Star-Spangled DC War Stories Part 3: August 1959

By Corporals Enfantino and Seabrook

Grandenetti

All American Men at War 72

"T.N.T. Broom!"
Story by Robert Kanigher
Art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito

"Space for a Hero!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Russ Heath

"Bench for a Frogman"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito

PE: "Space for a Hero" explains to us why soldiers may leave a space while marching in line: a slot is left open for a missing hero in the hope that he'll return and fall back in with his comrades. Just such a hero is Joe Lane, who sacrifices life and limb for his fellow soldier time and again. After being separated from his squad after a particularly harrowing incident involving a hedgerow (!), his men observe the practice of the "space for a hero" and, eventually, Joe Lane finds his way back. This story shows me that Russ Heath's area of expertise is the sky rather than the battlefield. While the art is not bad, it doesn't reach the heights of, for example, Heath's "Grandpop's Jet!" in Our Fighting Forces this month. There's not much of a story here, more like a vignette, and the sight of the men walking on Joe Lane's back, after he's dived through a hedgerow to part the way for his fellow GIs, is sadly hilarious. When Lane shows up, he doesn't even give an explanation as to where he's been, just an "I got taken away from the hedgerow..." Does that mean he was captured? Could he have been turned? Perhaps Haney is just warming us up for a sequel: "Space for a Turncoat!"

"T.N.T. Broom!"

JS: For a minute, I thought that was going to turn out to be a ghost story when Joe suddenly reappeared standing in the tank's path. But no such luck. This month's lead story is "T.N.T. Broom!" which demonstrates a couple of things we're starting to see regularly in the DC war books. First, the editors like to have a lead story with a recurring character or characters to keep readers coming back for more. This story features Tank Killer, who I think is the weakest of the three that have been developed so far (the others are Sgt. Rock and Gunner and Sarge). Once again, Tank Killer and Kid run around blowing up tanks with a bazooka. Also once again, the writer (Kanigher) picks a catch phrase and beats it to death--a "T.N.T. Broom" is a bazooka that sweeps tanks clean in front of it. I have not peeked to see how long the Tank Killer series lasts, but if it doesn't start to show some variety I hope it's short-lived.

Grandenetti

G.I. Combat 75

"Dogtag Hill!"
Story by Robert Kanigher
Art by Irv Novick

"Buck Private Jet!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Russ Heath

"Tin Pot for a Tank!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Jack Abel

PE: "Tin Pot for a Tank" opens with a rookie asking a Corporal the significance of a helmet atop a rifle buried in the ground. The Corporal explains that a "tin pot" is a salute to a fallen fighting man and that only men on the ground earn them. The newbie then heads off on his assignment: scouting the sector for enemy signs. He happens upon a U.S. tank and uses the giant as cover against enemy fire. Never seeing the men inside, the rookie nonetheless grows to respect them and the huge machine protecting him. After several battles, the tank is destroyed by an enemy plane but the rookie avenges the crew and places his own helmet and rifle in salute. A gritty, compact story that wastes no space and manages to do what other stories can't in twice the length: involve us in the lead protagonist and his journey through the battlegrounds.

PE: Jack Abel lacks the dynamic of a Joe Kubert but his art does the job; it's not cartoony whatsoever and, in spots, is quite accomplished. Abel was known primarily for his inking on several DC hero titles in the 60s and 70s but worked for Marvel as well. Extra credit for that fabulous Grandenetti cover as well.

JS: The cover uses black, white and blue to convey a sense of fighting at sea at night. Very nice. I'm surprised you did not comment on the strange and powerful lead story, "Dogtag Hill!" A young soldier grows into a man as he sees every other member of his company killed trying to take a hill in Korea. Why is the hill important? We are never told. Does the story end happily? Not at all. The last panels show the soldier standing alone on the hill, clutching the dogtags of his fallen comrades. Kanigher tells a very adult story here and Novick's art recalls that of E.C. war artists in places. This is a very strong story.

Grandenetti

Our Army at War 85

"Ice Cream Soldier!"
Story by Robert Kanigher
Art by Joe Kubert

"G.I. Cage!"
Story by Hank Chapman
Art by Jerry Grandenetti

"Something for the Sarge!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Russ Heath

PE: The new recruit who shows up afraid of his shadow and, by the end of the story, is the only one standing is a cliche that, unfortunately, we'll run into several times in our journey but is mostly avoided in "Ice Cream Soldier!" So what's so different about this one? Well, for one thing there's Joe Kubert's astonishing art. No one could draw battle scenes like Kubert. With very few words, Kanigher and his artist are able to convey the moment when the boy becomes the soldier. Another thing is the peek behind the hard surface of "The Rock."

