Index to Political and Social Commentary in Comic Books

The following is an index to some comic book stories offering political and social commentary.

The links are to the articles, where these characters and tales are usually discussed in depth, along with many other aspects of the tales.

Each story title is followed by a brief description of its political content.

This brief index is intended to help researchers locate and read stories relating to political topics. It is NOT an attempt to summarize the complete meanings of the stories. Stories with a common theme are not all alike: anti-war or pro-Civil Rights stories vary wildly in their political ideas and fictional approaches.

This article is not a complete list of political stories in comic books - it hardly covers any post-1970 material, for example.

It also lists tales which use advanced technology. Please search for terms like: computer, computer database, computer predicts events, keyboard and monitor control robot, electron microscope, wireless. And culture: classical music, rock music, sculptor, artist, theater, scale model. And: global warming, carbon. And: zoo. And: advanced civilization. Stories which show advanced civilization on other planets or the future, have likely had a profound impact on how humans envision the future.

Most of these tales can be read by visiting the amazing MSU Library Comic Art Collection. It is part of Special Collections in the Library at Michigan State University, in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. See this article and another article.

Federal Men

Adventure Comics

2 (January 1936) The Manning Baby Kidnapping - police corruption
4 (March 1936) The Submarine Terror, Part 1 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt
6-8 (July-September 1936) Attack on Washington - invasion
10 (November 1936) The Invisible Empire, Part 3 - robot under wireless control, feminist
12 (January 1937) Federal Men of Tomorrow - advanced civilization, solar system and world government
23 (January 1938) The Junior G-Girls - feminist
24 (February 1938) "Under cover of the dark night" or The Kid and the Waterfront Gang - the homeless
25 (March 1938) Junior Federal Men of the Future - advanced civilization, future of comic books
27 (June 1938) The Safety Patrol - school crossing guard patrols, anti-drunk driving

Slim and Tex

Adventure Comics (This magazine was known as "New Comics" at this time)

11 (December 1936) The Dude Ranch, Part 3 - male bonding, gay feelings

Sandra of the Secret Service

More Fun Comics

#20 (May 1937) to #25 (October 1937) The Brain - anti-munitions makers; feminist

Hope Hazard

Detective Comics

3 (March 1937) Hope Hazard, G-Woman - feminist

G-Woman

Adventure Comics

22 (December 1937) G-Woman - feminist

Johnnie Law

More Fun Comics

21 (June 1937) The Arsonist - slum conditions, the homeless

Speed Saunders

Detective Comics

1 (March 1937) The River Patrol - sympathetic Chinese characters
7 (September 1937) At the Rodeo - gay feelings
9 (November 1937) Case of the Hobo Hero - civic corruption
10 (December 1937) Mystery at Oak Gables - sympathetic Asian characters
12 (February 1938) The Indian Oil Well Mystery - sympathetic Native American characters
24 (February 1939) The Persian Jewel Mystery - sympathetic Persian characters
26 (April 1939) The Basketball Mystery - anti-gambling

Cosmo, Phantom of Disguise

Detective Comics

7 (September 1937) The Premonition of Emil Rogello - classical music

Larry Steele, Private Eye

Detective Comics

10 (December 1937) The Nick Orsati Case (Part 1) - anti-gambling

Slam Bradley

Detective Comics

2 (April 1937) Skyscraper Death - crooked union officials, gay feelings
5 (July 1937) Undercover in Grade School - anti-bullying
7 (September 1937) In Atlantic City - gay feelings
8 (October 1937) The Hillbillies - shared bed as gay imagery
10 (December 1937) In the Ring - gay feelings
15 (May 1938) The Lady-Killer - cross dressing
16 (June 1938) The Broadway Bandit - Broadway theater
18 (August 1938) In the Stratosphere - rocket ship
20 (October 1938) The Magician - crooked politician exploits factory workers, hero organizes magicians group as force for social good
23 (January 1939) In Two Billion A. D. (Part 1) - advanced civilization, anti-dictator
24 (February 1939) In Two Billion A. D. (Part 2) - advanced civilization, anti-dictator
32 (October 1939) The Wrong Guy - shared bed as gay imagery
72 (February 1943) The Mystery of the Missing Monkey - zoo
73 (March 1943) The Histrionic Hoodlums - experimental theater
75 (May 1943) The Elusive Elephant - zoo
78 (August 1943) The Meanest Muggs in the World - feminist, woman soldiers' ability
79 (September 1943) Two Tickets to Trouble - cross dressing, gay imagery
82 (December 1943) Wild and Wooly - cross dressing
91 (September 1944) The Chicken and the Yegg - victory garden
136 (June 1948) Truth + Penalty = Crime-Catchers - cross dressing, gay imagery

Spy

Detective Comics

13 (March 1938) The Peter Rawley Case - anti-gambling
17 (July 1938) The Hooded Hordes - anti-Ku Klux Klan
23 (January 1939) The Celebrity Deaths - wireless devices
24 (February 1939) Subterfuge at Sea - mentions Spanish Civil War, munitions running
25 (March 1939) The President's Assignment - President Franklin D. Roosevelt vs. foreign spies in US
26 (April 1939) The Man Who Torpedoed Congress - wireless control
28 (June 1939) Saboteurs Bomb Steamer - anti-dictator, war mongers, "leader" cults
29 (July 1939) Colonel Walsh and the Coastal Defense Plans - robot plane under wireless control
30 (August 1939) The Dictator of the United States - attempted dictator takeover in US, anti-totalitarianism
33 (November 1939) Democracy in Jeopardy - Nazi takeover of a peaceful country, democracy versus dictatorship, possible use of nonviolence
83 (January 1944) The Message of the Moccasins - sympathetic Native American characters, anti-racism, Native American life

Pep Morgan

Action Comics

2 (July 1938) Glass Arm - sympathetic disabled character

Steve Malone, District Attorney

Detective Comics

8 (August 1938) The Lavalle Case - classical music

The Crimson Avenger

Detective Comics

24 (February 1939) Tony Sparta and the River Gang - sympathetic Chinese characters, anti-gambling

World's Finest Comics

2 (Summer 1941) Lee Travis, publisher of the Globe-Leader also plays a role - sympathetic Chinese character, cross dressing

Red, White and Blue

All-American Comics

5 (August 1939) The Yellow Battalion - anti-Mussolini Bunds in US
7 (October 1939) Trouble at the New York World's Fair - anti-munitions makers
8 (November 1939) The Terrapin - anti-Nazi Bunds in US
10 (January 1940) The Master - Nazi takeover in US, feminist

Comic Cavalcade

11 (Summer 1945) Whitey in Germany - anti-Hitler Youth

The Whip

Flash Comics

1 (January 1940) Origin of the Whip - pro-Hispanic farm workers, anti-rich ranchers
2 (February 1940) Vigilantes of Seguro - pro-Hispanic farm workers, anti-rich ranchers
3 (March 1940) Get the Whip - pro-Hispanic farm workers, anti-rich ranchers
4 (April 1940) The Plundered Peons - pro-Hispanic farm workers, anti-rich ranchers
17 (May 1941) Poor House Problems - crooks exploiting Poor House in city government
19 (July 1941) Sam Chavers - police as agents of crooked rich
23 (November 1941) The White Dragon - anti-sweatshops; sympathetic Chinese characters
30 (June 1942) Employment Agency Swindle - anti-age discrimination
32 (August 1942) Adventure of the Nisei Japanese Patriot - sympathetic Nisei characters, anti-racism

T-Men

Target Comics

4 (Vol. 1 #4) (May 1940) The Counterfeit Lottery Ring - blindfolds

Calling 2-R

Target Comics

1 (Vol. 1 No. 1) (February 1940) The Redemption of Speck - advanced civilization
2 (Vol. 1 No. 2) (March 1940) The Reformation of Pretty Boy: Part 1 - advanced civilization
3 (Vol. 1 No. 3) (April 1940) The Reformation of Pretty Boy: Part 2 - advanced civilization
4 (Vol. 1 No. 4) (May 1940) The Reformation of Pretty Boy: Part 3 - advanced civilization
5 (Vol. 1 No. 5) (June 1940) Tour of Boyville - advanced civilization
13 (Vol. 2 No. 1) (March 1941) The Radio Ray - advanced civilization, defensive weapons only

The Spacehawk

Target Comics

9 (Vol. 1 #9) (October 1940) Mayhem at the Martian Election - anti-dictator, democracy, election
12 (Vol. 1 #12) (January 1941) The Treachery of Smebar - anti-invasion of peaceful country

The Scarlet Avenger

Zip Comics

1 (February 1940) Gang Buster - feminist
2 (March 1940) The Protection Racket - civic corruption
4 (May 1940) Death to the Scarlet Avenger: Part 2 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Anchors Aweigh!

