Blazing Combat [Hardcover]

Archie Goodwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2009

A comic book classic with timely resonance. Blazing Combat was an American war-comics magazine published by Warren Publishing from 1965 to 1966. Written and edited by Archie Goodwin, with artwork by such industry notables as Gene Colan, Frank Frazetta, John Severin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, Russ Heath, Reed Crandall, and Wally Wood, it featured war stories in both contemporary and period settings, unified by a humanistic theme of the personal costs of war, rather than by traditional men's adventure motifs. As one letter-writer in the third issue put it, “Do you seriously expect to make money with a war magazine that publishes nothing but anti-war stories?”

While most stories took place during World War II, they ranged in settings from the 18th century to the present-day. Some dealt with historical figures, such as Revolutionary War general Benedict Arnold and his pre-traitorous victory at the battle of Saratoga, while “Foragers” focused on a fictional soldier in General William T. Sherman’s devastating March to the Sea during the American Civil War. “Holding Action,” set on the last day of the Korean War, ended with a gung-ho young soldier, unwilling to quit, being escorted over his protests into a medical vehicle.

What proved to be the most controversial were stories set during the then-contemporary Vietnam War, particularly the classic short “Landscape,” which follows the thoughts of a Vietnamese peasant rice-farmer devoid of ideology, who nonetheless pays the ultimate price simply for living where he does. While writer Goodwin evenhandedly portrays the North Vietnamese Army’s brutal summary executions of village officials, and a well-meaning U.S. Army fatally bludgeoning its way through the village in a counterattack, the story caused key distributors to stop selling the title.

Fantagraphics is proud to present a deluxe, hardcover edition, magnificently printed and bound, of these stories, superbly reproduced from the original printer's film negatives.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

After its success replicating the classic EC horror comics a decade after their demise, the publisher of the black-and-white horror magazine Creepy followed the same formula in 1965 with a publication that emulated EC’s ahead-of-their-time war comics. Like Creepy, Blazing Combat was drawn by many EC veterans, including Wally Wood, John Severin, and Joe Orlando, as well as such talented artists as Alex Toth and Gene Colan. Scripter Archie Goodwin followed the EC model by eschewing the typical gung-ho, Sgt. Rock approach in favor of a generally antiwar tone and penning stories embracing historic conflicts from the American Revolution and Civil War to the then-current Vietnam War. It was that contemporary touch that led to the title’s undoing. A story in the second issue, told from the viewpoint of a peasant rice farmer whose village was occupied by the Vietcong and then destroyed in an American counterattack, induced wholesalers to reject the magazine and the military to banish it from PXs. Nevertheless, Blazing Combat’s four issues constitute a high-water mark of the war-comics genre. --Gordon Flagg

Review

For lovers of great art, lovingly rendered in black and white and gray ink wash..., this is as good as it gets... This is one collection of war comics that even those not inclined to care about the genre can appreciate, and now it’s more affordable than ever. (Johnny Bacardi - Popdose )

With people like Wood, Toth, and Heath involved, I knew the art would be fantastic in Blazing Combat, but I’ve been surprised at the quality of Archie Goodwin’s writing...it’s much more satisfying than expected. (Timothy Hodler - Robot 6 )

[T]he artistry on display is… mind-boggling, particularly in the case of Crandall, Heath and Severin… The creators clearly had a real love for this kind of material, so much so that I wish things had tipped slightly in their favor a bit more. (Chris Mautner - Robot 6 )

[O]nce again, I’m engaged in Blazing Combat. What a thrill! And the art!... Highly recommended. Don’t argue! Just buy it! (David McDonnell - Starlog )

Although the subject matter is bleak, the presentation it’s been given is beautiful. This is as good as war comics get. (Rob Lott - Bookgasm )

Blazing Combat’s...issues constitute a high-water mark of the war-comics genre. (Gordon Flagg - Booklist )

[F]eatures a collection of some of the most beautiful black and white comic art you have ever seen... It also features interviews and some of the most beautiful printing I have seen. Honestly, put down those monthly comics for a week and buy something you will enjoy a lifetime. From cover to cover, this book is what keeps me in comics. (Jimmy Palmiotti - Newsarama )

