1940

Featured characters: Flash (Lampert/Fox), Cliff Cornwall (Moldoff), Hawkman (Neville/Fox), Johnny Thunder (Aschmeier/Wentworth), Whip (Storm/Wentworth)

Notes: First appearance of Flash I, Hawkman I, Johnny Thunder I and the Whip. Includes a "picture novel" by Ed Wheelan. Flash cover.

Notes: First appearance of the Shield (Novick/?). The shield would later appear in LEGEND OF THE SHIELD (Impact!/DC).

Notes: First science fiction themed comic. Cover by Will Eisner.

Featured characters: Spectre (Baily/Siegel), Wing Brady (Hickey/?), Biff Bronson (Sulman & Sulman), Radio Squad (Wheeler/Siegel), Lt. Bob Neal (Lehman/Hirsch), King Carter (Lauretta/?), Detective Sgt. Carey (Donohoe), Redcoat Patrol (Lethi/?), Bulldog Martin (Tumey/?)

Notes: First appearance of the Spectre.

Featured characters: Captain Marvel (Beck/Parker), Ibis (Beck/Parker), Golden Arrow (Duncan/Parker), Spy Smasher (Beck/Parker), Scoop Smith (Duncan/Parker), Lance O'Casey (Kingett/Parker), Dan Dare (Duncan/Parker)

Notes: First appearance of Captain Marvel, Ibis, Golden Arrow and Spy Smasher. First issue of series, WHIZ COMICS #1 was an ashcan (a mock up created to secure the copyright to the name), aborted names included THRILL COMICS and FLASH COMICS (All-American got there first). The feature character, Captain Thunder, was changed to Captain Marvel after that name was also taken by another company.

Featured characters: Spectre, Biff Bronson, Lt. Bob Neal, King Carter, Captain Desmo (Winiarski/?), Radio Squad. Detective Sgt. Carey, Redcoat Patrol, Bulldog Martin

Notes: Second appearance of the Spectre, conclusion of first story. Captain Desmo takes over from Wing Brady.

Featured characters: Hawkman (Moldoff/Fox), Sandman (Flessel/Fox), Ultra-Man (Shelby/mayer), Flash (Hibbard/Fox), Spectre (Baily/Siegel), Biff Bronson (Sulman & Sulman), Hourman (Baily/?), Red, White and Blue (Smith/?)

Notes: All-American's first quarterly title to showcase its characters and to compete with BATMAN and SUPERMAN. It drew characters from each of the four bimonthly All-American anthologies, ALL-AMERICAN (Ultra-man, Red, White and Blue), MORE FUN COMICS (Spectre, Biff Bronson), ADVENTURE COMICS (Sandman I, Hourman I) and FLASH COMICS (Hawkman I, Flash I)

Features: Hawkman, Green Lantern (Nodell/Finger), Spectre, Sandman, Red, White and Blue, Johnny Thunder (Aschmeier/Wenworth), Hourman?, Flash

Notes: Green Lantern replaces Ultra-Man from ALL-AMERICAN while Johnny Thunder replaces Biff Bronson from MORE FUN. Text story by Evelyn Gaines.

Synopsis: Following the mission to prevent the Nazi Invasion of England and saving the US president's life (DC SPECIAL #29 (1977)) the heroes decide to group together as the Justice Society. At their inaugural meeting they gather in New York to swap stories about recent cases.

Features: The Justice Society of America (first appearance) : Flash, Hawkman, Spectre, Hourman, Sandman, Dr. Fate (Sherman/Fox), Atom (Flinton/Fox), Green Lantern

Notes: First appearance of the Justice Society of America. First appearance of the concept of a "superhero team" drawn from different titles. All member stories written by Gardner Fox, team segments illustrated by Everett Bibbard. One page cameo by Red Tornado I (Mayer/Fox), given honorary membership. Dr Fate from MORE FUN replaces Red, White and Blue from ALL-AMERICAN. The Atom begins. Superman and Batman are mentioned as "honorary members" but do not actually appear. The Flash is the JSA's first chairman.