Mainline was a very short-lived company started by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon in an attempt to publish their own material. Distribution issues led to its demise (ain't that always the case?), but not before they left behind a number of interesting books. One that has always intrigued me is Foxhole, as it was an attempt to bring more realism to the war genre with stories written and drawn by veterans. Kirby saw a lot of violence during his time in the service, and I'm sure he felt that comic book readers would appreciate stories with a bit more gravitas. Four issues were published by Mainline, and the title was sold to Charlton. The 5th and 6th issues features Mainline inventory but I believe that the 7th and final issue was new material assembled in Derby. Some Foxhole stories appeared in the early 80s in Charlton's Battlefield Action title, but I truly think that it is high time someone put together a nice volume reprinting this tough to find (and harder to afford) material.Thursday, August 12, 2010
Reprint This! Foxhole
Mainline was a very short-lived company started by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon in an attempt to publish their own material. Distribution issues led to its demise (ain't that always the case?), but not before they left behind a number of interesting books. One that has always intrigued me is Foxhole, as it was an attempt to bring more realism to the war genre with stories written and drawn by veterans. Kirby saw a lot of violence during his time in the service, and I'm sure he felt that comic book readers would appreciate stories with a bit more gravitas. Four issues were published by Mainline, and the title was sold to Charlton. The 5th and 6th issues features Mainline inventory but I believe that the 7th and final issue was new material assembled in Derby. Some Foxhole stories appeared in the early 80s in Charlton's Battlefield Action title, but I truly think that it is high time someone put together a nice volume reprinting this tough to find (and harder to afford) material.
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6 comments:
I was just rereading Kirby, King of comics which covers Foxhole briefly. It would be a very interesting read, I think.
Scott,
Can you email me? I'm putting together a feature for RevolutionSF and I'd love to include your input.
Thanks.
I couldn't agree more -- this is one of those titles that has a degree of historical import but always, and I mean always, slips under the radar.
YES!
I would be SO happy to see a complete collection of FOXHOLE. IIRC Jack Kirby said in an interview that some of his own experience as an infantryman in Patton's army in WWII were included in some stories.
Another good run I wish Marvel would reprint in their Atlas Era Masterworks is the run of issues # 63 to 70 of BATTLE where Kirby did most of the covers and a few stories. Other artists on that stretch were Steve Ditko, Jack Davis, Al Williamson, Joh Severin, Russ Heath, Bill Everett,and more!
Man of Bronze... that might come in time. The Atlas war titles are finally slated to get their first crack at the Masterwork treatment in January with Battlefield 1-11 having being solicited for volume #1. Thanks, Craig.
I know it's not the same to some folks, but if you have a complete run, you can always make your own!
http://marvelmasterworksfansite.yuku.com/forums/2
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