Anybody who wants to read great great comics, war stories, or a superb tutorial in short form comics writing and unsurpassed comics illustration needs to read this one. (Michael C. Lorah - Newsarama )

Packed with gloriously miserable... war stories covering everything from the battle of Thermopylae to Vietnam... all beautifully captured by comics legends like Archie Goodwin, Alex Toth, Joe Orlando, and Gene Colan in appropriately murky grays... Fantagraphics has slapped together a nice, hefty... hardbound collection that's worth a read, whether you're a comic nerd, war buff, one-legged veteran, or one of those snooty I-only-read-graphic-novels types. (Jonah Spangenthal-Lee - The Stranger )

I think it's healthy for adolescent boys to have access to well-written, well-drawn comics about war, as long as the comics in question constantly pound home the message that war is futile, stupid and contemptible. (Douglas Wolk - TIME/Techland )

[A]n amazing collection of… stories… written by the outstanding Archie Goodwin… throw in some of the most amazing art, all of it sharply and expertly reproduced, and you’ve got some real dynamite here. ... And there’s fantastic bonus features. (Tom McLean - Bags and Boards )

Blazing Combat, a new hardcover collection from Fantagraphics, showcases some truly fantastic work from a multitude of comics greats... The collection itself is sharp as a tack... Fantagraphics really packages it nicely. (Litany of Schist )

Adam Grano’s bold design cover design is the perfect complement to Fantagraphics’ comprehensive collection... with a stellar team of artists that included Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, John Severin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, Russ Heath, Reed Crandall, and Gene Colan. It’s remarkable how little these stories have aged, as many cover thematic ground that resonates to this day.... Even the more straightforward “war comics” that are presented in this volume have an unusual gravitas that fits naturally over the proceedings, making the stories collected stand out, and the interviews with Archie Goodwin and Jim Warren provide an in-depth and fascinating look at the pressures that the controversial comic magazine faced. (Kevin Church - BeaucoupKevin.com )

This collection of the 1965-66 Blazing Combat war comic magazine is a stellar publication... It's a master class on how to tell a short story, and I highly recommend checking it out. (Sandy Bilus - I Love Rob Liefeld )

Blazing Combat reprints all 4 issues of the ground-breaking war series... These are fascinating stories... drawn by some of the top talent in comics... [who] did some of their finest works for this short-lived publication. This new package from Fantagraphics Books is a handsome hardcover... the design work is A+, this time by Adam Grano. (Gary Sassaman - Innocent Bystander )

[A]mong the high points of 1960s comics, and this handsome collection is one of the most welcome reprint volumes of the last few years. (Robert Martin - The Comics Journal )

Poignant and tragic, inspiring and depressing, Blazing Combat give an insightful glimpse into the bloody battles that have plagued this world. (Marc Mason - Comics Waiting Room )

Each panel is a stunning work of art, beautifully preserved on heavy paper. Just as relevant as when they were first published, the stories should still draw an emotional reaction. (Rachelle Goguen - The Coast (Halifax) )

This is a wonderful and necessary collection of Archie Goodwin's 1960s attempt at Warren to replicate the best of the war-focused EC comics of the previous decade. Beautifully designed and all-in-one, too. (Tom Spurgeon - The Comics Reporter )

Blazing Combat collects the entire run in a beautiful, incredibly well-bound hardcover book... The stories' tone is very 1960s, ironic with a cynicism stemming from brokenhearted humanism. (Carol Borden - The Cultural Gutter )

[One of] the… best collections of 2009…, bringing all the issues of Warren magazine's short-lived war comic under one cover, written (mostly) by Archie Goodwin and drawn by some of the finest artists of the '60s… (Steven Grant - Comic Book Resources )

Astounding...The art is reproduced from 'the original printer’s films,' so the work is clear and detailed, with the washes and shading providing depth and a feeling of realism...The stories are still timely. (Johanna Draper Carlson - Comics Worth Reading )

