Hot Wheels #5

Hot Wheels #5 (On Sale: September 22, 1970) has another nice cover by Alex Toth.

From day one this book has been Alex Toth's baby, but never more than this issue, his last on the series. From his design of the Hot Wheels characters for Saturday morning TV, to his pencils on the first cover and first three issues' main stories, to his cover and full art last issue, he slowly took on more of the production of the book. This issue he provides not only the cover and the full artwork on the main story, but also the script. During this time Toth was also drawing half-page color Sunday comics ads for the Hot Wheels toys, featuring drivers Dan Gurney and Don Prudhomme.

As comic book storytelling, I prefer last issue, which feels more like a standard comic than this one. This issue is more like a movie's storyboards. With the exception of one double panel on the final page, Toth tells this story in sixteen pages, consisting of eight equal-sized panels, separated by black borders. "The Case of the Curious Classic" is written, penciled and inked by Alex Toth. We begin in 1937 outside Metro City, a beautiful white Cord sedan making its way down the highway is suddenly being followed. The Cord increases its speed, leaving the highway for a narrow mountain road and the chase car follows. The front-wheel drive Cord begins to pull away in the tight turns, losing the chase car. 

The Cord unfortunately runs out of gas and the driver cuts the ignition and the lights, deciding to drive by moonlight. but as he begins to lose speed, the driver decides to hide the car in the heavy roadside brush. Driving through the brush, the driver is not expecting the step incline he now finds himself sliding down. As the pursuit car passes it by unawares, the car ends its descent in a shallow pond that turs out to be a muddy bog. As the czar begins to sink, the driver escapes. later that night the driver, recently retired racketeer, bootlegger and smuggler "huff" Braden,  flags down a ride and an hour later leaves the country in a small private plane.

Ten years pass and when a young farmer named Jess Mabry drains some bottom land for more crop acreage, he finds an old Cord. After advertisements in the paper do not result in an owner coming forward, he decides to keep it as a project. But farming was hard and he had no time, so the old mud-encrusted car sat in his old barn for 23 years.

Coming back from a father-son camping trip, Mike and Jack Wheeler stop at a local farm for some fresh bacon and eggs, only to notice the old Cord siting in the barn. Mike recognizes what it is and pays $1,000 for the car. Back at Wheeler Motors, the Hot Wheels gang starts to work on cleaning up the old classic, which catches the eyes of the local paper and TV station. The story is picked up by the national news and in a South American country one viewer is more that a little interested in the car. The next week is filled with Mike getting inquiring phone calls, one offering $5,000 for the car, but Mike rebuffs all offers.

A few weeks later the car is ready for a test drive and Mike and Jack take to an abandoned airfield to out the car though its paces. When they leave they are followed by an unknown car. Realizing they cannot outrun a new car on straight roads, Mike takes an old mountain road. Ironically, it is the same road the car took in its final drive in 1937. The front wheel drive Cord has no problem handling some tight turns, but the pursuing car is not so lucky and plunges over a cliff. The highway patrol find three dead men in the car, one of the being Garth Ernst, a high-level drug trafficker who came into power in the 1930s after "Huff" Braden disappeared.

When Mike gets a phone call one night offering $50,000 for the car, he becomes suspicious and calls the police. The next day Mike is back on TV saying that he will race the Cord in next month's Concours d'Elegance Classics Competition and will begin a full teardown of the Cord in the morning in preparation for the competition. That night when someone sneaks into Wheeler Motors to steal the car, the police are waiting. The thief is wounded in the shootout and eventually confesses to be "Huff" Braden. He admits the car is his, coated in 1/8th inch of pure gold and that there are 50 god ingots in the floor pan and two million in diamonds in the door and trunk panels. The car was his getaway plan and is worth more than four million in total. 

Weeks later the Cord, stripped of gold and jewels, wins the competition.

The back up is "The Dangerous Days of Mickey Barnes!" by Len Wein, Ric Estrada and Dick Giordano. One day in the school parking lot, new kid Mickey Barnes literally runs into Jack Wheeler, the two almost coming to blows. Later in the day, they literally bump into one another in the school hallway, with only the interference of rich kid Dexter Carter stopping a fight form occurring. After school, Mickey is testing out his new Mustang at the Airport track when Dexter arrives and talks Mickey into racing his car in an upcoming race where Jack Wheeler should be the front runner.

The day of the race, Jack tries to warn Mickey that Dexter is bad news and will do anything to win. Mickey blows him off and the race begins. Jack takes an early lead, but Mickey is right behind him. When Mickey tries to pass Jack he notices that Jack's brake line is disconnected and unable to warn Jack, Mickey puts his car in front of Jack and uses it to slow Jack down, one bump at a time. Once stopped off the course, Jack notices that his brake line had been cut. Mickey explodes and heads over to Dexter and his goons. The goons pile onto Mickey, but Jack jumps into the fray and the two of them take care of Dexter's boys and a beautiful friendship is born.

We end with a two-page Hot Wheels text story, "What it Takes" with illustrations by Sal Amendola. This is Amendola's first work at DC and is uncredited, but Sal's unique style is impossible to miss. Amendola graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1969 with a 3-year certificate. He eventually returned, with Robert McGinnis as his thesis adviser, to earn his MFA in illustration. Sal worked at a writer, penciller, inker, editor, letterer and colorist, mostly at DC but also at Marvel for a spell and at Archie decades later. He wrote and penciled the Batman story "Night of the Stalker!" in Detective Comics #439  which was dialogued by Steve Englehart, and is considered as one of the greatest Batman short stories ever.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Superman #231

Superman #231 (On Sale: September 17, 1970) has another nice cover by Neal Adams.

