YOUNG MEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD

Young Men on the Battlefield #14 [March 1952] is the next-to-lastcomic from my December 1951 birth month.  Its numbering continuedfrom Young Men and, under this name, it ran a total of eight issues(#13-20) from February 1952 to April 1953.The Grand Comics Database and Atlas Tales tentatively identify thecover artist as Sol Brodsky.  I worked with Sol when I first cameto Marvel and he could do it all: draw, write, manage budgets, youname it.  The cover scene here has nothing to do with any of thisissue’s interior stories.Here’s the contents of this issue:“One Day!” (6 pages, drawn and signed by Russ Heath);“The Sitting Ducks” (5 pages, drawn and signed by Gene Colan);“Home Is the Eagle” (2-page text story);“Foxhole” (4 pages, drawn and signed by Dave Berg);“The Mission” (3 pages, drawn and signed by Mac Pakula) and“Horror on Heartbreak Hill!” (5 pages, written and signed by HankChapman, drawn and signed by Norman Steinberg).Come back tomorrow for the final vintage comic-book cover from themonth of my birth.****************************** I watched the debut episode of the new Beware the Batman computer-animated TV series yesterday morning.  The new series features whatseems to be a relatively younger Batman, an Alfred who is a retiredmember of Britain’s MI-6 and a Katana who appears to be some sortof freelance operative.  The initial episode - “Hunted” - didn’t gointo her background other than, obviously, she was an acquaintanceof Alfred.  The villains for this debut episode were Professor Pygand Mister Toad.  Here the duo are depicted as eco-terrorists and,while Pyg is still grotesque, he’s doesn’t appear to be as twistedas his comic-book counterpart.Based on this first episode - written by Mitch Watson and directedby Sam Liu - I don’t love this new series, but I don’t come closeto hating it either.  The lead characters are interesting with goodvoice work from Anthony Ruivivar (Batman/Bruce Wayne), J.B. Blanc(Alfred) and Sumalee Montano (Katana).  The computer animation isa little sharper than on the Green Lantern series.  I’ll continueto watch this series.Two familiar DC Comics characters appeared in this episode as thekidnapped victims of Pyg: Simon Stagg and Michael Holt.  There isno indication from this episode that we’ll be seeing Metamorpho orMr. Terrific in future episodes.From what I’ve read, Anarky will be the major villain of this newseries because the producers are tired of the Joker.  I feel likeI should keep watching the show just for that.  Additionally, thismeans Anarky creators Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle should get somemoney from DC.  Katana creator Mike W. Barr and, one presumes, theheirs of Katana co-creator Jim Aparo will also get paid.  Can anyof my bloggy thing readers confirm these fine talents were properlycredited in the closing credits?For that matter, if reports of Tobias Whale appearing in a comingepisode are accurate, DC will owe me compensation as well.  Unlessthey try to weasel out of it as they’ve done in the past.  I willkeep you posted on this.******************************  Men of Mystery Comics #88 [AC Comics; $29.95] features 140 interiorpages of black-and-white super-hero reprints from the Golden Age ofComics.  Though the publisher takes great pains to make the storieslook good for their republication, the high price tag does give mea bit of pause.  On the other hand, where else are you gonna findthese often wacky heroes?MLJ’s Mr. Scarlet and Pinky were usually down to their last dollarin their adventures.  I dig that concept and think it could easilybe modernized for today’s marketplace.  That lead story is followedby a Quicksilver tale - not the mutant of Marvel - that includes anunrelenting stream of offensive racial stereotypes.  That’s comicshistory, but AC needs to put a disclaimer on such reprints.Among the other quirky heroes in this issue are Merlin, the GreenMask, the Music Master, Stormy Foster, the Unknown, British Agent99, Man O’Metal, the Zebra and Phantasmo.  Surprisingly, there arealso stories starring the Blue Beetle, Doll Man, Marvelette (MaryMarvel with a name change) and Kid Marvel (Captain Marvel Jr. witha name change).  Among the artists of these stories are Joe Certa,Paul Gustavson, Fred Guardineer, Rudy Palais and H.G. Peter.  Thiscollection is an interesting mix of heroes and styles.It’s difficult for me to recommend this publication given its highprice, but I wanted to make you aware of it.  As I said above, youwon’t find stuff like this in too many other places and certainlynot retouched with such care.  Your call.I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.© 2013 Tony Isabella
Source:http://tonyisabella.blogspot.com/2013/07/young-men-on-battlefield.html

YOUNG MEN ON THE BATTLEFIELD Images

Young Men on the Battlefield Vol 1 12 - Marvel Comics Database
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What If? Young Men on the Battlefield Vol. 1
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cover title is young men on the battlefield 12 20
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While the young men fought on the battlefield, young women took their ...
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