Rock, Storm, Gunner, Sarge..

Starting in 1956 with the first grey tone or wash tone cover (All American Men at War #35), and continuing in 1959 with the first repeating characters in a war comic (Gunner & Sarge, and later Pooch in All American Men at War, and late moving to Our Fighting Forces), DC made a name for itself in war comics.

Sgt. Rock and Easy Company, the Haunted Tank, the Losers, Enemy Ace, Suicide Squad, the Unknown Soldier, Navajo Ace, a Balloon Buster, Lt. Liss' Hellcats, Capt. Storm, many of these characters went on to not only star in the existing war titles, but to either have their own book, or have the book they were featured in renamed after them.

At the beginning of the go-go check period there were six titles, at the end only four remained. The long running All American Men at War becoming the first casualty of the turmoil at DC, and the short lived Capt. storm following a few months later.

But, two quiet little keys exist in the go-go check period of war books as well. The first appearance of the Unknown Soldier, who would later headline his own book for years, and what may be the first DC work by Neal Adams, who is some artist guy I heard of once. I have one of these, I don't have the other...

For now, keep your ammo dry and your head down, there's no medals for dead heroes.

Happy (Nazi)-Hunting!

Lee K

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