Blazing Combat (1965) #4

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Goodwin and company recover for the fourth–and tragically final–issue of Blazing Combat. The issue opens with Goodwin returning to, if not controversial, then uncomfortable topics–he and Gene Colan (Colan’s art this issue is far better than his already good art in the previous one) have a depressingly real story about American racism. It might be the most rah-rah story in the series, however (you have to read it).

Alex Toth’s story–about a flier in Korea–is superior to the previous issue’s problematic one. Here, with most scenes in daylight, Toth really looks good. There’s no murkiness, it’s cleanliness is all very visceral.

The Russ Heath might not be the most compelling story (it’s still superior to the Reed Crandall Ancient Greece story, which just bores), but the artwork’s just amazing.

Goodwin shows signs of expanding his scope, which makes the series’s failure even more unfortunate.

Blazing Combat (1965) #3

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There’s a lot of great art this issue… but it seems like Goodwin was getting worn out. There really aren’t any stories with any bite–even the WWII one with the marine taking gold teeth from every corpse he finds.

The opening story, credited to Joe Orlando but apparently pencilled by Jerry Grandenetti, is an indistinct monotony of war story. All of the faces look identical (Orlando did ink it, so maybe he is responsible after all). Goodwin relies a lot on action sequences this issue. Almost all the stories have lots of them.

Alex Toth’s story, set in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic Russia (but it could be anywhere, the Russia thing is just a guess), is probably the weakest. Toth’s art doesn’t go well with the story of a survivor who goes crazy when he encounters others.

The Wally Wood (maybe Dan Adkins pencilled) is best.

Blazing Combat 4 (July 1966)

The Russ Heath might not be the most compelling story (it’s still superior to the Reed Crandall Ancient Greece story, which just bores), but the artwork’s just amazing.

Goodwin shows signs of expanding his scope, which makes the series’s failure even more unfortunate.

CREDITS

Conflict; artist, Gene Colan. How It Began; artist, George Evans. The Edge; artist, Alex Toth. Give and Take; artist, Russ Heath. ME-262; artist, Wally Wood. The Trench; artist, John Severin. Thermopylae; artist, Reed Crandall. Night Drop; artist, Angelo Torres. Writer and editor, Archie Goodwin; letterer, Ben Oda; publisher, Warren.

Blazing Combat 3 (April 1966)

The Wally Wood (maybe Dan Adkins pencilled) is best.

CREDITS

Special Forces; writer, Archie Goodwin; penciller, Jerry Grandenetti; inker, Joe Orlando. Foragers; writer, Goodwin; artist, Reed Crandall; letterer, Ben Oda. U-Boat; writer, Goodwin; artist, Gene Colan; letterer, Oda. Survival; writers, Alex Toth and Goodwin; artist and letterer, Toth. The Battle of Britain; writer and inker, Wally Wood; penciller, Dan Adkins; letterer, Oda. Water Hole; writer, Goodwin; artist, Gray Morrow; letterer, Oda. Souvenirs; writer, Goodwin; artist, John Severin; letterer, Oda. Editor, Archie Goodwin; publisher, Warren.

Blazing Combat (1965) #2

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I can’t believe it, Goodwin tells a joke. In fact, he sets up his entire Revolutionary War story for a joke. I suppose the issue kind of needs it, since he opens with this famous Vietnam story, “Landscape,” the best illustrated of the three Joe Orlando stories this issue.

“Landscape” is about a South Vietnamese rice farmer who keeps his head down through the war. About two panels into the story, it’s pretty clear this Vietnam conflict rice farmer could very easily be a corn farmer in 1765 New York. Goodwin never draws attention to the parallels, but they’re definitely present. Again, I can’t believe they got four issues of this comic published before it folded.

The other Orlando stories are both fine, but the other standouts this issue are an Angelo Torres, Al Williamson inked WWII piece, and especially this Alex Toth WWI flying story.

And Severin’s, of course.

Blazing Combat 2 (January 1966)

The other Orlando stories are both fine, but the other standouts this issue are an Angelo Torres, Al Williamson inked WWII piece, and especially this Alex Toth WWI flying story.

And Severin’s, of course.

CREDITS

Landscape; artist, Joe Orlando. Saratoga; artist, Reed Crandall. Mig Alley; artist, Al McWilliams. Face to Face; artist, Orlando. Kasserine Pass; penciller, Angelo Torres; inker, McWilliams. Lone Hawk; artist, Alex Toth. Combat Quiz; artist, Torres. Holding Action; artist, John Severin. Writer and editor, Archie Goodwin; letterer, Ben Oda; publisher, Warren.

Blazing Combat (1965) #1

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In seven stories–from the Revolutionary War to the burgeoning Vietnam conflict–there isn’t a single moment of humor. Goodwin doesn’t give the reader a single moment to forget he or she is reading a war comic. There’s so little humor, it’s got to be intentional. If Goodwin had just been writing loose, someone would make a joke at some point. There’s no joking here.

Goodwin’s soldiers–regardless of what war they’re fighting in–are devastatingly human. Whether it’s the vengeful GI killing a Nazi POW, a disfigured Revolutionary War soldier or an observer in Vietnam–when they were still mostly observing. Blazing Combat needs to be read to be believed. It’s amazing anything like this comic was ever published, especially in the sixties.

There’s some amazing art–George Evans is my favorite, doing a story about fliers, but John Severin’s does a nice job too.

It’s a significant work.

Blazing Combat 1 (October 1965)

There’s some amazing art–George Evans is my favorite, doing a story about fliers, but John Severin’s does a nice job too.

It’s a significant work.

CREDITS

Viet-Cong; artist, Joe Orlando. Aftermath; artist, Angelo Torres. Flying Tigers; artist, George Evans. Long View; artist, Gray Morrow. Cantigny; artist, Reed Crandall. Combat Quiz; artist, Alex Toth. Mad Anthony; pencillers, Tex Blaisdell and Jeff Jones; inker, Maurice Whitman. Enemy; artist, John Severin. Writer and editor, Archie Goodwin; letterer, Ben Oda; publisher, Warren.