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

Issue Details

Issue #61
Published April 1941
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Notes "Ellsworth, although the only one credited as editor, is more an editor-in-chief -- with Mort Weisinger and Jack Schiff the actual editors starting a few years into the 40's; many stories throughout the 40's probably colored by Raymond Perry". Starman does not have a circle around the star on his chest, although it appears in the story art.

Cover Details - "untitled"

Characters The Starman; the Sandman (inset)
Genre superhero
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley
Letters typeset
Notes "Ellsworth, although the only one credited as editor, is more an editor-in-chief -- with Mort Weisinger and Jack Schiff the actual editors starting a few years into the 40's; many stories throughout the 40's probably colored by Raymond Perry". Starman does not have a circle around the star on his chest, although it appears in the story art.
Reprinted in Brave and the Bold, The (DC, 1955 series) #61; in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn; in Golden Age Starman Archives (DC, 2000 series) #1

9 page Starman story "The Amazing Starman"

Characters Starman [Ted Knight](1st appearance and origin); Doris Lee (introduction); Woodley Allen (FBI trouble-shooter, introduction); Professor Davis; Dr. Doog (villain, introduction, death); Nelson (villain, death)
Synopsis Starman is called in to battle the "Secret Brotherhood of the Electron", which is sabotaging America's communication and light system.
Genre superhero
Script Gardner F. Fox?; Jack Burnley (see notes section)
Pencils Jack Burnley (signed)
Inks Jack Burnley (signed); Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
Colors Raymond Perry
Letters Betty Bentley
Notes Jack Burnley recalls someone other than Fox doing the first story, but the writing style does look like Fox's. Burnley does state that he re-wrote the last part of this story, introducing a villain that he called Dr. Doom, but whom the editors changed to Dr. Doog. Burnley has at different times recalled his letterer as his sister Betty Bentley and the backgrounds done by his brother Ray. The cover for this issue reappears as the last panel in the Starman story in Adventure #63. Information here related to Craig Delich by Burnley at his home in Charotteville, Virgina in 1989.
Reprinted In Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #94 (November 1971); in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn; in Golden Age Starman Archives (DC, 2000 series) #1

6 page Mark Lansing story "Lishak the Gladiator"

Characters Mark Lansing; Kit; King Talon; Costa (villain); Lishak (villain, death)
Synopsis King Talon hopes to save Mark from being tortured and to save Kit before ending Costa's evil reign.
Genre adventure
Script Howard Purcell (signed)
Pencils Howard Purcell (signed)
Inks Howard Purcell (signed)
Notes Writer credit verified by Jerry Bails and entered by Craig Delich 2010-1-10.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

Half page filler

Synopsis Two fact quickies are featured: that approximately 100 million chickens are produced and marketed in the U.S. each year, AND that it takes more than one million tons of coal a day to supply this nation's demand for heat, light and power.
Genre fact
Script Henry Boltinoff
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich 2008-2-9. Writer and letterer credits verified by Jerry Bails and entered by Craig Delich 2010-1-10.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

4 page Federal Men story "The Ghost Plane"

Characters Steve Carson; Blitz Merkel
Synopsis Steve Carson of the FBI is called in to deal with the loss of five border policemen engaged by the Border Business Association to prevent gun running across the border.
Genre detective
Script Jerry Siegel (signed)
Pencils Chad Grothkopf [as Chad] (signed)
Inks Chad Grothkopf [as Chad] (signed)
Letters Chad Grothkopf
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

6 page Steve Conrad Adventurer story "Treachery Off Singapore"

Characters Steve Conrad; Chang; Sparky Watts (death); Blubber (villain)
Synopsis Steve begins to investigate the situation when his old pal Sparky is spouting off about a fabulous treasure he has uncovered, and then is murdered.
Genre adventure
Script Jack Lehti (signed)
Pencils Jack Lehti (signed)
Inks Jack Lehti (signed)
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

1 page Peter and His Pup filler

Characters Peter; his dog
Synopsis When Peter and his pup go fishing and have no luck, the dog figures out a better way to do the fishing.
Genre humor
Script Ray McGill (signed)
Pencils Ray McGill (signed)
Inks Ray McGill (signed)
Letters Ray McGill
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich 2008-2-9.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

1 page The Quiz Page activity

Synopsis Six questions are asked: 1) How did Death Valley get its name?; 2) What does SOS mean?; 3) When is Groundhog Day?; 4) Do bulls actually see red?; 5) How large is an acre?; and 6) What does the olive branch symbolize?
Script Henry Boltinoff [as Bolty] (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff [as Bolty] (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff [as Bolty] (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff
Notes Sequence added by Craig Delich 2008-2-9. Letterer credit verified by Jerry Bails and entered by Craig Delich 2010-1-10.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

8 page The Hourman story "The Runaway Dinosaurs"

Characters Hourman [Rex Tyler]; Mr. Bannerman; un-named Professor; Jimmy Martin; Thorndyke; Minute Men of America; Mr. Whistler (villain)
Synopsis The Hourman, blamed for stealing animated mechanical prehistoric beasts from a museum, finds he has to battle them in order to save Thorndyke from kidnappers.
Genre superhero
Script Ken Fitch
Pencils Bernard Baily (signed)
Inks Bernard Baily (signed)
Letters Bernard Baily
Notes Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2008-2-9. Writer credit verified by Martin O'Hearn 2010-1-5. The last panel of the story is an illustrated ad for The Spectre by Jerry Siegel, starring in More Fun Comics.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

6 page Paul Kirk, Manhunter story "Too Many Suspects"

Characters Paul Kirk; Andrew Kallan (villain)
Synopsis A noted banker fakes his death in order to abscond with bank funds and place the blame on other employees.
Genre Detective
Script Ed Moore (signed)
Pencils Ed Moore (signed)
Inks Ed Moore (signed)
Letters Ed Moore
Notes Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2010-1-10.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

6 page Cotton Carver story "Defender of Barlunda"

Characters Cotton Carver; Deela; Nardak; Orko (villain)
Synopsis Cotton saves Deela from being kidnapped by Orko, then they find themselves stranded in the ancient city of Dorgo, armed only with the Ring Machine to fight off another onslaught by Orko.
Genre adventure
Script Jack Lehti
Pencils Jack Lehti
Inks Jack Lehti
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

2 page text story "Case of the Black Cat"

Characters Jimmy Owen; Minerva [a cat]; Hilda
Synopsis Jimmy Owen, a private detective from the Quick Service Agency, is hired to protect the life of a cat, which is the recipient of $250,000 from her deceased owner.
Genre adventure
Script T. C. O'Neil (signed)
Pencils Fred Ray [as Ray] (signed) (spot illustration)
Inks Fred Ray [as Ray] (signed) (spot illustration)
Letters typeset
Notes Last part of page two is an illustrated ad for "Superman on the Radio", featuring Superman. Sequence added by Craig Delich 2008-2-9.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn

10 page The Sandman story "The Menace of the Metal Gun"

Characters The Sandman [Wesley Dodds]; Dian Belmont; D.A. Belmont; Ivan Borloff (villain)
Synopsis Sandman must battle a scientist, in the pay of a foreign government, who has invented a mysterious Cylindecraft, whose purple ray can eat its way through metal.
Genre superhero
Pencils Creig Flessel
Inks Creig Flessel
Notes Sandman uses his new Wirepoon in this story.
Reprinted in Millennium Edition: Adventure Comics 61 (DC, 2000 series) #nn