All-Star Comics #38
All-Star Comics #38
Cover Credits
Artist: Alexander Toth

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Title: "History's Crime Wave"
Pages: 38

Feature(s):
Justice Society of America (of Earth-2)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Artist: Alexander Toth
Penciller: Carmine Infantino
Inker: Frank Giacoia
Artist: Robert Oksner

Reprinted In:
All Star Comics Archives Vol. 8 HC (2002)

Feature Character(s)

Guest Star(s)

Villain(s)

  • A museum guard (dies in this story; no further appearances)
  • Nero, Ghengis Khan, Attila the Hun, Cesare Borgia, Goliath, and Captain Kidd (wax statues; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

Other Character(s)

  • Miss Gaye, Big Boy Nelson, Miss Van West, Mr. Benson, an unnamed actor, and Mary (murder suspects; no further appearances)

Comments:
As of this story, the individual JSA members no longer have solo chapters.

Synopsis:
Six different murders are blamed on historical villains by the prime suspects. No one believes their claims, but the members of the JSA investigate. Each meets one of the infamous villains and is killed. Black Canary witnesses Johnny Thunder's death. With his dying breath, he reveals the secret location of the JSA meeting place.

Black Canary arrives at the JSA meeting, where Wonder Woman is waiting. She tells the Amazon her story, and Wonder Woman rounds up the other JSA members, who are indeed dead. She brings them to Paula Von Gunther's laboratory, where the Purple Ray restores their lives.

The JSA members share their individual experiences, then split up. The members reenact the murders to smoke out the villains. Nero, Attila, Goliath, Ghenghis Khan, Cesare Borgia, and Captain Kidd appear during the displays to once again battle the JSA members. This time they turn out to be wax statues that explode in the arms of the heroes.

The JSA members awaken from unconsciousness trapped in wax. A wax museum guard reveals himself as the man behind the murders. Using drugged gas, he befuddled the minds of the JSA to trick them into believing the villains were real. Black Canary has infiltrated the wax museum disguised as Lucrezia Borgia. While she rescues the JSA, the guard falls to his death.

At the next JSA meeting, Black Canary attends as a guest. Wonder Woman considers her for possible membership in the future.


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