| Issue | #16 |
| Published | December 1977 |
| Cover Price | 1.50 USD |
| Pages | 52 |
| Editing | Cary Burkett |
| Notes | Issue focused on DC's "Golden Age" era, the mid-1930s to mid-1950s. |
| Characters | Superman (Earth-Two); the Sandman (Earth-Two); Hawkman (Earth-Two); Black Condor; Mary Marvel; Liberty Belle; Batman (Earth-Two); Wonder Woman (Earth-Two); Dr. Mid-Nite; Doll Man; Chop-Chop; Woozy Winks (Earth-Two); Etta Candy (Earth-Two) |
| Pencils | Marshall Rogers |
| Inks | Marshall Rogers |
| Notes | Cover is wrap-around art with the back cover and contains over 30 characters from the Golden Age. A 'key to the cover' is on the inside front cover. |
| Reprinted | in All-Star Squadron (DC, 1981 series) #38 |
| Synopsis | Key to the characters on the wraparound cover, indicated by a numbers on an outlined version of the illustration. |
| Pencils | Marshall Rogers (layout); ? |
| Letters | typeset |
| Synopsis | Table of contents. |
| Pencils | Murphy Anderson |
| Inks | Murphy Anderson |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with a reprinted image of the Spectre. |
| Reprinted | from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #1 (November-December 1967) [page 11, panel 4 (Spectre image)] |
| Synopsis | Overview of the early history of comics, focusing on DC's adventure heroes of 1937 and 1938. |
| Script | Skip Kirkland |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art from early Detective Comics and More Fun Comics features. |
| Synopsis | History of the DC superheroes acquired from Quality Comics. |
| Script | Roger Klorese |
| Notes | Illustrated with interior art from various 1940s Quality comics, as well as a panel from DC's 1970s Freedom Fighters comic. |
| Synopsis | Article on the Golden Age, including reactions of parents, teachers and librarians to the popularity of superhero and crime comics. |
| Script | Thomas Tuna |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted art from vintage DC house ads and story panels. |
| Synopsis | History of Quality's (now DC's) golden age hero. |
| Script | Larry Herndon |
| Pencils | W. Argyle Nelson-Smith |
| Notes | New illustration of Plastic Man by W. Argyle Nelson-Smith for the article's logo is supplemented by reprinted golden age Plastic Man interior art. |
| Characters | Robin (Earth-Two; 1940s, 1967-1975, 1976-Crisis headshots); Atom (Earth-Two), Sandman (Earth-Two), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Spectre (Earth-Two Jim Corrigan), Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), Batman (Earth-Two), Hawkman (Earth-Two), Green Lantern (Earth-Two), Flash (Earth-Two); Sandman (Earth-Two); Superman (Earth-Two), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Star Spangled Kid, Power Girl; Starman (Ted Knight), Hourman (Rex Tyler), Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson), Dr. Mid-Nite (Charles McNider), Wildcat (Ted Grant, Earth-Two), Flash (Earth-Two), Green Lantern (Earth-Two), Wonder Woman (Earth-Two), Star Spangled Kid, Robin (Earth-Two); Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane); Huntress (Helena Wayne) |
| Synopsis | Analysis of in-story ages of Earth-Two members of the Justice Society of America. |
| Script | Paul Levitz |
| Pencils | Bob Kane (?); Mike Sekowsky; ?; Joe Staton; Dick Dillin; Wally Wood |
| Inks | ?; Sid Greene; ?; Bob Layton; Dick Giordano; Wally Wood; Joe Orlando |
| Letters | Typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted interior art from 1970s All-Star Comics revival as well as some older art. |
| Reprinted | from DC Special (DC Comics, 1975 series) #29 (August-September 1977) [original JSAers on p. 23]; from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #113 (September-October 1974) [panel ? (Sandman on p. 26)]; from All-Star Comics (DC Comics, 1976 series) #64 (January-February 1977) [splash page, Star Spangled Kid & new cosmic converter belt with other JSAers on p. 26]; from the cover of All-Star Comics (DC Comics, 1976 series) #69 (November-December 1977) [art only, as the JSA fights each other on p. 27]; from Justice League of America (DC Comics series, 1960 series) #55 (August 1967) [p. 16, panel 1 (figure lifted out, different background here) (Mr. Terrific on p. 27)]; from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1977 series) #97 (February 1978) [Power Girl on p. 28, background replaced with black field]; from cover of DC Super Stars (DC Comics, 1976 series) #17 (November-December 1977) [Huntress [Helena Wayne] figure on p. 28, background replaced with black field] |
| Characters | Wonder Woman (Earth-Two); Adolf Hitler (Earth-Two); Hawkman (Earth-Two); Green Lantern (Earth-Two); The Flash (Earth-Two); The Atom (Earth-Two); Wildcat (Earth-Two); two Nazi guards |
| Synopsis | Pinup of Golden Age JSA members breaking through a wall to rescue a bound Wonder Woman from a pistol-wielding Adolf Hitler. |
| Pencils | Joe Staton |
| Inks | Bob Layton |
| Notes | Appears between pages 2 and 3 of "Aging the All-Stars". |
| Characters | Martian Manhunter; Flash [Barry Allen]; Green Lantern [Hal Jordan]; Atom [Ray Palmer]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Justice League of America [Green Arrow; Green Lantern; Wonder Woman; Atom; Aquaman; Superman; Batma;, Martian Manhunter; Flash]; Hawkman [Earth-One]; Justice Society of America [Hourman; Green Lantern; Atom; Doctor Fate; Black Canary; Hawkman]; Psycho-Pirate [Roger Hayden]; Elongated Man; Creeper; New Gods; Green Arrow |
