Our Fighting Forces #133

Our Fighting Forces #133 (On Sale: July 6, 1971), has a Losers cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin with the Losers in "Heads or Tails" by Robert Kanigher and John Severin. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Losers Vol. 1 TPB (2012).

Next is "The Anthill" by Bob Haney and Mort Drucker and reprinted from Our Army at War #76 (1958).

That brings us to "No Place for a PT Boat" by Hank Chapman and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Our Fighting Forces #76 (1963).

We end with The Balloon Buster in "The Firing Squad Can Wait" by Robert Kanigher and Ric Estrada. Count Von Ulricht faces a firing squad for abandoning his fellow pilots during an air battle. Allied pilot Steve Savage interrupts the execution to give testimony on behalf of his enemy. He explains that Von Ulricht broke off from formation to chase Savage. The Count is exonerated, but he does not thank his foe. Instead, he issues a challenge. Steve accepts and the two men battle it out in the skies. In the end, Savage saved Von Ulricht from the firing squad only to kill his opponent himself by shooting him down.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

Our Army at War #236

Our Army at War #236 (On Sale: July 1, 1971), has a Sgt. Rock cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin with Sgt. Rock in "Face the Devil" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. An old man comes out of the fog, claiming that Billy Boy is his lost son. Is the man real, or a ghost? Reprinted in Sgt. Rock #19 (1991).

Next up is "22 Hrs. to San Francisco" by Mike Friedrich and John Severin. Alan Tomasz returns home from Vietnam. Reprinted in Sgt. Rock #21 (1992).

Our first reprint is "The Empty Cockpit" by Hank Chapman and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Capt. Storm #3 (1964). Lt. Danner, a new Spad pilot, wants to fill the empty cockpit of the squadron's hero Captain Kelly.

That brings us to another reprint: "The Third Enemy" by Bob Haney and Russ Heath and reprinted from Our Fighting Forces #45 (1959). During World War II a rookie Allied Ski Soldier learns that every mountain contains three types of enemies.

We end with "No Beginning -- No End" by Robert Kanigher and Frank Thorne. A look at war through the ages, from cavemen, through knights to WWI and WWII.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

Our Fighting Forces #132

Our Fighting Forces #132 (On Sale: May 11, 1971), has a Losers cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin with the Losers in "Pooch: The Winner" by Robert Kanigher and John Severin. After inking the last issue, Severin takes over the art chores for the Losers, his first regular series assignment at DC. He will remain on the strip for the next three years. When Sarge and Gunner are in London they run into a K-9 combat dog who had helped them, before they had joined up with the Losers, against the Japanese on a Pacific island. Sarge and Gunner worry that the Losers' bad luck would rub off on Pooch and get him killed, so they leave the disappointed animal with his handler in London. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Losers Vol. 1 TPB (2012).

Next up is "The Invincible Armada" by Robert Kanigher and Ric Estrada.

We end this issue with the U.S.S. Stevens in "Cabbages and Kings" by Sam Glanzman.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

Tomahawk #135

Tomahawk #135 (On Sale: May 6, 1971), has a nice cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin this issue with Hawk, Son of Tomahawk in "Death on Ghost Mountain" by Robert Kanigher and Frank Thorne. When Hawk stops two men from attacking a traveling salesman, the man gives Hawk one of his catalogs as a reward. Seeing all the things in the catalog that he could buy, if he only had some money, Hawk decides to leave the ranch and seek his fortune. He heads into town to tell his friend Jess that he is leaving only to find Jess is off to seek his fortune as well, to win the heart of Tina. Jess has a map left to him by a dying prospector that points to a secret gold mine.

Jess and Hawk decide to find the gold together and Hawk is a little worried when he sees the gold might be on Indian land. They find the supposed gold mine by passing through a waterfall and taking a tunnel to the mountain beyond. The mountain is an old Indian burial mound and after seven days of digging, they strike gold. A few days later an Indian burial party arrives and tells them to leave. Jess wants to fight the Indians, but Hawk and he get into it instead. When the mound collapses, Jess is killed by a buried spear. Hawk returned the gold to the ground and promises not to return.

This is followed by a two-page spread of The Wild Frontier "Thunder Across the Plains" by Sam Glanzman.

