It has been a month since I posted last. So, this week, I give you a double-posting.
Last month, I explored the start of the Sgt. Rock era. This was the first war series in the Big Five DC War Comics. Plus, the stories were longer (about 13 pages on average).
Close on the heels of Sgt. Rock, a second serial hit the Big Five in May 1959 with the introduction of Gunner and Sarge in OFF. This duo fought in the jungles against the Japanese and was joined by a combat dog named Pooch several months later. The series continued until August 1965 – a run of 50 issues.
Another short series was begun in SSWS with the August 1959 issue featuring the French resistance fighter, Mademoiselle Marie. She grabbed the cover spot without so much as an audition; no surprise there, as she was leggy with a sassy pixie cut and a submachine gun on her shoulder. Marie’s lead story was aptly named Battle Doll. She rappelled down ropes, scaled walls, and planted bombs, all while wearing above-the-knee-skirts. Her series was short with only eight appearances after which she was replaced by tank-eating dinosaurs – poor gal.
Johnny Cloud reported for duty in December 1960, behind Rock, Gunner and Sarge, and Marie. But before we get to him, let’s look at one other series that roared into battle just a few months later – here, I am referring to Jeb Stuart and the Haunted Tank.
The Haunted Tank series began in GIC with the May 1961 issue, and within a few months, gained its own subtitle that lasted until 1977. It was quite popular, and one of my favorites too. The theme borrowed a spiritual punch from Johnny Cloud with cavalry general JEB Stuart (of the CSA) ghosting the M3 tank commanded by Sgt. Jeb Stuart, and at times, providing information and wisdom to help the crew prevail in battle.
Let’s pause to compare these two: Cloud and Stewart. Both of them have spiritual connections. Yet, there are crucial differences.
Cloud routinely shared his travails with his Big Brother, as did Stuart with his Ghost. And both of them felt empowered by their spirits. But here, the similarities end. The Great Warrior Spirit provided Cloud with supernatural advantages when needed. Cloud was an avatar. He was destined to shine brighter than the storm clouds: He was invincible! In contrast, the JEB Stuart, the Ghost, did not intervene directly. Instead, he provided Stuart with insights and warnings, often in the form of riddles – this was helpful, but Stuart was left mostly on his own. He was not invincible!
Consequently, we can appreciate how Cloud stands apart from the other Big Five warriors. Take the most indomitable example: Sgt. Rock had no less courage or resolve than Cloud, but he was limited by his muscular strength and combat skills. Sgt. Rock was amazing, extraordinary even, but we see him as the ground-pounder that he was.
As this cast of characters shows, the period between 1959 and 1961 marked the start of several series across the Big Five. All of them were distinctly different. All of them displayed a unique fighting spirit of a sort. Here’s a parting glance: Sgt. Rock appeared in April to June 1959; Gunner and Sarge in May 1959; Mademoiselle Marie in August 1959; Johnny Cloud in December 1960, and Jeb Stuart in May 1961.
Other series came and went but only Sgt. Rock and Jeb Stuart lasted beyond 50 issues. Gunner and Sarge ended at 50, and Johnny Cloud lasted for 32 ending when AAMOW folded – note that Gunner and Sarge and Cloud made a few guest appearances in other titles before joining The Losers in 1970.
In case you’re wondering, some of the other serials included OFF’s Fighting Devil Dog – Sgt. Rock’s jarhead brother – for eight issues, followed by Lt. Hunter and his Hellcats for 22 issues. In SSWS, the dinosaurs took over for 12 issues, followed by a few appearances of the Suicide Squad; then, the very popular Enemy Ace and Unknown Soldier serials took the title well into the Bronze Age. A few other heroes deserve recognition including Lt. Steve Savage the WW1 Balloon Buster who edged out Cloud in AAMOW in four issues, and Capt. Storm who grabbed his own title in June 1964, commanding a PT Boat in the Pacific for 18 issues.
Ironically, The Losers reincarnated Gunner and Sarge, Johnny Cloud, and Capt. Storm, joining them into a demoralized squad that always prevailed against overwhelming odds. The Losers were introduced in GIC in November 1969 and continued in OFF from 1970 to 1978. But I submit that Cloud was maligned in this dreadful series. He’s not the same man we see in AAMOW.
Image Credit:
GIC#116 (March 1966): Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.
The Haunted Tank TM DC Comics