This marked the end of an era. Mort Weisinger had been an editor at DC comics since More Fun Comics #71 in 1941, which he not only edited but in which he wrote "The Riddle of the Crying Clown," creating along with artist Chad Grothkopf the character Johnny Quick. He also co-created Aquaman, Green Arrow, and the original Vigilante, served as story editor for the Adventures of Superman television series, and compiled the often-revised paperback 1001 Valuable Things You Can Get Free.  In 1948 Mort would take over the editorial reigns of Superman, guiding the character for the next 22 years. This was the last book to bare his editorial stamp and marked the end of his 29-year career at DC. Mort died after suffering a heart attack on May 7, 1978.

We begin with  "The Wheel of Super-Fortune" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Dan Adkins. It is maybe appropriate that Mort Weisinger's last book be an "Imaginary Story" that he seemed to love so much. Continuing from last issue, Superman (Lex Luthor) tries to convince Lois Lane that Clark Kent is a criminal. Despite this, Lois still defends Clark. Meanwhile, Clark visits a mystic who reveals Luthor's origin. Using Lois as a hostage, Clark forces Luthor to let him get away with his crimes.

Eventually, one of Luthor's robots acts against Clark. Kent gets his revenge by kidnapping Lois. Believing Lois dead, Luthor tries to stop Clark when he strikes again. This time Clark destroys a large section of Metropolis, but Luthor evacuated the people. Finally Clark attempts to steal Luthor's powers. He fails and is killed as a result.

I have to say that maybe the most clever thing about this issue is on the cover where the impact from Superman's head hitting the wall, obscures the fact that he is actually bald-headed Lex Luthor.

We end with "Superman's Fatal Costume" by Jerry Coleman and Al Plastino and reprinted from Superman #112. Luthor uses a spectroscope to study Superman’s costume and learn about its special properties. Using a device he created, Luthor causes the costume to give off heat, change metal into wood, and explode. Superman manages to uncover the plot, apprehend Luthor and some escaped prisoners, and take measures to ensure his costume can’t be used against him again.

Edited for the very last time by Mort Weisinger.

Falling in Love #119

Falling in Love #119 (On Sale: September 17, 1970) has another sexy cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with "Love Me Forever Marry Me Never" inked by Bernard Sachs. When her boyfriend ask Myrna to marry him, she sends him out of her life, just as she has all the boys who proposed. She can't marry anybody because she must take care of her mother, who she has promised to provide for.  

One day while walking down the street wearing a new hat her mother had knitted for her, photographer Keith Stockbridge takes her picture. He is the heir to a department store fortune, but after they start dating he soon lets her know that he is going to make it on his own as a photographer and will not have money to support both her and her mother. A few weeks later her mother is ecstatic when she gets a new job at Stockbridge Department store making hats. It seems Keith was able to find a solution to Myrna's problem and is able to marry her.

Next is "What Every Girl Should Know" drawn by Lee Elias. Julie is bored with the guys she has been dating, which she could meet a man more like her father. When an old friend of her father's, Vincent Pryor come over for dinner, Julie learns he is widowed and as the days roll by she can't get him out of her mind. 

They meet again a few weeks later and eventually begin to date, but things go south when Vincent begins to feel jealous of Julie's school friends and realizes he is taking her away from what should be her life with people her own age. He decides to move away, but Julie stops him and lets him know that it is in his arms she wants to be.

That is followed by "Loser at Love" drawn by Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Secret Hearts #37. When Amy's boyfriend, Kenneth, moves to the city to save up enough money so they can marry, she is happy, until his letters to her start mentioning a coworker named Joan. When her father suggests she too move to the city for a change of scene, Amy jumps at the opportunity. Ken has arraigned for her to stay with Joan, but she soon finds out her suspicions about Joan were not without cause. One day on the ski slopes the two women have it out and Joan admits she has eyes on Kenneth and plans to steal him away from Amy. But Ken overheard the conversation and makes it clear that he still intends to marry Amy. 

We conclude this issue with a one-page "Beauty on a Budget" by Liz Berube. 

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Teen Titans #30

Teen Titans #30 (On Sale: September 15, 1970) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with the Teen Titans in "Greed... Kills" by Steve Skeates and Nick Cardy. The costumeless Titans are assigned by Mr. Jupiter to procure a charity donation from businessman Hargood P. Tout, but become sidetracked by a premonition of Lilith's which has them preventing a robbery. When one of the thieves, is hit by a car while making his getaway, the Titans call it a night. The police are interested in the old man as one of them recognized him as Kevin Murphy, who supposedly died in a fire ten years prior.

The next day the Titians are rebuffed when they meet with Tout about a donation to Jupiter's criminal rehabilitation charity, Tout espousing about law and order and how he would never help lazy criminals. The Titans are unsure how to continue, as Mr. Jupiter told them not to come back till they had secured the donation. Lilith, with another premonition, suggests they wait till tonight and visit the old guy in the hospital who was hit by the car.

   

That night, two assassins break into the hospital and kill one of the officers on Murphy's room and have the other officer pinned down. The Titans arrive in time to take out the assassins and go into Murphy's room with the cop as Murphy is awakening.

