| Issue | #40 |
| Published | April-May 1948 |
| Cover Price | 0.10 |
| Pages | 52 |
| Editing | Sheldon Mayer (with Julius Schwartz) |
| Notes | Johnny Thunder is not mentioned in this or in any future issue of All-Star. The JJSA ad from All-Stars #37-39 is repeated in this issue. This issue's half-page JJSA code message from the Flash tells about the next JSA story in All-Star. All notes sections, synopses and credit verifications by Craig Delich (Feb. 2006). |
| Characters | Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Flash [Jay Garrick]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Dr. Mid-Nite; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Atom [Al Pratt] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Black Canary (JSA guest) |
| Genre | superhero |
| Pencils | Carmine Infantino |
| Inks | Frank Giacoia |
| Notes | Johnny Thunder is not mentioned in this or in any future issue of All-Star. The JJSA ad from All-Stars #37-39 is repeated in this issue. This issue's half-page JJSA code message from the Flash tells about the next JSA story in All-Star. All notes sections, synopses and credit verifications by Craig Delich (Feb. 2006). |
| Reprinted | in Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #110 (March-April, 1974); in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #9 |
| Characters | Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Dr. Mid-Nite; The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Black Canary; The Atom [Al Pratt] (all as the Justice Society of America) |
| Synopsis | The Safeway Armored Car Company has just dispatched its new car and guards to protect a record payroll for the Apex Insurance Company, when they encounter unscheduled street repair, unaware that the infamous Crimson Claw gang has staged it in order to snatch the payroll. At the usual meeting of the JSA, Chairman Hawkman addresses this problem, informing the members that a JJSA member from Riversend has notified him that he has a clue to the gang. Green Lantern and Black Canary are dispatched to that city to see the letter's writer....a very young boy, who's brother is a gang member. But before he can tell them anything, an accident occurs, rendering the boy unconscious. G.L. takes the boy to the doctor, while Black Canary heads for the boy's home to notify a parent. She returns with Julia Brent, the boy's sister, who seems very upset when the Emerald Crusader mentions the Crimson Claws. Leaving Julia with the boy, the JSA duo head into town to search for clues, when they spot a gang of boys wearing Crimson Claw sweaters and trying to rob a local market. Chasing the boys down, the duo allow the gang to escape [since they are so young], but follow them to another location where the Claws confront the Orioles, another kid gang, battering them and burning their clubhouse. Black Canary sends an urgent message back to JSA HQ for help, and the Flash & Hawkman respond to Riversend....but stop short, finding guards at a chemical company unconscious. Entering, they discover the real Crimson Claw gang blowing the company safe, and swoop to the attack. A stray bullet hits a tank of volatile acid, rendering the JSA duo unconscious, and they later awake bound in an electrolysis tank, which has been connected to a dynamo that is shooting 1000 volts of electricity through their electrolysis bath! |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Arthur F. Peddy; Carmine Infantino (splash only) |
| Inks | Bernard Sachs; Frank Giacoia (splash only) |
| Notes | Pencil & ink credits from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). The splash page is basically a repeat of the cover scene. |
| Reprinted | in Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #110 (March-April, 1974); in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #9 |
| Characters | Green Lantern [Alan Scott]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Dr. Mid-Nite; The Atom [Al Pratt]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; The Flash [Jay Garrick] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Black Canary (JSA guest) |
| Synopsis | Meanwhile, back in Riversend, the local Fire Department has doused the flames burning the Oriole's clubhouse. Black Canary then returns to JSA HQ, while G.L. heads off to the precinct Police station to talk with an expert on kid gangs, who proceeds to fill in the Emerald Crusader on how kids get involved in such things. Meanwhile, Black Canary tells Wonder Woman that she had not seen Flash or Hawkman at Riversend, but the concerned Amazon Princess mentions that she has sent the Atom and Dr. Mid-Nite over to JJSA HQ to enlist their young counterparts in this business in Riversend. The JJSA decides to use one of its members, Don Brent, as an undercover agent to spy on the young Crimson Claws and report back to them. Back in Riversend, G.L. and Black Canary return to the Brent home to talk with Chick Brent, a member of the real