We begin with the Losers in "7 11 War" by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. It begins with Gunner throwing one 7 after another in craps and Sarge reminding them that they are all Born Losers (they still keep toying with that name).. Next it is Sarge who throws nothing but 7s and 11s. Johnny Cloud says that when the Losers start winning, it means trouble is ahead. Each member of the Losers seems to have improved their luck. Each reflects on bad situations in their past, and they believe the bad luck will follow them wherever they go. When they are assigned to draw straws, the team assumes the worst, but instead the short straw earns a pass to travel to London with his friends.
The Losers head to London only to find it in the middle of a bombing raid. The soldiers help to rescue children from the ruins of a building, but they are unable to rescue the children's mother who is trapped. She is killed when a delayed explosion destroys what little remained of the building. The Losers head back to camp feeling that even when they get leave, it turns out to be a losing proposition. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Losers Vol. 1 TPB.
Nestled in the middle of this story is a two-page Battle Album on "Dirigible Aerial Aircraft Carriers" by Sam Glanzman.
That is followed by a U.S.S. Stevens story, "How Many Fathoms?" by Sam Glanzman. "Ox" Swanson was a miner who lived in the mountains all his life who was fascinated by all the water in the Pacific Ocean. He was "highlined" from a carrier to the Stevens mid-ocean and could never stop wondering how many fathoms of water were under them. "Ox" was a turret captain and three days after joining the crew, the Stevens was doing some off shore shelling of Balikapan, Borneo, when the call came to start using shrapnel for target practice. When the shell man reaches for the shell, it slips and falls to the floor.. "Ox" calls for silence and everyone freezes, not knowing if the shell would go off at the end of its 20-second fuse. This was the correct call, but his men panic. Ox grabs the shell and runs for the railing, but never makes it, the shell exploding against his chest. Later he is given a burial at sea and we are left to wonder how many fathoms will he rest in.
We end with a real artistic gem. Most people know Mort Drucker from his decades at Mad Magazine, doing the movie and TV parodies, but before Mad, Mort was one of the best war comic artists in the business. "Cracker Barrel Combat" is by Bob Haney and Mort Drucker and is reprinted from G.I. Combat #63 (1958). Vic and Jerry are sitting in a hunting cabin when their friend finds them with their feet up on a cracker barrel. Rather than go out in the cold and hunt, they prefer to be what they friend calls "cracker barrel sharpshooters." A year later they are all in Europe fighting Nazis, there friend now a Sargent and bemoaning being stuck with "cracker barrel soldiers." The boys are told to guard the outpost shack and they once again rest their feet up on a food container, in this case s metal container of tuna. When Nazis approach they have to leave the comfort of the cabin and take up positions shooting at the Nazis. A few well-placed hand grenades removes the threat and they return to the comfort of the cabin.
Not long after a German grenade flies through a window. Jerry covers the grenade with the metal tuna container and the boys flatten against the floor.. After the grenade explodes the Nazis take the cabin and wait for returning Americans. However, Vic and Jerry have survived the grenade and escaped into the woods where they attack the cabin from two sides, taking out the enemy soldiers. Once again back in the comfort of the cabin the boys are startled when a German tank shows up. They scatter to the woods and the tank follows, eventually losing one of their treads. Vic lobs a grenade at the wounded tank and removes the problem. When the Sarge returns he find the two back in the cabin and complains about them fi9ghting a "cracker barrel war."
Edited by Joe Kubert.
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