, the title was changed again to All-American Men of...
#64 and the hyphenless
All Star ComicsAll Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
#24. When Liebowitz later merged his and Donenfeld's companies, the All-American titles first bore the DC logo once again (starting with December 1945's
Sensation #48 and
Flash Comics #68, continuing with
All-American #70,
All-Flash #21,
Comic Cavalcade #13,
Green Lantern #18,
Funny Stuff #7, and
Mutt & Jeff #20) before finally being fully absorbed by what was now National Periodical.
Creative legacy
During All-American's existence, much cross-promotion took place between the two editorially independent companies, so much so that the first iteration of the
Justice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
, in
All Star ComicsAll Star Comics is a 1940s comic book series from All-American Publications, one of the early companies that merged with National Periodical Publications to form the modern-day DC Comics. With the exception of the first two issues, All Star Comics primarily told stories about the adventures of the...
#3 (Winter 1940/41), included in its roster the National characters
Doctor FateDoctor Fate is the name of a succession of fictional sorcerers who appear in books published by DC Comics. The original version was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Howard Sherman, and first appeared in More Fun Comics #55...
, Hour-Man (as it was then spelled), the
SpectreThe Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, and the Sandman — creating comics' first
intercompany crossoverIn comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...
, with characters interacting, although National's Sandman, Spectre and Hour-Man had previously appeared in solo adventures in
All Star Comics #1 (Summer 1940).
With Gaines as editor, assisted by
Sheldon MayerSheldon Mayer was an American comic book writer, artist and editor. One of the earliest employees of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson's National Allied Publications, Mayer produced almost all of his comics work for the company that would become known as DC Comics.He is credited with rescuing the...
, All-American Publications launched its flagship series
All-American ComicsAll-American Comics was the flagship title of comic book publisher All-American Publications, one of the forerunners of DC Comics. It ran for 102 issues from April 1939 to October 1948, at which time it was renamed All-American Western. In 1952, the title was changed again to All-American Men of...
with an April 1938 premiere. Like many comics of the time,
All-American debuted with a mix of
newspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
comic strips, reprinted in color, and a smattering of original, comic-strip-like features. Among the strips were three huge hits of the era:
Mutt and Jeff, by
Al SmithAl Smith was an American cartoonist whose work included a long run on the comic strip Mutt and Jeff.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Smith was the art editor for the syndication department of the New York World from 1920 to 1930. He began working on Bud Fisher's Mutt and Jeff in 1932. Smith drew Mutt...
ghosting for strip creator
Bud FisherHarry Conway "Bud" Fisher was an American cartoonist who created Mutt and Jeff, the first successful daily comic strip in the United States....
;
SkippySkippy was an American comic strip written and drawn by Percy Crosby that was published from 1923 to 1945. A highly popular, acclaimed and influential feature about rambunctious fifth-grader Skippy Skinner, his friends and his enemies, it was adapted into movies, a novel and a radio show. It was...
, by
Percy CrosbyPercy Leo Crosby was an American author, illustrator and cartoonist best known for his popular comic strip Skippy. Adapted into movies, a novel and a radio show, Crosby's creation was commemorated on a 1997 U.S. Postal Service stamp...
; and
Toonerville FolksToonerville Folks was a popular newspaper cartoon feature by Fontaine Fox, which ran from 1908 to 1955. It began in 1908 in the Chicago Post, and by 1913, it was syndicated nationally by the Wheeler Syndicate...
by
Fontaine FoxFontaine Talbot Fox Jr. was an American cartoonist and illustrator born near Louisville, Kentucky.Fox is best known for writing and illustrating his Toonerville Folks comic panel. It ran from 1913 to 1955 in 250 to 300 newspapers across North America.The cartoons are set in the small town of...
. New content included
Scribbly, a semiautobiographical Mayer feature about a boy cartoonist.
All-American Comics lasted 102 issues through October 1948.
Also debuting that month was
Movie Comics ("A full movie show for 10 cents"), featuring simple adaptations of movies using painted movie stills, as well as
cartoonistA cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Ed WheelanEdgar S. Wheelan was an American cartoonist best known for his comic strip Minute Movies, satirizing silent films, and his comic book Fat and Slat, published by EC Comics...
's popular
Minute Movies comics. The first of its six issues through Aug. 1939 adapted no fewer than five films:
Son of FrankensteinSon of Frankenstein is the third film in Universal Studios' Frankenstein series and the last to feature Boris Karloff as the Monster as well as the first to feature Béla Lugosi as Ygor. It is a sequel to Bride of Frankenstein....
