Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Single Issue Hall of Fame: Star Spangled War Stories #183

This is a book that should be in every one's collection. This isn't simply one of the finest war stories of the 70s, it is one of the finest stories of the 70s. This issue marks the beginning of the Dave Michelinie/Gerry Talaoc run on the Unknown Solider, one of the most underappreciated collaborations of the Bronze Age. They managed to breath new life into a character whose adventures were getting a bit stale, which is odd because he was still fairly new and the possibilities for a 'Man of a Thousand Faces' characters are endless. Michelinie focused on the moral and ethical murkiness of war and the tough choices that sometimes must be faced. This issue features '8,000 to 1', in which the bandaged one must allow one person to be sacrificed for the greater good. The way Talaoc tells the story panel by panel, you really get the feeling that the war is eating away at the Soldier's soul. Oh, by the way - you also get a short Enemy Ace/Balloon Buster dust up with Frank Thorne art. A Hall of Famer, if I've ever seen one.

1 comment:

The Old Warrior said...

I have that one in my collection and it's every bit as great as you say it is.