Adventure Comics

50 (May 1940) Search for Captain Miles - political prisoners
52 (July 1940) Gun-Runners of the WASP - illegal munitions runners

Lieutenant Bob Neal of Sub 662

More Fun Comics

50 (December 1939) The Underwater Drill - ocean floor
51 (January 1940) Untitled story - anti-Nazi, Nazis as evil upper class rich
52 (February 1940) Return to the Canal Zone - anti-mines
53 (March 1940) The Mine Sweepers - anti-mines

Bob and Swab

Hit Comics

4 (October 1940) Cockroach Detail - Vulnerability of Pearl Harbor to attack

Steel Sterling

Zip Comics

1 (February 1940) The Man of Steel - motorcyclist
3 (April 1940) The Black Knight's War on Brazonia - anti-dictator, anti-Nazi, pro-Latin America
26 (May 1942) Cover - gay allegory
28 (August 1942) Dragons of Doom - anti-Nazi, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
29 (September 1942) The Laughing Death - anti-Nazi, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill
46 (May 1944) Cover - motorcyclist

The Web

Zip Comics

29 (September 1942) The Web and the Madman of the Crooked Cross - anti-Nazi, Aryan ideology condemned vs the Brotherhood of Man, non-Aryans should be able to have religion too, Winston Churchill

The Fox

Blue Ribbon Comics

4 (June 1940) Origin of the Fox - anti-Ku Klux Klan

Hercules, Modern Champion of Justice

Blue Ribbon Comics

5 (July 1940) Hercules Slaying the Hydra of Lerna - anti-civic corruption, gay allegory
7 (November 1940) Hercules Captures the Boar of Erymanthus - anti-Nazi
8 (January 1941) Hercules Routs the Fierce Unconquered Amazons - gay allegory

Rang-A-Tang, the Wonder Dog

Blue Ribbon Comics

6 (September 1940) Richy, the Amazing Boy - anti-Nazi

Neon the Unknown

Hit Comics

4 (October 1940) The Transatlantic Bridge - anti-Nazi, pacifist, anti-war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Blue Bolt

Blue Bolt Comics

3 (Vol. 1 No. 3) (August 1940) The Green Sorceress Reforms - pacifist, army demobilizes, anti-dictator, anti-war
7 (Vol. 1 No. 7) (December 1940) The Green Army's Blitzkrieg - pacifist, army demobilizes, anti-dictator, anti-war
11 (Vol. 1, #11) (April 1941) Return to the Outer World - pro-democracy, anti-Nazi
19 (Vol. 2 No. 7) (December 1941) Superpowered Lois Blake - feminist
33 (Vol. 3 No. 9) (February 1943) The Rattlesnakes of the Deep - anti-Nazi, Nazis as evil upper class rich, pro-democracy, concentration camp mentioned, private property questioned

The King

World's Finest Comics

3 (Fall 1941) The Case of the Counterfeit Tickets - slum
5 (Spring 1942) Rubies for Ransom - sympathetic Gypsy characters

Comic Cavalcade

3 (Summer 1943) The Guy Who Liked Bananas - slum

Sergeant Spook

Blue Bolt Comics

6 (Vol. 1, #6) (November 1940) Ghost-Town Ghosts - pro-democracy, anti-dictator
58 (Vol. 6 No. 2) (August 1945) When a spoiled child of the smart set - class conflict, artist
71 (Vol. 7, #5) (October 1946) Sgt. Spook and Johnny Appleseed - ecology, conservation, protests
85 (Vol. 8, #5) (December 1947) 'Old Ironsides,' putting out to sea, salutes Sergeant Spook - sympathetic disabled character

Dick Cole, the Wonder Boy

Blue Bolt Comics

1 (Vol. 1, #1) (June 1940) Origin of Dick Cole - pro-democracy, anti-dictator, motorcyclist
7 (Vol. 1, #7) (December 1940) The Murder of Bert Hart - anti-lynching
8 (Vol. 1, #8) (January 1941) Prison Break - motorcyclist
10 (Vol. 1, #10) (March 1941) The Lynch Mob's "Justice" - anti-lynching, motorcyclist
11 (Vol. 1, #11) (April 1941) The Rampaging Robot - President Franklin D. Roosevelt, anti-Nazi
12 (Vol. 1, #12) (May 1941) Attack on a Princess - anti-Nazi, pro-democracy
#13-20 The Simba Karno tales - gay love story
16 (Vol. 2, #4) (September 1941) Buried Treasure - sympathetic black characters
41 (Vol. 4, #5) (December 1943) It is the Christmas holiday season - hunger among the poor
75 (Vol. 7, #9) (February 1947) Dick Cole, Bark Hall, Simba Karno and Slipry, forming a bobsled team - class conflict
80 (Vol. 8, #2) (July 1947) John Eaglewing, an old Indian, instructs Farr M.A. - sympathetic Native American character
81 (Vol. 8, #3) (August 1947) Excitement grips the Farr and Holden military academies - gay imagery
83 (Vol. 8, #5) (October 1947) Professor Wingston Beake, famed ornithologist, lectures - sympathetic Inuit characters, ecology, whooping crane

Dick Cole

4 (June-July 1949) Danger strikes at Dick and Rod Cole - sympathetic North Carolina mountain characters
5 (August-September 1949) It will take more than Dick Cole's cannonball serve - sympathetic disabled character
6 (October-November 1949) Dick Cole and Bark Hall, his chief rival for honors - class conflict, gay themes

The Chameleon

Target Comics

10 (Vol. 1 #10) (November 1940) Architect of Madness - cross dressing
13 (Vol. 2 #1) (March 1941) The Fatherland Federation - anti-Nazi
14 (Vol. 2 #2) (April 1941) Washington, D. C. The Chameleon, master of disguise, and Slim, are on the track of another office - anti-Nazi
17 (Vol. 2 #5) (July 1941) Washington, D. C. The Chameleon, master of disguise, is attending a conference of FBI officials - anti-Nazi, motorcyclist, ship's radio operator

Radio Squad

More Fun Comics

12 (August 1936) The Purple Tiger, Part 2 - wireless tracking of package
13 (September 1936) The Purple Tiger, Part 3 - police motorcyclist, blindfolds
17 (January 1937) The Dan Bowers Case, Part 1 - anti-gambling, police corruption
22 (July 1937) The Dan Bowers Case, Part 6 - civic corruption
35 (September 1938) The Lovers' Lane Caper - cross dressing
60 (October 1940) Phony Cops - sympathetic black character, possible gay character
64 (February 1941) The Excursion Boat Fire - slums
65 (March 1941) The Melting Pot - slums
67 (May 1941) Larry Trent and Sandy Keene are patrolling their beat when suddenly a speeding sedan roars past - anti-Nazi, anti-invasion of peaceful country
68 (June 1941) Murder Plunge - anti-Nazi
70 (August 1941) The Case of the D.A.'s Daughter - anti-gambling
73 (November 1941) Murder Takes the Spotlight - musician's union
75 (January 1942) Mighty trucks rumble through the night - police Modus Operandi cards
76 (February 1942) The Radio Robber - police Modus Operandi cards, gay subtext
77 (March 1942) The Blackout Burglary - spectroscope, mention of union
79 (May 1942) The Case of the Storm Raiders - gay subtext

The Spectre

More Fun Comics

66 (April 1941) The World Within the Paintings - anti-dictator. anti-invasion
68 (June 1941) Menace of the Dark Planet - anti-dictator

The Star Spangled Kid

Star Spangled Comics

1 (October 1941) The Bund Saboteurs - anti-Nazi Bunds in US
2 (November 1941) Vortex of Doom - anti-slum lord
3 (December 1941) Mission to Germany - anti-Nazi, concentration camp

The Human Bomb

Police Comics

1 (August 1941) The Origin of the Human Bomb - anti-Nazi
3 (October 1941) The Purple Mist - President Franklin D. Roosevelt, anti-Nazi
4 (November 1941) The U-Boat Battle - anti-Nazi
5 (December 1941) The Phony Murder of Col. Stanford - anti-Nazi, classical music
6 (January 1942) The Black Vanguards - anti-Nazi
7 (February 1942) The Phony Human Bomb - anti-Nazi, self-referential look at comic books
12 (October 1942) The Liebestraum Code - anti-Nazi
13 (November 1942) The Living Dead of Skull Valley - anti-Nazi

The Mouthpiece

Police Comics

1 (August 1941) The Alien Smuggling Racket - refugees

The Firebrand

Police Comics

2 (September 1941) The Revolt of General Muerte - anti-dictator, refugees

Steele Kerrigan

Police Comics

3 (October 1941) The Motorcycle Cop Murder - feminist, police motorcyclist

The Justice Society of America

All-Star Comics

4 (March-April 1941) For America and Democracy - anti-Nazi Bunds in US
13 (October-November 1942) Shanghaied into Space - anti-Nazi, anti-dictator, advanced civilization
24 (Spring 1945) This Is Our Enemy - anti-war, anti-German Militarism, anti-Nazi
27 (Winter 1945) A Place in the World - sympathetic disabled characters, advocacy for the disabled against prejudice
29 (June-July 1946) The Man Who Knows Too Much - advanced civilization
77 (February-March 1951) The Mystery of the Vanishing Detectives - sympathetic Chinese character

Minute Movies

Flash Comics

5 (May 1940) You Can't Get Away With It - class conflict
18 (June 1941) Eyes of the Skull - anti-war, anti-chemical warfare
20 (August 1941) The Hazards of Hazel: The Terrible Trio - class conflict
28 (April 1942) Masquerade Mystery - class conflict
35 (November 1942) Intrigue - class conflict, income inequality, sexual harassment, political prisoners

Sub-Zero

Sub-Zero had a sidekick from issue #18 on, who was a sympathetic Inuit character.

