All-American Comics #61 is an issue of the series All-American Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1944. It was published on August 8, 1944.
Synopsis for Green Lantern: "Fighters Never Quit"
Two escaped convicts make their way through Slaughter Swamp, with one mentioning its sinister history, how Cyrus Gold was killed there 50 years before. As he relates the story, a giant ghoulish figure climbs out of a quicksand bog and kills the two of them. Soon the strange being finds a hobo camp, and when asked his name, can only answer he was born on a Monday. Reminded of the nursery rhyme that starts the same way, the tramps name him Solomon Grundy. After witnessing his inhuman strength when he knocks out the self-proclaimed leader of the camp with one blow, and seeing his resilience when he he stands unconcerned in their campfire, the tramps convince Grundy to lead them on a career of crime.
The gang robs a sporting goods store to get guns. When the police appear Grundy proves impervious to their bullets, and even to Green Lantern's power beam when the hero intervenes. Grundy easily overwhelms Green Lantern, but is convinced to leave before he can finish the job. The undead villain proceeds to lead the gang on a crime spree. Green Lantern prepares for their next meeting, and when he manages to catch Grundy in the act, super-charges his ring in the hope of destroying Grundy with a massive burst of energy. However, again Grundy overpowers Green Lantern and throws him over a balcony, producing a giant green explosion. Enjoying the sound and light coupled with learning the pleasure of killing, Grundy switches from robbery to murder.
Green Lantern survived his fall, but badly dazed, he wanders out of Doiby Dickles' apartment without his power ring. By chance he finds himself in the railyard where Grundy and his gang are hiding out, and where Dickles has already tracked them. Knowing his friend doesn't stand a chance by himself, Lantern runs to the rescue and enters fisticuffs with Solomon Grundy. He ultimately manages to fling the behemoth into the path of an oncoming train, apparently destroying Grundy.
From a ring found at the site of one of Grundy's robberies engraved with the name Cyrus Gold, Green Lantern deduces that Grundy was created from bits of wood and plants compressing around Gold's skeleton, and by some quirk of fate taking on a monstrous form of life. Dickles is just glad Grundy's menace is behind them, but Green Lantern replies "I wonder...I wonder..." If Gold returned from the dead once, might he not return again?
Appearing in Green Lantern: "Fighters Never Quit"
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- Solomon Grundy (First appearance) (Origin)
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Synopsis for Atom: "Van Dorra's Box"
Appearing in Atom: "Van Dorra's Box"
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Synopsis for Doctor Mid-Nite: "The Men with Two Lives"
Appearing in Doctor Mid-Nite: "The Men with Two Lives"
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Synopsis for Red, White, and Blue: "Captured"
Appearing in Red, White, and Blue: "Captured"
Featured Characters:
- Red, White, and Blue
- Red Dugan, USMC
- Whitey Smith, USA
- Blooey Blue, USN
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- Doris West, G2
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Synopsis for Hop Harrigan: "A Letter from Home"
Appearing in Hop Harrigan: "A Letter from Home"
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- Chinese girl
- her father
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Notes
- "Fighters Never Quit" is reprinted in:
- The Atom appeared last in All-Star Comics #22. He appears next in The Big All-American Comic Book.
- Doctor Mid-Nite appeared last in All-Star Comics #22. He appears next in All-American Comics #62.
- Doiby Dickles appeared last in All-American Comics #60. He appears next in Comic Cavalcade #8.
- Green Lantern (Alan Scott) appeared last in All-American Comics #60. He appears next in Comic Cavalcade #8.
- Hop Harrigan appeared last in Wonder Woman #10. He appears next in Comic Cavalcade #8.
- Solomon Grundy's origin is partially revealed in this story. His origin is expanded upon in greater detail in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #39 and Green Lantern: Brightest Day, Blackest Night #1. Solomon Grundy's last chronological appearance took place in All-Star Squadron #3. He appears next in Comic Cavalcade #13.
- Also appearing in this issue of All-American Comics were:
- Jimmy Stone: "Murdered Spy" (text story), by Evelyn Gaines
- Mutt & Jeff (newspaper strip reprints), by Al Smith
Trivia
- This issue's listed publishing month, October, is out-of-sequence. At the time, All-American was on a bi-monthly publishing schedule due to paper rationing, and issue 61 would normally have been published in November. No reason for this discrepancy is given.
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