| Issue | #54 |
| Published | August-September 1950 |
| Cover Price | 0.10 |
| Pages | 52 |
| Editing | Whitney Ellsworth |
| Notes | The original art to this cover, with new title lettering (to replace that which had fallen off), became the back cover of America vs. the Justice Society #4 (April, 1985). There is a reference made early in the story to a case involving "smuggling gem-runners." No such case ever appeared in print in All-Star, nor was it one of Gardner Fox's "lost" JSA tales. All notes and synopses added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). |
| Characters | Black Canary; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA) |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Arthur F. Peddy |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs |
| Notes | The original art to this cover, with new title lettering (to replace that which had fallen off), became the back cover of America vs. the Justice Society #4 (April, 1985). There is a reference made early in the story to a case involving "smuggling gem-runners." No such case ever appeared in print in All-Star, nor was it one of Gardner Fox's "lost" JSA tales. All notes and synopses added by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). |
| Reprinted | in America Vs. the Justice Society (DC, 1985 series) #4; in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #11 |
| Characters | Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Atom [Al Pratt]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Black Canary (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA) |
| Synopsis | At the regular meeting of the JSA, Chairman Hawkman announces proudly that all cases they have been working on are closed and there is really nothing for them to do at that moment. Green Lantern suggests that all the members then attend the circus, which has just come to town, and all agree. Suddenly, at a busy intersection, the members are stopped by a Policeman, who tells them that the Commissioner wishes to see them immediately. When they arrive, the members are informed that he expects a major crime wave to strike Civic City within the week, showing them a chart of cities that have been the scenes of major crime outbreaks during the last four weeks, and, according to the movement of these crimes, the next city in line to be affected is Civic City! Wonder Woman deduces that the crime wave should hit that evening, but having no clue to these criminals, none of whom has ever been caught, the JSA leaves Police HQ downcast....that is until Green Lantern remarks that it's as if these traveling criminals were working on a fixed schedule....sort of like a circus. To the Flash, it's the first clue. He stops at a magazine stand, and purchases a copy of a magazine about the Circus of a Thousand Thrills, due to open in Civic City that evening, and looks at their previous city schedules, and sees that the circus was in town on the same days that the crime wave hit the other four towns. The Justice Society thinks that the circus is worth investigating, so they head over to Civic Gardens, arriving one hour before the circus opens to the public. They converse with the owner, Mr. Alimand, who assures them that no criminals are a part of his troupe. Further, he categorically states that the performers are in their places at ringside from 8-10 pm each night, and couldn't have been a part of any of the crimes, which always occurred at 9 pm. Still, he invites the members to look around the circus and talk with anyone they wish to. In the "practice area," they watch the main performers: Goliath, Felix the Great, Demon Dan, Frederick the Lion Tamer, and Mr. Mechanico get ready for their performances. Stopping in front of a giant cat's head, entrance to the House of Fun, Mr. Alimand is summoned back to his office on business, but tells the members to continue to look around....but to stay out of the Fun House, as it is under repair and dangerous. But the members don't trust Alimand, and decide to enter anyway, walking through a slowly revolving barrel which leads to the entrance. Suddenly, it begins revolving at a high rate of speed, and only the Flash's ultra-speed saves them from death and gets them into the main entrance of the attraction. As they approach a door, they hear a voice warning them to stay out, else they will al be doomed, but they enter anyway, only to find a room where objacts appear larger or smaller than usual, themselves included! When they attempt to continue on to the exit door, the walls begin to close in on them, and only the Atom's atomic strength allows the members to escape unharmed. At that instant, Dr. Mid-Nite's eye catches sight of Mr. Mechanico, the man billed as someone who must answer any question posed to him. So, the Man of Night asks him what crimes will be committed in Civic City that evening. Not wanting to answer, he begins to anyway, telling them four crimes will occur when suddenly someone knocks him out from behind. Rushing out of the room, some of the members spot Mr. Alimand coming toward them, but he claims to know who would do such a thing. Inside the room, Green Lantern uses his ring to amplify what Mr. Mechanico is saying, and learns of the four crimes....and that all four be occur at the same instant! Leaving Black Canary behind to watch Alimand and his circus, the others leave immediately for the four crime scenes. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Frank Giacoia (splash & chapter) |
| Inks | Frank Giacoia (splash & chapter) |
| Notes | Pencil credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Pencil credits orignally given to: "Arthur Peddy?" |
| Reprinted | in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #11 |
| Characters | Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Black Canary (cameo) (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Felix the Great [villain]; Frederick the Lion Tamer [villain] |
| Synopsis | As a great ocean liner attempts to head out to sea, it mysteriously runs aground, and as the Captain turns about, he sees three circus people holding a gun on him, demanding that he hand over the key to Cabin 103A. When he refuses, he is knocked out, grab the key and head below. As they open the cabin door, they spot their prize: The Pharaoh, one of the most valuable oil paintings in the world! As they cut it from its frame and roll it up, in steps the Feathered Fury, who immediately recognizes the thieves as Felix the Great and two clowns from the Circus of a Thousand Thrills! Stunned, he wades into them, knocking the clowns out...but Felix manages to eke out through a porthole, make his way to the top of the ship's mast, and walk the wire from it to a waiting speedboat. Hawkman zooms after him, knocks him out, recovers the painting and takes the villain to jail. When the Feathered Fury returns to the circus and joins Black Canary, he is shocked to see Felix the Great performing his high wire act at that moment! Meanwhile, the Fastest Man Alive and the