Blue Bolt Comics

12 (Vol. 1, #12) (May 1941) The Latonian Agent - anti-dictator, sympathetic South American characters
14 (Vol. 2, #2) (July 1941) Furnaces roar and dynamos hum - labor-management dispute, free speech in labor union, anti-Nazi, torpedo under wireless control
15 (Vol. 2, #3) (August 1941) Sub-Zero, who has dedicated his strange power of freezing to fight evil - cross dressing
21 (Vol. 2, #9) (February 1942) It's 'shoot-the-works' when Sub-Zero and his pal, Freezum - anti-gambling
23 (Vol. 2, #11) (April 1942) Scourge of the Knights of the Blue Flame - anti-Ku Klux Klan

The Sandman

World's Finest Comics

3 (Fall 1941) Crime Visits the Opera - classical music
5 (Spring 1942) Gems of Jeopardy - motorcyclist

Zatara

World's Finest Comics

4 (Winter 1941) The Pageant of Plunder - sympathetic Asian-American character

Hourman

Adventure Comics

68 (November 1941) Death at the Opera - classical music

"Buzz" Balmer

Bang-Up Comics

1 (December 1941) Oh Baby! - anti-dictator, anti-war
2 (March 1942) The Attack on Dictators - anti-Nazi, anti-Communist, anti-dictator

Rick Masters, Foreign Correspondent

Bang-Up Comics

1 (December 1941) Help! It's Broken! - anti-Nazi
2 (March 1942) The New Pilot - anti-Nazi

Tarantula

Star Spangled Comics

4 (January 1942) The Blade - sympathetic Latin American characters

Mnemo, the Mind Wizard

Super-Magician

8 (November 1942) A Model Death - toy train under wireless control by radio

Dr. Fate

More Fun Comics

79 (May 1942) The Deadly Designs of Mr. Who - police motorcyclist
85 (November 1942) The Man Who Changed Faces - free medical clinics for the poor

Air Wave

Detective Comics

70 (December 1942) Who Rubbed Out the Editor? - satire on comic book industry
94 (December 1944) The Ride of the Valkyries - modern art, classical music
136 (June 1948) The City of Glass - advanced civilization

Spencer Steel

Jumbo Comics

11 (December 1939 - January 1940) The Pixie Panto Problem - sympathetic Asian character
14 (April 1940) Spencer Steel and his wife, vacation bound to - mimeograph

Ghost Gallery

Jumbo Comics

61 (March 1944) The Rise of John Roman - class conflict, the Depression

Inspector Dayton

Jumbo Comics

59 (January 1944) Inspector Dayton! Lansing, the notorious killer will be - sympathetic Jewish character, classical music
61 (March 1944) We're gettin' hot, Creep! Before Maxie Bloom was - sympathetic black characters

Balbo, the Boy Magician

The entire series - sympathetic black character

Johnny Everyman

Most of the Johnny Everyman tales have liberal social commentary, and sympathetic Asian characters.

World's Finest Comics

17 (Spring 1945) Untitled story about African-Americans - Civil Rights, sympathetic black characters, anti-racism
18 (Summer 1945) The Secret of Ohain - anti-Nazi persecution of Jews, sympathetic Jewish characters, anti-racism
25 (November-December 1946) Blueprint for Peace - United Nations

Comic Cavalcade

12 (Fall 1945) Meet Charley Wing - sympathetic Chinese characters, anti-racism

The Green Lama

Green Lama

5 (May 1945) The Four Freedoms - Civil Rights, sympathetic black character, anti-racism, anti Jim Crow, opposed to anti-semitism

Rick Richards

Blue Bolt Comics

81 (Vol. 8 No. 3 August 1947) Housing for the Poor - anti-slum, anti-slum lord, affordable housing
82 (Vol. 8 No. 4 September 1947) The TV Camera - how invention works
85 (Vol. 8 No. 5 December 1947) Rick awakens the musty halls - atomic power, cross dressing
89 (Vol. 8 No. 11 April 1948) Trouble in the Mine - labor-management dispute, worker safety

X-Venture

2 (November 1947) The Atom Wizard - anti-dictator
2 (November 1947) He Opened Prison Gates - sympathetic black character

The Black Canary

Many tales about the Black Canary, a woman crime-fighter, have a feminist dimension.

Flash Comics

96 (June 1948) The Riddle of the Topaz Brooch - feminist, motorcyclist

Lash LaRue

Lash LaRue Western

3 (January 1950) The Defender of Truth - courageous newspaper publisher

Gang Busters

1 (December 1947 - January 1948) Crime Agency - policewomen
1 (December 1947 - January 1948) Hot Money - anti-gambling, possible gay characters
4 (June-July 1948) Jail Break, Cover - police motorcyclist, gay subtext
4 (June-July 1948) The Lady and the Cop - gay subtext
10 (June-July 1949) Fourth Offender - problems of ex-convicts
12 (October-November 1949) The Vigil of Patrolman Crowell - sympathetic Chinese parade in Chinatown

Mr. District Attorney

1 (January-February 1948) The Five Days That Shook a City - police motorcyclist
7 (January-February 1949) Concerto in Murder - classical music
7 (January-February 1949) The Street of Forgotten Men - slum, hunger among the poor
8 (March-April 1949) Cover - freedom of the press
8 (March-April 1949) The Rise and Fall of 'Lucky' Lynn - slum
11 (September-October 1949) The Game That Has No Winners - gay allegory
11 (September-October 1949) The Man Who Laughed at Bullets - police motorcyclist
11 (September-October 1949) Second Chance Farm - problems of ex-convicts trying to get jobs, gay allegory
13 (January-February 1950) Where Is Marvyn Moon? - gay allegory
13 (January-February 1950) The False Rumor Factory - telephone jukebox
14 (March-April 1950) The Alibi King - labor union rules mentioned
15 (May-June 1950) The Detective With High Heels - woman private investigator
16 (July-August 1950) The Wire Tap Crimes - gay allegory
16 (July-August 1950) The Crime Warden - gay allegory
17 (September-October 1950) The Bachelors of Crime - gay allegory
17 (September-October 1950) The Case of the Double Killing - scale model
17 (September-October 1950) The State vs. Harrington - gay allegory
21 (May-June 1951) The D.A. Pounds a Beat - slum
21 (May-June 1951) The Impossible Crime - police motorcyclist, scale model
22 (July-August 1951) I Drive a Paddy Wagon - police motorcyclist
25 (January-February 1952) The Case of the Honest Ex-Convicts - profit sharing with workers, worker-run business, problems of ex-convicts trying to get jobs
25 (January-February 1952) The Case of the Plundered Pearls - classical music

Robotman

Detective Comics

176 (October 1951) The Testing of Robotman - sympathetic Chinese character
188 (October 1952) Robotman Becomes a Robot - robot under wireless control

Danger Trail

1 (July-August 1950) 3 Steps to Mr. Sandino - sympathetic Mexican character
2 (September-October 1950) Hangman's House - anti-Communist

Crime Must Pay the Penalty

22 (October 1951) Cover - gay imagery
23 (December 1951) Cover - gay imagery
24 (February 1952) Cover - gay imagery
26 (June 1952) Big Gun of the Goon Squad - strikebreaker, pro-labor union
28 (October 1952) Cover - gay imagery

Rex, the Wonder Dog

The Adventures of Rex, the Wonder Dog

1 (January-February 1952) The Killer Bear - anti-hunting
1 (January-February 1952) Rex -- Forest Ranger - preventing forest fires

Aquaman

More Fun Comics

73 (November 1941) Aquaman - refugees, anti-Nazi

Adventure Comics

104 (May 1946) Four Fish to Fetch - world hunger, increasing food production
126 (March 1948) The Man in the Iron Shoe - nonviolence, reverence for life
137 (February 1949) The Undersea Lost World - United Nations, sea floor exploration
231 (December 1956) Three Fates for Aquaman - computer predicts events
247 (April 1958) Aquaman's Super Sea-Squad - atomic accidents, ecology, disarmament
251 (August 1958) A World Without Water - atomic accidents, ecology
258 (March 1959) The Incredible Fish of Dr. Danton - atomic accidents, ecology
260 (May 1959) How Aquaman Got His Powers - atomic testing
263 (August 1959) The Great Ocean Election - crooked politics, election

Green Arrow

More Fun Comics

74 (December 1941) The Silent City - police motorcyclist, popular music
75 (January 1942) Crime College - police motorcyclist
77 (March 1942) Doom Over Gayland - sympathetic Asian character
81 (July 1942) The Adventure of the Bankrupt Heroes - Stock Exchange, stock market, giving money to widows and orphans

Adventure Comics

106 (July 1946) The Stolen Statues - sculptor
107 (August 1946) Green Arrow, Junior - sympathetic gay character, sympathetic Chinese character, tolerance
118 (July 1947) The Weather Wizard - value of skepticism, scientific world view
123 (December 1947) The Man Behind the Mask - scale model
126 (March 1948) The Master Arrow - disarmament
131 (August 1948) Targets for Tonight - police motorcyclist
132 (September 1948) The Impossible Alibi - sympathetic Aboriginal Australian portrait
214 (July 1955) The Riddle of the Statues - computer firm
217 (October 1955) The Riddle of the Five Trophies - sculptor
235 (April 1957) The Doom of the Giant Arrows - suburbia
248 (May 1958) The World's Three Most Dangerous Arrows - sympathetic Sikh character
258 (March 1959) The Arrow Platoon - sympathetic Jewish character
259 (April 1959) The Green Arrow's Mystery Pupil - nonviolence, reverence for life
263 (August 1959) The World's Worst Archer - sympathetic Native American characters

