The Justice Society has done what it could to help our country ... but now things have changed! I was a little worried about how to tell you this-- but as Carter Hall I'm going to enlist in the U.S. Army! 
- — Hawkman
All-Star Comics #11 is an issue of the series All-Star Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1942.
Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Justice Society Joins the War on Japan, Introduction"
In the Justice Society's first meeting following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawkman announces he is quitting the team to enlist in the armed forces. The others celebrate the news and confess that each of them had similar plans to enlist. Thus they temporarily disband the JSA for the duration of the war and enlist in either the army or (in Johnny Thunder's case) the navy -- all except for the Spectre, who cannot enlist as he is a ghost. He vows to keep busy on the homefront.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Justice Society Joins the War on Japan, Introduction"
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- Justice Society of America
- Atom
- Doctor Fate
- Doctor Mid-Nite
- Hawkman
- Johnny Thunder
- Sandman
- Spectre
- Starman
- Wonder Woman (Joins team)
Synopsis for Chapter 1: "Hawkman to the Philippines"
Carter Hall is assigned to the Interceptor Coast Command to fly pursuit planes. His girlfriend, Shiera Sanders (a.k.a. Hawkgirl), becomes a nurse and is assigned to sail to the Philippines. After she sets sail, a Japanese raid hits the air base, leaving one less plane than pilots. Carter changes into Hawkman and fights side by side with his fellow pilots. After downing all the fighters, he notices troop ships landing in San Francisco bay and helps organize a civilian evacuation. With the help of a policeman, he repels the ground invasion, then torpedoes the warships in the bay. Upon returning to base, the Major asks Hawkman to patrol Shiera's convoy to protect it from the fleeing invasion force. Hawkman lands on Shiera's ship and meets Diana Prince, whom he addresses as Wonder Woman. Shiera later tells Diana that Carter Hall and Hawkman are the same person.
Appearing in Chapter 1: "Hawkman to the Philippines"
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Synopsis for "Interlude"
Appearing in "Interlude"
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Synopsis for Chapter 2: "Wonder Woman in the Ambulance Corps"
Diana Prince has been assigned to the ambulance corps in the Philippines. She is immediately assigned to the beach patrol, where she treats wounded soldiers. During the next Japanese attack, she decides to follow Hawkman's lead and fight as Wonder Woman. After she ties up the invading force, she hears a report of other landing parties coming. She runs to the beach and swims out under the boats and rips them apart. Then she lassos a plane and rides to another island where she captures a third landing force.
Appearing in Chapter 2: "Wonder Woman in the Ambulance Corps"
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Synopsis for Chapter 3: "The Sandman in the Artillery Corps"
Wesley Dodds is assigned to Wake Island to man anti-aircraft artillery. When he is turned down for guard duty, he patrols anyway as the Sandman. He boards a two-man sub loaded with fuel and torpedoes and discovers a fleet of inbound Japanese carriers. He sends a phony telegraph to the Japanese that a U.S. fleet is approaching, causing the carriers to flee in all directions. He then boards one and destroys all the airplanes aboard.
Appearing in Chapter 3: "The Sandman in the Artillery Corps"
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Synopsis for Chapter 4: "The Atom in the Tank Corps"
Al Pratt is assigned to the tank corps and trains to be a tank sergeant. After breezing through qualifications he is assigned to Thailand, where he requests the most difficult assignment. He is told that the Japanese have broken through allied lines at Kota Bharu and he goes to the front to stop them. Although initially successful, he is outmaneuvered, and changes into his Atom costume. Grabbing a tree limb, he flips multiple enemy tanks, then takes over an enemy tank, forcing the Japanese to surrender.
Appearing in Chapter 4: "The Atom in the Tank Corps"
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Synopsis for Chapter 5: "Doctor Fate in the Parachute Troops"
Kent Nelson joins the Army Parachute Troops. The troops are sent to recapture an Aleutian island. The parachutists are being shot out of the sky by Japanese machine gun nest before they can land, so Nelson changes into Doctor Fate mid-jump. Destroying the guns gives his comrades enough time to land and set up and deal with the ground forces. Doctor Fate then goes into the ocean to sink the supporting Japanese battleships.
Appearing in Chapter 5: "Doctor Fate in the Parachute Troops"
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Synopsis for Chapter 6: "Doctor Mid-Nite in the Medical Corps"
As Charles McNider, a blind man, tries to figure out where and how to enlist, he gets a call requesting his help in the Medical Corps at a bombed Pacific army hospital. At the hospital, he is to finish the work of Dr. Benson, who was fatally wounded during the bombing. While working at night, Hooty warns the doctor of approaching enemy planes. As Doctor Mid-Nite, he heads out and captures the invading troops and shines a spotlight on incoming enemy planes to aid the anti-aircraft gunners.
