Secret Origins (1986) 13 (3)

Secret Origins (1986) 13

Apr 1987

The Secret Origin of Johnny Thunder

by Roy Thomas, Mike Clark, Dave Hunt, Augustin Mas, Carl Gafford, Robert Greenberger

9 pages

Johnny Thunder was abducted when he was just a baby by Bahdnisian people who believed that because he was born at 7 AM on July 7, 1917 he would have the power to rule the world when he turned 7 years old. They snuck him out of the United States and took him to Bahdnisia where he remained until he was about 5 years old. 

Chance brought him back to the United States before he reached his 7th birthday and back to his parents. Bahdnisian agents caught up to him eventually but not until after he had grown up. Luck brought him in contact with the living lightning bolt just in time to save himself and his coworker. 

Thoughts

This story was adapted from Johnny Thunder’s first appearance in Flash Comics 1 (Jan 1940). That story was written and drawn by John Wentworth and Stan Asch. This is the fourth (and probably final) story from Flash Comics 1 to be retold in the pages of Secret Origins (1986). The other stories were the secret origins of the Golden Age Flash, Golden Age Hawkman, and the Whip.

The Thunderbolt, in Flash Comics 1, does not have an anthropomorphic look. The story in Flash Comics 1 was 10 pages long. Aside from that it is more or less the same story. 

Johnny Thunder was a regular feature in Flash Comics. He appeared in every issue through Flash Comics 91 (Jan 1948), after which he was replaced by Black Canary who made her debut a few months earlier in a Johnny Thunder story in Flash Comics 86 (Aug 1947). Black Canary appeared in Johnny’s last six stories in Flash Comics.

Johnny Thunder was a member of the Justice Society of America and appeared in every JSA story in All-Star Comics starting with their first appearance in All-Star Comics 3 (Winter 1940) until All-Star Comics 39 (Mar 1948). The JSA rolled on without him for almost 20 more issues until All-Star Comics 57 (Mar 1951). He appeared in 23 issues of All-Star Squadron (including two of the Annuals), several of the JLA-JSA crossovers in the pages of Justice League of America, and a few issues each of Infinity Inc., Wonder Woman, and Young All-Stars.

This isn’t a bad story considering that it is just a retelling of an earlier story. I’m not sure how much of the credit for that belongs with the creators of the original story versus the ones who worked on this version of the tale. The layouts and illustrations in the version of the story that ran in this issue of Secret Origins are definitely superior. 

Secret Admirers

Five letters are spread across two pages. All of them are in response to Secret Origins 8 (Shadow Lass / Doll Man). My favorite letter points out the numerous ways that the Doll Man story is completely bonkers, without disparaging it.

Secrets Behind the Origins

Roy Thomas provides some background about the creations and publication histories of Johnny Thunder and the Whip.