Johnny Quick

More Fun Comics

72 (October 1941) The Mystery of the Music Murders - popular music
74 (December 1941) Across the king of speed's horizon moves a satanic vanguard of villainy - gay subtext

Adventure Comics

121 (October 1947) The 9th Wonder of the World - producing a comic book
128 (May 1948) The Miracle Farmer - world hunger, technology used in food production
130 (July 1948) The Nimble Names Crimes - zoo
202 (July 1954) The Human Hot-Rodders - police motorcyclist

The Shining Knight

Adventure Comics

111 (December 1946) The City of Tomorrow - advanced civilization
116 (May 1947) The Wooden Sword - sympathetic disabled character
117 (June 1947) Too High for the Law - anti-gambling
119 (August 1947) We Knight Thee Dub - sympathetic poor characters
127 (April 1948) The Sky-High Hijackers - advanced civilization

Fireman Fred Farrell

Showcase

1 (March-April 1956) Fourth Alarm - pro-tax increase to fund firefighters, live television news with Edward R. Murrow look-alike

Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story

This brilliant single-issue comic book (1957) tells the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956).

Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story - Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Coretta Scott King, nonviolence, Civil Rights, sympathetic black characters, mimeograph, loudspeaker, motorcyclist
How a Nation Won Its Freedom by the Montgomery Method - Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, nonviolence, sympathetic Indian characters
How the Montgomery Method Works - nonviolence explained in-depth; Ralph Abernathy, sympathetic black characters

Johnny Fox

The entire series stars Seminole super-hero Johnny Fox - sympathetic Native American character

Champion Comics

7 (May 1940) Mystery of the Dangling Skeletons - anti-war

Pow-Wow Smith, Indian Lawman

The entire series - sympathetic Native American characters

Western Comics

75 (May-June 1959) Menace of the Magic Arrows - sculptor

Super-Chief, Saganowahna

The entire series - sympathetic Native American characters

The Wyoming Kid

Western Comics

65 (September-October 1957) The Naming of the Wyoming Kid - sympathetic Native American characters

Johnny Thunder

All-Star Western

88 (April-May 1956) The Indian Chief of Mesa City - sympathetic Native American characters
94 (April-May 1957) Johnny Thunder's Indian Son - sympathetic Native American characters, possible gay hero
108 (August-September 1959) The Origin of Johnny Thunder - possible gay hero
109 (October-November 1959) The Screaming Eagle Ambush - possible gay hero
115 (October-November 1960) Guns of Destiny - possible gay hero

Action Comics - Superman and/or Supergirl tales

1 (April 1938) Revolution in San Monte, Part 1 - anti-munitions makers
2 (July 1938) Revolution in San Monte, Part 2 - anti-munitions makers
3 (August 1938) The Blakely Mine Disaster - anti-mine owner, pro-mine workers
127 (December 1948) Superman Takes the Consequences - cross dressing
200 (January 1955) Tests of a Warrior - sympathetic Native American characters
242 (July 1958) The Super-Duel in Space - advanced civilization, anti-dictator, Kandor zoo
243 (August 1958) The Lady and the Lion - advanced civilization, anti-bullying
244 (September 1958) The Super-Merman of the Sea - global warming, United Nations, World Court
253 (June 1959) The Secret of the Super-Orphan - labor union membership card
255 (August 1959) Supergirl Visits the 21st Century - integration, anti-racism
257 (October 1959) The Three Magic Wishes - feminist
258 (November 1959) The Menace of Cosmic Man - anti military coup in republic, keyboard and monitor control robot
259 (December 1959) The Cave-Girl of Steel - feminist
261 (February 1960) Supergirl's Super Pet - anti-bullying
262 (March 1960) Supergirl's Greatest Victory - interplanetary zoo in Fortress of Solitude
264 (May 1960) Supergirl Gets Adopted - cross dressing
265 (June 1960) The "Superman" from Outer Space - computer predicts events
269 (October 1960) Supergirl's First Romance - disarmament, advanced civilization
273 (February 1961) The World of Mr. Mxyzptlk - democracy in action, election
281 (October 1961) The Man Who Saved Kal-El's Life - cross dressing, anti-atom bomb
282 (November 1961) The Supergirl of Tomorrow - future zoo, anti-dictator, anti book burning, importance of libraries
283 (December 1961) The Red Kryptonite Menace - religious and racial brotherhood, world peace, President John F. Kennedy, Khrushchev
285 (February 1962) The World's Greatest Heroine; The Infinite Monster - feminist, United Nations, President John F. Kennedy, Khrushchev, peace
286 (March 1962) The Death of Luthor - cross dressing
287 (April 1962) Supergirl's Greatest Challenge - saving species from extinction, 3D television
290 (July 1962) Supergirl's Super Boy-Friends - sympathetic Japanese characters
291 (August 1962) The Bride of Mr. Mxyzptlk - United Nations
295 (December 1962) Superman Goes Wild - United Nations
296 (January 1963) The Invasion of the Super-Ants - anti-atom bomb, United Nations
296 (January 1963) The Girl Who Was Supergirl's Double - astronaut
297 (February 1963) The Man Who Betrayed Superman's Identity - astronaut
301 (June 1963) The Secret Identity of Super-Horse - President John F. Kennedy
302 (July 1963) The Day Super-Horse Went Wild - United Nations, Atlantis Zoo
303 (August 1963) Supergirl's Big Brother - Korean War
304 (September 1963) The Maid of Menace - high-tech census
305 (October 1963) Why Superman Needs a Secret Identity - astronaut
306 (November 1963) The Maid of Doom - disarmament, anti-war, United Nations
307 (December 1963) Supergirl's Wedding Day - advanced civilization, gay imaegry
309 (February 1964) The Superman Super-Spectacular - President John F. Kennedy
311 (April 1964) Superman, King of Earth - anti-dictator
312 (May 1964) The Fantastic Menace of the "LL's" - computer predicts events, advanced civilization
314 (July 1964) The Day Superman Became the Flash - computer predicts events
317 (October 1964) The Great Supergirl Double-Cross - solar-powered rocket
318 (November 1964) Supergirl Goes to College - anti-hazing, encouraging people to go to college, sympathetic Asian characters
320 (January 1965) The Man Who Broke Supergirl's Heart - anti-dictator, pro-democracy
321 (February 1965) Superman -- Weakest Man in the World - anti-war
321 (February 1965) The Enemy Supergirl - high-tech census
325 (June 1965) The Skyscraper Superman - advanced civilization, hunger, famine, increasing food production
325 (June 1965) The Ugly Duckling Teacher of Stanhope College - anti-bullying, women in science
327 (August 1965) The Three Generations of Superman - social progress in future, end of crime and prisons
337 (May 1966) From Riches to Rags - anti-slum, slum clearance
337 (May 1966) The Green Sun Supergirl - feminist, women astronauts

Superman

79 (November-December 1952) The End of the Planet! - collectives, importance of the press
123 (August 1958) Superman's Return to Krypton - anti-Nazi, anti-dictator, advanced civilization, Krypton zoo
130 (July 1959) The Town that Hated Superman - anti-dictator, freedom of the press, Nazi book burnings condemned, nonviolently resisting arrest for unfair laws
132 (October 1959) Superman's Other Life (3-part story) - advanced civilization, computer predicts events, Krypton zoo
133 (November 1959) The Super-Luck of Badge 77 - motorcyclist
133 (November 1959) How Perry White Hired Clark Kent - hunger among the poor, gorillas at zoo
134 (January 1960) The Super-Outlaw of Krypton - advanced civilization, Krypton zoo
139 (August 1960) The Jolly Jailhouse - anti-dictator, political prisoners, "disappeared" people in dictatorship
140 (October 1960) The Son of Bizarro - prejudice against children who are different
141 (November 1960) Superman's Return to Krypton - advanced civilization, Krypton zoo
142 (January 1961) Flame-Dragon From Krypton - sympathetic Chinese characters
143 (February 1961) The Great Superman Hoax - newspaper artist expert on photo retouching
143 (February 1961) Lois Lane's Lucky Day - gay imagery
144 (April 1961) Superboy's First Public Appearance - President Franklin D. Roosevelt
145 (May 1961) The Secret Identity of Superman - sympathetic disabled character
146 (July 1961) The Story of Superman's Life - advanced civilization, United Nations, aiding the poor and helpless, anti-slum, affordable housing, Krypton zoo
149 (November 1961) The Death of Superman - racial brotherhood, anti-dictator, Kandor and Israel, Eichmann trial, United Nations, gift of medical care to all nations, cross dressing
150 (January 1962) The One Minute of Doom - Holocaust allegory
153 (May 1962) The Secret of the Superman Stamp - sympathetic Burmese characters
153 (May 1962) The Town of Supermen - possible gay imagery
154 (July 1962) Krypton's First Superman - anti-dictator, advanced civilization
155 (August 1962) Superman Under the Green Sun; The Blind Superman - anti-Nazi, concentration camp, anti-slavery
157 (November 1962) Superman's Day of Doom - computer predicts events
158 (January 1963) Superman in Kandor - politics in action, revolution and its problems, advanced civilization
159 (February 1963) Lois Lane, the Super-Maid of Krypton - feminist, advanced civilization, Krypton zoo, astronaut program on Krypton
162 (July 1963) The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue - disarmament, Utopian dreams, anti-Communist, anti-Communist Cuban prisons, Khrushchev
163 (August 1963) Wonder-Man, the New Hero of Metropolis - anti-dictator, anti-military conquest
164 (October 1963) The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman; The Super-Duel - anti-war, war causes collapse into primitivism
164 (October 1963) The Fugitive From the Phantom Zone - love of nature, possible conservation advocacy, East-West balance of power
165 (November 1963) Beauty and the Super-Beast - feminist, women astronauts
170 (July 1964) Superman's Mission for President Kennedy - President John F. Kennedy, physical fitness
176 (April 1965) The Revenge of the Super-Pets - SPCA, animal rights
176 (April 1965) Superman's Day of Truth - anti-dictator, advanced civilization
178 (July 1965) Project Earth-Doom - anti-dictator, anti-war
182 (January 1966) The New Lives of Superman - disarmament, United Nations, anti-dictator
186 (May 1966) Clark Kent, Gangster - strike, labor-management dispute
188 (July 1966) The School for Superman Assassins - anti-dictator, advanced civilization, election
201 (November 1967) Clark Kent Abandons Superman - advanced civilization, peace, utopia

