I Shall Read ALL the DC Comics! (beginning in 2024)

[Slimybug]

My new goal, beginning in the new year, is to spend what may be the next decade or two reading all the stories having to deal with characters now considered part of the DC Multiverse.

This goes back to the first appearance of Doctor Occult in 1935.

Here is the first part of my itinerary. I can only attach 3 files at a time, but so far have it mapped out through the end of the 1930s, with 161 comics to read in that decade. Noted in blue are comics not published by what would have merged into National Comics by 1946.

35 & 36.jpg37 Part 1.jpg37 Part 2.jpg

To the best of my knowledge, there are 14 characters introduced in that decade whose adventures I have to read...

1. Doctor Occult (New Fun / More Fun Comics)
2. Speed Saunders (Detective Comics)
3. Scribbly (Popular Comics, The Funnies, & All-American Comics)
4. Superman (Action Comics & Superman)
5. Zatara (Action Comics)
6. Tex Thompson (Action Comics)
7. Hop Harrigan (All-American Comics)
8. Sandman (Adventure Comics)
9. Blue Beetle (Mystery Men Comics) .
10. Invisible Hood (Smash Comics)
11. Doll Man (Feature Comics)
12. Captain Marvel (Whiz Comics)
13. Ibis (Whiz Comics)
14. Spy Smasher (Whiz Comics)

Let me know if I'm missing anything!

[M@Bowers2014]

My new goal, beginning in the new year, is to spend what may be the next decade or two reading all the stories having to deal with characters now considered part of the DC Multiverse.

This goes back to the first appearance of Doctor Occult in 1935.

Here is the first part of my itinerary. I can only attach 3 files at a time, but so far have it mapped out through the end of the 1930s, with 161 comics to read in that decade. Noted in blue are comics not published by what would have merged into National Comics by 1946.

35 & 36.jpg37 Part 1.jpg37 Part 2.jpg

To the best of my knowledge, there are 14 characters introduced in that decade whose adventures I have to read...

1. Doctor Occult (New Fun / More Fun Comics)
2. Speed Saunders (Detective Comics)
3. Scribbly (Popular Comics, The Funnies, & All-American Comics)
4. Superman (Action Comics & Superman)
5. Zatara (Action Comics)
6. Tex Thompson (Action Comics)
7. Hop Harrigan (All-American Comics)
8. Sandman (Adventure Comics)
9. Blue Beetle (Mystery Men Comics) .
10. Invisible Hood (Smash Comics)
11. Doll Man (Feature Comics)
12. Captain Marvel (Whiz Comics)
13. Ibis (Whiz Comics)
14. Spy Smasher (Whiz Comics)

Let me know if I'm missing anything!

How are you going to read all of these Golden Age comics? Do you already own them? Pretty cool if so.

[Air Wave]

How are you going to read all of these Golden Age comics? Do you already own them? Pretty cool if so.

Yeah that's my question.

[James Cameron]

You and I have the same goal, Slimybug, but it is simply not financially feasible for me. Tracking down all these comics is one thing but being able to afford them is a whole other game. Wishing the best of luck to you.

[Slimybug]

Guys, these are all online. A good portion of DC’s library is available with a monthly subscription to DC Universe Infinite. Whats not is available for free elsewhere. I’m sure there will be some titles I’m not able to see, so it won’t literally be everything, but I’ll try to get as close as I can.

[BatmanJones]

Guys, these are all online. A good portion of DC’s library is available with a monthly subscription to DC Universe Infinite. Whats not is available for free elsewhere. I’m sure there will be some titles I’m not able to see, so it won’t literally be everything, but I’ll try to get as close as I can.

It’s wild to me that every DC fan doesn’t have this already. It’s basically every DC comic ever for less than $10/month. Some old ones are missing but they add more of the older, missing issues every week.

I get the Ultra version which releases new comics one month after they hit the stands and there are so many DC series I want to read but can wait a month for that I save about $15/week. It’s like they’re paying me to use it.

[James Cameron]

It’s wild to me that every DC fan doesn’t have this already. It’s basically every DC comic ever for less than $10/month. Some old ones are missing but they add more of the older, missing issues every week.

I get the Ultra version which releases new comics one month after they hit the stands and there are so many DC series I want to read but can wait a month for that I save about $15/week. It’s like they’re paying me to use it.

I just can't do digital because reading on the phone is bad for my eyesight. I also have a deep attachment to reading something I physically own. That's really exciting though, maybe down the line I will really consider subscribing.

[Psy-lock]

I tried doing the same thing, but quickly dropped it. Most GA comics are about heroes dealing with forgettable crooks, which is pretty hard to get through, especially when you're binging it. So I just stuck to the issues that interest me or feature an actual supervillain.

[Jim Kelly]

All the best on your journey. This is something I have the desire to do, but not the discipline. Instead, I tend to hop around, reading different series from different eras. Also I can't stay focused on reading for very long at one time, without falling asleep.

However, I have no problem with reading older comics. I never get bored, because I'm not just reading for the story--I'm reading to see how the art developed, what conventions were being employed, what techniques distinguished each writer and artist, what were the over-arching trends in publishing history. There is just so much else beside the plot to pay attention to, that one can keep oneself entertained by looking for all these other features in the comic.

[Air Wave]

My new goal, beginning in the new year, is to spend what may be the next decade or two reading all the stories having to deal with characters now considered part of the DC Multiverse.

This goes back to the first appearance of Doctor Occult in 1935.

Here is the first part of my itinerary. I can only attach 3 files at a time, but so far have it mapped out through the end of the 1930s, with 161 comics to read in that decade. Noted in blue are comics not published by what would have merged into National Comics by 1946.

