Price: 6.95 USD
Pages: 244
On-sale Date: 1976-08
Editing: Denny O'Neil (editor); Thomas Nozkowski (design)
Cover Thumbnail for Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes (Warner Books, 1976 series) Edit Cover
Cover Gallery 

[no title indexed]
(Table of Contents)

Secret Origins / cover / 1 page

Pencils:
Neal Adams (signed)
Inks:
Neal Adams (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
typeset
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Green Lantern [Hal Jordan]; Captain Marvel; Wonder Woman; Hawkman [Katar Hol]; Superman; Atom [Ray Palmer]; Plastic Man; Batman; Flash [Barry Allen]; Green Arrow

Issue Data

Series Data

  • Color: color
  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Binding: squarebound
  • Publishing Format: collected edition
  • Publication Type: book

Indexer Notes

The indicia states: "First Printing: August 1976. Copyright (c) 1976 by National Periodical Publications, Inc."

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-43467

There are no ISBN numbers printed on this book. This book has been assigned an ISBN 10 of 0-446-87092-7 and an ISBN 13 of 978-0-446-87092-4.

There is also a hardcover edition by Harmony Books (Crown Publishers).

[Title Pages]
(Table of Contents: 1)

credits, title page / 10 pages

Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Initial pages, including blank pages, title pages, dedication (to Sheldon Mayer), and acknowledgments.

Contents
(Table of Contents: 2)

table of contents / 3 pages

Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Illustrated table of contents, showing the hero's image (taken from the story) and the page number. The third page is blank.

Introduction
(Table of Contents: 3)

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 2 pages

Script:
Pencils:
?
Inks:
?
Colors:
?
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Introduction to these stories, by the Publisher of DC at this time. The second page is blank.

Superman...He's the Key, the Granddaddy of them All
(Table of Contents: 4)

text article / 4 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Superman.

[One Page Origin of Superman]
(Table of Contents: 5)

Superman / comic story / 1 page

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Vin Sullivan (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Superman (intro; brief origin)
Reprints (1)

The Origin of Superman!
(Table of Contents: 6)

Superman / comic story / 15 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Curt Swan (pencils)
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Julius Schwartz (original editorial advisor)
E. Nelson Bridwell (original assistant editor)
Sol Harrison (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Superman; Jor-El (flashback); Lara (flashback); Jonathan Kent (flashback); Martha Kent (flashback); Jimmy Olsen; Lois Lane; Perry White; Krypton
Reprints (1)

Batman...He Was Unable Not to Fight Criminals
(Table of Contents: 7)

text article / 3 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Batman.

The Legend of the Batman--Who He Is and How He Came to Be!
(Table of Contents: 8)

Batman / comic story / 2 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks:
Bob Kane (signed)
Sheldon Moldoff (backgrounds, verified by Moldoff)
Colors:
?
Letters:
Sheldon Moldoff (verified by Moldoff)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman (origin); Thomas Wayne; Martha Wayne
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

This book says that this story was reprinted from Detective Comics #33, but this really is the version from Batman #1, which itself reprints first two pages from Detective Comics #33 but substituted the splash from Detective Comics #34.

The Origin of the Batman!
(Table of Contents: 9)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Bob Kane (verified by Schwartz)
Inks:
Charles Paris (verified by Paris)
Colors:
?
Letters:
Ira Schnapp (credit by O'Hearn/Desris)
Editing:
Whitney Ellsworth (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne] (origin retold in detail); Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Thomas Wayne (flashback, death); Martha Wayne (flashback, death); Joe Chill (villain, name revealed in this story, Thomas and Martha Wayne's murderer, death); Feets Borgam (killer, death); Monty Julep (illegal gambler, death)
Synopsis:
While investigating criminal activity at a transport company, Batman recognizes the owner, Joe Chill, as the man who killed Thomas and Martha Wayne years before. Batman tries to find evidence of Chill's illegal operations, but when he fails, he decides to reveal his identity to Chill and tells him that will be watching him and will catch him eventually. In a panic, Chill flees to his gang, but when they find out Chill is responsible for Batman's existence they shoot him, and only after do they realize that they should have asked Chill for Batman's real name.
Reprints (1)

Wonder Woman...The Female Sex Is Assuming Day by Day a More Dominant Role in World Affairs
(Table of Contents: 10)

text article / 3 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Wonder Woman.

[The Origin of Wonder Woman]
(Table of Contents: 11)

Wonder Woman / comic story / 13 pages

Script:
William Marston (under house name Charles Moulton)
Pencils:
Harry Peter (signed)
Inks:
Harry Peter (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
Editing:
Sheldon Mayer (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Wonder Woman (origin); Ares [Mars]; Aphrodite; Hercules (intro); Hippolyte; Amazons; Steve Trevor; Colonel Darnell (cameo); Mala
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Origin: Wonder Woman (in detail; cf. Sensation Comics #1).

