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Robert Greenberger

by Robert Greenberger

DC Comics always used a range of genres in their earliest anthology releases. as well as as the super-hero trend began to wane promptly complying with the end of world war II, they slowly began shifting their focus beyond capes to include teen humor, funny animals, as well as westerns. As the Korean dispute grew in prominence, the funny animals mainly made method for the military. Throughout the 1950s, a few of DC’s finest composing as well as artwork can be discovered in the growing line of war comics.

It’s bit question then, that when Simon & Schuster’s Fireside books wished to add DC titles to their burgeoning line of collected editions, accompanying Marvel’s origins series, they started with a war book. As set up by uber-producer Michael Uslan, America at war (1978), treated visitors to the exploits of the heroes as well as heroines from world war I with Viet Nam.

DC goes to war HC

Today, that collection has been freshened with extra material as well as is being released this spring as DC goes to War, collecting Sgt. rock special #2, opponent Ace: war in heaven #1-2, showcase #57, Our army at war #67, #83, #233, as well as #235, kid Commandos #1, star Spangled war stories #87 as well as #183, All-American Comics #48, odd war Tales #3, G.I. battle #87, Our battling Forces #49 as well as #102, The Losers special #1, as well as armed forces Comics #1.

Military Comics #1

Quality Comics provided us the most withstanding war hero, Blackhawk, debuting in armed forces Comics #1 (August 1941) with a will Eisner cover, Eisner as well as Bob Powell script, as well as Chuck Cuidera artwork. set in Poland, we satisfy the darkly handsome hero as well as his worldwide assortment of pilots with eight appearing in this inaugural story: Baker, a Cockney Englishman; Andre, Hendrickson, Olaf, Stanislaus, Zeg, Chuck, and/or Boris.

DC didn’t timid away from patriotic stories during the golden Age with the very first such continuing function being Jon L. Blummer’s Hop Harrigan. He appeared throughout the All-American line of comics in short stories as well as even text features. teen Hop as well as his team grew prominent sufficient to have his own radio show for six years as well as even a 15-chapter motion picture serial. He is represented in a story from All-American Comics #48 (March 1943).

By then, the kid Commandos, the teen warriors produced by Joe Simon as well as Jack Kirby had debuted in the pages of Detective Comics. They verified prominent sufficient to make their own title as well as the very first issue, cover dated wintertime 1942-43 is right here with four stories by the famed duo (with Kirby credited for composing two of them). The series likewise featured liberty Belle, a development of Don Cameron as well as Chuck wintertime as well as I hope her debut is here, too.

Showcase #57

Out of all the pleased soldiers to fight for their country, one of the most special has to be Hans Von Hammer, the opponent Ace. This WW I hero fought proudly for Germany, killing when he had to as well as then returning to his rental property where he brooded, communing with the lone wolf at the edge of the forest. In the hands of Writer/Editor Robert Kanigher as well as artist Joe Kubert, they crafted a sympathetic portrayal of a guy usually thought about the opponent. After running as a back-up in Star-Spangled war Stories, he got a solo problem of showcase (July-August 1965), pitted against The Hunter, a Canadian ace, as well as while it didn’t cause a series, it furthered his reputation.

In 2001, Garth Ennis, in some methods Kanigher’s spiritual successor, composed opponent Ace: war in Heaven, a two-parter with art by Christian Alamy as well as Chris Weston. Here, we leap ahead to world war II as well as the increase of Nazism, something the aging professional pilot despises. His loyalty to his people sees him grudgingly agreeing to train the new Luftwaffe pilots, however his clashes with the upper echelon will not end well.

Most of the 1950s saw the war titles with one-off stories such as the quartet discovered in Our army at war #67 (Feb. 1958): writer Ed Herron as well as artist John Severin; Kanigher with Ross Andru as well as Mike Esposito, Herron as well as Mort Drucker, Kanigher as well as Kubert.