Murphy explains that the killers have been sent by Hargood Tout, who is revealed as Murphy's former criminal partner. After Tout had used his ill-gotten gains to become a legitimate businessman, he had tried to have Murphy done away with to prevent him from revealing Tout's shady past, but Murphy had faked his own death in order to foil his would-be assassins. Now revealed as being still alive, Murphy is again a target, until the Titans stop Tout's hirelings. The story ends abruptly with the Titans vowing to see that Tout faces justice.

Next is a two-page Kid Flash text story, "Whirlwind" by Steve Skeates, illustrated by Rich Buckler. These four illustrations are Buckler's first work at DC. When a man uses a device which turns him into a human whirlwind to rob a band, Wally West dons his Kid Flash uniform once again to stop him.

We end with our cover-story, "Some Call it Noise" starring Aqualad and Aquagirl by Steve Skeates and Nick Cardy. Aqualad and Aquagirl come ashore to enjoy part of an outdoor rock concert in a small coastal town. Meanwhile, a hospital patient becomes a berserk madman when given an injection of an experimental synthetic hormone. He escapes the hospital, and is drawn to the concert by the sound of the music. There he menaces the audience, knocking Aquagirl in the head before Aqualad overcomes him, 

Aquagirl awakes in a daze and instead of heading back to the water, wanders inland. Aqualad barely manages to find her and return both of them to the sea before they die, having been on land beyond their one-hour time limit. This story was reprinted in DC Super Stars #7 and the entire book was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Phantom Stranger #10

Phantom Stranger #10 (On Sale: September 15, 1970) has another moody cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with the Phantom Stranger in "Death... Call Not My Name" by Gerry Conway and Jim Aparo. Though not his first writing for DC, this is the first non-horror anthology story Conway ever wrote, but his tenure on the book will be short (two issues). This same month he wrote a Ka-Zar story for Marvel and in two months he would move to Marvel almost exclusively, taking over the reigns of Daredevil, Iron Man, The Inhumans, Ka-Zar, the Black Widow, the Sub-Mariner, Doctor Doom, Spider-Man, Tomb of Dracula, The Fantastic Four and others. Except for inventory stories, he would not return to DC till 1975.  

Three young girls are gathered in a night club, and one of them is invited to dance with a man called Tannarak. Shortly after, the girl drops dead, and her death brings both Dr. Thirteen and the Phantom Stranger to investigate the situation. When one of the girls is kidnapped by Tannarak later in the streets, the two men track them down to Tannarak's secret lair.

Michele, the girl who was kidnapped, is remarkably similar to Dianna, one of Tannarak's childhood friends from centuries ago, during his time in Egypt. He reveals that when he was abandoned by her when they got caught stealing from a market. Since then, Tannarak became obsessed with cheating death, and soon obtained the Blood Stone and the Elixir of Death and both items allowed him to lock away his own humanity inside a statue, preventing him from ever aging and dying. After centuries of search, he finally has found his lover and he intends to use it to remove the Michele's soul and bring back Dianna, with him he shall live forever.

When the Stranger arrives, he confronts and battles Tannarak. The battle ends when the statue of himself falls on Tannarak, and apparently kills him. When Dr. Thirteen arrives he once more subscribes to the notion that everything that happened that night could be explained scientifically, but the evidence provided by Stranger indicates that Tannarak was truly an alchemist. This was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB.

Next we have "The Bewitched Clock" drawn by Ruben Moreira and reprinted from House of Mystery #11.

We end with the Phantom Stranger in "Charlie's Crocodile," which is also by Gerry Conway and Jim Aparo. Charles Cuddy is married to a wife who always demands more, and he's had enough. He decides to seek out a business listed in the classified adds stating that it can get rid of any pest. Along the way he is confronted by the Phantom Stranger, who warns Charles not to take business from this establishment.

Ignoring him, Charles seeks the service of the proprietor, Mr. Scratch, who gives him an inflatable crocodile to deal with his wife for free, only asking for the man's name and work place. That night Charles inflates it and puts it into their pool. Later when his wife goes for a swim the crocodile comes to life and kills her.

Enjoying his newfound freedom, Charles has his home all to himself and he throws a party, but some of the guests decide to prank Charles and place the inflatable crocodile inside the pool, just as he goes for a swim and his life ends in the same gruesome way as that of his former wife. The Phantom Stranger watches ominously from afar while Mr. Scratch cross Charles' name from a large book he keeps with the rest of his "clients'" names. Other listed clients include Carmine Infantino, Joe Orlando and Neal Adams. This was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

I've Fallen Behind

Life has a way of getting in the way of blogging. I recently had a death in the family and last week got married. Both have taken time away from this blog. I will try to get back on track in the next week or so.

Young Love #83

Young Love #83 (On Sale: September 10, 1970) has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

We begin with "Report on Love" drawn by Jay Scott Pike. Amy agrees to "keep an eye on" Jack, her sister Stella's boyfriend, while Stella is away at college. When Amy and Jack unexpectedly fall in love, Stella graciously steps aside.

That is followed by "His Old Flame" by persons unknown. Everyone warns Sherry when her boyfriend Ken's old girlfriend Nora comes back to town. Sherry makes a serious mistake that almost drives Ken away for good, but then she comes up with the perfect plan to get Nora out of their lives.