Atom are headed to the Civic City Opera House, where the richest of the rich are attending that evening's performance of "Aida." Among them is Mrs. Rockmillion, who is wearing her prize Pompeii Tiara, composed of perfect diamonds. As the audience settles in for the opera, set in ancient Egypt, the elephants used in the production come out on stage, then suddenly come down off the stage and up the asile, stealing jewels left and right, directed by a strange man atop one of them. As our heroes enter the opera house and the confusion in progress, they immediately spot Frederick, the circus lion tamer. While the Atom takes on subduing the elephants, with the Flash's help, Frederick approaches them and fires a gun at the Atom. But knowing the gun of a lion tamer is loaded with blanks, the Atom charges ahead and knocks out Frederick, recovers and returns the jewels to their rightful owners, and jails Frederick....both heroes are also shocked to see Frederick performing his act upon their return to the circus! |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Arthur F. Peddy |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs |
| Reprinted | in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #11 |
| Characters | Jerry the Jitterbug |
| Genre | teen; humor |
| Script | Henry Boltinoff |
| Pencils | Henry Boltinoff |
| Inks | Henry Boltinoff |
| Letters | Henry Boltinoff |
| Notes | This filler doesn't appear in the Archives. |
| Characters | Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Black Canary (cameo) (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Demon Dan [villain]; Mr. Mechanico [villain]; Goliath [villain] |
| Synopsis | At the Great Museum of Natural History, a rather expensive collection of electrum coins has been put on display by the owner, Edward Bronson. The guards suddenly look up and see a man on a motorcycle forcing his way into the collection room and spewing out blinding black smoke from the exhaust to incapacitate the guards while he looted the coins. As the motorcyclist is about to leave, the duo of Wonder Woman and Dr. Mid-Nite enter the front door, immediately recognizing him as Demon Dan, the circus trick motorcyclist. Demon Dan turns tail and heads up a stairway to the roof, and, gunning the cycle, jumps from that roof to another. Wonder Woman calls down her robot plane and the JSA duo follow him onto a freeway, where Dr. Mid-Nite throws a blackout bomb at the cyclist and captures him. After jailing the felon, the pair return to the circus and discover that Demon Dan is on center stage, performing his death-defying act! Meanwhile, Alvin Marcy, eccentric financier and amateur magician, is hosting a few fellow slight-of-hand artists to unveil his latest invention: the "Harmonimac," an automatic orchestra. While all listen to the music, another magacian shows the group a trick with Japanese beans when in through the door comes Mr. Mechanico, who shows everyone else a trick: how to make the Harmonimac disappear right before their very eyes! Green Lantern enters and explains how it was done, showing the group that the circus strongman, Goliath, is right outside the window and made the grab. Goliath rips a tree out of the ground and goes after G.L. with it....the Emerald Crusader ducks and slings a rock at the mighty man and fells him. Returning to the room, Mr. Mechanico pulls out a gun, but Green Lantern is much too quick with a sandbag defense, courtesy of the power ring, and he uses said ring to lasso the villain and take him & Goliath to jail. Upon returning to the circus, he immediately sees the two in center ring....he and Black Canary cannot figure out what has happened. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Arthur F. Peddy |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs |
| Notes | Artistic revision by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). Credit formerly given to Frank Giacoia. |
| Reprinted | in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #11 |
| Genre | Fact |
| Pencils | Martin Naydel |
| Inks | Martin Naydel |
| Notes | This filler does NOT appear in the Archives. |
| Characters | Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Atom [Al Pratt]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Black Canary; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Dr. Mid-Nite (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA) |
| Synopsis | With all the JSA members having re-assembled at ringside, they are flabbergasted to see every one of the people that they had thrown into jail for committing crimes standing right before them! Deciding to question them more closely, they jump into the ring....then ringmaster Alimand tells the crowd that if they applaud loud enough, the JSA might perform for them, which they agree to do. However, Mr. Mechanico and Alimand have arranged some tricks of their own to cause disastrous falls for the performers....but the JSA comes through like champs in spite of it. All of this allows the villains to depart the scene in a car and they head for the Civic City Tunnel, with the JSA in hot pursuit. When our heroes enter the tunnel, they discover a trap has been set for them, but that doesn't even faze them. They begin pounding on the villains left and right, corraling them all and transporting them to the Police Station. Taking the prisoners downstairs, all are amazed to see two sets of circus performers. Finally, Alimand confesses that the Circus of a Thousand Thrills is, perhaps, the rarest circus of them all, because they have identical twin performers! Case closed! |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Arthur F. Peddy |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs |
| Notes | Revised art credits by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). Credits formerly given to Frank Giacoia. |
| Reprinted | in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #11 |
| Pencils | Martin Naydel |
| Inks | Martin Naydel |
| Notes | This filler does NOT appear in the Archives. |
| Genre | Fact |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | This story does NOT appear in the Archives. |
| Characters | Johnny Peril |
| Genre | fantasy |
| Pencils | Carmine Infantino |
| Inks | Frank Giacoia |
| Notes | Pencil & ink credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Pencil & ink credits originally given to: Howard Purcell. This story doess NOT appear in the Archives. |
| Characters | Hawkman [Carter Hall] |
| Synopsis | Guest scientist Hawkman explains how the presence of electricity can be detected with the use of a galvanoscope. |
| Genre | fact |
| Pencils | Irwin Hasen |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs |
| Notes | This filler does NOT appear in the Archives. Art credits by Craig Delich (Jan. 2006). |
| Characters | Superboy |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | Jack Schiff |
| Pencils | Win Mortimer |
| Inks | Win Mortimer |
| Letters | Ira Schnapp |
| Notes | This PSA does NOT appear in the Archives. |