Crimson Claw gang, and find Julia sobbing her eyes out over the situation. When the All-Stars attempt to question Chick, he knocks them out with a chiar and escapes, only to suddenly face a maddened Flash and Hawkman, who tell Chick how they escaped from the electrolysis death trap before them knock him out. As they attempt to revive Green Lantern and Black Canary, Chick recovers and escapes. Meanwhile, Don Brent makes out a report on the junior Crimson Claw gang he has joined and their up-coming activities of crime they will be involved in. As he finishes the report, Chick returns home to get his belongings and to clear out. He encourages Don to keep up the "good work" with the gang.....then leaves with Julia upset about him and Don, whom she learns has joined the younger Claws. But Green Lantern and Black Canary soon arrive and inform her of the "secret agent" status of Don and not to worry. Back at the younger Crimson Claws hideout, Don is taking his seat when a fellow member trios him for the fun of it....allowing Don's JJSA code book to fall out of his pocket. Now considered a traitor, the gang takes Don to Elm Street and ties him to railroad tracks, vowing to give him the scare of his life! |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Carmine Infantino |
| Inks | Frank Giacoia |
| Notes | Pencil & ink credit revisions from Craig Delich (April 30, 2004). Pencils originally credited to Frank Giacoia and inks originally credited to John Belfi. |
| Reprinted | In Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #110 (March-April 1974); in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #9 |
| Genre | humor |
| Script | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Pencils | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Inks | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Notes | This filler did NOT appear in the Archive. |
| Genre | adventure |
| Script | Cliff Rhodes (signed) |
| Pencils | ? (spot illo) |
| Inks | ? (spot illo) |
| Letters | typeset |
| Notes | This text story did NOT appear in the Archive. |
| Genre | humor |
| Script | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Pencils | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Inks | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Notes | This filler did NOT appear in the Archive. |
| Characters | Dr. Mid-Nite; The Atom [Al Pratt]; Wonder Woman [Earth-2]; Hawkman [Carter Hall]; The Flash [Jay Garrick]; Green Lantern [Alan Scott] (all as the Justice Society of America/JSA); Black Canary (JSA guest) |
| Synopsis | Meanwhile, the Flash trails Chick to the Crimson Claw's HQ, then uses Wonder Woman's mental radio to alert the rest of the JSA to its location while he attempts to keep the gang busy until they arrive. But he is knocked out and taken to their alternate hideout. At the same time, the younger Claws are getting ready to bust out some department store windows [which will be blamed on the Orioles]. Using some special "balls" given to them by Chick, they are shocked to see huge explosions caused by these seemingly innocent weapons! All of this plays into the hands of the adult Claw gang, who uses this diversion to commit a robbery of half a million in industrial diamonds. They enter the establishment, and tell the clerks and customers to put their hands up....but they won't and they suddenly switch clothes, revealing themselves as the JSA, who quickly capture the entire gang. Then, as the members head to the source of the explosion, Julia Brent is walking in the area of Elm Street and discoverss Don tied to the railroad tracks----and she hears a train coming! Shocked to the point where she can't move, she is relieved to see the JJSA come out of nowhere and save Don, then head out to the younger Claw's hideout to face them. As they proceed to mop up the gang, the JSA arrives, and G.L. stops some fleeing Claw members, who seem to think that the JSA is their enemy. Concerned, the JSA takes the young Claws to the Riversend School auditorium, where Wonder Woman uses the Magic Sphere to show the boys what their futures will be IF they don't straighten up. Convinced, the young Claws break up their gang and vow to change their lifestyles and attitudes toward other people. |
| Genre | superhero |
| Script | John Broome |
| Pencils | Alex Toth |
| Inks | Alex Toth |
| Reprinted | in Justice League of America (DC, 1960 series) #110 (March-April, 1974); in All Star Comics Archives (DC, 1991 series) #9 |
| Genre | humor |
| Script | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Pencils | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Inks | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Notes | This filler did NOT appear in the Archive. |
| Genre | humor |
| Script | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Pencils | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Inks | Harry Lampert (signed) |
| Notes | This filler did NOT appear in the Archive. |