Sgt Rock #413 (DC/1988)

Sgt Rock #413 (DC/1988)

Various (w) & (a)

One of the genres of comics that seems to have long disappeared are the war comics we all used to read as a kid. I admit I was more interested in the little pocket book book "Picture Libraries" that British publisher put out but I did enjoy the occasion copy of Sgt Fury from Marvel or Sgt Rock from DC.



Of course Commando Comics is still going in the UK and I picked one up the other day. Over 5,000 issues now quite an achievement and still going strong. It prompted me to pick up a copy of Sgt Rock at my local comic shop.

The cover of this one caught my attention. A Priest and a Rabbi praying over the dead bodies of their comrades. Sad and poignant given the nature of the Second World War.

In I Owe You One Rock takes a backseat to the main characters of this story one Private Harry Cohen who we meet being berated by the Lieutenant for not having his helmet on and asking what is on his head. A Yarmulke worn by all "Orthodox" Jews. Harry ends up being allocated to look after Father Kelly who has just arrived to take care of Easy Company's religious needs and a friendship is struck up.

The use of religion as complimentary to each other makes for a good and unusual tale one that still needs to be told in this age of religious intolerance and the rise of anti-Semitism particularly on the left of politics in the UK.

There are two other short stories in this comic. The amusing A Job for Super-Soldier which relates a tale of a comic geek in the pacific theatre and what is essentially a horror story Glorious to the Grave set just after Dunkirk.

An issue worth collecting I thought.

And I have another for later.....