World's Finest Comics

4 (Winter 1941) The Case of the Crime Crusade - civic corruption, politics
46 (June-July 1950) The Seven Crimes of Mister 7 - sympathetic Chinese character
76 (May-June 1955) When Gotham City Challenged Metropolis - civic boosters, government promotes technology
80 (January-February 1956) The Super-Newspaper of Gotham City - importance of the press
143 (August 1964) The Feud Between Batman and Superman - advanced civilization
146 (December 1964) Batman, Son of Krypton - advanced civilization, anti-war, democracy
154 (December 1965) The Sons of Batman and Superman - feminist, married women keeping careers
157 (May 1966) The Abominable Brats - advanced civilization

Lois Lane

Showcase

10 (September-October 1957) The Sightless Lois Lane - sympathetic disabled characters

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane

2 (May-June 1958) Superman's Secret Sweetheart - anti-bullying
10 (July 1959) The Cry-Baby of Metropolis - gay allegory, popular music
11 (August 1960) The Tricks of Lois Lane - anti-harassment
13 (November 1959) The Shocking Secret of Lois Lane - women astronauts
15 (February 1960) The Super-Family of Steel - sympathetic island native characters
16 (April 1960) The Mystery of Skull Island - cross dressing
21 (November 1960) Dolls of Doom - advanced civilization
23 (February 1961) The Ten Feats of Elastic Lass - women astronauts, feminist, gorilla at zoo, sculptor
24 (April 1961) The Perfect Husband - computer dating
26 (July 1961) The Mad Woman of Metropolis - cross dressing
27 (August 1961) Lois Lane's Super-Brain - anti-gambling, astronaut
31 (February 1962) The Unforgettable Superman - astronaut
33 (May 1962) Lois Lane, Slave-Girl - anti-slavery
34 (July 1962) Lois Lane, Millionairess - cross dressing
39 (February 1963) The Kryptonian Courtship - personal computer, advanced civilization
41 (May 1963) The Devil and Lois Lane - classical music
43 (August 1963) The Girl Who Mourned for Superman - United Nations, sympathetic Indian character; libraries
43 (August 1963) Lois Lane - Volunteer Nurse - Vietnam War veteran war hero, casualties
44 (October 1963) The Murder of Lana Lang - anti-capital punishment
45 (November 1963) The "Superman-Lois" Hit Record - brief political satire on Soviet Union
47 (February 1964) Lois Lane's Jungle Jeopardy - Peace Corps
48 (April 1964) Hellene of Troy; The Courtship of Cinderella Lane; Florence Nightingale's Last Stand (3-part story) - cross dressing
62 (January 1966) Lois Lane's Anti-Superman Campaign (3-part story) - feminist, politics in action, election
78 (October 1967) Courtship, Kryptonian Style - advanced civilization
83 (May 1968) Witch on Wheels; The Super-Cyclist (2-part story) - motorcyclist
106 (November 1970) I Am Curious (Black) - Civil Rights

Jimmy Olsen

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen

4 (March-April 1955) King for a Day - anti-dictator, gay allegory
5 (May-June 1955) The Story of Superman's Souvenirs - motorcyclist, gay allegory
6 (July-August 1955) The King of Magic - gay allegory
6 (July-August 1955) Jockey Olsen Rides Star Flash - gay allegory
9 (December 1955) The Missile of Steel - keyboard and monitor control robot
11 (March 1956) T.N.T. Olsen, The Champ - gay allegory
12 (August 1956) The Secret of Dinosaur Island - conservation
15 (September 1956) Unwanted Superman Souvenirs - gay allegory
14 (August 1956) The Feats of Chief Super-Duper - sympathetic Native American characters
17 (December 1956) The Radioactive Boy - radioactive contamination
20 (April 1957) Jimmy Olsen's Super-Pet - zoo, motorcyclist
23 (September 1957) The Bearded Boy - radical group
26 (February 1958) Jimmy Olsen, Foreign Correspondent - anti-dictator
28 (April 1958) The Spendthrift and the Miser - poor people in slums
28 (April 1958) The Boy Who Killed Superman - advanced civilization
30 (August 1958) Superman's Greatest Enemy - slum clearance
31 (September 1958) The Mad Hatter of Metropolis - gay allegory
32 (October 1958) The Rock 'n' Roll Superman - rock music, gay allegory
33 (December 1958) The Human Flame Thrower - sympathetic Chinese characters
35 (March 1959) The Robot Jimmy Olsen - gay allegory
35 (March 1959) Superman's Enemy - gay allegory
36 (April 1959) Super-Senor's Pal - anti-dictator, sympathetic Latin American characters
36 (April 1959) How Jimmy Olsen First Met Superman - advanced civilization, government gives public free equipment, Krypton Aquarium (like a zoo), gay allegory
40 (October 1959) Jimmy Olsen, Juvenile Delinquent - juvenile delinquency
41 (December 1959) The Human Octopus - union representative
41 (December 1959) The Robot Reporter - keyboard and monitor control robot
44 (April 1960) Miss Jimmy Olsen - cross dressing
49 (December 1960) Alias Chip O'Doole - rock music
53 (June 1961) The Boy in the Bottle - advanced civilization
56 (October 1961) The Jinx of Metropolis - President John F. Kennedy
59 (March 1962) Jimmy Olsen in Scotland Yard - gay allegory
65 (December 1962) The Human Porcupine - sympathetic Chinese characters, zoo
67 (March 1963) Leslie Love, Girl Reporter - cross dressing
69 (June 1963) The Dynamic Duo of Kandor (2 part story) - advanced civilization
69 (June 1963) Jimmy Olsen's Viking Sweetheart - keyboard and monitor control robot
71 (September 1963) Jimmy Olsen Meets Cleopatra - anti-slavery
77 (June 1964) Jimmy Olsen, Super-Thief - advanced civilization
80 (October 1964) Jimmy Olsen, the Bizarro Boy - rock music
84 (April 1965) Jimmy Olsen's Day of Disgrace - advanced civilization
84 (April 1965) Jimmy Olsen's Female Fan - feminist, cross dressing
86 (July 1965) Jimmy Olsen, Ape Man - sympathetic African characters
87 (September 1965) Bizarro-Jimmy, Rock-'N-'Roll Star - TV satire, rock music
88 (October 1965) The Swinging Superman - rock music, gay allegory
89 (December 1965) The Infamous Four - advanced civilization, political commentary
91 (March 1966) The Dragon Delinquent - motorcyclist
101 (April 1967) Olsen's Time Trip to Save Krypton; Krypton's Last Chance (2 part story) - anti-atom bomb

Superboy

25 (April-May 1953) The Super-Artist of Smallville - artist
78 (January 1960) Claire Kent, Alias Super-Sister - feminist
79 (March 1960) Life on Krypton - advanced civilization
80 (April 1960) The Shyest Boy in Town - individuality, possible gay allegory
83 (September 1960) The Invasion of Krypton - advanced civilization
85 (December 1960) The Mystery of Mighty Boy - disarmament, advanced civilization, libraries, gay love story
95 (March 1962) The Super-Family From Krypton - Civil Rights, Utopian dreams, woman with science skills, feminist
94 (January 1962) The Superboy Revenge Squad - disarmament, anti-slavery, gay feelings, skin-diver
94 (January 1962) The Boy of Steel's Super-Initiation - gay feelings
98 (July 1962) The Boy With Ultra-Powers - gay feelings
103 (March 1963) The Three Ages of Superboy - anti-slavery
117 (December 1964) Secret of Camp Storm King - gay feelings
119 (March 1965) Superbaby's First Time-Adventure - anti-war, disarmament
119 (March 1965) The Millionaire of Smallville - artist
119 (March 1965) The Duel of the Superboys - gay feelings
126 (December 1965) Krypto's Family Tree - artist

Adventure Comics

110 (November 1946) The Farmer Takes it Easy - poor farmers
118 (July 1947) The Quiz Biz Broadcast - slums
123 (December 1947) A Lesson for a Bully - crooked politics, anti-bullying
138 (March 1949) Around the World in 80 Minutes - sympathetic Native American characters
181 (October 1952) A Mask for a Hero - police motorcyclist, sculptor, sympathetic Mexican characters
202 (July 1954) Superboy City, U.S.A. - sculptor
206 (November 1954) The Impossible Creatures - advanced civilization, libraries
233 (February 1957) Joe Smith, Man of Steel - hero helps others, hero will not use his powers for financial gain
259 (April 1959) The Blind Boy of Steel - blindfold
251 (August 1958) Superboy's Last Day - keyboard and monitor control robot
252 (September 1958) The Super-Sentry of Smallville - art teacher and artist students
288 (September 1961) Bizarro's Secret Identity - feminist

The Legion of Super-Heroes

Most of the Legion tales take place in the far future, and depict advanced civilization.