We end this issue with "Spoilers" by Jerry DeFuccio and John Severin. It is 1865 and the Civil War is over when Captain Stanard Kirby returns to the ruins of his ancestral home in Virginia. By 1873, Kirby has moved on to Kansas where he has become the leader of a gang of robbers and assassins known as Kirby's Raiders. After the heat from lawmen becomes too much, Kirby and the gang split up for a few months to let the heat die down and Kirby takes the majority of their money and rides off to Colorado where he finds a ranch to work. He hides the money in a tree for safekeeping. When a plague of locust arrives the rancher and his neighbors burn a line between the locusts and his ranch. In the end, the money is all destroyed and Kirby never returns to his gang, only to be caught years later.

Edited by Joe Kubert.  

Our Fighting Forces #131

Our Fighting Forces #131 (On Sale: March 11, 1971), has a Losers cover by Joe Kubert.

We begin the issue with the Losers in "Half a Man" by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru, and John Severin. This is the first time Severin has inked the Losers and starting the next issue he will take over the full drawing chores for the series. After two incidents involving his wooden leg, Captain Storm feels that he is only half a man. First, a grenade is tossed at him and he slips, so instead of catching it and disposing of it, he accidentally bats it at a child freedom fighter who is killed when it detonates. Second, when the Losers are on leave he meets a pretty flower seller who would like to dance and he does ok with her for a while, but then his wooden leg buckles and he takes a spill. 

He leaves the dance hall because he does not want her pity. She follows him and he sees some stonework about to give way and fall on her, but because of his wooden leg, he is too slow to reach her in time to save her from being crushed. 

The Losers are sent on an assignment to capture a mayor from an area occupied by an elite Nazi outfit. Captain Storm grabs their target and parachutes out the window, but because of the extra weight, his wooden leg shatters upon landing. The mayor tells the Losers that he ought to leave the cripple behind and let him go free. Captain Storm agrees about leaving him and orders the Losers to take the mayor to their pick-up point while he holds off the elite group in some ruins. 

Storm knows that if he opens up with his machine gun, they will finish him off fast and catch up to the Losers, so he attempts to delay them as long as possible by appealing to their fighting pride. The first underling to accept his challenge he readily defeats, but the tough guy boss tells his men to hold their fire while he roughs up Storm. Storm takes quite a beating refusing to tell where the Losers have taken the mayor, but he holds out long enough for the Losers to return and save him. Captain Storm asks them why they didn't just leave half a man behind and they tell it isn't the outside that's important but what's inside that makes a man. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Losers Vol. 1 TPB (2012).

Next is a two-page Battle Ablum on the Sherman Tank by Sam Glanzman.

We end with "The New Hand" by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Our Army at War #64 (1957). This is an interesting idea, World War II dogfighting from the point of view of the synchronized watch on the new guy's hand. Not really much more to say about it.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

G.I. Combat #147

G.I. Combat #147 (On Sale: February 11, 1971), has a cover by Joe Kubert.

we begin with the Haunted Tank in "Rebel Tank" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. After his old commanding officer dies in combat, Jeb Stuart is reassigned to the command of Major Bragg. The major is offended that a Yankee has been given the name of a confederate general, so he orders Jeb to sit out of combat and make supply runs instead. The crew of the Haunted Tank complies, but after a while, they want to get back in the fight.

Eventually, Jeb disobeys orders and sends the Haunted Tank to Mount Abruzzi, where Major Bragg has launched an offensive. Jeb finds Bragg's tank and the others destroyed, Bragg orders Jeb to retreat, but once again he disobeys orders and attacks the Nazi position. By guiding the small tank along a mountain goat trail, the Haunted Tank is able to surprise the Nazis from behind and deliver the knock-out blow to their installation. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Haunted Tank Vol. 2 TPB (2008).

Next, we have "Sniper's Roost" by Bob Haney and Mort Drucker and reprinted from All American Men of War #71 (1959). The story of a Nazi sniper, called "The Hawk" and how he looks at his targets as toys or insects until one gets far too close. Really wonderful artwork by MAD's Mort Drucker.

That is followed by "Tin Pot Listening Post" by Bob Haney and Jerry Grandenetti and reprinted from All American Men of War #70 (1959). A young recruit is sent into the jungle to be the forward listening post for his outfit. He is so jumpy he mistakes insects, monkeys, and birds for the enemy but each such mistake brings out a real enemy that the young recruit takes care of himself.

