Issue Description

Hawkman, Firebrand and Green Lantern come the rescue of Starman as he almost falls to his death.

Returning to the Trylon, the All-Star Squadron encounter the Starman, falling out of the sky. After catching the Starman, the All-Star Squadron bring him in to the Trylon, to administer medical aid. The Tarantula reflects on the Starman's origin. The Starman, as wealthy socialite, Ted Knight, took his girl, Doris Lee, to dinner at the Casablanca Club. Hearing that the Green Lantern's latest exploits had made headlines, Knight purchased a newspaper. Knight longed to become a costumed mystery man. Lee found the notion ridiculous. Armed thieves robbed the Casablanca Club. The Batman, and Robin, the Boy Wonder, stormed the Casablanca Club.

Knight, surreptitiously aided the Batman in subduing the thieves. The next day, in Washington D.C., Knight met with his cousin, Sandra. At Sandra's home, Knight is shown a workshop, wherein Sandra reveals a pair of prototypes, designed by Professor Abraham Davis. Professor Davis abandoned his work on the Black Light Projector, and the Gravity Rod, in favor of completing his Ultra-Dynamo. Sandra asked Knight to finish the work on the Black Light Projector, but Knight was drawn to the Gravity Rod. Locked away in his observatory, Knight harnessed the power of the stars, to provide energy to fuel the Gravity Rod. After a bit of trial and error, Knight learned to master the Gravity Rod.

Sandra phoned Knight, to speak of a kidnapping attempt on her father, Senator Knight. Sandra drove off the would-be abductors, with a rolled up newspaper. Sandra revealed her intention to become the Phantom Lady, a role she would have already begun had Knight finished work on the Black Light Projector. After sending word to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as to how he could be reached, Knight was back out on the town with Lee. Knight, again, expressed his interest in becoming a masked mystery man. Knight furthered the notion by declaring his intent to join the Justice Society of America. A series of electrical crises prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation to contact the Starman.

A blackout gave Knight his opportunity to slip away from Lee. Knight, as the Starman, met with Woodley Allen, an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Allen informed the Starman that the Brotherhood Of The Electron were draining electricity from the city. The Starman tracked the Brotherhood Of The Electron to a mountain stronghold. The Starman stormed the secret lair of the Brotherhood Of The Electron, immediately taking one of their members prisoner. Doctor Doog fired on the Starman, using Davis' Ultra-Dynamo. The Starman managed to deflect the blast, which incinerated his prisoner. After eluding another deathtrap, the Starman found, and released, Davis.

Doctor Doog, and his minions, attacked the Starman. After a pitched battle, the Starman triumphed, destroying the Ultra-Dynamo in the process. Doctor Doog fled, falling into one of his own deathtraps. Davis gave the Starman his permission to keep, and continue wielding, the Gravity Rod. Thus, a new hero was born. The Starman suddenly revives, ranting about an aerial attack. The All-Star Squadron try to set the Starman's mind at ease. The Starman, however, insists that trouble is on the horizon.

Golden Age Gallery--An illustration of the Justice Society of America, by Joe Kubert, originally published in The Steranko History of Comics, Volume Two.

All-Star Squadron

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

"Come with us now to Earth-Two, and the awesome origin of the All-Star Squadron!"

Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway (credited here as Jeremiah Ordway!) along with editor Len Wein, letterer John Costanza and colorist Carl Gafford begin the wartime adventures of the Golden-Age heroes of the DC Universe. Writer Roy Thomas is no stranger to World War II, or wartime comic book super-heroes having come off Marvel's WWII super-team, The Invaders.

The world of Earth -2 was at war. In a dimension not unlike that of the Justice League on Earth - 1, the greatest heroes of the 1940s had banded together to form the Justice Society of America, but even that wasn't enough to battle the Axis powers plaguing their society. So, at the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a new, larger team was created to help unite the war torn country. The massive All-Star Squadron was formed, setting up their headquarters in the Perisphere at the heart of New York's World's Fair.

The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on "All-Star Squadron" offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history. In this popular series that ran for 67 issues, readers were treated not only to the adventures of the more familiar Justice Society, but also to every other mystery man of the time and dozens of minor heroes from DC's Golden Age, including the speedster Johnny Quick, the patriotic Liberty Belle, power houses Robotman and Commander Steel, and the 1940s versions of Batman and Robin.

With Thomas'comprehensive knowledge of the heroes and history of World War II era Americana, the All-Star Squadron was a certifiable hit, even if the Earth - 2 shattering events of DC's tumultuous "Crisis on Infinite Earths" maxi series of the mid-1980s took a toll on the book's continuity.

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