Comic Title: Adventure Comics #53
Publisher: DC (Detective Comics, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: August 1940
Approx. On Sale Date: July 9, 1940 Copyright Date July 5, 1940
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1940
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 64
Editor: Fredric Whitney Ellsworth

Title: (The Minute Men of America)
Pages: 8

Feature(s):
Hourman (of Earth-2)

Writer: Gardner F. Fox
Artist: Bernard Baily

Feature Character(s)

• Hourman (last appearance in Adventure Comics #52; next appearance in Adventure Comics #54)

Supporting Character(s)

• Mr. Bannerman (last appearance in Adventure Comics #52; next appearance in All-Star Comics #2)
• Jimmy Martin (next appearance in Adventure Comics #54)
• Minute Men of America (next appearance in Adventure Comics #54)

Villain(s)

• Mr. Tareff and his men (Patsy named; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Regina Bannerman (Mr. Bannerman's niece; next appearance in Adventure Comics #68)
• Roberts (a businessman; no further appearances)
• Several child laborers (no further appearances)
• Mrs. Martin (Jimmy's mother; next appearance in Adventure Comics #55)
• Billy Martin (Jimmy's brother; dies in this story; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story reveals that Hourman lives in Appleton City.

This story was not originally titled.

Synopsis:
Hourman learns that several child laborers have died while working in the factory of Mr. Tareff. The official cause of death is heart failure, but he discovers that the children are overworked and mistreated. Hourman saves the remaining children from a building collapse, then arranges for an honest businessman to buy the factory.

After Tareff and his men are chased out of town, Hourman informs the family of Billy Martin, the last child who died. Billy's brother Jimmy explains that he is an amateur radio enthusiast. Hourman enlists Jimmy to form the Minute-Men of America, a new organization of kids across the country who will report activities to Hourman and help fight crime.