War of the Wonder Women!
(Table of Contents: 12)

Wonder Woman / comic story / 23 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Robert Kanigher (original editor)
Allan Asherman (original editorial assistant)
  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:R-203
Characters:
Wonder Woman (origin); Nubia (origin); Mars; Hippolyta
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Writer miscredited as "Gary" Bates as in the original.

The Flash...You Can Do Almost Anything With Him...
(Table of Contents: 13)

text article / 3 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Flashes (Jay Garrick and Barry Allen).

[Origin of the Flash]
(Table of Contents: 14)

The Flash / comic story / 15 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Harry Lampert (masthead)
Editing:
M. C. Gaines (original managing editor)
Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)
    Genre:superhero
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:But before he became known and feared as "the fastest thing on Earth", Jay Garrick was an unknown student at Midwestern University...
  • Keywords:Midwestern University
Characters:
Flash [Jay Garrick] (intro, origin); Joan Williams (intro); Major Williams; Sieur Satan; Serge Orloff; Duriel; the Faultless Four; Professor Hughes
Reprints (1)

Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!
(Table of Contents: 15)

The Flash / comic story / 12 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Julius Schwartz (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Flash [Barry Allen] (intro; origin); Flash [Jay Garrick] (on a comic book cover); Iris West (intro); The Turtle Man (villain; later The Turtle)
Reprints (1)

Green Lantern...No Evil Shall Escape My Sight
(Table of Contents: 16)

text article / 3 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Green Lanterns (Alan Scott and Hal Jordan).

[The Origin of Green Lantern]
(Table of Contents: 17)

Green Lantern / comic story / 8 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
M. C. Gaines (original managing editor)
Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Green Lantern [Alan Scott] (intro, origin); Jimmy (death); Chang the Lamp Maker (flashback); Billings (flashback); Dekker (villain, death)
Reprints (1)

SOS - Green Lantern!
(Table of Contents: 18)

Green Lantern / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Julius Schwartz (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Green Lantern [Hal Jordan] (intro, origin); Green Lantern [Abin Sur] (intro, death)
Reprints (1)

Hawkman...The Weirdness Seems to Be Part of Hawkman's Appeal
(Table of Contents: 19)

text article / 2 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Hawkmans (Carter Hall and Kartar Hol).

[The Origin of Hawkman]
(Table of Contents: 20)

Hawkman / comic story / 12 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
Editing:
M. C. Gaines (original managing editor)
Sheldon Mayer (original assistant editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Hawkman [Carter Hall] (intro, origin); Shiera Sanders (intro, later Hawkgirl); Hath-Set (intro); Kolar; Doctor Hastor
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

The title here was given in Golden Age Hawkman Archives vol. 1 where this story was also reprinted. First line is "In the weapon-lined library of Carter Hall, wealthy collector of weapons and research scientist -".

Creature of a Thousand Shapes!
(Table of Contents: 21)

Hawkman / comic story / 24.67 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Julius Schwartz (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Hawkman [Katar Hol] (intro, origin); Hawkgirl [Shayera Thal] (intro, origin); Byth (intro, villain); Commissioner Emmett (intro); Mavis Trent (intro)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Story is really 24.67 pages, with a vignette of Hawkman and Hawkgirl from page 8 filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

Green Arrow...A Streamlined Robin Hood
(Table of Contents: 22)

text article / 2 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Golden Age and Silver Age Green Arrows.

The Birth of the Battling Bowmen
(Table of Contents: 23)

Green Arrow / comic story / 13 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Cliff Young (signed)
Inks:
Steve Brodie (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
Editing:
Jack Schiff (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Green Arrow (origin); Speedy (origin); Mr. Harper [Roy's father] (flashback, death); Quoag [Mr. Harper's Indian servant] (death); Dippy Parker; Curator Morgan; Lefty; Louie
Synopsis:
Archaeologist Oliver Queen is visiting Lost Mesa where he meets Roy Harper, a young boy marooned on Lost Mesa and raised by Quoag, his father's Indian servant. There they are beset upon by thugs searching for a gold mine. After Quoag dies from gun shots, only Oliver and Roy's skills with archery and knowledge of Indian lore save them.
Reprints (1)

The Green Arrow's First Case
(Table of Contents: 24)

Green Arrow / comic story / 6.67 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Rosalind Kirby (backgrounds)
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
Editing:
Jack Schiff (original managing editor)
Mort Weisinger (original story editor)
George Kashdan (original story editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Green Arrow (origin); Speedy; trick arrows (origin)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Story is really 6.67 pages, with a vignette of a bow and a quiver of arrows filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

The Atom...Not One Person out of Ten Knew What an Atom Was
(Table of Contents: 25)

text article / 2 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of both Atoms (Al Pratt and Ray Palmer).

