The Brave and the Bold #36
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeThe Brave and the Bold #36 (July 1961) delivered the first appearance and complete origin of the Shadow-Thief — Carl Sands, the career criminal turned intangible villain who became Hawkman's most persistent nemesis across six decades of DC storytelling. The issue closed out the three-issue Silver Age Hawkman tryout run in the title, capping what was essentially Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert's extended audition for the character's own series. Shadow-Thief's concept — a man who weaponizes intangibility using alien technology — was fresh enough for the era that the character endured through major events including Identity Crisis, Underworld Unleashed, and DC Rebirth, each of which found new dimensions in the villain. The cover itself entered mainstream American culture when the U.S. Postal Service reproduced it as one of twenty stamps in its 2006 DC Comics Super Heroes commemorative pane.
In "Strange Spells of the Sorcerer!", Hawkman and Hawkgirl face off against an unexpected foe: an amateur sorcerer wielding ancient magic to summon mythical beasts and distract the Thanagarians while he steals five mysterious artifacts. Written by Gardner Fox and brought to life with dynamic art by Joe Kubert—both inks and pencils on the interior and cover—this 1961 adventure blends cosmic intrigue with classic fantasy, all for the price of a 10-cent comic.
In "Strange Spells of the Sorcerer!", Sport finds himself caught in a magical mystery when an amateur sorcerer unleashes mythical beasts to distract Hawkman and Hawkgirl, all while he steals five ancient artifacts. With the fate of the Earth’s mystical balance hanging in the balance, the heroes must unravel the sorcerer’s plan before his final spell transforms him into something far more dangerous.
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The Brave and the Bold had been repurposed from a historical anthology into a deliberate try-out vehicle for new Silver Age concepts beginning with issue #25. Editor Julius Schwartz — who had already overseen the revivals of the Flash, Green Lantern, and the Atom — assigned writer Gardner Fox and artist Joe Kubert to introduce a science-fiction reimagining of Hawkman in B&B #34 (February–March 1961); #36 was the third and final issue of that initial three-issue trial run. Page-count details for the issue were later confirmed directly from Schwartz's editorial records by DC Comics, underscoring the meticulous recordkeeping of his editorial tenure. Despite the positive reception of the tryout, Hawkman would not receive his own solo title until 1964 — a three-year gap that speaks to the caution DC exercised even with a successful character.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and full origin of Shadow-Thief (Carl Sands) in the story 'Shadow-Thief of Midway City!' — his powers stem from the Dimensiometer, an alien device given to him by the interdimensional explorer Thar Dan of the planet Xarapion.
- First appearance of Konrad Kaslak (also spelled Koslak), the villain of the first story 'Strange Spells of the Sorcerer!', who attempts to use stolen Chaldean artifacts to transform himself into the world's mightiest sorcerer.
- Third appearance of the Silver Age Hawkman (Katar Hol) and Hawkgirl (Shayera Thal), closing out their initial three-issue B&B tryout run (#34–#36).
- Written by Gardner Fox with art and cover by Joe Kubert; edited by Julius Schwartz — the same creative and editorial team behind the Silver Age Hawkman's debut.
- Cover date: July 1961; on-sale date per DC Database: April 28, 1961; 36 pages.
- Both stories were reprinted multiple times: 'Strange Spells of the Sorcerer!' in DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6; 'Shadow-Thief of Midway City!' in DC Special #8 and The Best of DC #10; the entire issue was collected in The Hawkman Archives Vol. 1 and Showcase Presents: Hawkman #1.
- The cover of this issue was selected by the U.S. Postal Service as one of the ten classic comic book covers featured in its 2006 DC Comics Super Heroes 39-cent commemorative stamp pane (Scott #4084t), first issued July 20, 2006, in San Diego.
- Shadow-Thief went on to appear in landmark stories including Identity Crisis #2 (2004) — where he killed Firestorm — cementing his status as one of DC's more consequential Silver Age villain introductions.
Cast · 10 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Mighty Comic #25 (1961), Historias Fantásticas #58 (1962), DC Special #8 (1970), DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #6 (1971), The Best of DC #10 (1981), Hawkman #[nn] (1989), The Hawkman Archives #1 (2000), DC 100-Page Super Spectacular No. 6 Replica Edition #[nn] (2004), Showcase Presents: Hawkman #1 (2007), Man of Rock: A Biography of Joe Kubert #[nn] (2008), DC Finest: Hawkman: Wings Across Time #[nn] (2025)
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