Comic Title: DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #3
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY
Cover Date: Jul/Aug 1980
On Sale Date: April 10, 1980 Newsstand Date April 10, 1980
Source: House Ad, Superman #348, Page 16

Newsstand Date April 10, 1980
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #41

Copyright Date April 10, 1980
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1980

Newsstand Date April 8, 1980
Source: Comic Reader, #178

Newsstand Date April 7, 1980
Source: Daily Planet, Vol. 80 #11
Listed as on sale the week of April 7th

Shipping Date March 18, 1980
Source: DC Coming Attractions, #41

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.95
Page Count: 96
Editor: Paul Levitz

See Also: The Guide to DC Giants

Title: "5 Drowned Men"
Pages: 38

Feature(s):
Justice Society of America (of Earth-2)

Writer: Robert Kanigher
Artist: Irwin Hasen
Artist: Lee Elias
Artist: Joe Kubert
Artist: Frank Harry

Reprinted From:
All-Star Comics #36 (1947)

Feature Character(s)

• Justice Society of America (last appearance in All-Star Comics #35; next appearance in All-Star Comics #37)
• Hawkman (last appearance in Flash Comics #86; next appearance in Flash Comics #87)
• Flash (last appearance in Comic Cavalcade #22; next appearance in All-Flash #30)
• Green Lantern (last appearance in All-American Comics #88; next appearance in Green Lantern #27)
• Superman (last appearance in Action Comics #111; next appearance in Superman #48)
• Batman (last appearance in Batman #42; next appearance in Detective Comics #126)
• Doctor Mid-Nite (last appearance in All-American Comics #88; next appearance in All-American Comics #89)
• Wonder Woman (last appearance in Comic Cavalcade #22; next appearance in Sensation Comics #69)

Villain(s)

• Calvin Stymes (dies in this story; no further appearances)
• Ed Findley (aka the Grim Marauder; a private detective; no further appearances)
• Mat Matwell (alias Mr. X; a reporter; no further appearances)
• Archie Erdner (aka the Black Rider; an archaeologist; no further appearances)
• Ben Stanley (an architect; aka the Wrecker; no further appearances)
• Saul Philpotts (a scientist; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Mr. Ardman, Professor Alvin Doty, and Rex Gardin (a wealthy man, an archaeologist, and a politician; no further appearances)

Comments:
Superman and Batman participate in their only Golden Age adventure with the JSA in this story.

Regular members Johnny Thunder and the Atom do not appear.

Synopsis:
Calvin Stymes lures five of his college classmates to an empty river bed on a hunting trip. Stymes knows the bed will fill with the waters of Koehaha, the Stream of Ruthlessness. Once the hunters are drowned in the stream, they come back to life without a conscience.

The JSA meets to discuss a series of crimes. Atom and Johnny Thunder cannot attend the meeting. Batman and Superman replace them. A mysterious note links the crimes to the drowned hunters, so the JSA splits up to investigate. Batman stops Ed Findley, private detective; the Flash finds reporter turned blackmailer Mat Matwell; Hawkman battles archaeologist Archie Erdner; Dr. Mid-Nite stops the thieving scientist Saul Philpotts; and Superman stops the Wrecker aka Ben Stanley.

Meanwhile, Green Lantern has learned about the Stream of Ruthlessness from Stymes. He asks Wonder Woman to signal the other members and have them bring the five drowned men back to JSA headquarters. Green Lantern tells the others about the Stream, but the men escape.

The JSA follows them back to the river where they are compelled to return. Stymes plans to kill them, but the JSA intervenes. Stymes is killed in the resulting explosion. Dr. Mid-Nite cures the men of the Stream's effects, and Superman builds a barrier so the Stream will not threaten the world ever again.