Joe Kubert Presents

This series is bittersweet. On the one hand it is what I have been praying for, an anthology containing excellent stories illustrated by master artists, but on the other hand once we reach #6 we will be appreciating the last work of the late, great Joe Kubert.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl
Art by Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert Presents #1

Weird War Tales

Weird War Tales was launched by DC in 1971 under Editor Joe Kubert to exploit the relaxation of  the Comics Code.  Vampires, ghouls, werewolves and other supernatural subjects were now allowed and DC were taking advantage with horror/mystery titles such as House of Mystery, House of Secrets and Witching Hour so Weird War Tales was an attempt to present war stories with a horror/mystery twist.  The first issue was cover dated September/October 1971.

Weird War Tales #1 (September/October 1971)
Art by Joe Kubert

DC Big 5 War Comics: G I Combat

The final title in my overview of DC's Big 5 War Comics did not originate with DC but was a Quality Comic Publication that DC continued to publish after purchasing the company.  DC also continued to publish Quality's Blackhawk but chose not to hand Blackhawk to Editor Bob Kanigher as they did with G I Combat.  Quality launched G I Combat in 1952 hot on the heels of DC's Our Army at War, Star-Spangled War Stories and All-American Men of War.

G I Combat #1 (October 1952)
Art by Reed Crandall

DC Big 5 War Comics: Our Fighting Forces

DC had successfully entered the war comics market in 1952 with Our Army at War, Star-Spangled War Stories and All-American Men of War and so Editor Bob Kanigher was instructed to launch another title and Our Fighting Forces was the result, making its debut cover dated October/November 1954.

Our Fighting Forces #1 (October/November 1954)
Art by Jerry Grandenetti

The comic followed the tried and tested formula of the other war anthologies and featured high quality art from the best in the business including Jerry Grandenetti, Russ Heath, Joe Kubert, Ross Andru and Irv Novick.

Our Fighting Forces #21 (May 1957)
Art by Joe Kubert

DC Big 5 War Comics: All-American Men of War

All-American Comics is one of the most important titles in DC history as it shared its title with its original publisher All-American Publications which alongside National Allied Publications and Detective Comics evolved into what we now know as DC Comics.  The first issue was cover dated April 1939 and was an anthology covering humour and adventure stories.

All-American Comics #1 (April 1939)
Art by Sheldon Mayer

No single character dominated the cover until the debut of Green Lantern in #16 (July 1940).

DC Big 5 War Comics: Star-Spangled War Stories

Star-Spangled Comics was launched by DC in 1941 as a superhero anthology title featuring Star-Spangled Kid by Jerry Seigel and Hal Sherman.

Star Spangled Comics #1 (October 1941)
Art by Hal Sherman

Star-Spangled Kid remained as the cover star until #7 (April 1942) with the debut of Guardian and the Newsboy Legion by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

DC Big 5 War Comics: Our Army at War

I started to write this post before I heard about the death of the legendary Joe Kubert. Readers of this blog will be aware of my love of the art that Joe created over his long career.  During the course of my next few posts I will be writing about DC war books and there will be a lot of Joe's art involved.  Joe Kubert was and remains an absolute legend.

DC Comics are attempting to revive their once great line of war comics.  As part of the New 52 they launched a new Men of War title and revived Blackhawks, both were cancelled after eight issues.  Blackhawks had gone through many re-vamps and re-boots over the years and whilst I enjoyed some of the incarnations of the group I have never really considered it to be a war comic in the same way as I viewed G I Combat.  Men of War was an attempt to relaunch a revered DC war title and update the character Sgt. Rock.  The New 52 continuity is still evolving and I am not sure if the "real" Sgt. Rock existed in this new time line. DC has not given up as they replaced Men of War with a new G I Combat containing revamps of The War That Time Forgot and Unknown Soldier, both stalwarts of Star-Spangled War Stories.

Personally I think what DC are attempting with their war comics is impossible to achieve.  The youth of today can get their military fix from Code of Duty or any one of many combat games on the market.  Most of the customers interested in military comics would probably be happy with monthly anthology re-prints from DC's Big 5 War Comics illustrated by great artists such as Russ Heath, Joe Kubert, John Severin, Ross Andru and Jerry Grandenetti.  Over the course of my next five posts I will be providing an overview of each of DC's Big 5: Our Fighting Forces, All-American Men of War, Star-Spangled War Stories, G I Combat, and to kick things off, Our Army at War.

Our Army at War #1 (August 1952)
Pencil Art by Carmine Infantino, inks: Joe Giella

Major Eazy

Major Eazy, art by Carlos Ezquerra

Major Eazy epitomised the best aspects of Battle Picture Weekly.  He was cool and unconventional.  Created by Alan Hebden and Carlos Ezquerra as a laconic, irreverent, merciless Nazi-killing, sharp-shooting British officer who had learnt his trade with the Long Range Desert Group in North Africa.  Battle picks up the story in Italy when Eazy takes command of a company of British soldiers and the strip follows their journey as they slog through the hard terrain of the Italian campaign.

Joe Kubert Part 2: Enemy Ace

Enemy Ace by Joe Kubert, words by Bob Kanigher

I greatly enjoy war comics.  I grew up reading Commando comics, Battle, Warlord, Victor and other British weeklies in which the second world war was fought endlessly by characters such as Union Jack Jackson, D-Day Dawson, Rat Pack and Major Easy.  I also loved American war comics and DC seemed to be the best as far as I could tell at the time, with Star-Spangled War Stories, G. I. Combat and Our Army at War the titles I tried to seek out.  Towering above all the other war artists was Joe Kubert and his greatest strip, in my opinion, was Enemy Ace.

Fury or Rock?

Who is the best sergeant in comics?  Nick Fury or Frank Rock?  Do you like shirt shredding, ammo belt wearing helmetless sergeants or shirt shredding, ammo belt wearing helmeted sergeants? The Howlers or Easy Company? Stan and Jack's Marvel Age take on war or Bob and Joe's premier war icon? Let me know which Silver Age top kick you prefer:

Sgt Fury by Jack Kirby

 

Sgt Rock by Joe Kubert

Joe Kubert Part 1

It is a cliche that a picture paints a thousand words and the greatest artists are able to express emotion and movement with a few pencil markings on a page.  The greatest were also storytellers as skilled as the finest cinema directors.

Jack Kirby, Carmine Infantino, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, Gene Colan, Joe Kubert, Curt Swan, Jim Steranko, Murphy Anderson, Russ Heath, Neal Adams, John Buscema, John Romita, John Severin, Wally Wood, Ramona Fradon, Bruno Premiani, Marie Severin, Jim Mooney, Nick Cardy and Dick Sprang are all on my list of the greatest artists of the Silver Age.

Let's start with Joe Kubert.

Sgt. Rock, Bulldozer, Little Sure Shot, Jackie Johnson, Mlle. Marie, The Losers, the crew of the Haunted Tank and WWI air ace Steve Savage, the Balloon Buster
Art by Joe Kubert