Thought it was worth bringing to attention the issue of All-Star Squadron #2 on here was one of the few I have seen include the letter from the editor of the comic. (Common with comics of the time to do for the first few issues which were made before the fan mail could come in).
It was titles “The Secret Wartime History of the Justice Society of America” which tells an interesting story about how the story of the JSA was affected in the comics by the real life invovement of the USA in World War II. It is an interesting read talking about things not mentioned to often in JSA’s history at least unless you read the actual issues of All-Star Comics.
It is worth a look to fans of the golden age heroes, and with few letters from the editor making it on archived comics, I am not sure if this one was meant to be digitized but I am glad they did it.
I’m just working on issue 1 earlier this week and I’ll be sure to move on to issue number 2.
I’m re-reading these from when I read them originally when they were published…and it’s interesting for me back then I thought everything Roy Thomas wrote was gold because I loved what he did with Conan the Barbarian and with the Avengers so much. As I go back to his writing now, I can see that his strength is with his love and deep knowledge of the history of the 40s and 50s Comics along with a great ability to write intriguing plots.
His kryptonite weakness in my opinion are his characterizations and his dialogue; those tend to be not great. I guess you could say he’s the Anti-Bendis…Bendis can go five issues and have a plot barely go forward, but in those five issues give you some of the best dialogue and interaction of characters you could ever imagine.
I do admit while nostalgia alone is enough for me to love All-Star Squadron, the books have not aged as well as some. Part of it is the style of writing has changed (when trades and the internet were not a thing they did have to over exposition character history and past stories since not everyone could keep up with every issue when relying just on grocery stores and convenience stores and pull-list not being a thing), but some of it I admit has not aged well. But for historical significance alone it is worth a read.
And besides, when I was a kid reading All-Star Squadron it was where my love for WWII and that period in history, golden age superheroes and alternate earths was born. The series made a big impression on me when I read it.