HORRORS OF WAR WEEK (DAY 4)

BLAZING COMBAT
Vol. 1 No. 2
January 1966
Warren Publishing Co.
Publisher: James Warren
Editor: Archie Goodwin
Cover: Frank Frazetta
Writer: Archie Goodwin
Artists: Reed Crandall; George Evans; Al McWilliams; Gray Morrow; Joe Orlando; John Severin; Angelo Torres; Alex Toth; Al Williamson
Letterer: Ben Oda
Pages: 68
Cover price: 35 cents

This issue contains the story, "Landscape", and was the reason why BLAZING COMBAT was kept off the PX in Army bases and boycotted by newsstands across the country for its "unpatriotic", anti-war editorial stance. The fact of the matter was, writer Archie Goodwin, who again penned all the stories, was at the top of his game with his stint in the Warren Universe. Realistic dialogue, tight plots and always with an EC Comics-style surprise ending (even with the EC-style term "New Trend In Action Stories"), made BLAZING COMBAT a hard-hitting book that I consider the best of the non-supernatural horror Warren titles.

[BLAZING COMBAT #2 concludes tomorrow.]

HORRORS OF WAR WEEK (DAY 3)

UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Vol. 26, No. 205 (1st issue)
April/May 1977
DC Comics, Inc.
Publisher: Jenette Kahn
Managing Editor: Joe Orlando
Cover: Joe Kubert
Pages: 36
Cover price: 30 cents


CONTENTS
"Legends Never Die" (Unknown Soldier)
Story: Bob Haney
Art: Dick Ayers (pencils); Gerry Talaoc (inks)

"And Then There Was One" (Lt. Larry Rock, "The Fighting Devil-Dog")
Story: Steve Skeates
Art: Ric Estrada (pencils and inks)

The Unknown Soldier (a.k.a., The Immortal G.I.) was a DC Comics character created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert. He first appeared in the Sgt. Rock story (another creation of Kanigher and Kubert), "I Knew The Unknown Soldier" in Our Army At War #168 (June 1966). 

Kubert was editor of the DC line of war comics and believed the character was interesting enough to be in his own series, which began in STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES #151 (June–July 1970) through issue #204 (February 1977). With issue #205, the book changed its title to THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER (just listed as "UNKNOWN SOLDIER" in the indicia) and ran for 64 more issues until it was cancelled with issue #268 (October 1982).

The series is named for The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery and represents the unnamed soldiers who fought and died for our country. It is also emblematic of the courage and selflessness that is a part of the sacrifice these soldiers made preserve our freedom and ideals. In his first story, the character was described as the "man who no one knows -- but -- is known by everyone!"