Kubert & Heath: War Comics!

Well, with Memorial Day coming up here in the U.S., I started thinking about war comics. And when you think about war comics, you end up thinking about Sgt. Rock. And when you think about Sgt. Rock, you have to think about Joe Kubert and Russ Heath. Of course the Heath cover is great. The Kubert art spans 1961 to 1982. I don't know if I can think of another comic book artist who was so consistently good over such a long period of time. (And Kubert was doing good stuff before 1961 and after 1982)



Our Army at War #182, July 1967. Cover art by Russ Heath.




Our Army at War #107, June 1961. Cover art by Joe Kubert.




Our Army at War #136, November 1963. Cover art by Joe Kubert.




Our Army at War #222, August 1970. Cover art by Joe Kubert.




Original art by Joe Kubert for DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #18, 1982.

Sunday Odds and Ends

My Experience #21, January 1950.




U.S. Coast Guard painting of Douglas A. Munro at Guadalcanal. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his role in evacuating a detachment of Marines.




Art by Pat Boyette for the cover of Korg: 70,000 BC #2, 1975.




"Lil' Hot Stuff," by Dave Stevens.

Bernie Wrightson: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Below is an incredible drawing by Bernie Wrightson of a scene from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Movie was released in 1974, drawing is from 1975.

Below that is a poster for the movie. Not by Bernie, but I think it is one of the coolest horror movie posters around.

The Great Escape

Nothing to do with comic or fantasy art, but The Great Escape is the greatest movie ever made. This rip-roaring adventure film was based on true events as chronicled in Paul Brickhill's book.

The movie tells of the story of an attemped breakout from a German POW camp in March 1944. The prisoners hoped to get 200 men out out through the tunnel (one of three tunnels they dug). I won't talk about the results in case you're some kind of philistine that has never seen this movie.

Filmed on location in Germany, this film featured a boatload of stars: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, Richard Attenborough, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn, David McCallum and James Donald. To name a few.

Below are some movie posters and scans of the covers of a few editions of Brickhill's book.



One-sheet poster, 1963.




Polish one-sheet, 1963.



Japanese poster.




Italian poster.




Australian poster, 1970's re-release.




1970 edition, American. Fawcett-Crest.




1961 edition, American. Fawcett-Crest.




1995 edition, British. Sheridan Book Company.

Further Reading:

The Real Story Behind The Great Escape

The Fifty Airmen who were murdered by the Germans.

The Three Who Got Away.

Stalag Luft III: the Secret Story by Arthur Durand.

The Longest Tunnel by Alan Burgess.

Frank Frazetta: 1928 -2010

Frank Frazetta died today, May 10, 2010. So much great artwork. Rest in peace Mr. Frazetta, and thank you for all the dreams and nightmares you brought to life for us.

Gold Key TV Comics

The Girl From U.N.C.L.E* #4, August 1967.




Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea #3, October 1965.




Rin Tin Tin and Rusty #1, November 1963.




Land of the Giants #3, March 1969.




H.R. Pufnstuf #1, October 1970.




Gunsmoke #1, February 1969.




Gomer Pyle #3, October 1967.




My Favorite Martian #1, January 1964.




The Munsters #10, December 1966.

Two Fight Paintings by Kunstler

Here's two pretty cool paintings by Mort Kunstler:




"Shootout With Russians in the Barn," Male or Stag cover, c1965.




"Holding Them Off at the Cantina," For Men Only cover, c1965.