All-Star Comics #28 (1946)

In 11,946, in the city of Nu Yuk, in a land known as Amerka, hands reach for several strangely wrought jars that carry a warning from the Justice Society NOT to open them. A parchment attached gives the story behind the warning and the strange jars. It seems Nels Farrow finds the jars, paints a picture of a man, who speaks and tells him that the paints live and whatever is painted into them can be for good or evil. He intends to use them for evil against five men whom he holds a grudge. When Farrow lies dying from an accident, he tells the JSA the story and they head out to save those men.

Archaeologist Hank Kavanaugh receives the painting from Farrow, but soon discovers an ancient gold platter with lost Atlantean secrets. Then the full moon comes out, its rays touching the painting, causing gangster figures to live. Hawkman shows up and witnesses this scene, and tries to battle the painting's figures, but he can do them no harm. Hawk hides Kavanaugh's discoveries in a tank of gold polish, them remembers that the beings must become a part of the canvas during the day. So Hawkman grabs the canvas and flies off with it, baiting the figures to follow him.

Green Lantern reaches the African veldt and locates hunter Elbert Jenkins, a supplier of rare animals to zoos. G.L. tells him of the painting and its weird properties, and both head to his home to get it before darkness falls. The Emerald Crusader rolls the painting up so the moon rays will not touch it, but unknown to either man, one of Jenkins's native helpers overhears and tells two rival hunters, who unroll it and the figures come to life. G.L. saves Jenkins and flies him back to his home, where Green Lantern rolls up the canvas and goes airborne again, forcing the enemy to chase him.

Dr. Mid-Nite heads to the frozen north to seek out Greg Scallop and warn him about his painting, which shows a band of knights in armor. The two go to his office, but arrive too late, as moonlight has already touched the painting and the strange armored figures have come to life, cutting elevator cables leading down into the mine. Mid-Nite keeps the armored figures busy while the cable is repaired, then, when the cable is repaired, the miners yell to the Mid-Nite, who makes it to the surface, grabs the empty canvas, puts on skis and heads down the slope with the paint beings in hot pursuit.

Johnny is taken by the Thunderbolt to the "S.S. Headliner" at sea to find its Captain, who received one of Farrow's paintings, and warn him of its perils. Considered a misguided lad, he's locked in the brig while moonlight touches the painting and the beings spring to life and start attacking the passengers. Johnny and the Thunderbolt race in to help with Johnny throwing turpentine on the beings, but with no effect. Even the Thunderbolt is having a rough time, so Johnny grabs the rolled up canvas and T-Bolt flies them away, with the beings on flying seahorses in hot pursuit.

Cassidy was well-pleased by the Farrow painting that he received, and ordered his secretary to have it framed immediately. The doorbell rings and the Atom arrives to tell her that the beings in the painting will be coming to life, and, as they turn around, the beings come at them. When Atom is knocked out, the beings then head for Cassidy's oil fields and attack all there. The Atom sprays the beings with oil and sets them afire, with no effect. The Atom races back to the office, grabs the canvas and begins running with it, hoping the beings will follow him, which they do.

Sgt. Mooney was having breakfast at the corner drugstore, baffled by a criminal that left no clues and had the Police scratching their heads. In his head, he reviewed the Case of the Silver Cup, bought by Percy Van Husted for $50,000, shipped to America, but was mysteriously missing from the crate it was sent in upon arrival. Sgt. Mooney decided to read a few detective books while thinking about the case and he just happened to find a book which described a crime of the very nature as the Silver Cup case. As it turns out, that book helped Mooney solve the case and get promoted to Lieutenant.

Farnum and Daley Circus owner Josh Mason is warned by the Flash of the terrible evil in the painting that Farrow had sent him, which showed cavemen and savage beasts. As Mason tries to convince Flash to join the circus, this delay allows the painting to come to life. As the beings enter the arena floor, Flash goes into action while Mason assures the crowd that all of this is a part of the show. And what a show it is...but soon, Flash realizes it is all for naught, so he heads to Mason's office, grabs the empty canvas and begins running with it to attract the paint beings into following him.

As the members arrive with their empty canvases at JSA HQ, each of them unrolls theirs and places them in prominent positions, then duck for cover. The paint beings enter and head back toward the canvas they came from, then the JSA members scrape the paint off of each canvas and place the scrapings into the jars. Green Lantern then hermetically seals the jars and places the warning on them, along with a parchment being read by the men of 10,000 years in the future. Those men decide, after reading the account, NOT to tempt fate by opening the jars, but leave them where they found them.