Publishers / DC / World's Finest Comics (1941) / #3
3Fall 1941
$0.15

World's Finest Comics #3

DC · Fall 1941 · on sale 1941-08-15

First appearance: Jonathan CraneFirst appearance: Scarecrow
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
World's Finest Comics (DC, 1941 series)
Issue
#3
Publication date
Fall 1941
Key date
1941-10-00
On-sale date
1941-08-15
Indicia publisher
World's Best Comics Co.
Price
$0.15
Pages
100

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Jonathan Crane - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Scarecrow - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0-cover1pencils: Fred Ray; inks: Fred RayBatman, Dick Grayson, Clark Kent, Robin, Superman, Bruce Wayne
1-blank page(s)1
2Issue No. 3table of contents1letters: typeset
3The Case of the Death Expresscomic story13script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Joe Shuster; inks: Joe ShusterClark Kent, Superman, Perry White
4The Adventure of the Informercomic story8script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Howard Purcell; inks: Howard PurcellBlooey Blue, Red Dugan, Whitey Smith, Doris West
5The Adventure of the Uncut Diamondscomic story5script: Jack Lehti; pencils: Paul Norris; inks: Paul NorrisThe Crimson Avenger, Wing How, Lee Travis
6The 'Big Six' Now Becomes the 'Big Seven'promo (ad from the publisher)1
7The Story of the Man Who Couldn't Losecomic story8script: John Wentworth; pencils: Stan Asch; inks: Stan AschDaisy Darling, Johnny Thunder, Thunderbolt
8Action! Thrills! Adventure!promo (ad from the publisher)1
9Wet Alibitext story2script: Edgar Weston; pencils: Cliff Young; inks: Cliff Young
10The Case of the Missing Millionairecomic story6script: Henry Boltinoff; pencils: Henry Boltinoff; inks: Henry Boltinoff; letters: Henry BoltinoffDoc Davis
11Magic Casts Its Votecomic story9script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Joseph Sulman; inks: Joseph SulmanTong, Zatara
12The End of the Trailcomic story4script: Ed Moore; pencils: Ed Moore; inks: Ed Moore; letters: Ed MooreDrafty
13Crime Visits the Operacomic story8pencils: Creig Flessel; inks: Chad GrothkopfDian Belmont, Wesley Dodds, The Sandman
14The Case of the Counterfeit Ticketscomic story7script: Gardner Fox; pencils: Harry Lampert; inks: Harry LampertThe King, The Witch, King Standish
15X-Ray Picturetext story2script: Frank Cooper; pencils: Fred Ray; inks: Fred Ray
16The Panama Canal Mysterycomic story8script: Howard Purcell; pencils: Howard Purcell; inks: Howard PurcellLando
17The Riddle of the Human Scarecrowcomic story13script: Bill Finger; pencils: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson; inks: George Roussos; colors: George Roussos; letters: George RoussosBatman, Jonathan Crane First, Dick Grayson, Robin, Scarecrow First, Bruce Wayne
18-blank page(s)1
19Every One a Hit!promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typesetBatman, Blooey Blue, The Crimson Avenger, Red Dugan, Dick Grayson, Clark Kent, Lando, Robin, Whitey Smith, Superman, Johnny Thunder, Lee Travis, Bruce Wayne, Zatara

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Limited Collectors' Edition #C-371975On eBay ›
Batman: The World's Finest Comics Archives #1
ISBN 1-56389-819-5
2002On eBay ›
Superman: The World's Finest Comics Archives #1
ISBN 1-4012-0151-2
2004On eBay ›
Batman: Scarecrow Tales #[nn]
ISBN 1-4012-0443-0
2005On eBay ›
The Batman Chronicles #4
ISBN 978-1-4012-1462-3
2007On eBay ›
The Superman Chronicles #6
ISBN 978-1-4012-2187-4
2009On eBay ›
Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-4012-6009-5
2016On eBay ›
Batman Arkham: Scarecrow #[nn]
ISBN 978-1-4012-6062-0
2016On eBay ›
DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes #[nn]
ISBN 0-8212-2076-4
1995On eBay ›
Superman: The Golden Age Omnibus #2
ISBN 978-1-4012-6324-9
2016On eBay ›
Batman: The Golden Age #2
ISBN 978-1-4012-6808-4
2017On eBay ›
Superman: The Golden Age #4
ISBN 978-1-4012-7867-0
2018On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
  • Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
  • Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

‹ #22 of 322#4 ›

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com