CycloneComics 1,393 posts Posted June 2, 2006 Does anyone know who was actually answering all those letters in Sgt. Rocks Combat Corner. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigfiver69 6,972 posts Posted June 2, 2006 Actual readers!! I sent in a bunch, but they never published them. I would like to know if Beau Smith (who was trying to get a Sgt. Rock Fan Club together through the letter pages in the early 80s) still collects. The guy was big into the war books. The best letter writer? A guy who went by the handle 'The Mad Maple', a Canadian dude who was a very thoughtful critic of the war books. Also, Robin Snyder wrote many good letters. Shep Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnenock 6,053 posts Posted June 2, 2006 But what he's asking is who answered them? Was it Kanigher? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigfiver69 6,972 posts Posted June 2, 2006 I'm an insufficiently_thoughtful_person!! Originally, it was Joe Kubert and Bob Kanigher alternating (late 1960s). Archie Goodwin used to answer the letters when he edited his war books, and Joe Orlando and Paul Levitz answered theirs when they edited Weird War tales. There was no letter page, I believe, when Kirby did the Losers. I know that when Murray Boltinoff started editing G.I. Combat, it became sort of a non-letters page, and he filled that with military stories and anecdotes. I hated that. Often, edtitorial assistants like Alan Asherman, and I believe even Karen Berger, used to answer the letters towards the ends of the runs. Shep Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnenock 6,053 posts Posted June 2, 2006 Speaking of the Kirby Losers issues. Is it me, or do those covers pale in comparison to the Kubert covers of the time? I think, even if I was a completist I would pass on that part of the run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigfiver69 6,972 posts Posted June 2, 2006 Speaking of the Kirby Losers issues. Is it me, or do those covers pale in comparison to the Kubert covers of the time? I think, even if I was a completist I would pass on that part of the run. They're a different flavor, but I still love those books... lots of action. One curious note - nowhere does Kirby acknowledge that Capt Storm has a wooden leg, whereas Kanigher and Goodwin made a meal out of that in their storytelling. Shep 1 Gnasher reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CycloneComics 1,393 posts Posted June 2, 2006 I have been reading the letters in Sgt. Rocks Combat Corner lately (just bought a small run of various titles) and I was impressed by the knowledge and accurracy of replies . I wonder if they used a research person. John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mister Trent 1,464 posts Posted July 23, 2006 Whilst I think Joe Kubert's War covers for DC are exceptional, there's one aspect of his art that irritates me slightly, and tends to detract from those images this is prevalent on . . . Strategically-placed Swastikas (or other types of enemy insignia) on places where Swastikas (or other types of enemy insignia) would never have appeared. For example, a nice big Swastika and red background on a German hand-grenade . . . Perhaps this was an Editorial directive? Anyone else find this an unnecessary ingredient to Kubert's war imagery? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Weird 1,166 posts Posted July 23, 2006 That's not a Kubert cover. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mister Trent 1,464 posts Posted July 23, 2006 That's not a Kubert cover. D'oh, it was a Grandenetti cover Okay, let's try again . . . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mister Trent 1,464 posts Posted July 23, 2006 Or how about this one . . . Not only do we know the enemy is German, but we're also given the clue that the soldier in the foreground is confronted by a Mine (which is also clearly identified). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffro™ 52,230 posts Posted July 24, 2006 Speaking of the Kirby Losers issues. Is it me, or do those covers pale in comparison to the Kubert covers of the time? I think, even if I was a completist I would pass on that part of the run. I agree. Those Kirby Losers covers just don't do it for me. And I'm a big Kirby fan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigfiver69 6,972 posts Posted July 27, 2006 Hey there. I think the 'swastikas plastered over everything' trend was probably an editorial decision, on the part of Kanigher. Apparently, he designed a lot of the covers until Kubert took over editorial duties in 1968. If he didn't like them on there, he would have had them removed. The swastikas never bothered me that much. I think that, certainly in the early issues, the German soldiers were pretty much always depicted as Nazi Storm Troopers, bent on the destruction of mankind. The plastering of the, frankly, quite disturbing image of the swastika was meant to further underline the 'us vs. them' theme. Everything about the German soldiers in these comics was meant to be threatening and evil (during the 1950s and 60s at least). In the minds of the editor and the artists, it probably simplified things for the juvenile reader. Anyway, interesting topic. On a related note, I just received a large (30+ books) delivery of early silver age DC war books, and I will be posting some over the weekend if time allows. Keep an eye on the 'This Week in My Collection' and the 'Post your 10-centers threads'. There are some truly killer covers in there. Shep Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HouseofComics.Com 11,223 posts Posted July 27, 2006 Whilst I think Joe Kubert's War covers for DC are exceptional, there's one aspect of his art that irritates me slightly, and tends to detract from those images this is prevalent on . . . Thanks for ruining them for me! Now I see swastikas everywhere on those covers! I do agree, it's a very powerful symbol and probably an editorial decision. While I doubt they had them stamped on machine gun barrels, perhaps the swastika was used in a lot more places. When I was in college we had a freezing rental house (and this is in California). The utility guy came out to relight our horrible furnace that wasn't working. Hey, look at this, he said. I've seen this before. Our old furnace was obviously from the 30s and german-made because one of the little valves had a swastika on it! Just stamped right on as a matter of course. Marc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jeffro™ 52,230 posts Posted July 27, 2006 Better? Those evil Pretzi's, bent on world domination. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigfiver69 6,972 posts Posted July 27, 2006 Better? Those evil Pretzi's, bent on world domination. Despite their twisted mentality, the Pretzis obviously did not have the mustard to beat an old salt like Sgt. Rock. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Hook 21,427 posts Posted July 27, 2006 The Pretzi's are famous for their participation in the Battle of the....Bulge. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aman619 18,761 posts Posted July 27, 2006 booyahhhh! nice one Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HouseofComics.Com 11,223 posts Posted July 28, 2006 Ah, Big Fiver's was even better. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
