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

Issue Details

Issue #31
Published October-November 1946
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 52
Editing Sheldon Mayer
Notes Pencil & ink credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Pencil & ink credits confirmed by Joe Kubert. Scripter Gardner Fox reports writing the unpublished "The Emperors of Japan" in July of 1945 for All-Star #31, but instead of it, this story w/Willie Wonder, originally written for All-Star #33, was put in its place. The Wonder Woman head and torso on the cover appears to be traced or photostated from artwork by Harry G. Peter. All notes and synopses added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006).

Cover Details - "The Globe-Being from Space!"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Willie Wonder
Genre superhero
Pencils Martin Naydel (signed); Joe Kubert (Hawkman's helmet wings)
Inks Martin Naydel (signed); Joe Kubert (Hawkman's helmet wings)
Notes Pencil & ink credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Pencil & ink credits confirmed by Joe Kubert. Scripter Gardner Fox reports writing the unpublished "The Emperors of Japan" in July of 1945 for All-Star #31, but instead of it, this story w/Willie Wonder, originally written for All-Star #33, was put in its place. The Wonder Woman head and torso on the cover appears to be traced or photostated from artwork by Harry G. Peter. All notes and synopses added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006).
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Justice Society of America story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [introduction]"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Willie Wonder
Synopsis The story opens in the workshop of Willie Wonder, a kindly old toy maker as he finishes his work for the day and heads for bed. However, as he sleeps, a shimmering globe enters his room and into Willie himself. From the next day on, a strange change comes over the man.....his smile is gone and the toys are eeriely different. As he sits at his desk, an armed robber enters....but Willie is not frightened, merely picking up one of his toys and using it to melt the thug's knife. The criminal remarks that a weapon like that is worth a fortune....so Willie shows him more of his ceations. Soon newspaper headlines scream of startling crimes occuring. Shortly after, in JSA HQ, the members "have a feeling" that they need to congregate at their meeting place, and to bring in newspapers from the last few days. Suddenly, three shimmering globes enter the room and speak to the members. They announce themselves as "The Duna," who have comes billions of miles from their home planet in search of a criminal named Zor. They know Zor is in the city because of the impossible crimes being committed, and, while they COULD control the minds of the JSA to accomplish their purpose, they prefer to ask the JSA for him in locating him. Because they fear what will happen once Zor feels wealth and power, the mission is therefore urgent. The six members of the JSA are to report to the locations of the impossible crimes to see if they can locate Zor, then report back to the Duna. They will be unaware that the Duna are following them for protective purposes to make sure they don't fail.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Martin Naydel (signed)
Inks Martin Naydel (signed)
Notes The splash page repeats the cover illustration except for Hawkman's helmet wings. The head and torso of Wonder Woman appears to be traced or photostated from artwork by Harry G. Peter.
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Hawkman story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 1]"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]
Synopsis Hawkman reports to the local Police precinct station outside the city limits, where he finds the boys in blue down in the dumps, stumped by the recent rash of flying robberies. In these cases, a safe flew through a wall and in the other case an art tower [containing a rare collection] broke off and flew away. The Police invite Hawkman along as they go over to millionaire Quinn's home, who has a safe load of valuable diamonds in it. As the Police car nears the house, it suddenly swerves off the road and over a cliff. The Feathered Fury saves the Policeman driving the car as it crashes and burns on the ground. Meanwhile, at Quinn's well-guarded home, the Police never see the criminals walking on air above them, entering through an upper story window! They surprise Quinn and rob the jewels from the safe, then see the Hawkman approaching by air. They go out to meet him, but most get knocked out....still, they continue to float in the air! Figuring that possibly an anti-gravity ray is being used, Hawkman throws the crooks around until they are out of range of that ray, and they hit the ground. Then the Feathered Fury spots the person with the device, knocks him out and learns from the thugs that the device they used was made by a guy named Willie Wonder in the city. So, Hawkman heads out to find this man.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Jon Chester Kozlak
Inks Jon Chester Kozlak
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Dr. Mid-Nite story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 2]"