Next up is "Broomstick Pilot" by France Herron and John Severin and reprinted from Our Army at War #69 (1958). A young co-pilot on his way to bomb a Nazi submarine pen is startled when the pilot leaves formation and drops low to the ground to avoid enemy aircraft. The pilot says they are now "broomstick pilots" as they fly on at 100 feet, running enemy planes into tension wires and poles, dodging the fire of tanks and ground artillery. They take out the submarine pen then head back home hugging the ground all the way. 

Our next tale is "Battle Window" by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru, and MikeEsposito and reprinted from All-American Men of War #36 (1956). New recruit Terry was a window washer before the war and everything in the war reminds him of the windows he hates.

This issue ends with "Target for an Ammo Boy" by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and reprinted from All American Men of War #71 (1959). On a Pacific island, a recruit tags along with T.K., known by the men as Tank Killer. Everywhere they look, they find hidden tanks.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

Our Fighting Forces #124

Our Fighting Forces #124 (On Sale: January 8, 1970) has a Losers cover by Joe Kubert.

This issue begins with The Losers in "Losers Take All" by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. The Losers sneak in through Nazi-occupied France to another, unnamed Nazi-occupied country to rescue a king from the hands of the Nazis. There is a modicum of action along their way to the castle where the king is being held, but they eventually make it. There they find that the king is only a child.

As the Nazis storm the castle ("Have good time stormin' the castle!"), the Losers escape with the boy-king by making parachutes out of the royal curtains ("No, not the curtains!"). After blowing up a statue of Hitler in the town plaza the Losers turn the boy over to Allied forces. I'm not quite sure I see the purpose in this story existing, but I feel that way after reading many Kanigher books.

There is a nice two-page Battle Album on the "Killer Flying Fish of the North Atlantic" by Ken Barr.

We end with the "find' of the issue: "Parable" by Jerry DeFuccio and John Severin. This is the first of five war stories that Jerry DeFuccio would write for DC and it is wonderful in its richness of character and place. This may be due to Jerry's tenure at EC Comics where he was an assistant editor and researcher for Harvey Kurtzman's war books, Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales, books for which Jerry also wrote stories. But Jerry is mainly known for his long career as a writer at Mad Magazine, where was was also an associate editor for 25 years. Jerry DeFuccio died of cancer in August, 2001.

The "Parable" takes place in British-occupied Kandahar Afghanistan in the 1880s and tells the tale of one Private Shelley, a tightrope walker turned British soldier who fell in love with Afghanistan and after his discharge went to live with one of the local tribes. There he made the tribesmen's lives better, lowering the infant mortality rate and turning the men to a more peaceful way of life. But they believed that Shelley was a saint and as such would serve them better in paradise looking after their black souls, so one day they gutted him and left him on the side of the road for dead while they rushed home to pray for his released spirit in paradise.

But he wasn't quite dead yet and a British patrol finds him and brings him to their fort, where none of them recognize him since his appearance had changed so much since joining the tribe. When they ask him through a translator if his wound is deep he answers with a quote from Romeo and Juliet, "Tis not deep as a well nor wide as a church-door" and they realize that he is an Englishman. As one of the men put it, "He died as an Englishman...without denying his people of the Hindu-Kush!" This story was reprinted in Sgt. Rock Special #3.

This story also marked the first work at DC by John Severin since 1958, his first work with the company being in 1948 on a Boy Commandos story. Severin has had four good runs at DC, the first in 1957-1958 doing war stories. The second begins with this story and continues a year from now when he takes over the reigns of the Losers from 1971-1974. The third begins in late 1980 and really picks up steam in 1981 when he draws Enemy Ace for two years. His fourth run began in 2000 and contains runs on Desperadoes Quiet of the Grave, Caper, and Bat Lash.

John Severin is well known for his stint at EC Comics working on Two-Fisted Tales and of course as one of the five artists who began Mad. When EC folded John worked for years at Atlas/Marvel and was well regarded as an inker for Dick Ayers in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos and Herb Trimpe on The Incredible Hulk. In the 1970s he worked with his sister Marie Severin on King Kull.

Many people know John Severin from his years of association with Cracked Magazine, where he did countless movie and TV parodies and tons of covers.

Edited by Joe Kubert.