G.I. Combat #138 (On Sale: August 14, 1969) has a cover by Joe Kubert.We began with The Haunted Tank in "The Losers" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. This is the first story of The Losers, though the cover calls them the Born Losers, who would eventually take over Our Fighting Forces. After falling for a trap and loosing the big gun on the Haunted Tank, Jeb is feeling like a loser. While driving along they run into Captain Storm, who lost his PT boat command and entire crew. He too is feeling like a loser and hitches a ride on the Haunted Tank.
As they continue on they meet Gunner and Sarge, who have lost their entire patrol of green recruits to a Nazi ambush. Feeling like losers and needing a lift, they too jump onto the tank. Later on they find a downed plane and the pilot, Johnny Cloud. He lost his plane and the green horn he was training this morning and he is feeling, go ahead, say it with me, "like a loser."
With the help of the new Losers, Jeb and the crew are able to complete their mission. Not the greatest of origin stories, though the artwork by Heath is very good, at least when Kubert kept his hands off it.
The Losers consisted of Captain Storm, Johnny Cloud, Gunner and Sarge. This Losers origin story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Haunted Tank Vol. 2 TPB.
The back-up story "Bright Banner" was expertly drawn by George Evans. The tide of the battle seemed to change when the regiment's flag was torn from the hands of 16-year-old Jess Canfield, a Confederate soldier in the Georgia Regulars. Believing the loss his fault, Jess sneaks across enemy lines and into the Union camp to steal back the flag. He finds the flag but awakens the camp and has to take a hostage to get out alive.
As they ride off in a hail of trailing bullets they are carried across the battlefield to the Confederate camp. The Union Captain returns the banner and "the body of a brave soldier--your Regimental Flag Bearer."
Edited by Joe Kubert.
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