You wouldn't have found anything like this in Marvel's Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos (still four years in the future), where the Sarge was all aggressive bombast and insults. Here we see the human side of Rock, first taking this green soldier under his wing and making sure he lasts through the day, then holding him up as the hero to the rest of the Easy when the kid saves their collective skin. Yeah, the climax is a bit far-fetched (tank fire all around, the boy falls into an icy river but manages to survive) but the message comes through: to survive, these kids had to grow up really fast.

JS: "When you're in Easy, Nothin's Easy!" You hit this one just right, Peter. The art is gorgeous and the story is emotionally satisfying. Rock shows himself to be hero and leader, tough and understanding--the perfect sergeant. Does anyone draw soldiers' faces better than Kubert? "G.I. Cage!" is also a tense, exciting story, in which a lone soldier escapes from a Korean prison camp. The third story, "Something for the Sarge!" shows a trend developing--the close relationship of the soldiers with their sergeant. We saw it with Rock and Easy, and we see it in "A Statute for Sarge!" in this month's Our Fighting Forces. Where would the army have been without these middle managers to keep everything together?

Grandenetti

Our Fighting Forces 48

"A Statue for Sarge!"
Story by Robert Kanigher
Art by Jerry Grandenetti

"Frogman on Ice!"
Story by Hank Chapman
Art by Jack Abel

"Grandpop's Jet!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Russ Heath

PE: In "Grandpop's Jet," a World War II fighter pilot finds himself "frozen out" when he becomes a jet pilot in Korea. Are the young kids too cool to swing with the old man? Despite showing moves that would dazzle the typical pilot, the youngsters aren't biting. When an enemy MIG frazzles his electronics, our hero must resort to old-style tactics and fly the jet as though it were his old Mustang. Once he puts the MIG out of his misery, the ace returns to base to find a hearty welcome. Turns out the boys are dazzled by the old timer's skills and welcome him into the fold. Russ Heath certainly seems to have a way with fighter jets. His battle scenes are exciting and fabulously choreographed. Bob Haney's story accentuates the irony (the old guy only wants to fit in with the youngsters and the youngsters just want to see some old-style tricks) without shoving it in our face. A very good story.

"Frogman on Ice!"

JS: "Grandpop's Jet!" is also notable because it takes place in the Korean War, making it a rarity in the DC war comics we've read so far. Most of the stories occur in WWII. This issue's Gunner and Sarge story is "A Statue for Sarge!" I am quickly growing fond of these recurring characters. Gunner narrates this tale and tells of Sarge's good-natured ribbing about how Gunner needs to make a statue for him. Sarge is no-nonsense when it comes to battle, however. One question I had while reading this: where the heck are they that they can encounter a Japanese soldier in the jungle, a Japanese Zero plane, and then a group of Nazi soldiers? Were the Japanese and the Nazis ever fighting in the same place during WWII?

Novick

Star Spangled War Stories 84

"Battle Doll!"
Story by Robert Kanigher
Art by Jerry Grandenetti

"Blind Bomber!"
Story by Hank Chapman
Art by Mort Drucker

"No Flag for a Sand Fly!"
Story by Bob Haney
Art by Jack Abel

PE: Obviously a bid for a younger female audience (an anemic demographic when it comes to war comics, I'd wager), "Battle Doll" is an awful mess about a French freedom fighter known only as Mademoiselle Marie. We know she's French because the  paratroopers sent to assist her in her underground work are dropped into occupied France but, more importantly, because Marie says things like "Zis isn't romance, Monsieur! Eet is war!" Perhaps the most startling fact we learn about female FFs is that they're able to heft a machine gun, toss grenades with the accuracy of Randy Johnson, and detonate TNT, all while keeping their hair, nails and make-up parfait! The bad news is that this is only the first of the Mademoiselle Marie stories Robert Kanigher hefted on us. Here's the real curveball: in Detective Comics #501 (April 1981), ace funny book writer Gerry Conway had Marie murdered and the ensuing investigation revealed that Marie had found time between gunning down mobs of Nazis and cooking baguettes to have a roll in the hay with none other than Alfred Pennyworth. The union begat a daughter named Julia. She was also one of Sgt. Rock's sweethearts. Ya gotta love these wildly imaginative comic book writers. Marie appeared in eight headlining appearances (all in SSWS) and then was relegated to co-star status in the DC Universe before heading off to zat great underground in zee sky!

"Blind Bomber!"

JS: Peter, you are a vache espanol! I really enjoyed this story. When the final caption asked if we readers want to see more of Madame Marie, I was ready to write in with a hearty "Oui! Oui!" "Blind Bomber!" is a neat story about a fighter pilot who loses his vision in the middle of a flight but still manages to carry out his bombing raid, shoot down an enemy plane, and land safely, all with only the radio to guide him. The doctor tells him he'll be okay at the end but it's a pretty harrowing experience with sharp art by Mort Drucker.

And Coming Next Week!