,
Gunga Din-Background:The poem is a rhyming narrative from the point of view of a British soldier, about a native water-bearer who saves the soldier's life but dies himself. The last line suggests a deep-down unease of conscience about the prevailing views of natural hierarchies, both in the depicted...
,
The Great Man Votes,
Fisherman's Wharf, and
Scouts to the Rescue.
The next two comics were
Mutt & Jeff, which ran 103 issues from Summer 1939 - June 1958; and the company's superhero debut,
Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940), which introduced the super-speedster title character, created by writer
Gardner FoxGardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
and artist
Harry LampertHarry Lampert was a cartoonist, adman and author, bridge book author, and bridge teacher.Born in New York, Lampert began cartooning when he was sixteen years old, and worked for the legendary Max Fleischer, inking and helping produce Betty Boop, Popeye, and Koko the Clown cartoons...
, as well as the Golden Age Hawkman and future Hawkgirl, by Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and
Johnny ThunderJohnny Thunder is the name of three fictional characters in comics published by DC Comics. A fourth character has the variant name Jonni Thunder.It is also the name of an unrelated Lego character.-Fictional character biography:...
, by scripter John Wentworth and artist Stan Aschmeier, among other features.
The Golden Age Green Lantern, from
Batman writer
Bill FingerWilliam "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development...
and artist
Martin NodellMartin Nodell was an American cartoonist and commercial artist, best known as the creator of the Golden Age superhero Green Lantern. Some of his work appeared under the pen name "Mart Dellon."-Early life and career:...
, debuted in
All-American Comics #16 (July 1940), followed by the original Atom, created by Bill O'Connor and penciler Ben Flinton, in
All-American #19 (Nov. 1940). Wonder Woman was introduced in a nine-page story in
All Star Comics #8 (Jan. 1942), the product of psychologist
William Moulton MarstonDr. William Moulton Marston , also known by the pen name Charles Moulton, was an American psychologist, feminist theorist, inventor and comic book writer who created the character Wonder Woman...
and Max Charles Gaines (under the
pseudonymA pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Charles Moulton), and drawn by artist Harry G. Peter.
All-American characters
Superhero/masked crimefighter
- The Atom
- Doctor Mid-Nite
Doctor Mid-Nite is a fictional superhero physician in DC Comics. The figure has been represented in the comics by three different individuals, Charles McNider, Beth Chapel and Pieter Anton Cross. Dr. Mid-Nite was originally created by writer Charles Reizenstein and artist Stanley Josephs Aschmeier...
- The Flash
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
- The Gay Ghost
The Gay Ghost is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe, whose first appearance was in Sensation Comics #1 , published by one DC's predecessor companies, All-American Publications...
- Green Lantern
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
- Hawkman and Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
- Hop Harrigan
Hop Harrigan first appeared in All American Comics #1 created by Jon Blummer as one of the first successful aviation heroes in comic history...
- Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys
- Mr. Terrific
Mister Terrific is the name of two different superheroes in the DC Comics universe.-Terry Sloane:The Golden Age's Mister Terrific was Terry Sloane, a self-made millionaire whose photographic memory, Olympic-level athletic skills, and mastery of the martial arts made him a virtual Renaissance man...
- Sargon the Sorcerer
Sargon the Sorcerer is a fictional character, a second string mystic, superhero and sorcerer appearing in DC Comics during the Golden Age. The original Sargon first appeared in All-American Comics # 26, , and was created by John B. Wentworth and Howard Purcell...
- Johnny Thunder
Johnny Thunder is the name of three fictional characters in comics published by DC Comics. A fourth character has the variant name Jonni Thunder.It is also the name of an unrelated Lego character.-Fictional character biography:...
- Gary Concord, the Ultra-Man
Gary Concord, the Ultra-Man was the name of two fictional, comic-book superheroes, father and son, who first appeared during the 1940s period fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books...
- The Whip (El Castigo)
- Wildcat
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
- Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
Adventurer/war
- The Black Pirate
- Gunner Godbee
- Red, White and Blue (Red Dugan, Whitey Smith, Blooey Blue)
Funny-animal/other humor
- Bulldog Drumhead
- The Red Tornado
The Red Tornado is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe, debuting during the Golden Age of Comic Books. Created by Sheldon Mayer, she first appeared in her civilian identity as Abigail Mathilda "Ma" Hunkel in All-American Publications' All-American Comics #3 , and became the...
- Scribbly
Scribbly is a comic that ran daily in the Dutch edition of the Metro free newspaper for over five years. It was written and drawn by Jan-Paul Arends. Seven albums have been published containing the daily strips...