| Synopsis | Essay on DC's superhero comics from 1955 to the early 1970s. |
| Script | Mike Gold |
| Pencils | Joe Certa; Carmine Infantino; Gil Kane; Mike Sekowsky; Joe Kubert; Murphy Anderson; Steve Ditko; Jack Kirby; ?; |
| Inks | Joe Certa; Joe Kubert; Joe Giella; Murphy Anderson; Bernard Sachs; Carmine Infantino; Steve Ditko; ?; ? |
| Letters | Typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art; ID of the panel from Justice League #16 (group--membership up to Atom--bursting out of cave-like imprisonment) is unconfirmed. |
| Reprinted | from Detective Comics (DC Comics, 1937 series) #? [figure of Martian Manhunter on p. 29]; from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #4 (October 1957) [whole cover, on p. 29]; from cover of Green Lantern (DC Comics, 1960 series) #3 (November-December 1960) [whole cover on p. 30]; from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #35 (November-December 1961) [whole cover, with Atom [Ray Palmer] on p. 30]; from Flash (DC Comics, 1959 series) #123 (September 1961) [page 9, last panel (on p. 30)]; from Flash (DC Comics, 1959 series) #123 (September 1961) [p. 19, last panel (on p. 31)]; from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #16 (December 1962) [(?), panel ? (?) (on p. 32)]; from cover of Brave and the Bold, The (DC Comics, 1955 series) #34 (February-March 1961) [whole cover with Hawkman [Earth-One], on p. 32]; from Justice League of America (DC Comics, 1960 series) #21 (August 1963) [p. 24, panel 4 (on p. 32)]; from cover of Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #56 (May-June 1965) [whole cover, on p. 33]; from Detective Comics (DC Comics, 1937 series) #? [panel with Elongated Man in action on p. 33]; from ???? [montage of separate images of Creeper, New Gods, and Green Arrow, on p. 34]; from cover of Batman (DC Comics, 1940 series) #183 (August 1966) [partial art image, no logo, etc., on p. 34] |
| Synopsis | Article on Schneider's custom-made action figures of the JSA. |
| Script | Fred Schneider |
| Notes | Illustrated with nine photographs of the action figures including one of Schneider working on the Dr. Mid-Nite figure. |
| Characters | The Spectre; Azmodus; Shaithan; Jim Corrigan |
| Synopsis | Analysis of the Spectre's in-story history. |
| Script | Cary Burkett |
| Pencils | Murphy Anderson; Neal Adams; Jim Aparo |
| Inks | Murphy Anderson; Neal Adams; Jim Aparo |
| Letters | Typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art. |
| Reprinted | from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #1 (November-December 1967) [p. 11, panel 3 (Spectre figure on p. 38)]; from Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #60 (January-February 1966) [full cover repro on page 39]; from Showcase (DC Comics, 1956 series) #61 (March-April 1966) [full cover repro on p. 39]; from Spectre, The (DC Comics, 1967 series) #5 (September-October 1968) [p. 17 (?), panel 4 (panel atop p. 40) page number from abridged reprint in Adventure Comics #498 (April 1983)]; from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #440 (July 1975) [p. 17, panel 6 (panel at bottom of p. 41)] |
| Characters | Time Trapper; Lightning Lad; unidentified baby-fied Legionnaire, Glorith; Superboy, Matter-Eater Lad, Light Lass, Ultra Boy (the last three baby-fied). |
| Synopsis | History of the Legion of Super-Heroes' enemy, the Time Trapper. |
| Script | Jack C. Harris |
| Pencils | John Forte; Curt Swan |
| Inks | John Forte; George Klein |
| Letters | Typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with reprinted cover and interior art. |
| Reprinted | from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) # ? [Time Trapper full figure]; from Adventure comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) # ? [bust of Lightning Lad]; from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #338 (November 1965) [Baby Legionnaire and Glorith on p. 43]; from Adventure Comics (DC Comics, 1938 series) #338 (November 1965) [whole cover on p. 44] |
| Synopsis | Letters page. |
| Letters | typeset |
| Editing | Bob Rozakis |
| Notes | Prints letters by readers Robert Kowalski of Detroit, MI and Stephen Doris of Manhattan Beach, CA. |
| Characters | Superman |
| Synopsis | Account of a contest set up by DC to promote 1978's Superman feature film. The contest winners won cameos in the Smallville sequence of the film. |
| Script | Mike Gold |
| Pencils | Curt Swan (?) |
| Inks | Murphy Anderson (?) |
| Letters | Typeset |
| Notes | Illustrated with a stock shot of Superman and four photos of contest winners 13-year-old Tim Hussey of San Lorenzo, CA and 14-year-old Ed Finneran of Springfield, MA. One photo includes director Richard Donner. Another includes actors Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill who have cameos in the film as Lois Lane's parents. |
| Synopsis | Promotional still from 1978's Superman film. |
| Notes | Inside back cover. |
| Characters | Blackhawk; the Blackhawks; Uncle Sam; Plastic Man (Earth-Two); Vigilante (Earth-Two); Dr. Fate; Shining Knight; Winged Victory; Guardian; Newsboy Legion; Green Lantern (Earth-Two); Doiby Dickles; Starman (Earth-Two); Hourman; the Spectre |
| Synopsis | Continuation of image from front cover. |
| Pencils | Marshall Rogers |
| Inks | Marshall Rogers |