These are awesome comics, collected in one hardcover edition... Fantagraphics have done us a big favor by reprinting them all. (The Comic Book Haters )

Just finished reading and cannot recommend enough the new Fantagraphics release Blazing Combat. (This Is Why I Hate You )

There was a time when War Comics told War Fact. They showed us the blood, death, camaraderie and horror. [Blazing Combat] did just that and didn’t hold back. (Chris Marshall - Forbidden Planet International )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Fantagraphics Books (April 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560979658
• ISBN-13: 978-1560979654
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #48 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Fantagraphics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally the wait is over, May 23, 2009

By 

Diego Cordoba - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blazing Combat (Hardcover)

After waiting for more than a year for this book to come out, it finally arrived. I won't go into the details of how the original Blazing Combat magazine came to be (you can do so by reading the introduction and interviews included within), just bear in mind that between the covers of this book you'll be reading some of the best war stories ever (second only to Harvey Kurtzman's war titles for EC) and viewing the best comic book art ever (from some veteran EC artists and some newer ones like Gray Morrow, Gene Colan, Russ Heath and Alex Toth).

Okay, let's get on with the book itself. Fantagraphics has done a great job as usual. I actually prefer the sturdy mat paper Fantagraphics has used as opposed to the glossy paper Dark Horse used for their Creepy and Eerie reprints. There is no glare on the pages from your source of light and contrary from what you may think, the paper is actually heavy and sturdy and a million times better than the pulp paper used for the original comic. The reproduction is pristine clear, especially concerning the duo-tone and dot screen patterns that most of the artists used at the time. A special treat is of course Russ Heath's Give and take, which is probably the best use ever given to a duo-tone board (and the artwork itself will just blow you away). There are some interesting interviews with Jim Warren, the publisher, and Archie Goodwin, the editor and writer of most of the stories. And even if the series was done in the mid 60s, most of the stories still hold up to date. And the artwork is just the best that there ever was. Most fans, critics, etc. believe that the art in EC comics were the best ever, but to me, all those artists really came around and did their best work in the 60s and early 70s, mostly for the Warren magazines.

My only complaints are:

1. The book size. Smaller than the original magazines and smaller than Dark Horse's Eerie/Creepy reprints.

2. The covers by Frazetta aren't reproduced at the beginning of each chapter, but rather at the end of the book and only as a series of small vignettes.

3. It's a pity there is no input from the artists themselves, as I am sure most of them would have some pretty interesting stories to tell (at least those who are still alive).

4. It's a pity Fantagraphics didn't reproduce the original magazine's letters page section as well (as the Dark Horse reprints did), but this is only a minor complaint.

All in all, and keeping those minor complaints aside, this book is a real treat and is highly recommended. You won't be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Graphic Illustrations That "War is Hell", November 6, 2009

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Blazing Combat (Hardcover)

As someone who's not a comics buff, I'd never heard of Blazing Combat until I stumbled across this book's arresting pop art cover in the library. Since I like graphic storytelling and military history, I picked it up and took it home. If you're familiar with the four original comic books (or rather "magazines," as this title was published) which appeared over the course of ten months in 1965-66, then you know what to expect. If you never saw those, then you're in for a treat, 'cause here are unsanitized stories of war from throughout (mostly) American history. In the interviews with the original writer and publisher that appear at the end of the book, they both cite Harvey Kurtzman's 1950s war comics as the primary influence on Blazing Combat. The concept was not to be anti-war (as many have accused the stories of being), but to represent the reality of war -- mainly illustrating the adage that "war is hell."

The 29 stories do so, ranging from the American Revolution through the Vietnam War that was just starting to heat up during the time the stories were originally published. Each tends to focus on a lone soldier and his own struggle to survive and cling to humanity, or in some cases, turn away from it. Some do tell "heroic" or inspiring stories, such as the Battle of Britain, or the amazing career of World War I Canadian ace Billy Bishop (72 confirmed kills!), but others show the darker side of war, such as a WWII G.I. prying gold fillings from dead bodies in the Pacific theater, or the terror of fresh troops. Almost every story is told from a soldier's point of view, a notable exception being "Landscape" -- a Vietnam story that shows the war's effect on a peasant farmer, in a remarkably prescient critique of all the problems of that benighted war.