Adventure Comics

247 (April 1958) The Legion of Super-Heroes - advanced civilization
282 (March 1961) Lana Lang and the Legion of Super-Heroes - advanced civilization
301 (October 1962) The Secret Origin of Bouncing Boy - Legion oath vows hero will not use his powers for financial gain
305 (February 1963) The Secret of the Mystery Legionnaire - prediction about 1964 US elections and President John F. Kennedy, nonviolence
308 (May 1963) The Return of Lightning Lad - interplanetary zoo
327 (December 1964) The Lone Wolf Legionnaire; The Youth Who Wasn't Human - computer database

Batman

Detective Comics

73 (March 1943) The Scarecrow Returns - sympathetic Chinese character
98 (April 1945) The King of the Hoboes - hunger among the poor, giving food to hobos, lynch mob
155 (January 1950) Bruce Wayne, Private Detective - scale model
164 (October 1950) Untold Tales of the Bat-Signal - scale model
165 (November 1950) The Strange Costumes of Batman - electron microscope
168 (February 1951) The Man Behind the Red Hood - sympathetic Chinese character
229 (March 1956) The 10,000 Secrets of Batman / Batman's Electronic Crime-File - computer database

Non-Series Stories

Detective Comics

16 (June 1938) Cover - police motorcyclist
155 (January 1950) Lone Wolf - police motorcyclist

Big Town

2 (February 1951) The Gangster Boss of Small Town - freedom of the press
2 (February 1951) The Human Bomb - police motorcyclist
4 (April 1951) Badge of Courage - police motorcyclist
13 (January-February 1952) Stand-In for Murder - safe driving
13 (January-February 1952) Old Newsmen Never Die - the value of old people
14 (March-April 1952) Mystery at the Big Town Zoo - zoo
17 (September-October 1952) I Was an Eyewitness to Murder - motorcyclist
17 (September-October 1952) Reporter for a Day - slum
20 (March-April 1953) Big Town's Amazing Manhunt - scientist "forecasts new scientific age"
24 (November-December 1953) Last Stop -- Murder - streetcars replaced by busses, obsolescence, scale model
28 (July-August 1954) The Billion Dollar Captive - sympathetic Indian character
29 (September-October 1954) The Riddle of the Roving Reporter - anti-dictator
32 (March-April 1955) The Vanishing Headline - classical music
42 (November-December 1956) The Living Shadows of Big Town - sinister side of work
43 (January-February 1957) Passkey to Big Town - advanced civilization
44 (March-April 1957) The Amazing Newshound of the Illustrated Press - motorcyclist crook
44 (March-April 1957) The Mark of a Reporter - freedom versus totalitarianism, ex-POW's
45 (May-June 1957) Theft of the Billion-Carat Diamond - advanced civilization
46 (July-August 1957) The Secret of the Seven Clues - classical music
46 (July-August 1957) Underground Trail of Peril - motorcyclist hero

Adam Strange

Most of the Adam Strange tales take place on the planet Rann, and depict advanced civilization.

Showcase

18 (January-February 1959) The Dozen Dooms of Adam Strange - anti-dictator

Mystery in Space

64 (December 1960) The Radioactive Menace - anti-dictator, shelters
68 (June 1961) The Fadeaway Doom - refugees
69 (August 1961) Menace of the Aqua-Ray Weapon - sculptor
80 (December 1962) The Deadly Shadows of Adam Strange - feminist, woman rescues man
81 (February 1963) The Cloud Creature That Menaced Two Worlds - anti-war, anti-dictator
82 (March 1963) World War on Earth and Rann - anti-dictator
83 (May 1963) The Emotion-Master of Space - working class labor

Mystery in Space

2 (June-July 1951) The Comet Peril - future peaceful civilization, United Nations
3 (August-September 1951) The Duel of the Planets - Civil Rights, feminist
7 (April-May 1952) Challenge of the Robot Knight - Civil Rights, feminist
7 (April-May 1952) Case of the Counterfeit Humans - astronaut
7 (April-May 1952) The World Where Dreams Come True - anti-gambling
8 (June-July 1952) It's a Woman's World - feminist
8 (June-July 1952) Earth - the Forbidden Planet - classical music
11 (December 1952 -January 1953) The Unknown Spaceman - anti-prejudice, sympathetic characters from India, Navajos
14 (June-July 1953) The Interplanetary Restaurant - United Nations
15 (August-September 1953) The Doom From Station X - anti-dictator
18 (February-March 1954) The Chain Gang of Space - anti-weapon development, woman scientist
18 (February-March 1954) The Runaway World - anti-dictator
19 (April-May 1954) The Great Space-Train Robbery - advanced civilization, alien races living in peace, zoo
20 (June-July 1954) The Boomerang Meteors - anti-Nazi
26 (June-July 1955) Earth is the Target - anti-war, anti-dictator
27 (August-September 1955) Rip Van Winkle of Space - advanced civilization, astronaut
30 (February-March 1956) The Boomerang World - anti-war, anti-dictator
30 (February-March 1956) The Patent Planet - future peaceful civilization, advanced civilization, United Nations, world government
31 (April-May 1956) The Day the Earth Split in Two - cold war allegory
33 (August-September 1956) The Wooden World War - conventional thinking and society
33 (August-September 1956) Fix-It Men From Outer Space - global warming
36 (February-March 1957) Secret of the Moon Sphinx - astronaut
42 (February-March 1958) Mail Rider to the Stars - black hole
48 (December 1958) Secret of the Scarecrow World - woman scientist
49 (February 1959) The Sky-High Man - astronaut
54 (September 1959) Riddle of the Counterfeit Earthmen - anti-war, anti-dictator, astronaut
55 (November 1959) Behind the Space Curtain - refugees from Communism, futuristic classical music
56 (December 1959) Raiders of the Waterless World - gay subtext
59 (May 1960) Glory Ride to Pluto - technological change, obsolescence, computer in control, sexual freedom, gay subtext
60 (June 1960) Mystery of the Synthetic Man - Civil Rights
61 (August 1960) The Sleeping War - peace-keepers, United Nations
67 (May 1961) The Language-Master of Space - anti-war, anti-dictator
68 (June 1961) Captain Baboon's Space War - anti-war, anti-dictator
69 (August 1961) What Happened on Sirius-4? - handheld computers for note taking
77 (August 1962) Where Was I Born -- Venus? Mars? Jupiter? - future where everyone is equal, no inferior groups, peace
85 (August 1963) Next Year -- Andromeda - peaceful future, advanced civilization, how science works