Characters Dr. Mid-Nite [Dr. Charles McNider]
Synopsis Dr. Mid-Nite is traveling the road leading to Sedgewick when he spots a picture falling from the air. Reaching out to grab it, it disappears right in front of him, so he realizes something made that happen, so he dives and grabs the legs of an invisible man. Getting up, he socks the man, who now becomes visible when a cloak he is wearing falls off the thug. Unfortunately for the Man of Night, there are other invisible crooks around and they beat him into unconsciousness. When he awakens, he discovers a piece of invisible cloth in his hand, and then heads for the nearest Police station. The officer on duty tells Mid-Nite of the Judson robbery, which took place in a lawyer's office, and where $5000 in cash disappeared right in front of them. Then he talks of the art gallery robbery that afternoon, where valuable pictures disappeared without a trace. That answers Dr. Mid-Nite's question about what earlier to him that day, and he shows the Policeman the invisible piece of cloth. Taking it to a Police lab, the Man of Night tests the cloth several ways to see if he can make it visible, and he discovers that black light accomplishes the task. Zor apparently has been able to make a chemical version of the black light, which is spread on any garment, making it invisiable. Dr. Mid-Nite asks the Policeman to order the two radio stations in town to send out high frequency radio beams until further notice, then turn off all lights in the city. If his hunch is correct, this will make the crooks visible! And sure enough, it does, and the Man of Night rounds up the whole gang of invisible thieves, then heads out to the workshop of Mr. Wonder.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Stan Aschmeier [as Stan Josephs] (signed)
Inks Stan Aschmeier [as Stan Josephs] (signed)
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Green Lantern story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 3]"

Characters Green Lantern [Alan Scott]
Synopsis Investigating some mysterious, impossible crimes, the Police tell Green Lantern about a safe in the Atlas Airplane Factory being mangled in a such a way that it looked as if a giant had smahed it. He is also told about Paul Markheim's valuable amber collection, kept in a strong floor safe, that looked as if lightning had hit it. The Emerald Crusader notes from these cases that a statue was present at each crime, but could they come to life? Suddenly, a Police teletype comes in stating that the museum is buying some valuable pictures and has lots of extra cash on hand, requiring an extra guard to protect it that night. G.L. and the office walk over to the museum to hide out awaiting trouble. That night, figures begin emerging from the mummy cases....they stand near statues of Samson and Thor, drink down a vial of fluid, and are transformed into living personages of those two statues! Green Lantern and the Policeman jump out and attempt to arrest the pair, getting involved in a real struggle. While Green Lantern is battling Thor, Samson heads out front and tears down a metal gate, admitting another thug, who promptly stands before a statue of Achilles, drinks the mysterious liquid, and is transformed into this god. The Master of Light finally realizes that these gods may also have the same weaknesses as the real ones, so he uses that plan of action and overcomes them all. Using his power ring, G.L. turns the gods back into their real selves and turns them over to the Policeman as he heads off to see Willie Wonder.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Paul Reinman (signed)
Inks Paul Reinman (signed)
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Atom story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 4]"

Characters Atom [Al Pratt]
Synopsis In the offices of Pick and Pack, the Atom is meeting with a guard in one of the offices, showing him an open safe that was not broken into, but is located on a high floor of the building, which was closed and locked, and no elevator was running. Realizing that there was no inside man on this caper, he decidess to bait a trap for the culprits. Nearby the crooks ressponsible for the heist are meeting and examing the special shoes given to them by Willie Wonder....shoes that allow a person to walk up any structure like human flies. They agree that things are getting hot for them, but are determined to do one more job before blowing town. The next day's paper interest's those thugs, because it speaks of millionaire Ambrose J. Turk, who is storing all of his assets in a safe in his home. The Atom has plotted with Turk, however, to create this "bait" for the criminals, and that evening, those very felons fall for the trap. With the Police guarding the road to Turk's home, the thieves climb straight up the cliffwalls upon which Turk's house was built. Inside, the Atom is convinced the plot has failed, when the crooks don't appear, so the Mighty Mite leaves to talk with the Police along the road. After he is gone, the thieves enter Turk's office window and get the materials they are after. In the meantime, Atom spots strange footprints and decides to look around some more, and spies the crooks leaving the house. He jumps them, pounds them into oblivion, turns them over to the cops and heads for Wonder's place as fast as possible.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Irwin Hasen (see notes); Jon Chester Kozlak (see notes)
Inks Irwin Hasen (see notes); Jon Chester Kozlak (see notes)
Notes Pencil & ink credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Jon Chester Kozlak pencilled & inked only pages 1 and 3 and the first 2 panels of page 2. Irwin Hasen pencilled & inked pages 4 and 5 and the last 4 panels on page 2.
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

2 page Ton o' Fun filler "untitled"

Genre humor
Script Harry Lampert ?
Pencils Harry Lampert
Inks Harry Lampert

5 page Johnny Thunder story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 5]"

