Sometimes, in our rush to see the latest super hero in action, we forget about the real heroes that appear in the DC war books. The stories are usually not very complicated, just like real life, but the heroes are there none the less. And the artists who brought them to life, were the best in the business, though most fanboys could not have cared less. No spandex, no interest. The art in this book is so diverse, yet so brilliant. Russ Heath, Sam Glanzman, Ric Estrada and Joe Kubert. It seriously did not get any better than this.
We begin with Sgt. Rock and Easy Company in "Face Front" written by Joe Kubert and excellently illustrated by Russ Heath. New recruits Iggy and Gus have wandered off in the African desert only to be found by Sgt. Rock, who is taking them back to Easy, when they are attacked by three F.W's. (Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger single-engine fighter aircraft). Heath lovingly details the death of two of the planes at the hands of Rock and his Privates. The story pivots between the death-dealing in the desert and the sacrifices being made by every-day Americans at home. The title, "Face Front" refers to the two different fronts of the war, the Front Line and the Home Front. The story contrasts the heat of the desert with the rationing of gas and meat and eggs at home and really does a great job of how America sacrificed for the war. It is pretty amazing how time alters the focus of the story. Seeing people these days refusing to even wear a mask to save the lives of their fellow citizens, I wonder how many of them would have been screaming about having to sacrifice anything for the effort during WW2.
The Nazi F. W. that got away has radioed for ground support and the three are soon looking down the barrel of a Nazi half-track. The three run for the cover of some rocks and strip out of their uniforms, use some sticks to play the part of guns and sucker the Nazis into attacking empty suits. Rock and his men gun the Nazis down, then scavenge new boots from the dead men before heading back out into the harsh desert. The heat of the day makes way for the chill of the night and Iggy talks about how his sister wrote that they save newspapers and tin cans for the war and how in New York and other big cities they turn out all the lights and black out all the windows in case of a Nazi air attack. I can't see many Americans doing something like this in this day and age; too much imposition on their "rights."
They soon see a light in the desert, but it is not Easy Co., it is a Nazi fuel dump. When the young-un's want to bypass the dump or wait for Easy to show up, Rock schools them on being a man and doing your job. Ashamed by their inactions, the kids shape up and Iggy shows up out of the darkness, giving himself up to the Nazis. When they congregate around the kid, Rock and Gus blow the fuel and attack. Following the explosion, Easy shows up and Iggy and GUs fall into line after realizing it takes both fronts to win the war.
Next we have the U.S.S. Stevens in "Buckethead" by Sam Glanzman. The Stevens is under attack from Japanese fighters and a young recruit, Johnny, is in his first air-sea battle and is scared shitless. The "old hands" could tell how close the planes were by the caliber of the guns firing at them: the closer they get the smaller the guns firing at them. Johnny goes topside to refill a water pitcher and is shocked by the rage of battle. He scampers back in fear, grabs a nearby bucket and placing it over his head he sits in the corner shaking and shivering. This maneuver earned him the name "Buckethead", but the man who pinned the name on him got a name of his own, "Crybaby." Glanzman served on the U.S.S. Stevens during the war and claimed that the stories he told were all true.
"Swamp Indian" by Ric Estrada takes place during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s and detail the fate of Chad Grey and his men, some of whom were his slaves at the hands of the Seminole Indians. It is not so much a story as a four-page slice of life and death.
We end with "Anchored Frogman" by Bob Haney and Joe Kubert, reprinted from Our Fighting Forces #17. This is the harrowing take of a frogman tangled in an enemy cruiser's anchor chain after he has has strapped a bomb to the side of the cruiser. Unable to get free he is slowly pulled up towards the doomed ship when the anchor is raised. Th
is is a really effective story and art and I see why editor Kubert chose to include it.
Edited by Joe Kubert.
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