All Star Comics

her

first appearance was in this comic book here, All Star Comics.

And it was like a nine page blurb, just like introducing her.

So it was, she was described as a hundred times stronger and more agile than all the male athletes.

So like Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman were all in the justice society, but Superman and Batman were generally considered to be honorary members or, or, previous members and wonder woman served as like the secretary, but didn't necessarily always go on adventures, which has been something that hasn't aged well, just as a note, even though part of the purpose of it was she shouldn't have been able to be on the team at all because she had her own book, but they made an exception and let her come in, but she just had to be the secretary.

have been better off for everyone if they just had not allowed her on as the rules would say but later when when some of the other characters would gain their own book then someone new would come in and replace them it would keep the uh it would keep the roster flowing what happened though is around the late 1940s comics started to see a genre change superheroes lost popularity And as of All-Star Comics number 57 in 1951, the JSA actually was mothballed.

They finished up an adventure, and it looked like they were going to be back next month.

And instead, they disappeared for 12 years with no one having any idea what happened to

you know did tom didn't tom welling look a little older by the end of it not as much of a teenager so

We also have All-Star Comics number 64, which was set on Earth 2, and Superman was a

part of the Justice Society,

though they were still going by that terrible name of the Super Squad, which is why I think they had the legendary Justice Society of America at the top.

It's the ecosystem.

And we absolutely must highlight All-Star Comics number eight from 1941, which marks the debut of Wonder Woman.

A completely monumental book in terms of feminist pop culture history.

Yes, absolutely.

it now.

Wesley Dodds, aka the Golden Age Sandman, was a member in good standing of the Justice Society of America beginning in All-Star Comics number four, and throughout every incarnation of the team, including all those Silver and Bronze Age crossovers with the Justice League of America.

In fact, the travails of Sandman's sidekick, Sandy the Golden Boy, even featured as a centerpiece of one of those famous crossovers.

And Sandman was always distinctive in appearance, standing out in a crowd, a long underwear guy.

Davis actually only does two of the arcs that we're going to discuss today, and his Wesley Dodds looks slightly off-model to me, admittedly.

He's kind of pudgy.

Which is not a bad thing, but I'm used to the same man of all-star comics where he can beat the tar out of six guys at once without breaking a sweat.

Davis' Wesley looks more like John Hodgman,

A member of the Justice League, Wonder Woman is one of the strongest characters in DC Comics.

Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston [laughs] if you can believe that, and first appeared in All-Star Comics back in 1940.

And representing Wonder Woman tonight is our tournament's number one seed and, uh, 2025 Debater of the Year, William Schmitt.

William, you had the choice between Savage Hulk and Wonder Woman, and you took Diana.