Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So he made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now he’s watching them all. Previously, Joe watched the Marvelous arrival of Captain America in 1944. This time, as there were no comic book adaptations in 1945, he hops to 1946 for the lesser-known Hop Harrigan.

Hop Harrigan (AKA Hop Harrigan: America’s Ace of the Airways) (March 28th, 1946)

Released on March 28, 1946 by Columbia Pictures, this 15-part movie serial is based on the All-American Publications (later acquired by DC Comics) character Hop Harrigan created by Jon Blummer.

The serial was directed by Derwin Abrahams and written by Ande Lamb and George H. Plympton. Plympton would go on to write every remaining comic book serial from this point on, including The Vigilante, Superman, Congo Bill, Batman and Robin, Atom Man vs. Superman, and The Miraculous Blackhawk: Freedom’s Champion.

Hop Harrigan is the first comic book serial star that’s not a costumed hero, but rather a young US Air Force pilot. Though in the comics, he would very briefly dip his toes in the superhero world by assuming the identities of The Guardian Angel and the Black Lamp (an obvious nod to All-American Comics headliner Green Lantern).