Appearing in Chapter 6: "Doctor Mid-Nite in the Medical Corps"
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Synopsis for Chapter 7: "Starman in the Air Force"
Ted Knight becomes an Air Force pilot and is sent to Hawaii for duty. The Americans get word of a Japanese attack on Manila and Ted's squadron is sent to bomb their airfield first. On the way, Ted's bomber is hit by anti-aircraft fire, so he changes into Starman, and rescues several downed pilots. He then joins the dogfight and smashes several planes with his gravity rod, allowing the rest of his squadron to bomb the Japanese airfield. Then Starman captures a battleship and orders the rest of the fleet to surrender.
Appearing in Chapter 7: "Starman in the Air Force"
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Johnny Thunder joins the Navy and is assigned to special duty on an aircraft carrier because of his constant mistakes. While attempting to hang a picture, Johnny foils a plot to blow up the ship, instead. The Thunderbolt helps Johnny capture the spy responsible. Later on, without the Thunderbolt's help but with a whole lot of dumb luck, Johnny somehow stops a fleet of Japanese bombers from sinking the carrier.
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Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Justice Society Joins the War on Japan, Conclusion"
With their individual missions completed, the division commanders argue about which Justice Society member was the most impressive. A naval commander shows up with Johnny, presenting him to the group. To settle the issue, Johnny has the Thunderbolt bring all eight members and Wonder Woman together for a meeting. Their commanding officers agree that the Justice Society is too important a team to be sidelined indefinitely. In response, Hawkman suggests to his team members that they form a special “Justice Battalion of America” to counter espionage activity within the States. Doctor Fate recommends Wonder Woman for JSA membership and she proudly accepts the offer, though she warns them her availability is limited.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Justice Society Joins the War on Japan, Conclusion"
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Synopsis for Hop Harrigan: "Outlaw Plane"
After Tank Tinker is shot down testing a new bomber, Hop Harrigan and Prop Wash attempt to exact revenge on the spies responsible.
Appearing in Hop Harrigan: "Outlaw Plane"
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Notes
- Published bi-monthly by All-American Comics, Inc.
- The scene of the JSA meeting to discuss joining the armed forces is recreated in All-Star Squadron #5.
- According to Roy Thomas's remarks in [1], Doctor Mid-Nite's encounter with the Japanese armed forces in this issue was the inspiration for Dr. Mid-Nite's episode in All-Star Squadron #10.
- In All-Star Squadron #12, letters column, Thomas also maintained that the Green Lantern remained in the armed services for several months longer than the other JSA members. This is consistent with the Lantern's own series during the Golden Age, which featured Alan and his sidekick Doiby Dickles joining the army (Alan as private; Dickles as sergeant due his experience in World War I).
- The Spectre only appears in the framing sequences for this story and doesn't have a solo chapter (He wasn't enlisted in Armed Forces as he is a ghost).
- Wonder Woman joins the Justice Society of America in this issue. However, she is only given her own solo adventure in this issue and issue #13; afterwards she appeared exclusively in the stories framing sequences. Only from issue #39 onwards does Wonder Woman regularly play a full role in the team's adventures.
- Over the years, many future reviewers attributed her slight role in this series to sexist behavior of the times (ergo, the editors of National and All-American did not want a heroine to be given equal footing as the male heroes.) But the actual reason was that All-American had already planned to launch a Wonder Woman comic and the editors felt heroes with solo titles didn't need as much exposure as heroes without them did, hence why Flash and Green Lantern had left the roster at this point. A special sidebar in this issue even stated that "Wonder Woman cannot join the Justice Society full-time because she will be starring in her own series, coming this summer!"
- Wonder Woman's appearance in this issue is inconsistent with her own ongoing series in Sensation Comics. In that anthology, Diana Prince is stationed in Washington D.C., first as the private nurse to Col. (later Major) Steve Trevor, then as secretary to Gen. Darnell, who works out of Military Headquarters. Why she is in the Philippines, and how Hawkman knows Diana is Wonder Woman, is never revealed.
- The Justice Society went by the unofficial name "the Justice Battalion of America" for about a year. Eventually, the secondary name was dropped without comment and they went back to being known as "the Justice Society."
Trivia
- Reprinted in All-Star Comics Archives Vol. 3.
See Also