We end with "How Do You Know When It's Love" by Winslow Mortimer and Vinny Colletta. Dick finally gets his chance to be more than friends with Michelle, but they are both unsure that things will work out.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

World's Finest Comics #198

World's Finest Comics #198 (On Sale: September 10, 1970) has a Superman/Flash cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson. I'm not quite sure why DC did not wait for the anniversary 200th issue to make this change, but they did not. For the past 16 years, World's Finest Comics has featured a team-up of Superman and Batman, however that all changes this issue, as the book transforms into a Superman and someone else team-up book, Superman's equivalent to The Brave and the Bold which has featured Batman and another character teaming up each issue for a few years now.

We begin with Superman nd the Flash in "Race to Save the Universe" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Joe Giella.  Jimmy Olsen wake up one morning to find himself transported to ancient Rome, while an ancient Roman is transported to Metropolis. Superman captured the Roman, thinking he is a mental patient and before he can deal with him, the Guardians of the Universe summon Superman, with Roman solider in tow, to Oa. They Guardians explain that a group called the Anachronids, is streaking across space at faster than light speeds and disrupting the natural flow of the universe. To combat the menace, the Guardians ask Superman and the Flash to speed in the opposite direction to enact a balance. Because the Flash cannot survive in space, the Guardians grant him a device which allows him to endure space. It also creates a surface for him to run. 

Superman contacts the Flash, who suggests to Superman that they use the opportunity to race in order to find out who is really the fastest.As the race begins, Superman and the Flash encounter the Anachronids. The creatures trigger a nearby sun to go super-nova. To escape the blast, Superman and the Flash enter a dimensional portal where they are briefly trapped. Once they escape, they resume their race. When they capture one of the Anachronids, they discover it to be a robot which disintegrates at normal speeds. Superman suspects he knows who is responsible for its construction.

Meanwhile, in ancient Rome, Jimmy Olsen is being executed as a spy. This tory is continued next issue and was reprinted in Superman Vs. Flash TPB and Showcase Presents: World's Finest Vol. 4 TPB.

The back-up story starring Johnny Quick is "Joanie Swift, Queen of Speed" illustrated by Paul Norris and reprinted from Adventure Comics #181. Student-secretary Joanie Swift is typing a list of time-space equations for physics Professor Winklerod when she stumbles across the Speed Formula. Realizing she has the same powers as Johnny Quick, she creates a similar costume and proposes they form a team. The hero is afraid that she'll be ineffective in the field as a vigilante and possibly hurt so he stages a series of events to convince her that super speed is a burden. She enjoys them all and Quick is despairing that she'll never give up the life of action until she faints at the sight of a mouse. While she's out, he rearranges the formulae in her notes so that she cannot find the Speed Formula again.

Paul Norris began in comics in 1940 creating the features Power Nelson, Futureman, and Yank & Doodle for the comic-book publisher Prize Publications. By 1941 he had transitioned to DC where he worked on revamping Sandman, adding superhero attire and introduced sidekick Sandy the Golden Boy. Also in 1941, in the pages of More Fun Comics # 73 , Norris and Mort Weisinger created Aquaman, which would be Norris's biggest contribution to the DC universe. In 1943, Norris quit DC when King Features Syndicate assigned him to write and draw the existing strip Secret Agent X-9 strip, which he did for three months before being drafted into World War II.

Following the war, Norris was rehired by King Features Syndicate, and in 1948 began drawing the Sunday edition of Austin Briggs' comic strip Jungle Jim. He continued to freelance for DC Comics through 1953, drawing the detective feature Captain Compass in most issues of Star Spangled Comics and the super-speedster feature Johnny Quick in Adventure Comics.

In 1952, Norris succeeded artist Clarence Gray on the science-fiction comic strip Brick Bradford, continuing to draw it for 35 years until his and the strip's retirement in 1987. Norris also drew issues of Dell Comics' Tom Corbett, Space Cadet and Jungle Jim, In the 1960s, he drew stories of jungle adventurer Tarzan and science-fiction hero Magnus, Robot Fighter in comic books for Gold Key Comics. In the 1970s with writer Gaylord DuBois, Norris co-created the Gold Key jungle characters Kono and Tono in the namesake series The Jungle Twins.

Between 1977 and 1978, Norris worked on Scooby-Doo and the Flintstones for Marvel.. His last comics work was a drawing of Aquaman in DC Comics' multi-artist, multi-character History of the DC Universe poster in 1987. Norris passed away in 2007.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Justice League of America #84

Justice League of America #84 (On Sale: September 10, 1970) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. 

We begin with "The Devil in Paradise" by Robert Kanigher, Dick Dillin and Joe Giella. At the annual presentation of the Nobel Prizes, the Justice League receives a special award for its rescue of a top chemist from the crime syndicate known as the 100, and Dr. Viktor Willard wins the Peace Prize for his creation of the Pax serum, which turns aggressors into "doves." Black Canary is surprised when she is able to read the thoughts of Willard's fiancée, Phyllis Temple.

Some time later, the Flash rescues Phyllis from a capsized boat in the ocean after she escapes Willard 's island hideaway and warns the Justice League that Willard has gone mad, and intends to use the serum to unleash hatred in all the world's nations, causing humanity to exterminate itself. The JLA are powerless when Willard threatens to kill Phyllis if they intervene. It is Villard's own android creation, Nether Man, who turns on his master, and sacrifices his own existence to save Phyllis and the world. 

