New Adventure Comics # 27, June, 1938

This is the issue that was on the stands at the same time as Superman's debut in ACTION COMICS # 1. Note that that title was being advertised on the inside front cover for the second month in a row, this time with a "Flash" similar to the logo for the company's soon to come FLASH COMICS.

 BUsiness as usual around these parts though while Clark and Lois were making their debuts elsewhere. Still a couple of new strips as though editor Sullivan could never be completely satisfied with the mix.

TOD HUNTER was clearly DC's version of Alex Raymond's JUNGLE JIM.

***EXTRA***Original Cover Art

Still a ways away in our countdown, here's the gorgeous Simon and Kirby cover art for ADVENTURE COMICS # 73, as found on the 'Net.

New Adventure Comics # 26, May, 1938

Vin Sullivan is now listed as editor of NEW ADVENTURE and it's important to note that the publisher is now listed as DETECTIVE COMICS, INC. Apparently by this point the deed was done and Harry Donenfeld (with Jack Liebowitz) had successfully taken over the major's company and his titles...including the brand-spanking new one advertised on the inside front cover, ACTION COMICS # 1. If you've been watching the news, that particular issue sold yesterday for upwards of two million dollars!

Sullivan's return seems to have brought more than the usual share of new features this month including this important one, RUSTY & HIS PALS by (and presumably at this point it really WAS by) the very young Bob Kane, soon to co-create BATMAN.

 In an odd coincidence, the feature that follows Kane's new feature is ODDS 'N' ENDS, drawn by Sheldon Moldoff. Along with a long and successful career of his own in comics, Moldoff would become the longest lasting "ghost" for Bob Kane on BATMAN in the fifties and sixties. ODDS 'N' ENDS would also feature in the new ACTION COMICS.

In fact, many of the creators in NEW ADVENTURE would repeat in the early issues of ACTION when it was still considered a true anthology comic. Will Ely would have a feature as would Homer Fleming and, of course, even Siegel and Shuster can be said to have been carried over from their posts here and in MORE FUN COMICS.

 There was even this second new Bob Kane feature!

New Adventure Comics # 25, March/April, 1938

 Flessel continues apace with the covers but note what's new below--Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson is no longer listed as Publisher/Editor nor is Vin Sullivan listed as Associate Editor. Things were changing...although the contents here certainly didn't show that yet.

Okay so Siegel and Shuster had their version of DICK TRACY---now they wanted to have fun with it! JUNIOR FEDERAL MEN OF THE FUTURE is another sci-fi outing and a real treat!

 Above and below, a couple of new features, both with beautiful, if very, very different cartooning.

New Adventure Comics # 24, February, 1938

An absolutely gorgeous cover this time around with beautiful coloring even! Note from the indicia under the DETECTIVE COMICS ad below that Whitney Ellsworth is no longer listed as an editor. Having been with the Major's company since 1934, Wikipedia says he moved to California for a couple of years during this period, returning to the comics industry upon his return. Eventually he would go back to the West Coast as the Producer of TV's ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.

Note that DALE DARING doesn't even appear in this only part-color installment of her adventures. Artist Will Ely (apparently still alive?) would have a long career with comics with what was perhaps his most successful feature being the unspectacular but fun RIP HUNTER, TIME MASTER from National in the early 1960's.

Seriously...take a look at this panel and tell me Jerry and Joe weren't doing their version of DICK TRACY.

Here's a particularly creative page from Sven Elven's ROBIN HOOD adaptation, with the left sides continuing onto the right sides in all three rows of large panels.

Here's the first appearance in this mag of Stan Aschmier, AKA Stan Asch, an artist who would go on to work on a number of National and All-American superhero strips in just a few years.

New Adventure Comics # 23, January, 1938

Finally we get another grown-up cover here but still by Flessel who was also doing the covers for DETECTIVE at this time. To top off his rather obvious rise, his ADVENTURES OF STEVE CONRAD pushes perennial issue-opener CAPTAIN JIM OF THE TEXAS RANGERS back a few pages and into black and white even!

The prolific Sven Elven begins an adaptation of ROBIN HOOD now that his SHE has ended. 

Up until now all the publicity was of the "Say, fellows..." and "Calling all boys!" type but this issue, FEDERAL MEN the strip and also THE JUNIOR FEDERAL MEN CLUB spotlight the fact that girls are welcome, too!