- We can handle those tinhorn bandits!
- — Hawkman
All-Star Comics #45 is an issue of the series All-Star Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1949.
Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals! Part I"
In Civic City, while investigating the mysterious disappearance of the Rocky Castle gang, the Justice Society of America discovers Professor Egri, tied up in his private laboratory by Rocky's gang. The professor explains that he has been studying cosmic radiation. By using his specially designed a Cosmic Filter, he has been able to charge six ordinary objects with Cosmic Power, but only when a specific nova was visible in the sky. While he was testing the objects, the Rocky Castle gang appeared at his house, looking for a hideout. They stole all of his cosmic-powered objects and tied up the professor. Black Canary stays behind with Egri, while the rest of the JSA set out to find Rocky's gang. Checking in with a professor at the Civic City Science Foundation, they find four locations with unusual increases in Cosmic Radiation, forcing them to split up to track down the gang.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals! Part I"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dr. Felix Egri
- Rocky Castle
- Gun-Shy
- Ox
- Peewee
- Slowpoke
- Specs
Other Characters:
- Mike, State Trooper
Locations:
- Earth-Two
- Civic City
- Civic City Science Foundation
- Dr. Egri's Cottage Laboratory
- Civic City
Items:
- Green Flame of Life
- Green Lantern Ring
- Hawkman's Nth Metal Wings
- Wonder Woman's Bracelets of Submission
- Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth
- Wonder Woman's Tiara
- Egri's Cosmic Filter
- Egri's Gang's Cosmic Objects
- College Ring
- Gloves
- Flashlight
- Jacket
- Stickpin
- Watch
- Egri's Cosmic Transporter
Vehicles:
- Green Sedan
Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals, Part II"
In Civic City, Wonder Woman and Hawkman discover Ox and Gun-Shy attempting to escape the police after a botched theater robbery. Catching their quarry is made more difficult when the gang's cosmic powered objects give them similar powers: Ox's stick pin allows him to fly and Gun-Shy's watch allows him stop bullets. The gang tries to ambush them, but Wonder Woman and Hawkman easily outwit them, and take back the cosmic objects. However, touching the cosmic objects causes the heroes to disappear.
At a carnival in the Midwest, Doctor Mid-Nite and Atom find Peewee and Specs escaping after a robbery, aided by their cosmic objects: Spec's flashlight allows him to black out the light and Peewee's gloves give him super strength. With Doctor Mid-Nite's ability to see in the dark, and Atom's super-strength, they knock out the crooks, but when they retrieve the cosmic objects, they suffer the same fate as Wonder Woman and Hawkman.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals, Part II"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dr. Felix Egri
- Rocky Castle
- Gun-Shy
- Ox
- Peewee
- Specs
Other Characters:
- Civic City cops
- Midwestern sheriff
- Mr. Peters, carnival manager
Locations:
- Earth-Two
- Civic City
- Civic Theater
- the Midwest
- Mammoth Carnival
- Civic City
Items:
- Green Flame of Life
- Green Lantern Ring
- Hawkman's Nth Metal Wings
- Wonder Woman's Bracelets of Submission
- Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth
- Wonder Woman's Tiara
- Egri's Cosmic Objects
- Gloves
- Flashlight
- Stickpin
- Watch
- Egri's Cosmic Transporter
Synopsis for Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals, Part III"
In a far western part of the country, Flash arrives at a millionaire's mansion to find that he is giving away his money to his friends for his 70th birthday. Slowpoke, posing as a waiter, knocks the millionaire out and takes the money, but he is quickly discovered. He makes his getaway when his cosmic powered jacket activates and gives him super speed. Flash gives chase, catches him, and knocks him out, only to disappear when he picks up the jacket.
At an East Coast seaport, Rocky Castle, the leader of the gang, steals a valuable ivory necklace from a visiting foreign dignitary. He evades her bodyguards and escapes with the help of his cosmic powered ring, which much like the Green Lantern's ring, works by will power, with a red blaze of cosmic energy. Green Lantern arrives, and the two battle to a stalemate with their rings, forcing Green Lantern to knock out Rocky with his bare fist. As he picks up the ring, he also disappears.
The crooks, having seen their JSA foes fade away after picking up the cosmic powered objects, return to Dr. Egri's cottage for an explanation. Dr. Egri shows them that he used the objects to capture the Justice Society, whom are now on display in his laboratory. Donning all six objects, he explains to the gang that they were only pawns in his plan to capture the JSA, and instructs Black Canary to execute them. Black Canary, who was pretending to be brain-washed by Egri, pistol whips Egri instead, then rescues the JSA, who easily handle the gang. Dr. Egri, having recovered, starts to use all six objects, only to be disintegrated by the incredible forces he's attempting to command.
Appearing in Justice Society of America: "The Case of the Cosmic Criminals, Part III"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Dr. Felix Egri
- Rocky Castle
- Gun-Shy
- Ox
- Peewee
- Slowpoke
- Specs
Other Characters:
- Dan Rogers, oil king
- far western State Troopers
- the Ranee of Patomar
- four bodyguards: Ahmed, others
Locations:
- Earth-Two
- Civic City
- Dr. Egri's Cottage
- Far West
- Dan Rogers' Mansion
- Eastern Harbor
- Waterfront
- Civic City
Items:
- Green Flame of Life
- Green Lantern Ring
- Hawkman's Nth Metal Wings
- Wonder Woman's Bracelets of Submission
- Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth
- Wonder Woman's Tiara* Cosmic Filter
- Egri's Cosmic Objects
- College Ring
- Gloves
- Flashlight
- Jacket
- Stickpin
- Watch
- Egri's Cosmic Transporter
Vehicles:
- S.S. Bengal, luxury liner
Synopsis for Johnny Peril's Surprise Story: "Aladdin's Lamp"
Appearing in Johnny Peril's Surprise Story: "Aladdin's Lamp"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Johnny's landlady
- Johnny's boss, at the paper
Antagonists:
- Digger Grub, junk dealer, international criminal
Other Characters:
- Curio Shop merchant
- Genie of the Lamp
- dump caretaker
- Aladdin (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Curio Shop
- Johnny Peril's apartment
- No. 14 Front Street, Grub's home
- Waterfront
Items:
- Aladdin's Lamp
Vehicles:
- S.S. Venture, cargo ship
Notes
- Published bi-monthly by National Comics Publications, Inc.
- Incompletely reprinted, minus the Johnny Peril story, in All-Star Comics Archives Vol. 10.
- Black Canary's chronologically next appearance is in DC Special #3 (June 1969).
- Dr. Egri's research and the technology he develops from it are both very similar to those of long-absent JSA member Ted "Starman" Knight, who dropped out of the JSA stories without explanation after All-Star Comics #23 (Winter 1944).
- Dr. Egri's cosmically-powered objects are seemingly destroyed along with Egri, in a blinding cosmic flash.
- Johnny Peril's magic lamp falls into the harbor and is lost.
Trivia
- Also appearing in this issue of All-Star Comics were:
- Ma Nature's Curiosity Shop by Martin Naydel
- "Editorial Advisory Board" (promotional text)
- "For Thrills! For Action!" (full page ad for the current issues of Gang Busters #8, Boy Commandos #31, and Green Lantern #36)
- Statement of Ownership, Management, Circulation, Etc.
- "Important Secret Code Message" for Junior Justice Society members.
- "A Diller, a Dollar" (text story) by John Osgood
See Also