I believe this was Robert Kanigher' s only Justice League story an the only appearance of the 100 outside of his stories in Lois Lane till Tony Isabella would resurrect the group in the pages of Black Lightening in 1977. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Justice League of America Vol. 5 TPB, Justice League of America Archives Vol. 10 HC and Justice League of America: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC.

The filler story is "Great Ant Circus" by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Strange Adventures #30.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Our Fighting Forces #128

Our Fighting Forces #128 (On Sale: September 8, 1970) has a Losers cover by Joe Kubert. 

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.

House of Mystery #189

House of Mystery #189 (On Sale: September 8, 1970) has a classic horror cover by Neal Adams. The power is in its simplicity; just a brilliant cover.

As a buffer to the creepiness of the cover, we begin with two pages of House of Mystery humor by the great Sergio Aragones featuring caretaker Cain. 

That leads us into our cover story, "Eyes of the Cat" by Robert Kanigher, Jerry Grandenetti and the inks of Wally Wood. Nicholas Towers is a tenant in the House of Mystery who is constantly tormented by the wailing of a black cat named Lucifer. Cain lets us know that Lucifer is a ghost cat, tormenting a ghost villain. Through Lucifer's glowing red eyes we see the past, Nicolas living with his Uncle Ansel, his cousin, Cynthia, and her pet cat, Lucifer. 

We see Nicholas losing a small fortune in bad gambling and his uncle refusing to pays his debts any longer. We see a desperate Nicholas, pushing his Uncle's wheelchair off a cliff, drowning him in a lake, the sad funeral that follows and Nicholas learning that his uncle left everything to Cynthia. We see Nicholas trying to lure Cynthia to her death at a rigged railing, only to be thwarted by Lucifer, and days later him trying to shoot Cynthia in the woods. We see Lucifer once again protecting her and Nicolas chasing after him to finish the pet off first. We see Nicolas being lured into quicksand and sinking as Lucifer looks on.

Cain does not like Nicholas always shooting at the cat and scaring off his other tenants.

Next we have "The Deadly Game of G-H-O-S-T" drawn by Leonard Starr and reprinted from House of Mystery #11. At a meeting of the Occult Society, leader Alice has brought her boss along as a guest to join the members in a game of Ghost, where each person says a letter, spelling an occult word. The person who finishes a word fives times is said to be the ghost. A member named Philip Gregg is the loser and to everyone's surprise vanishes into thin air. Robert Trent, another member refuses to believe that it was nothing more than a parlor trick, but that night, as he tried to sleep he is visited by the ghost of Gregg, who says he knows that Trent murdered his business partner. The next day, Gregg's ghost follows Trent to his work.

Alice asks if he is OK, but Trent says he is fine, but the ghost is everywhere and he finally breaks down, admitting that he killed his partner when he found out Trent was embezzling money from the company. A few moments later the police arrive and arrest Trent. It is revealed that she suspected her boss of killing his partner and staged the whole thing using luminescent paint and hidden speakers.

Leonard Starr worked in comics from 1948 to 1957, mostly for DC doing mystery and western books. In 1957, Starr created the newspaper strip On Stage, which he wrote and drew till it ended in 1979. In 1979 he revived the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. and drew it till he retired in 2000. In 1980 he created Kelly Green with Stan Drake as a series of graphic novels about a sexy female action heroine, which were illustrated by Drake. He also ghost wrote Rip Kirby for years and also worked in animation for a time. He died June 30, 2015.

We end with "The Thing in the Chair" by Jack Oleck and Tom Sutton. Parents bring their girl to a healer that lives in the swamp and offer him twenty dollars if he can drive Satan out of the girl. The girl claims she is a witch and calls the old man a fake, but when he says he has cured her the parents pay him anyway. She visits the old man several times demanding he return her parent's money and hexes his animals and well. When she tells him that she sees him and Death sitting in the same chair he becomes angry with her and throws her out. She hits her head and is killed. He disposes of the body in the swamp but there is a witness who alerts the authorities. He is tried, convicted and meets his end in the electric chair.

Tom Sutton started in comics in 1967 with work for both Marvel (Kid Colt Outlaw) and Warren, (Eerie #11), spending the next few years working for both companies, including a stint on Marvel's parody book, Not Brand Echh! and Vampirella's origin story in Vampirella #1. 

This was Tom's first work at DC, where, for a time, he did mainly horror and war stories, including a  long stint on I... Vampire in House of Mystery from 1981 to 1983. In 1984 he began a five years stretch on DC's Star Trek book, beginning with issue #1 and ending with issue #55. He also did work on Batman, Dr. Fate, Swamp Thing, Hacker, Hellblazer, Animal Man and the Doom Patrol. Tom also did work for Atlas, Skywald, Eclipse, Eros, Fantagraphics, First and Charlton. Police found Sutton dead of an apparent heart attack in his Amesbury apartment on May 3, 2002.

The entire book was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The House of Mystery Vol. 1 TPB. 

Binky's Buddies #12

Binky's Buddies #12 (On Sale: September 8, 1970) has a cover by Stan Goldberg and Henry Scarpelli. It features the side panel on the left, like all the DC humor books started using. This is the last issue of this title.

We begin with Binky's Buddies in "Kisses, Kisses, Kisses" by Henry Boltinoff, Doug Crane and Henry Scarpelli. This story was reprinted in Best of DC #45.

That is followed by Benny in "What More Can Happen?", drawn by Stan Goldberg.