Strange Adventures

1 (August-September 1950) The Menace of the Green Nebula - anti-Colonialism
2 (October-November 1950) The Endless War - anti-war
3 (December 1950) The Dream House - advanced civilization
5 (February 1951) The World Inside the Atom - anti-dictator
6 (March 1951) The Confessions of a Martian - anti-war
7 (April 1951) The Man With 100 Lives - advanced civilization
8 (May 1951) Revolt of the Humans - anti-dictator, computer dictatorship
9 (June 1951) The Origin of Captain Comet - people who are different
9 (June 1951) The Exile of Space - anti-dictator
10 (July 1951) The Other Earths - anti-war, United Nations
11 (August 1951) The Day the Past Came Back - libraries
11 (August 1951) The Missing Moon - anti-war, genocide
12 (September 1951) The Brain-Masters of Polaris - anti-war, anti-dictator, computer dictatorship
14 (November 1951) Destination Doom - anti-dictator
18 (March 1952) The Man in the Mystery Mask - advanced civilization
21 (June 1952) The Genius Epidemic - satire on military
37 (October 1953) The Invaders From the Golden Atom - libraries
48 (September 1954) The 21st Century Film Library - film libraries
49 (October 1954) The Invasion From Indiana - how propaganda works
51 (December 1954) Warning From Another World - feminist
51 (December 1954) The Amazing Secret of Jules Verne - astronaut
55 (April 1955) The Day the Sun Exploded - global warming
56 (May 1955) The Sculptor Who Saved the World - sculptor
61 (October 1955) The Thermometer Man - possible gay love story
62 (November 1955) The Watchdogs of the Universe - advanced civilization, pro-Civil Rights, heroes will not use their powers for personal gain
63 (December 1955) The Sign Language of Space - sympathetic Native American characters
64 (January 1956) Gorillas in Space - space-race
64 (January 1956) The Earth-Drowners - global warming
71 (August 1956) The Man Who Ate Sunshine - gay allegory, social idealism of volunteer
72 (September 1956) The Skyscraper that Came to Life - anti-war, anti-dictator, refugees
73 (October 1956) Science-Fiction Convention on Mars - anti-war, disarmament, Mars Zoo
77 (February 1957) The World that Slipped out of Space - feminist, refugees
77 (February 1957) The Paul Revere of Time - US-Soviet cooperation
77 (February 1957) The Mental Star Rover - anti-Colonialism
81 (June 1957) Secret of the Shrinking Twins - anti-dictator
83 (August 1957) Assignment in Eternity - nitrogen-fixing bacteria
94 (July 1958) Secret of the Planetary Cones - United Nations
94 (July 1958) Elevator to the Future - anti-dictator
95 (August 1958) The Boy Who Saved the Solar System - world hunger, famine, food production, how science works, United Nations
96 (September 1958) The Menace of Saturn's Rings - global warming, anti-war, cold war allegory
97 (October 1958) Secret of the Space Giant - anti-war, anti-dictator
105 (June 1959) Fishermen from the Sea - global warming, anti-nuclear testing
105 (June 1959) The Case of the Stolen Earth-Faces - feminist, anti-dictator, collective action
106 (July 1959) Menace of the Future-Almanac - United Nations
121 (October 1960) The Wand that Could Work Miracles - Manhattan flooded by sea (not due to global warming), magician in theater
121 (October 1960) The Billion-Year-Old Spaceship - interplanetary zoo
122 (November 1960) David and the Space-Goliath - computer database
122 (November 1960) Star-Actor of the Starways - disarmament
122 (November 1960) The Case of the Red-Hot Robot - feminist, futuristic motorcyclist
124 (January 1961) Earth Victory -- By a Hair - feminist
126 (March 1961) The Interplanetary Tourists - motorcyclist
132 (September 1961) The Dreams of Doom - computer database
133 (October 1961) The Invisible Dinosaur - interplanetary zoo
141 (June 1962) Battle Between the Two Earths - global warming, United Nations, refugees, satellite under wireless control
145 (October 1962) Secret of the Marble Starmen - sculptor, gay allegory
147 (December 1962) The Dawn-World Menace - anti-war
150 (March 1963) When the Earth Turned into a Comet - astronaut
159 (December 1963) Will the Star Rovers Abandon Earth? - feminist, woman rescues woman
160 (January 1964) Here Come the Wild Ones - cross dressing
163 (April 1964) The Creature in the Black Light - classical music

Strange Sports Stories

The Brave and the Bold

46 (February-March 1963) Danger on the Martian Links - advanced civilization
47 (April-May 1963) The Phantom Prizefighter - boxer Joe Louis is mentioned admiringly
49 (August-September 1963) Warrior of the Weightless World - advanced civilization, possible gay relationship

Tommy Tomorrow

Action Comics

127 (December 1948) The Interplanetary Aquarium - Aquarium (like a zoo), advanced civilization
186 (November 1953) Hotrods of Space - anti-munitions smuggler
218 (July 1956) The Interplanetary Aquarium - Aquarium (like a zoo)
226 (March 1957) The Secret of the Space Signs - creating space-billboards like comic strips
240 (May 1958) The Trial of Tommy Tomorrow - Interplanetary Zoo on asteroid
249 (February 1959) The Gambling Asteroid - anti-gambling
250 (March 1959) The Boy Planeteer - future peaceful civilization, United Nations

Space Ranger

Showcase

15 (July-August 1958) The Great Plutonium Plot - advanced civilization, working class labor, 3D television
15 (July-August 1958) The Robot Planet - computer dictatorship
16 (September-October 1958) The Secret of the Space Monster - anti-dictator
16 (September-October 1958) The Riddle of the Lost Race - feminist, woman rescues men, solar system and world government

Nature Boy

3 (March 1956) The Origin of Nature Boy - love and gratitude to Nature
3 (March 1956) The Dictator of Utopia - anti-dictator

J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter from Mars

Detective Comics

224 (November 1955) The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel - advanced civilization, pacifist

A Date With Judy

The entire series (circa 1960) - sympathetic Beat character

A Date With Judy

29 (June-July 1952) cover - motorcyclist

Justice League of America

The entire series - sympathetic Beat character

Justice League of America

4 (April-May 1961) Doom of the Star Diamond - feminist, woman in leadership role
7 (October-November 1961) The Cosmic Fun-House - gay subtext
11 (May 1962) One Hour to Doomsday - cross dressing
15 (November 1962) Challenge of the Untouchable Aliens - Civil Rights, avoiding war
23 (November 1963) Drones of the Queen Bee - gay subtext, libraries
25 (February 1964) Outcasts of Infinity - alien planet long at peace, gay subtext
28 (June 1964) The Case of the Forbidden Super-Powers - labor union picket, Rights picket, United Nations, gay subtext
29 (August 1964) Crisis on Earth-Three - gay subtext
30 (September 1964) The Most Dangerous Earth of All - gay subtext

Flash - Golden Age hero

Flash Comics

4 (April 1940) The Gambling Ship - anti-gambling
5 (May 1940) Menace of the Vandal - sculptor
6 (June 1940) The Olympic Adventure - anti-gambling
8 (August 1940) The Building Swindle - labor-management dispute, worker safety
10 (October 1940) The School Board Problem - slums
12 (December 1940) Trouble in Kurtavia - anti-war, anti-Nazi
26 (February 1942) The Prince and the Head Waiter - sympathetic Indian character

Comic Cavalcade

6 (Spring 1944) Topsy Turvy Town - anti-conformist
11 (Summer 1945) Shenanigans in Sherwood Forest - anti-war

The Flash

Showcase

4 (October 1956) Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt - hero wants to use powers to help humanity, people who are different, gay subtext

The Flash

109 (October-November 1959) Secret of the Sunken Satellite - astronaut, possible gay imagery
111 (February-March 1960) The Challenge of the Crimson Crows - super-hero vows he will not use his powers for financial gain, juvenile delinquency
112 (April-May 1960) The Mystery of the Elongated Man - sympathetic Chinese characters
116 (November 1960) The Man Who Stole Central City - advanced civilization, selfish rich villain is anti-tax
117 (December 1960) Here Comes Captain Boomerang - satire on Big Business and boardrooms
122 (August 1961) Beware the Atomic Grenade - sympathetic gay character
122 (August 1961) The Face Behind the Mask - rock music
124 (November 1961) Space-Boomerang Trap - cold war allegory
127 (March 1962) The Reign of the Super-Gorilla - anti-dictator, "leader" cults
127 (March 1962) Mystery of the Troubled Boy - sympathetic Native American character, Civil Rights, confronting racial prejudice
128 (May 1962) The Case of the Real-Gone Flash - statue celebrating American Freedom
131 (September 1962) Captives of the Cosmic Ray - anti-dictator
132 (November 1962) The Heaviest Man Alive - advanced civilization, satire on Big Business and boardrooms
133 (December 1962) The Plight of the Puppet-Flash - possible gay imagery
133 (December 1962) Secret of the Handicapped Boys - sympathetic disabled characters
134 (February 1963) The Man Who Mastered Absolute Zero - world's biggest computer, possible gay imagery
135 (March 1963) Secret of the Three Super-Weapons - United Nations
138 (August 1963) Mystery of the Matinee Idol - hunger among the poor, theater
140 (November 1963) The Heat is On...For Captain Cold - anti-poverty, the poor, anti-dictator
141 (December 1963) The Mystery of Flash's Third Identity - anti-poverty, the poor, slums
144 (May 1964) Menace of the Man-Missile - motorcyclist
144 (May 1964) Lesson for a Star Athlete - pro-education, pro-intellectual
150 (February 1965) Captain Cold's Polar Peril - sympathetic Indian character
154 (August 1965) Gangster Masquerade - the homeless, hunger among the poor
156 (November 1965) The Super-Hero Who Betrayed the World - United Nations, pro-democracy, anti rule by aristocrats, class conflict, anti-dictator
157 (December 1965) The Day Flash Aged 100 Years - modern art

The Elongated Man

Detective Comics

340 (June 1965) Mystery of the Millionaire Cowboy - theater musical

Green Lantern - Golden Age hero

Green Lantern

1 (Fall 1941) Arson in the Slums - anti-slum, slum clearance
1 (Fall 1941) Green Lantern in South America - anti-Nazi, pro-democracy, sympathetic Latin American characters
3 (Spring 1942) The Living Graveyard of the Sea - anti-war, anti-Nazi, anti-banker, pro-democracy

Comic Cavalcade

2 (Spring 1943) A Star Is Born / "Handsome John" Riley - gay subtext
19 (February-March 1947) Grin and Bear It - working class labor

Green Lantern

Showcase

22 (September-October 1959) Secret of the Flaming Spear - feminist
23 (November-December 1959) The Invisible Destroyer - anti-atom bomb

Green Lantern

2 (September-October 1960) The Secret of the Golden Thunderbolts - refugees, anti-dictator
2 (September-October 1960) Riddle of the Frozen Ghost Town - sympathetic Inuit character
4 (January-February 1961) The Diabolical Missile From Qward - anti-missile, anti-weapons, anti-dictator
5 (March-April 1961) The Power Ring That Vanished - sympathetic Inuit character
7 (July-August 1961) Wings of Destiny - sympathetic Inuit characters
14 (July 1962) The Man Who Conquered Sound - anti-dictator, anti weapons development, sympathetic Inuit character
15 (September 1962) Zero Hour in Rocket City - astronaut
16 (October 1962) The Secret Life of Star Sapphire - feminist
20 (April 1963) Parasite Planet Peril - electron microscope, anti-slavery
22 (July 1963) Master of the Power Ring - United Nations
26 (January 1964) Star Sapphire Unmasks Green Lantern - feminist
30 (July 1964) Once a Green Lantern -- Always a Green Lantern - feminist
43 (March 1966) Catastrophic Crimes of Major Disaster - sympathetic Inuit character
45 (June 1966) Prince Peril's Power Play (3 part story) - anti-war, anti-Communist, anti-weapons
49 (December 1966) The Spectacular Robberies of TV's Master Villain - sympathetic Inuit character, theater
52 (April 1967) Our Mastermind the Car- sympathetic Inuit character

The Atom

The entire series - The Atom's admirable girlfriend Jean Loring is a lawyer. This is a feminist idea.

Showcase

34 (September-October 1961) Birth of the Atom - black characters in the art, hunger, increasing food production
35 (November-December 1961) The Dooms from Beyond - black characters in the art, medical volunteer in South Pacific
36 (January-February 1962) Prisoner in a Test Tube - anti-Communist, pro-Hungary

The Atom

5 (February-March 1963) The Diamond of Deadly Dooms - alien zoo
5 (February-March 1963) The Specter of 3000-Moons Lake - skin-diver, summer theater
6 (April-May 1963) The Riddle of the Two-Faced Astronaut - astronaut, magician in theater
8 (August-September 1963) The Purloined Miniatures - black characters in the art
9 (October-November 1963) The Seaman and the Spyglass - process of scientific invention
11 (February-March 1964) Trouble at the Ten-Year Club - the arts
12 (April-May 1964) Danger -- Atom-Gun at Work! - woman scientist, feminist
13 (June-July 1964) Weapon Watches of the Time-Wise Guy - pro-Hungary, refugees
15 (October-November 1964) The Super-Safecracker Who Defied the Law - wireless technology
20 (August-September 1965) Challenge of the Computer Crooks - computer database

Hawkman - Golden Age hero

Flash Comics

16 (April 1941) The Graydon Expedition - sympathetic Asian characters
17 (May 1941) Murder at the Opera - classical music

Hawkman

The Brave and the Bold

42 (June-July 1962) The Menace of the Dragonfly Raiders - advanced civilization, feminist, direct deposit of paychecks, electronic funds transfer

Hawkman

8 (June-July 1965) Battle of the Bird-Man Bandits - feminist
9 (August-September 1965) Master Trap of the Matter Master - anti-weapons development, misuse of science
12 (February-March 1966) The Million-Year-Long War - Vietnam allegory, cold war allegory

The Fly

The Adventures of the Fly

8 (September 1960) The Fly Versus Taxus the Tyrant - anti-slavery
12 (May 1961) Menace of the Blob - ecology, carbon emissions over centuries

Young Dr. Masters

The Adventures of Young Dr. Masters

1 (August 1964) Dr. Masters' Desperate Decision - medical research versus making money, doctor helps the poor for free
2 (November 1964) A Case of Bad Blood - labor-management dispute

Supergirl

2 (January 1973) Death of a City - gay allegory
6 (August 1973) In Love and War - juvenile delinquency, gay allegory
9 (December 1973 - January 1974) The Super-Amazon - female tribe
10 (September - October 1974) Her Brother's Keeper - androgyny

Teen Titans

Several stories feature series character Mal Duncan, a black hero.

26 (March-April 1970) A Penny For a Black Star - sympathetic black characters
27 (May-June 1970) Nightmare in Space - sympathetic black characters
35 (September-October 1971) A Titan Is Born - sympathetic black character
38 (March-April 1972) Through These Doors Pass the Bravest Titans of Them All - sympathetic black character
39 (May-June 1972) Awake, Barbaric Titan - sympathetic Native American characters, gay allegory

Romance Comic Books

Dear Lonely Heart

1 (March 1951) So This Is Love - gay allegory

Brides in Love

32 (October 1962) Love Without Lies - class conflict

Girls' Romances

126 (September 1967) We'll Never Meet Again (Part I) - Vietnam
127 (October 1967) We'll Never Meet Again (Part II) - Vietnam
144 (October 1969) Cover - rock music, gay allegory
145 (December 1969) Love Is a Game...for Two - rock music, gay allegory

My Love

5 (May 1970) His Hair is Long and I Love Him - rock music
5 (May 1970) How Can I Love a Member of the Establishment - protests
5 (May 1970) The Day My World Collapsed - Vietnam
7 (September 1970) Did I Make the Wrong Choice - class conflict
23 (May 1973) But He's Not the Boy for Me (reprint) - gay allegory, class conflict, motorcyclist
28 (May 1974) Wings on My Heart (reprint) - feminist, gay allegory

Our Love Story

5 (June 1970) But He's Not the Boy for Me - gay allegory, class conflict, motorcyclist
16 (April 1972) Wings on My Heart - feminist, gay allegory

Falling in Love

96 (January 1968) Ashamed of Her Love - motorcyclist
112 (January 1970) Match-Maker, Match-Breaker - gay allegory
114 (April 1970) Passport to Heartbreak - motorcyclist
114 (April 1970) Somewhere I'll Find Him - gay allegory
118 (October 1970) I Found My Love at the Woodstock Festival - rock music, motorcyclist, protests, peace
120 (January 1971) Love, Love, Go Away... Come Again Another Day - sympathetic black character
121 (February 1971) I Gave My Love Away - sympathetic black character
134 (July 1972) Mister Redhead - rock music
141 (June - July 1973) Enemies in Love - gay allegory

Girls' Love Stories

16 (March-April 1952) Wake Up and Dream - first night of play at theater
53 (March 1958) A Lesson in Love - classical music
53 (March 1958) The Lonely Eyes of Paris - woman painter, feminist
76 (February 1961) This Is Good-Bye - gay allegory
100 (January 1964) Love Be My Guide - woman wants both career and marriage, feminist
136 (July 1968) Sweet Mystery of Love - rock music
149 (February 1970) Forbidden Love - interracial romance
151 (May 1970) The Wrong Kind of Love - theater
156 (January 1971) Lover - or Liar - protests, Vietnam veteran
168 (April 1972) Cover, The Bet - rock music, gay allegory
178 (July - August 1973) Play With Fire - motorcyclist, gay allegory, blindfolds, skin-diver
180 (October - November 1973) Lying Lips - gay allegory, blindfolds
180 (October - November 1973) Love's a Stage - gay allegory

Heart Throbs

124 (February - March 1970) Love Stop - motorcyclist
144 (August 1972) Treat Me Like a Princess - protests

Love Stories

150 (June - July 1973) Hard to Handle - class conflict, gay allegory
150 (June - July 1973) One Kiss Too Many - motorcyclist, gay allegory
151 (August - September 1973) Dumb Doll - sympathetic disabled character
151 (August - September 1973) The Game of Love - feminist
152 (October - November 1973) Love Ran Away - sympathetic disabled character
152 (October - November 1973) Puppet on a String - class conflict, gay allegory, puppet theater
152 (October - November 1973) That Special Man - rock music, motorcyclist, gay allegory

Teen-Age Love

56 (November 1967) Day of Heartbreak - motorcyclist
76 (May 1971) Stranger in the Night - motorcyclist
95 (October 1973) Cover - motorcyclist

Teen Confessions

71 (December 1971) It's a Small World - motorcyclist
89 (June 1975) Running Wild - motorcyclist

Young Love

39 (September - October 1963) No Cure for Love - gay allegory
59 (January-February 1967) Cover, The Truth About Men - motorcyclist
76 (September-October 1969) Cover - motorcyclist
79 (March - April 1970) Cover, 20 Miles to Heartbreak - interracial romance
90 (December 1971) Love on a Rooftop - slums, class conflict
90 (December 1971) Bride and Broom - feminist, protests, gay allegory
104 (June - July 1973) Veil of Love - motorcyclist, PTSD
110 (June - July 1974) Greaser's Girl - motorcyclist
121 (October 1976) Biker's Girl - motorcyclist

Young Romance

11 (May-June 1949) The Town and Toni Benson - housing shortage
162 (October - November 1969) Wheels of Passion - motorcyclist
175 (October 1971) The Wall Between Us - interracial romance
181 (April 1972) The Shadow Between Us - Vietnam
184 (July 1972) Love Came C.O.D. - street theater troupe
190 (January 1973) Our Separate World - interracial romance
190 (January 1973) I Am a Woman - feminist
193 (April - May 1973) Miss Peeping Tom - feminist, gay allegory
194 (July - August 1973) Full Hands Empty Heart - interracial romance
202 (November-December 1974) Just Another Groupie - rock music, motorcyclist, gay allegory
202 (November-December 1974) Stray Cat - class conflict