Characters Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt; the Water Rat Gang [villains]
Synopsis Two thugs lurk about the waterfront piers of Hudson Lake and spot Johnny walking along with a Policeman, who has finished telling brother John about the impossible crimes occuring there. Johnny boasts that he'll bring 'em in because no Justice Society member has ever failed. When the Policeman leaves in disgust, the two felons approach Johnny, hoping to take him in, by refering to him as "Spud" Thunder, a guy that the boss asked to join them on a job. Johnny, falling for the gag, realizes that these guys are the ones he is looking for, and goes along with them in a boat out into the water. Suddenly, a submarine surfaces next to the boat and all three jump aboard. One crook throws a grenade into the boat they came in, destroying it, then the two crooks sneak into the sub and it submerges, leaving Johnny in deep water. Johnny yells for the Thunderbolt, who rescues him, and asks him to take him to the sub....which he does, underwater! Johnny, sputtering a few choice words, tells the T-Bolt that he isn't a fish! In the meantime, the sub has re-surfaced near a millionaire's yacht named the "J. Milligan," and they order the crew to keep their hands up while they come aboard. As they are doing so, Johnny, now soaked to the skin, is dropped by the Thunderbolt in the midst of the gang, and watches as the T-Bolt apprehends the men, turns them over to the crew and takes Johnny to Willie Wonder's factory.
Genre superhero; humor
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Stan Aschmeier [as Stan Josephs] (signed)
Inks Stan Aschmeier [as Stan Josephs] (signed)
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

2 page text story "Showdown Stuff"

Characters Ross Peters; Joe Peters; Joad Cullers [villain]
Synopsis Ross Peters saw the shadows of men inching their way along to the Crystal Cafe across the street, which was known to be a haven for outlaw riders. He saw one that he knew: Joad Cullers, whose gang had been stealing cattle and getting rich selling them. He also noted another rider on a pinto horse coming into town, and immediately knew that belonged to his brother Joe. Ross ran over to his father's office, who was the Sheriff, and met up with Joe, who he noticed had his shooting arm in a sling. Ross said that he's never be the lawman that Joe and his Dad had become, but Joe wasn't all that positive. Anyway, he told Ross that the Sheriff was over at the Cafe, gunning for Cullers, who was one of the fastest gun toters alive. Suddenly, they heard a crash come from the Cafe and the headed over, entering through the front together. Their eyes met the hateful ones of Joad, then saw their Dad under an overturned table, and noted two other hombres inching their way towards them, hands nearing their pistols. Ross calmly walked over to his Father's body, noting that he was dead.....a scene Cullers watched carefully, and realizing now that Ross was the Sheriff's son, he drwew his own gun and shot Ross in the leg and shoulder. Ross was able to return fire, and the slug hit Cullers beneath his chin and he fell over. As Ross's consciousness began to fade, he heard other shots being fired by his brother Joe, and the other men went down. Later, puzzled by his brother's ability to shoot left-handed, Joe told him that he reckoned that Ross would one day be the Sheriff in town, and that he had been practicing shooting with his left. Now Ross was the Sheriff his brother always knew he could be.
Genre western
Script Jim Robinson (signed)
Pencils ? (spot illo)
Inks ? (spot illo)
Letters typeset
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

5 page Flash story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [chapter 6]"

Characters Flash [Jay Garrick]
Synopsis The laboratories of United Chemicals began to violently shake, and a mysterious metal monster literally ate its way through the floor as a startled scientist looked on in horror before being knocked out, and the radium of the company was stolen by the thieves on the machine. Two days later, a bank safe was eaten into by a metal creature and the funds stolen. The Fastest Man Alives studies the lab scene carefully and takes soil samples and examines them, finding an unusual blue clay in the last sample. The Police tell him such soil is found at Bare Mountain in the deserted countryside, and that's where Flash speeds over to. Inside a mountain cave, the crooks and their metal machine they call the Borer can be found, a several of the men take the machine out on another job. The Flash thens shows up and ties up the crooks, then notices a strange hole in the ground and decides to follow the Borer to its destination. The Scarlet Speedster and the Borer emerge in a candy factory together, and he takes care of the gang quickly. Noting the highly advanced technology of the machine, the Flash speeds off on the trail of Willie Wonder as the Police take custody of the thugs.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Martin Naydel
Inks Martin Naydel
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7

3 page Justice Society of America story "The Workshop of Willie Wonder [conclusion]"

Characters Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green [Alan Scott]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Atom [Al Pratt]; Johnny Thunder [Earth-2]; Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Willie Wonder; Zor (villain)
Synopsis On a city street corner, the members of the JSA re-assemble and get ready to walk into Wonder's workshop. The Duna suddenly re-appear, telling the members that they were invisibly with them all the time. The first inside is Johnny, still dripping wet, and Zor throws a galactic heat ray at him, hitting him head on and immediately drying him out. Thunderbolt promptly wets him down again as the other members takes on gang members of Wonder's that show up. Meanwhile, the Duna are putting pressure on Zor, who is inside Wonder's body and eventually force him out into the open when they hold him. The JSA then learns that the Duna are Zor's keepers....that Zor is actually insane and capable of anything! The members sign relief as the Duna disappear with their captive. Days later, the JSA receive special wood carved statues of each member from a grateful Willie Wonder.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox
Pencils Martin Naydel
Inks Martin Naydel
Notes Wonder Woman does NOT appear in the conclusion.
Reprinted in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #7