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Military Comics by Actual Service Members
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62 posts in this topic

Comic books produced by actual servicemen and women, during and after their service. Sometimes they weren't technically slick, but they all had heart. Great pieces of history!

 

Posted one of these in the "Have A Cigar" thread the other day, then found another one. Have a few more, too, so rather than let them swim in Have A Cigar, thought they could use their own thread.

 

Some are instructional, preparing men for safety, battle, and survival. Some make light of the hardships of service. All relate intense pieces of history from specific dates and places.

 

Feel free to post other comic books about the military by actual service members!

 

Here's one from 1939, about the author Nick NIchol's experiences in WWI. Check out the first sample. What a story!

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Here's the earliest military comic I've seen.

 

A Few Scenes In The Life Of A "Sojer" In The Mass. 44th

 

A one of a kind sketchbook from 1863, during the Civil War. Never published.

 

This was on eBay several years ago. Price got insane.

 

Tried to get the seller to scan it for me before it was shipped off to the winner.

 

These are the best pics I could get out of him...

 

But enjoy them, cause you may never see this again!

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I think the providance (sp?) of "A Few Scenes In The Life Of A "Sojer" makes them historically significant. Those books looked like they served as part diary and sketchbook. I can almost imagine a young civil war soldier with a great imagination, perhaps in his late teens to early twenties creating those wonderful drawings. I liked the way he wrote 'UNFOLD THIS' To me that would indicate his youth. Can you recall how 'insane' the final price was on eBay? I know that Antique Collector's absolutely love this stuff, and are always on the look out for sketch books, scrap books and diaries from our past. I'm guessing, but these types of collector's items would have less appeal to comic collectors than with Antique/Paper Collectors?

 

I should add that I also liked the saucy cartoons in Camp Croft Cartoons!

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I think the providance (sp?) of "A Few Scenes In The Life Of A "Sojer" makes them historically significant. Those books looked like they served as part diary and sketchbook. I can almost imagine a young civil war soldier with a great imagination, perhaps in his late teens to early twenties creating those wonderful drawings. I liked the way he wrote 'UNFOLD THIS' To me that would indicate his youth. Can you recall how 'insane' the final price was on eBay? I know that Antique Collector's absolutely love this stuff, and are always on the look out for sketch books, scrap books and diaries from our past. I'm guessing, but these types of collector's items would have less appeal to comic collectors than with Antique/Paper Collectors?

Great comments on the Civil War sketchbook. Looks like he drew it for his own amusement and to get a laugh from his friends.

 

I *think* the final price was over 10 grand for this. Who knows if that is insane for a unique item like this. If I recall correctly, the seller told me it was won by a historical society in New York.

 

I should add that I also liked the saucy cartoons in Camp Croft Cartoons!

Lots of these military comics have saucy content, as you might imagine!

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This booklet has one illustration per page above some text, so it's more like an illustrated book than a comic book. But check out where and when it was produced.

 

Makes me wonder if it was done under duress by the captors for propaganda purposes, because it's a pretty sober tale of capture and imprisonment.

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Nice collection of books you have there Boot. Did you pick the collection up as a whole, or over time?

 

In regards to Hup! Hoop! Heep! Haw! by Private S.D. Babbitt, Jr.: That back cover is paradoxically intriguing, for a few reasons my brain can't wrap around at this instant, but I liked it. In his haste, he forgot the proper spelling of Alberto Vargas. I took some license and cleaned it up a bit so we can clearly see the figure, with her pointed knees, buck teeth and hairy legs. I suppose on the Army's tight budget, he joke implies, that they had hired him for the pin-up art instead of Alberto Vargas (to save a few Shekels or 'Bits'). So instead of a scrumptious babe, we find a hideous old maid in dire need of immediate Orthodontics.

 

I wonder if Mr. Babbitt kept drawing after WWII, and think he'd never imagine we'd be here today talking about him.

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Although technically not a military comic, this is a fun thing to see.

 

 

There is some writing on the top of the book that reads "Tucson Ariz Sgt. Tom Dino Souvenir Oct 1943".

 

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Although technically not a military comic, this is a fun thing to see. There is some writing on the top of the book that reads "Tucson Ariz Sgt. Tom Dino Souvenir Oct 1943".]

 

You're right on target with it r1970d. The writing on your book is providance from a soldier's life. I find this type of writing to be 'Providance' more so than if some little kid had written their name, or filled in the puzzles. I suppose that leads to an interesting thought, that, there is a fine line between providance and 'writing' flaws. Providance is a real bonus, but some writing can be interpreted as defacing an otherwise solid comic. Thanks for posting your Rangers #14, it's cool to see. BTW, I wonder what type of Souvenir this book was to Sgt. T. Dino? I guess we'll never know.

 

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Although technically not a military comic, this is a fun thing to see.

 

 

There is some writing on the top of the book that reads "Tucson Ariz Sgt. Tom Dino Souvenir Oct 1943".

 

Rangers14front.jpg

So cool. That must have been a really important souvenir to be cared for and preserved in that shape. Imagine the memories behind that comic.
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