Next we have Buzzy in "Flattery Will Get You Everywhere."

We end with another tale of Buzzy, "Big Charade."

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Adventures of Jerry Lewis #121

Adventures of Jerry Lewis #121 (On Sale: September 8, 1970) has a cover by Bob Oksner.

We begin with "Schnook and Ladder" by Alan Riefe and Bob Oksner. While playing checkers at the local firehouse, Jerry's new bicycle is stolen. Jerry accidently catches a ride with the firemen to a fire, only to end up on the end up on the wrong end of a the ladder and saving fire-eater Madame Flamazola. Jerry ends up falling through a skylight and into the shop of the bicycle thieves. In the ensuing paint gun fight, Jerry set a torch to a crate, resulting in so much popping that the bicycle gang feels out numbered and gives up. Ends up they were in Popopski's Popcorn factory. With the help of the firemen, Jerry recovers his stolen bicycle.

Next is  "Pizza Pie in the Sky"  written by Len Wein, Marv Wolfman and Howie Post, drawn by Bob Oksner and Tex Blaisdell and reprinted from Adventures of Jerry Lewis #109. Jerry takes a job at a pizza booth, but can't get the hang of tossing the dough and ends up getting fired, as usual.

That is followed by our cover story, "A Boob in the Woods" by Alan Riefe and Bob Oksner. When Renfrew complains about Uncle Jerry's guitar playing and singing, Jerry heads to the woods for quiet place to practice. Instead of quiet, he runs into the gun-toting hillbilly family, the Shacknastys: Paw, twins Clark and Errol and daughter Sairy June. Jerry is taken at gunpoint to join their family band and ends up caught in their feud with the Jugbender family.

Jerry escapes but runs into a music producer who wants to tape the two families music. Jerry agrees to help (for money), and the producer ends up signing both families to contracts. Jerry takes his money and buys a tuba, causing Renfrew to ask him to go out to the woods to practice.

We end with "Low I.Q. High Snafu" written by Don Segall, penciled by Bob Oksner and inked by Oksner and Tex Blaisdell, and reprinted from Adventures of Jerry Lewis #108. Jerry takes a job painting flagpoles, but starts at the bottom ending up trapped at the top till the paint dries.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Flash #201

Flash #201 (On Sale: September 3, 1970) has a cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson.

We begin with our cover-story, "Million-Dollar Dream" by Robert Kanigher, Irv Novick and Murphy Anderson. The Flash meets Pablo Hernandez, a teen basketball star, who is also known as the Spanish Flash. After witnesses Pablo's basketball skills, he takes Pablo to Puerto Rico to visit his grandparents. On the way, they cross paths with a ship on fire. The Flash leaves Pablo on the ship while he puts out the fire. A broken mast falls on Pablo crushing his legs.

The Flash takes Pablo to the hospital. Pablo is unable to walk, but the doctors believe the damage is psychological not physical. The Flash is blamed for ruining Pablo's career. The speedster blames himself too. As a result, he loses concentration while battling criminals and is also injured.

The Flash is taken to the same hospital as Pablo and is also unable to walk. When a fire breaks out, the Flash encourages Pablo to walk and get out of the building. Pablo is able to walk, but instead of leaving he drags Flash out of harm's way. However, with the fire closing in, the Flash must overcome his own psychological trauma to get them both to safety.

Next we have "Finale for a Fiddler," a seven-page back-up featuring the Golden-Age Flash, Jay Garrick, or The Flash of Earth 2, if you like. It is written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Murphy Anderson. It is always fun to see Murphy both pencil and ink. The Flash stops a robbery and apprehends the Turtle Man and his gang. He is exhausted after the fight, but his wife Joan convinces Jay to take her to an outdoor music festival. 

The concert is interrupted when the Fiddler makes an appearance and tries to rob the box office, controlling the crowd with his hypnotic fiddle playing. The Flash goes into action, but he is too tired to reach his opponent. The Fiddler laughs. When he does, he stops playing his hypnotic song. This allows the Flash a moment to grab the Fiddler's bow and make the capture. This pretty silly story was reprinted in Justice Society of America 100-Page Super Spectacular #1. 

Padding out the page-count is the four-page "The Man with Future-Vision" by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Strange Adventures #73. An accident gives a man vision that sees events three months from now.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Batman #226

Batman #226  (On Sale: September 3, 1970) has in interesting cover by Neal Adams introducing The Ten-Eyed Man.

We begin with our cover story, "The Man With Ten Eyes" by Frank Robbins, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano.  A security guard tries to stop a gang of thieves from taking valuable furs from a heavily closed vault, but he is easily outnumbered by the thugs. The crooks prepare a large amount of explosives to destroy the vault, but as they light the fuse, Batman arrives. However, he is confronted by the security guard, who mistakes Batman for a criminal and starts fighting him. They struggle for too long and the explosives blow up near them, blinding the guard and knocking Batman unconscious.

The crooks take the furs and their leader carries the security guard, Reardon, to an ophthalmologist, who helps Reardon recover his sight using a risky surgical procedure.  The doctor connects Reardon's optic nerves to the tips of his fingers, giving him ten "eyes" to see with. The bizarre surgery works, but the Ten-Eyed Man goes after revenge on the man he blames for his condition: Batman.