In the wake of the Silver Age super-hero revival, the war as well as western titles adapted by introducing recurring characters as well as features. as well as while Bob Haney composed a story featuring a character nicknamed the Rock, the true Sgt. rock shown up in Our army at war #83 (June 1959),“The rock as well as the Wall” from the team of Kanigher as well as Kubert. Frank Rock, sergeant of simple Company, ended up being the deal with of DC’s war line.

Our army at war #233

When The new York Times Sunday magazine did a piece in 1971 about present evens discovering their method into the comics (we called it the Relevance Era), OAAW #233’s cover was utilized on the mag’s cover. By then, Kubert had replaced Kanigher as the war line’s editor as well as he progressively told tales that questioned the morality of war.

Second to Kubert in visual efficiency was most likely Russ Heath, who stepped in to spell Kubert on the rock story from problem #235, which is in here. The backup was an installment in Sam Glanzman’s U.S.S. Stevens, about a Navy vessel as well as its crew.

Readers of G.I. battle #87 (April/May 1961) were introduced to a storage tank team comprised of Jeb Stuart, Arch Asher, Rick Rawlins, as well as Slim Stryker. joining them on their missions was the ghost of general J.E.B. Stuart for this reason the series name The Haunted Tank. From Kanigher as well as Heath, these characters were warmly accepted as well as they withstood with the years, ending up being one of the last war features to be retired.

Representing the grunts were Gunner as well as Sarge, as handled by Kanigher as well as Jerry Grandenetti in the pages of Our battling Forces. Their daily adventures were improved by addition of the canine recruit Pooch as well as the story from problem #49 (September 1959) is emblematic of the era.

Star Spangled war stories #87

To provide the women their due, DC added Mlle. Marie, the attractive, resourceful French resistance competitor who held the cover berth in Star-Spangled war Stories. From problem #87 (November 1959), Kanigher as well as Mort Drucker handled a lot of of her exploits including this where a brutal Nazi named Von Ekt is out to catch her.

And her slot wound up being provided over to a new character, the unknown Soldier. Under Kanigher as well as Kubert as well as then others, it was a prominent sufficient feature, however when the function was provided to new editor Joe Orlando, he brought a fresh eye as well as new storytellers to handle the master of disguise. Under David Michelinie as well as Gerry Talaoc, a new level of angst was added with SSWS #183 (November/December 1974) which verified prominent with fans as well as the sales rose, so much so, the title was lastly altered to unknown Solider a few years later.

Our battling Forces #102

Interestingly, DC was understood for avoiding questionable problems as well as there was an fascinating series in Our battling Forces as we satisfied Capt. Philip hunter as well as his troops in Viet Nam. The tale from #102 (August 1966) tried for a lot more contemporary problems as well as conflicts courtesy of Kanigher as well as Jack Abel.

While the war titles faded by the Bronze Age, the macabre was in so DC used up odd war Tales #3, an anthology of stories that provided lots of a designer a possibility to cut his teeth. One such tale, “The Pool…” is from newcomers Len Wein as well as Marv Wolfman, skillfully illustrated by the professional Heath.

By the 1980s, DC was down to rock as well as the Haunted storage tank however not without occasional gasps to honor the past. One such example is Sgt. rock special #2. Under a Dan Brereton cover painting, all the heroes were revisited by writer Chuck Dixon including Sgt. rock (Eduardo Barreto), Mlle. Marie (Howard Chaykin), Johnny Cloud (Graham Nolan), as well as Haunted storage tank (Russ Heath).

The Losers special #1

Ever the team player, editor Murray Boltinoff was prepared to join the dilemma on limitless Earths bandwagon, as well as accepted the objective to kill off the Losers (a team comprised of Capt. Storm, Johnny Cloud, as well as Gunner & Sarge) in a method that was true to a war title. Under a Kubert cover, The Losers special #1 was by Kanigher who dealt with artists Judith Hunt, Sam Glanzman, as well as Mike Esposito to present one final mission.

This is a must-read collection showing a few of the finest characters as well as biggest craftsmen to work in the field.