All the stories were authored or coauthored by longtime comics writer-editor Archie Goodwin, and as such, have a fairly uniform voice. At times, they sometimes drift into cliche, such as the ones whose closing panels are a dead soldier's open wallet photo of wife and child, or a dead GI's valentine, and other such maudlin touches. There's also the regrettable abundance of explanation points, which appear at the end of practically every other sentence. But at roughly 5-8 pages each, they have a consistent rhythm and are generally solid enough little dramas. The one outlier is "Survival," a stellar Twilight Zoneish tale of a man trying to stay alive in a frozen post-nuclear war landscape.

As with pretty much every book I've seen published by Fantagraphics, the production is outstanding. High-quality matte paper retains the detail of the artwork (which was reproduced from the original films), beautiful printing, binding, etc. The range of artists ensure that there's a nice mix of styles throughout, which keeps the book from getting visually stale. Almost all are quite good, and special mention has to be made of Russ Heath's work in "Give and Take," which stands heads and shoulders above the rest. The only quibble I have is that the four covers to the original comics appear only as a small spread at the back of the book. These were amazing paintings by Frank Frazetta, and it's a real shame they couldn't have gotten their own full page each. On the whole though, the book is an amazing value, and makes a great gift for anyone interested in American military history or the history of comics.

NOTE: For those who are interested, I tallied the settings: American Revolution 1, American Civil War 3, Spanish-American War 1, World War I 4, World War II 10, Korea 3, Vietnam 4, Misc. 3 (US Cavalry vs. Indians, Post-Apocalypse, Thermopyle). Similarly, almost all the stories are of ground combat, with a handful of aerial combat tales and a single submarine story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Looking Compellation, March 15, 2010

By 

E. David Swan (South Euclid, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Blazing Combat (Hardcover)

Fantagraphics has managed to pull together every single issue of the legendary "Blazing Combat" into one big compendium. Yep, they managed to get all *ahem* four issues. Actually these were produced in larger magazine format and published quarterly so just these four issues were more than enough to fill a good size book. The book is all black and white just like the magazine and they have a very cool 1950's/60's look that I really enjoyed. The art isn't consistent in quality but none of it is bad and when it's good it's very good (for instance everything done by Wally Wood).

Warren Comics was a fairly modest blip as comic companies go with only 16 comic magazine titles published in its 26 years of existence. I am aware of many of their titles including Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella but I never actually purchased any of these magazines. However, this small company managed to acquire quite a stable of talent, many of which worked on Blazing Combat. All of the stories were written by the legendary Archie Goodwin and the artists include Joe Orlando, Alex Toth and a pair of Mad Magazine alumni John Severin and Wally Wood. Wood, in particular, is one of my all time favorite artists. Although he only draws two of the stories they are really standouts artistically and a blown-up image from one of his stories is used for the books wraparound cover. The inside cover art is taken from the covers of several of Blazing Combat's issues. These images, by Frank Frazetta, are absolutely some of the best most intense comic covers I have ever seen.

I enjoyed the writing I can't say I was blown away. One of the litmus tests I use to determine whether a collection of this sort is worth a buy is whether or not I might find myself coming back and reading it again. In fact this book is available in my local library and if I had it all to do over again I would have checked it out rather than purchase it because I don't see myself going back and rereading the stories. The big problem is that the stories all tend to follow the same template likely because all of them were written by the same writer. The stories take place in wars going all the way back to ancient Persia through the Revolutionary and Civil War and of course the two World Wars, Korea and Vietnam. They're good stories but for me it's kind of the difference between Saving Private Ryan and the James Bond movies. Private Ryan might look better in my collection and may be better on a technical level but the Bond movies are just more fun to watch repeatedly. I'll give this collection four stars because on technical merits it's quite good and the interviews with Frank Warren and Archie Goodwin at the end are a great addition. My point deduction is because I just know this book is going to get stored away in a box and forgotten about. On the other hand if I ever get another bookshelf it might look quite nice.