Meanwhile, Batman's vision has also been slightly affected and he is forced to use black contacts in order to restore his sight. Batman installs a camera in his cowl that will project the images back to a monitor in the Wayne Foundation laboratory, where Alfred keeps an eye out, and guiding Batman through a microphone. As Batman is confronted by the Ten-Eyed Man, Alfred helps Batman avoid some of the incoming attacks. During the struggle, the black contacts slip out of Batman's eyes and he has to fight a man with a serious advantage over him. 

When Batman finally realizes that Reardon can see with his hands, he uses this knowledge to incapacitate his hands using his cape and Batman manages to knock the villain unconscious. Batman decides to contact the doctor responsible for giving Reardon his ability, but by the time they get to the place Batman left Reardon, the villain is already gone. Batman is concerned as he realizes that a serious threat to Gotham is on the loose.

The back-up reprint is tagged as a "Casebook Mystery",  "The Case of the Gigantic Gamble" is drawn by John Ely and reprinted from Gangbusters #37. After losing his business in a poker game, a man commits murder, but his alibi is thwarted by an unforeseen snow storm that put him at the scene of the crime much earlier than he had said.

Edited by Julie Schwartz.

Aquaman #54

Aquaman #54  (On Sale: September 3, 1970) has yet another striking cover by Nick Cardy.

In "Crime Wave!" by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo, missing people are reappearing committing crimes, but when captured they are all in some sort of trance, mindlessly repeating, "I am dead. Thanatos killed me." 

Aquaman is ambushed by a gang of thieve while rushing back to the sea after meeting with some surface-dwelling friends. Weakened by being out of water for almost an hour, Aquaman is knocked out and taken prisoner. When he awakens he finds himself standing outside an old mansion, holding a note from Mera telling him to meet here there. Searching the house he is attacked by his huge and grotesque mirror image (one of the things I loved about DC at this time is that no matter how outrageous the cover, it was from the included story), who knocks him out.

When he awakens he is in Atlantis and Mera explains how he had been found unconscious in an old house and the people were smart enough to bring him to water, where he then swam home. When he finds out that Mera did not send him a note, he is determined to go back to the house and find the evil creature that knocked him out. Getting to his feet, he is suddenly dizzy and collapses unconscious to the floor,

On the surface, the grotesque Aquaman is running down a road in search of water, wondering if the  being whose features he stole is the cause of his water craving. He makes it to the shore and dives in, wondering if he will now be trapped underwater. 

In Atlantis, Aquaman is swimming around and realizes that he has been away from his home for too long (I need to stop here and say that Aparo gives us a Hitchcock cameo here). He hears some commotion by the dome entrance and arrives to find the monstrous version of himself pummeling the city guards. When he yells at the creature to stop, he replies that he is Thanatos and he is there to kill him. They fight, but with every punch, Aquaman feels his strength being sapped and Thanatos getting stronger. Thanatos hits him so hard he is knocked out. When he awakes, he is once again back with Mera and told that Thanatos broke loose and escaped the city. Aquaman asks which direction he went and plans to go after him.

Meanwhile, back on land, the police believe that the people they have in custody, have been brainwashed, where they are thrown into a fantasy world in which they must fight a creature named Thanatos. They believe that Thanatos is the person's own death instinct, the evil side of their own nature. and that he gets stronger and stronger until he kills the subject. The police think they may know who is powerful enough to pull off such a stunt, and head out after him.

Aquaman has left Atlantis and is following Thanatos's trail, which leads him to Rusdic, a town he has never seen before and that looks like something out of the old west. He heads into the town saloon, but after not being served, he leaves. Back out on the street he is confronted by Thanatos, who wants to challenge him to a duel. He is given a gun by a local and Thanatos shoots Aquaman. When he comes too, he is back in Atlantis with Mera, who explains that he was only wounded. Aquaman protests that none of this is making sense, he keeps ending up in Atlantis with Mera. Just then, Thanatos smashes in through the wall and Aquaman prepares to do battle. 

The police break into an abandoned warehouse across town and take out a number of thugs who have people strapped to machines.

In his fight with Thanatos, Aquaman starts bobbing and weaving, not letting Thanatos touch him, negating his superior strength. Aquaman starts to be the one landing the blows.

The police take down all the thugs and their leader, then start pulling people out of the machines, each one repeating, "I am dead, Thanatos killed me." Except for the last guy they pull out, Aquaman. After his rescue, Aquaman learns that the criminals responsible were the same gang that had once kidnapped Mera.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Wonder Woman #191

Wonder Woman #191  (On Sale: September 1, 1970) has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano.

"Detour 2" is a framing sequence around a reprint of Wonder Woman #179 and is by writer/penciller Mike Sekowsky and inker Dick Giordano. After escaping from Chalandor with Ranagor, Diana Prince is welcomed by the barbarian's father. She feasts with their army who plans to attack the following day. That night she tells Ranagor her story...

"Wonder Woman’s Last Battle" is by Denny O'Neil, Mike Sekowsky and Dick Giordano and continues the amazing transformation of Wonder Woman. In this classic issue Steve Trevor undertakes a mission to infiltrate the organization of high powered criminal Doctor Cyber. To do so, he is labeled a traitor by his own government. Wonder Woman wants to help Steve, but her mother informs her that the Amazons and Paradise Island must leave Earth's dimension to renew their magical powers. Wonder Woman elects to stay behind, but she must give up her powers and costume.

Wonder Woman returns to America as the powerless Diana Prince. Without the support of her Amazon heritage, Diana must seek a new career. She rents a storefront and soon meets I-Ching, a blind Asian master of martial arts. Ching trains Diana in hand-to-hand combat to take on Doctor Cyber.

Diana finally finds Steve Trevor who has been critically injured. While Steve is hospitalized, she and Ching stop a plot by Cyber's gang to use deadly toys against the families of America's leaders. Reprinted in Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 1 TPB.

The framing sequence continues...Without realizing it, the story continues until the dawn. The forces of Chalandor attack, bringing carnage to the approaching army, but inspiring them to seek revenge. Reprinted in Diana Prince: Wonder Woman Vol. 3 TPB.

The book ends with "Marie Elizabeth Zakrzewska" a three-page Wonder Women of History written by Julius Schwartz  (in a rare stint as a writer)and drawn by John Giunta. This story is reprinted from Wonder Woman #57.

Edited by Mike Sekowsky.

Tomahawk #131

Tomahawk #131  (On Sale: September 1, 1970) has a Hawk, Son of Tomahawk cover by Joe Kubert.

So, big changes this issue. Murray Boltinoff is out and Joe Kubert is in as editor, Tomahawk is out and Hawk, Son of Tomahawk is in. This series takes place years after the previous issue. Tomahawk is an older man now, married with children, one of them being, you guessed it, Hawk. We are introduced to this new character in "Hang Him High" a 14-page tale by Robert Kanigher and Frank Thorne. A young woman is being chased by men on horseback though a narrow canyon. A young man on horseback appears and scoops the woman up taking her to safety, or so it seems. The riders follow, shoot the lad's horse and knock him out. He awakens to find himself about to be hanged by the leader of the men, known as "the Judge" unless the young woman tells him the location of her secret gold mine. The woman says there is no gold mine and the Judge shouts for his men to hang the young-un. 

Suddenly bullets fly from the bushes and the man is cut lose from the noose, the men hanging him are removed from their guns and the grizzly old Tomahawk appears, saying, "For a son of mine, Hawk, you sure look like you got your wings clipped." Hawk and his dad take care of the Judge's men and the Judge is forced to retreat, promising that he will return to hold a new trial. An hour later the girl, Angela Addams, is brought to the ranch of Tomahawk and introduced to his wife and Hawk's mother, Moon Fawn and Hawk's kid brother, Young Eagle.

The next morning Hawk rides off to confront the Judge, but Angela rides out to join him. They ride through town getting the notice of the Judge and his men then ride out to the Addams' gold mine, followed by the Judge and his men. As night falls they attack, but Hawk has weakened the supports on a sluice and a few well-placed shots sends it down on the Judge and his men. The Judge hurls dynamite at the shack Hawk and Angela are in and then rushes in to finish them off, only to find that Hawk is very much still alive and deadly. As Hawk finishes off the gang, we see Tomahawk on a nearby hill deciding that his son has everything under control.  

Next is "The Moccasins That Won a War," a six-page reprint from All Star Western #84. This one features the character Strong Bow and is by France Herron and Jerry Grandenetti. Strong Bow was a Native American warrior who traveled across Pre-Columbian era North America and helping the continent's many native tribes in times of trouble. An enigmatic man, Strong Bow said that he hailed from "beyond the Misty Mountains" and he was the last member of his tribe, which was tragically wiped out in a massacre. He first appeared in All-Star Western #58 and his last story appeared in All-Star Western #99. He made a brief appearance in All-Star Squadron Vol #55 during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

This story features the mid-1950s Grandenetti who is a much more controlled artist than the guy we know and love from the current DC horror books. While visiting the village of Chief Kyana, Strong Bow learns that Running Buffalo has attacked some of the village's warriors and has the village surrounded. Strong Bow strikes out on his own to break through Running Buffalo's lines and get help from a nearby village. Attaching one of his moccasins to an arrow shaft, Strong Bow is able to create a footprints in a direction he did not go, throwing Running Buffalo's warriors off his trail. Later, when he is once again surrounded by hostile warriors, Strong Bow scrawls a message in his mud-filled moccasin and sends it down a stream to the nearby village, bringing their warriors into the fight and defeating Running Buffalo.

Next is a two-page text piece on "Arapaho Names" illustrated by Joe Kubert. 

That is followed by "Botalye -- Immortal Indian Warrior," yet another reprint, this one from Jimmy Wakely #7. I know, I always felt cheated when I paid new money for old stories, but I really did not mind that much this time as it featured the writing of Gardner Fox! OK, what I meant to say is it features the artwork of Frank Frazetta. This is the 1950 Frazetta, around the same time he did his long stint on White Indian. It is only three pages, but it contains some very nice figures and almost no backgrounds at all. The story tells the tale of Botalye, a young Kiowa brave who, after being called a coward by another warrior, charged the guns of a surrounded supply train four times totally unarmed.

The book ends with a two-page spread ad for next issue when Joe Kubert's Firehair returns as the back up feature in this book. I was a big fan of the Firehair tryout issues of Showcase and so was really looking forward to the saga continuing.

Edited by Joe Kubert.

Our Army at War #225

Our Army at War #225  (On Sale: September 1, 1970) has a Sgt. Rock cover by Joe Kubert. Kubert was a master of infusing a cover with suspense and this one is almost Hitchcockian in its execution. It is not enough to be fighting an unheard of number of Nazis, he has to add in the dynamite about to blow and Rock being the only one aware of the impending disaster. Classic Kubert!

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.