Introducing the Mighty Atom
(Table of Contents: 26)

The Atom / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
?
Editing:
Sheldon Mayer (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Atom [Al Pratt] (intro, origin); Mary James (intro); Joe Morgan (intro)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Inker credit verified by Craig Delich & Jerry Bails (Nov. 2005).

Birth of the Atom!
(Table of Contents: 27)

The Atom / comic story / 9.67 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Julius Schwartz (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
The Atom [Ray Palmer] (intro, origin); Jean Loring (intro)
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Story is really 9.67 pages, with a vignette of an atom filling the extra 0.33 page on the last page.

Shazam!...In One Thing a Sense of Fun and the Whole Sense of Adventure
(Table of Contents: 28)

text article / 3 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Captain Marvel.

[Introducing Captain Marvel]
(Table of Contents: 29)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / comic story / 13 pages

Script:
Pencils:
Inks:
Colors:
Letters:
?
Editing:
Bill Parker (original editor)
    Genre:superhero
Characters:
Captain Marvel [Billy Batson] (intro, origin), Shazam (intro), Dr. Thaddeus Bodog Sivana (intro), Sterling Morris (intro); radio station WHIZ (intro); Seven Deadly Enemies of Man (intro), Ebenezer Batson (intro, flashback); Phantom Companion
Reprints (1)

Plastic Man...One of the Wildest Imaginations...
(Table of Contents: 30)

text article / 2 pages

Script:
Letters:
typeset

Indexer Notes

Background and history of Plastic Man.

[The Origin of Plastic Man]
(Table of Contents: 31)

Plastic Man / comic story / 6 pages

Script:
Jack Cole (signed)
Pencils:
Jack Cole (signed)
Inks:
Jack Cole (signed)
Colors:
?
Letters:
Editing:
Ed Cronin (original editor)
  • Genre:humor; superhero
  • Job Number:N-396
Characters:
Plastic Man [Eel O'Brian] (intro, origin); Rest-Haven monk; Skizzle Shanks
Synopsis:
Gangster Eel O'Brian's dip in a vat of acid turns him into the superhero Plastic Man and against the mobsters he used to work with.
Reprints (1)

The Author
(Table of Contents: 32)

text article / 4 pages

Script:
?
Letters:
typeset
    Genre:biography

Indexer Notes

Final pages, including a one-sentence biography of Dennis O'Neil and 3 blank pages.

[Back Cover]
(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 33)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page

Editing
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Table of Contents ToC
    Table of Contents
  1. [no title indexed]
    Secret Origins
  2. [Title Pages]
  3. Contents
  4. Introduction
  5. Superman...He's the Key, the Granddaddy of them All
  6. [One Page Origin of Superman]
    Superman
  7. The Origin of Superman!
    Superman
  8. Batman...He Was Unable Not to Fight Criminals
  9. The Legend of the Batman--Who He Is and How He Came to Be!
    Batman
  10. The Origin of the Batman!
    Batman and Robin
  11. Wonder Woman...The Female Sex Is Assuming Day by Day a More Dominant Role in World Affairs
  12. [The Origin of Wonder Woman]
    Wonder Woman
  13. War of the Wonder Women!
    Wonder Woman
  14. The Flash...You Can Do Almost Anything With Him...
  15. [Origin of the Flash]
    The Flash
  16. Mystery of the Human Thunderbolt!
    The Flash
  17. Green Lantern...No Evil Shall Escape My Sight
  18. [The Origin of Green Lantern]
    Green Lantern
  19. SOS - Green Lantern!
    Green Lantern
  20. Hawkman...The Weirdness Seems to Be Part of Hawkman's Appeal
  21. [The Origin of Hawkman]
    Hawkman
  22. Creature of a Thousand Shapes!
    Hawkman
  23. Green Arrow...A Streamlined Robin Hood
  24. The Birth of the Battling Bowmen
    Green Arrow
  25. The Green Arrow's First Case
    Green Arrow
  26. The Atom...Not One Person out of Ten Knew What an Atom Was
  27. Introducing the Mighty Atom
    The Atom
  28. Birth of the Atom!
    The Atom
  29. Shazam!...In One Thing a Sense of Fun and the Whole Sense of Adventure
  30. [Introducing Captain Marvel]
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  31. Plastic Man...One of the Wildest Imaginations...
  32. [The Origin of Plastic Man]
    Plastic Man
  33. The Author
  34. [Back Cover]
Related Links
Issue was modified by
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  • John Censullo
  • Jim Stangas
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