35 & 36.jpg37 Part 1.jpg37 Part 2.jpg

To the best of my knowledge, there are 14 characters introduced in that decade whose adventures I have to read...

1. Doctor Occult (New Fun / More Fun Comics)
2. Speed Saunders (Detective Comics)
3. Scribbly (Popular Comics, The Funnies, & All-American Comics)
4. Superman (Action Comics & Superman)
5. Zatara (Action Comics)
6. Tex Thompson (Action Comics)
7. Hop Harrigan (All-American Comics)
8. Sandman (Adventure Comics)
9. Blue Beetle (Mystery Men Comics) .
10. Invisible Hood (Smash Comics)
11. Doll Man (Feature Comics)
12. Captain Marvel (Whiz Comics)
13. Ibis (Whiz Comics)
14. Spy Smasher (Whiz Comics)

Let me know if I'm missing anything!

Which of these have never been collected in book form?

[The Darknight Detective]

Every time I read the title of this thread, I'm hearing animated Starfire saying it.

[Jim Kelly]

You might want to include a few more characters that aren't strictly super-heroes, such as Slam Bradley (by Siegel and Shuster) and the Black Pirate (by Sheldon Moldoff). I'm not sure that the Invisible Hood is vital reading--maybe just sample the first few stories--Quality produced a lot of super-heroes, but not all of them were in the top tier. The Crimson Avenger isn't on your list, but he was one of the first masked heroes from National Allied (D.C.), appearing in DETECTIVE COMICS before Batman. Bart Regan, Spy, is another feature by Siegel and Shuster in DETECTIVE COMICS that I like--some nice banter between Bart and Sally Norris.

You could also check out a few examples of Ginger Snap or Rusty and His Pals, both by Bob Kane (possibly written by Bill Finger), in MORE FUN COMICS and NEW ADVENTURE COMICS, respectively. These are both humour strips and show what kind of art Bob Kane was doing before editor Vin Sullivan told him he should try creating a super-hero. It gives one an indication that Bob was hardly suited to adventure strips--and had to depend on swiping from other artists and then getting lots of help from his "assistants" (inkers that tried to fix the art as best they could). However, I personally think this produced a unique style of art which other artists (like Dick Sprang) were able to turn to their advantage.

[Slimybug]

You might want to include a few more characters that aren't strictly super-heroes, such as Slam Bradley (by Siegel and Shuster) and the Black Pirate (by Sheldon Moldoff). I'm not sure that the Invisible Hood is vital reading--maybe just sample the first few stories--Quality produced a lot of super-heroes, but not all of them were in the top tier. The Crimson Avenger isn't on your list, but he was one of the first masked heroes from National Allied (D.C.), appearing in DETECTIVE COMICS before Batman. Bart Regan, Spy, is another feature by Siegel and Shuster in DETECTIVE COMICS that I like--some nice banter between Bart and Sally Norris.

You could also check out a few examples of Ginger Snap or Rusty and His Pals, both by Bob Kane (possibly written by Bill Finger), in MORE FUN COMICS and NEW ADVENTURE COMICS, respectively. These are both humour strips and show what kind of art Bob Kane was doing before editor Vin Sullivan told him he should try creating a super-hero. It gives one an indication that Bob was hardly suited to adventure strips--and had to depend on swiping from other artists and then getting lots of help from his "assistants" (inkers that tried to fix the art as best they could). However, I personally think this produced a unique style of art which other artists (like Dick Sprang) were able to turn to their advantage.

I'm only including, and trying to include all, characters that would eventually be incorporated into the DC Multiverse which is why Invisible Hood is on there. So good call on Slam Bradley. I forgot about him. I also have Crimson Avenger down the line, he just doesn't appear until DC #20 in 1938. But I'd never heard of Bart Regan, but apparently he also factors into the multiverse, and debuts in DC #1, so I'll add him.

A also never heard of Black Pirate before, but apparently he is canon, but isn't introduced until the 40s. So thanks again!

But were Ginger Snap or Rusty and His Pals, ever canon?


Here's the revised pictures, with Slam Bradley added (will add Bart later)

35 & 36.jpgScreenshot (528).jpgScreenshot (529).jpg

[Jim Kelly]

I was trying to figure out what was your cut-off date for the list you posted--I guess I jumped ahead a few months too far.

I don't know if you're interested in how the art developed. I don't think Ginger Snap or Rusty and His Pals ever figure into continuity--but I thought you might want to take a glance at a page or two to see the Bob Kane art style, pre-Batman. Likewise with Joe Shuster, it's good to see his pre-Superman art. Joe's eyesight was already failing by the time Superman made it into publication and the other artists in his studio had to do a lot of the work. But you get to see what Shuster's art was like on things like Dr. Occult, Slam Bradley and Spy--also, in those features, some ideas crop up that would make their way into Superman.

Sheldon Moldoff was one of the first artists to assist Bob Kane on Batman--so it's good to see what he was doing on his own. Moldoff would later return as the Bob Kane ghost artist from the mid-1950s thru the mid-1960s. Plus he was one of the best inkers--and inked a lot of different features for the company. He would also take over Hawkman early in its run. Moldoff was well-known for his swipes of other artists, like Alex Raymond and Hal Foster. The Black Pirate is set in the past, but it's a mystery man adventure akin to the Scarlet Pimpernel, Zorro and Miss Liberty. Plus the Black Pirate does eventually show up for one Justice League/Justice Society crisis.

[Slimybug]

So it has begun!

I started and finished 1935! Which was just 2 pages!

Dr. Occult first appeared in New Fun #6, which changed its name to More Fun the next issue. These were only one-page stories, and there are only two of them that year. But I finished a whole year!