Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #12
Published August-September 1942
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Sheldon Mayer
Notes The Editor's announced that the new JSA member asked for by the readers, from the previous issue's contest, was Wonder Woman, and, that in All-Star #13, readers could discover how they could become members of the Junior Justice Society of America. Readers were also asked to approve the idea of a Hop Harrigan comic strip for the newspapers, but it's doubtful the idea was ever approved. This issue's editorial page features a message in the Superman of America code. All story synopses and notes by Craig Delich (Dec. 2005).

Cover Details - "The Justice Society of America Pursues Victory for America and Democracy"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt]; Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Dr. Fate; Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Starman [Ted Knight] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA)
Genre superhero
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Notes The Editor's announced that the new JSA member asked for by the readers, from the previous issue's contest, was Wonder Woman, and, that in All-Star #13, readers could discover how they could become members of the Junior Justice Society of America. Readers were also asked to approve the idea of a Hop Harrigan comic strip for the newspapers, but it's doubtful the idea was ever approved. This issue's editorial page features a message in the Superman of America code. All story synopses and notes by Craig Delich (Dec. 2005).
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

4 page Justice Society of America story "The Black Dragon [introduction]"

Characters Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Dr. Fate; Dr. Mid-Nite; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Starman [Ted Knight]; Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Atom [Al Pratt]; Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2] (cameo) (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); The Black Dragon Society (villains)
Synopsis The leader of the secret Black Dragon Society has targeted America's secret weapons as their next area of operation. Meanwhile, at the regular JSA meeting, Chairman Hawkman announces that Wonder Woman has volunteered to be the group's Secretary for the rest of the war. The War Department has asked the Justice Battalion to investigate the threat of the Black Dragon Society and their messenger notifies them that eight inventors have been overcome and their inventions stolen. The Battalion members are each given sealed envelopes containing information on tracking down these items.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Notes This story adapted in All Star Squadron #12.
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

7 page Hawkman story "The Black Dragon [chapter 1]"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis Hawkman must locate and secure a giant propeller guided by the human brain. Once he finds it, he must stop it from being used to drop bombs on New York. He does and uses the propeller to destroy the Japanese dragon sect behind the theft, when suddenly the Thunderbolt whisks him away to.....?
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Sheldon Moldoff [as Shelly] (signed)
Inks Sheldon Moldoff [as Shelly] (signed)
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Sandman story "The Black Dragon [chapter 2]"

Characters Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis The Sandman jumps in his Sandcar and heads for a desolate spot in northern New England in order to track down and secure the lost "Greek Fire" which can burn on water. He finds and rescues the kidnapped inventor, but is overcome by treachery, and thrown into a flaming lake. Using a supply of sand, he is able to put out a small portion of the fire, release himself from his bonds and rout the surprised Japanese before being whisked away by Johnny's Thunderbolt.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Cliff Young (signed)
Inks Cliff Young (signed)
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Atom story "The Black Dragon [chapter 3]"

Characters Atom [Al Pratt]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis The Atom heads for San Francisco and first meets with an assistant who developed an explosive so powerful, a single grain could blow up a ship. Atom learns that the Black Dragon intends to blow up the whole city of San Francisco. A Japanese-American agrees to lead the Atom to the hideout of the sect, where he changes to Al Pratt, disguises himself as one of the workmen tunneling under the city, changes back to his fighting togs and finishes off the enemy before the Thunderbolt comes for him.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Ben Flinton
Inks Ben Flinton
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Starman story "The Black Dragon [chapter 4]"

Characters Starman [Ted Knight]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis Starman is hot on the trail of the Black Dragon when he suddenly spots a giant dirigible with the stolen U.S. dive bombers hanging from it, ready to launch an attack. The Astral Avenger succeeds in destroying several before they climb beyond his range into the stratosphere. He lands at a lab and contructs a device that will keep him warm in those altitudes, then heads back out to finish the job. Just as he succeeds, up pops the Thunderbolt to take him to Johnny.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Dr. Fate story "The Black Dragon [chapter 5]"

Characters Dr. Fate; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis Doctor Fate discovers the invention he is to recover out in the desert: a gigantic tank with a long-barreled flame thrower attached, and he dispaches it very quickly. Unknown to Fate, the Japanese have taken American Indian women and children hostage, forcing the men to try to re-take the tank from the Man of Magic. They overcome him with gas and capture the tank. After Fate recovers, he tracks down the Japanese and takes them on, with some help from the Indians. As he is being thanked, Fate is carried away by the Thunderbolt.
Genre occult; superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Bernard Klein
Inks Bernard Klein
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Dr. Mid-Nite story "The Black Dragon [chapter 6]"

Characters Dr. Mid-Nite; Myra Mason; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis Dr. Mid-Nite's assignment is to find the whereabouts of a Dr. Stander, who has invented an Y-Ray that can heal wounds and save lives. Not knowing where to look, Mid-Nite goes to the professor's lab, forges a note in Stander's hand and places it in a safe in the lab, which is found by the Police. A notice is put in the newspapers that Charles McNider has a copy of the formula for the Y-Ray, so the Black Dragon hunts him down and imprisons him with the good professor. McNider changes to Dr. Mid-Nite and defeats the Dragon as Stander destroys his invention, and soon after the Thunderbolt arrives on his urgent task.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Stan Aschmeier
Inks Stan Aschmeier
Notes In this chapter, Dr. Mid-Nite first seeks the inventor of the X-Ray, then later on it is the Y-Ray. Clearly, "X"-Ray was a typo.
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

1 page Hop Harrigan text story "Mystery Island"

Characters Hop Harrigan; Tank Tinker
Synopsis Hop and Tank investigate a mysterious light coming from a supposedly uninhabited bean-shaped island.
Genre aviation
Script Evelyn Gaines?
Letters typeset
Notes Writer credit by Craig Delich (Dec. 2005).
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Spectre, The story "The Black Dragon [chapter 7]"

Characters Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (cameo)
Synopsis The Japanese has kidnapped inventor Charles Reagan, inventor of the amazing rocket-bomb, and are holding him in a submarine submerged in the murky depths trying to pry info out of him. He relents and tells his captors how to build the device, which they do, and send it on its way to Chicago. The Spectre spots it, diverts it to Japan, then rescues the inventor, and captures the sub before the Thunderbolt shows up.
Genre superhero; occult
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Bernard Baily (signed)
Inks Bernard Baily (signed)
Letters Bernard Baily
Notes Letterer credit by Craig Delich (Dec. 2005).
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

6 page Johnny Thunder story "The Black Dragon [chapter 8]"

Characters Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt
Synopsis When Johnny opens his orders, he discovers that the War Department wants him to stay out of the situation completely! Angry, Johnny says the magic words and declares he'd like to be in the thick of things....and the Thunderbolt promptly drops him into the lap of the Black Dragons. They try every which way to dispose of Johnny, who finally tells the T-Bolt to get help from the other members before they succeed.
Genre superhero; humor
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Stan Aschmeier
Inks Stan Aschmeier
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3

2 page Justice Society of America story "The Black Dragon [conclusion]"

Characters Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Dr. Fate; Atom [Al Pratt]; Starman [Ted Knight]; Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Wonder Woman [Earth-2] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Black Dragon Society (villains)
Synopsis The Justice Battalion members arrive, save Johnny and round up the other members of the sect. Johnny and the rest then meet with Wonder Woman the next day to file their report of this adventure.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #3