Bigfiver691

And this... a New York Times obit, and deservedly so.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/19/books/sam-glanzman-dead-comic-book-artist-of-combat.html

On 2017-07-13 at 11:21 AM, comick1 said:

Hi folks,
I regret to be the one to do this, but it's with a heavy heart that I'm reporting the passing of one of the great geniuses of war comics. We lost Sam Glanzman yesterday. I'm going to walk around today and in the next few weeks with the many memories of hanging out with Sue and Sam during Comic-Con and at the war comics banquet.

Sam was an incredibly special person--a vet with a gruff exterior but a heart of pure gold. Funny and witty as hell and generous to a fault. Oh, and wrote/illustrated little 4-page autobiographical vignettes that delivered an emotional impact beyond anything I've ever seen in comics before or since. His body of work is voluminous; but the USS Stevens, named for the ship that he served on in the Pacific Theater, is one of the best things to ever appear in war comics. . .in any comics genre. I'm so glad that I got a chance to know him. If any of you never did, I recommend that you purchase the definitive reprint of the series--USS Stevens, the Collected Stories from Dover Press. Take a minute to get yourself a copy. Buy it from your local comic book store or, if you have to, get one online. 

Take 10 minutes away from garbage-TV watching or trolling around on eBay and just crack that book to read a couple stories each night. You won't regret it. They are a mystical combination of haunting retrospective and poignant commentary on the human condition. Truly brilliant story-telling. I'm so glad that this humble person had the foresight and ability to delineate the incredible narratives that were swirling around in his head. My hats off to Sam. Sounds cliche, but it truly applies here: We've lost one of the great ones. Wishing Sue and his family the best in this difficult time.

If any of you have original art or favorite Glanzman stories to share, post those here in this forum. I'm going to see if I can post one of the stories I cherish.

Very sorry to hear this news, Mick. Sam was amazing - USS Stevens, GI Combat (he drew more Haunted Tank stories than anyone), his stories in Dell's Combat, not to mention a lot of memorable art in the Charlton war books. Battle Albums! Table top dioramas! Sam gave us a massive volume of work, always top-notch, always with enormous verve and energy.

So sad. When I started getting back into collecting, there were so many creators still with us. Sigh...

Shep

Been a while since I've been on this thread. Here are some recent pickups...

OAAW #218 is technically bronze age, but the backup story is the first appearance of the USS Stevens series, which became a storied, long running back up feature in DC's war books. Generally considered a key.

OAAW #196 is a very important book, in that it marks the beginning of Joe Kubert's editorial run on the title (and the other DC war books). But what's critical is the shift in tone that this book represents... Kubert made a distinct editorial decision to use the war books as an antiwwar statement in response to Viet Nam, starting with OAAW 196. He wanted to portray the characters less as superheroes and more as just humans with strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues. In this issue, Sgt. Rock basically has a breakdown in response to the unending combat. He's portrayed as vulnerable and painfully human, and he questions everything. I had a chance to speak to Joe about this many years ago, and I asked him point blank if it was overtly his intention to make an antiwar statement through his editorship, and indeed he said it was. In many ways, an strong argument can be made that this actually the first book of the bronze age, depending on how you define that era. If we see the BA as a period where the stories are more mature, more reflective of the culture, where the focus on characters turns more towards their humanity rather than just their superpowers, this is the book that started that... all by Kubert's design.

Argument can also be made that OAAW #160 marks the beginning of this approach. But #196 seems to mark the real shift in gears that propels this title in the storytelling style of the bronze age.

Shep

I think the War comics gods are starting to toy with me...

Had a meeting downtown, and a local comic shop recently moved locations nearby. I strolled in, and in the first silver age box I picked through, I found these two beauties... both important keys. Both less than the price of dinner and a movie.

No doubt this is a bit of luck, but finding books like these for the equivalent of about $25 USD seems unusual. Has the market softened up recently, or are these anomalies?

Lemme know what you think.... Shep

OAAW 196... one of the most important DC books of this era in any genre. VF, maybe a little better...

And while bronze age, also posting because it's just such a great book. OAAW 218. First USS Stevens by Sam Glanzman. NM, and one of the most nicely centred copies of this I have seen...

Hey Andy!

Sorry I haven't been by the shop to see you... haven't been in London as much this year, even though my son has been going to Western!

Before the end of the summer for sure, though... I'll give you a heads up.

Shep

Thanks gents. I don't know if this qualifies for 'back in the game', but it was a real pleasure bring this little gem home and thumbing through it.

As for these new-look boards, I have to say that I like them. The notifications are great.

Shep

Hey gents,

Passed my old LCS today, and saw this on the wall. Couldn't resist. First one in a looooong time, but can you blame me?

Not high grade by any stretch, but it's solid and the price was right. One of my top 10 for sure...

Hope all are well,

Shep