Celebrate D-Day...by Reading Comics/Graphic Novels!

It's the anniversary of D-Day, when the Allies, led by America, invaded Fortress Europa...

...and we at Atomic Kommie Comics had our "brother-in-arms" RetroBlog War: Past Present and Future post numerous graphic tales of that epic day, beginning with Marvel's Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos hitting the beach on D-Day!

Yes, it was reprinted in a Marvel Masterworks over a decade ago, but those are extremely-expensive and didn't sell very well, so most of you have never seen this tale from over a half century ago!

We gave equal time to Fury's DC counterpart, Sgt. Rock, presenting his never-reprinted D-Day adventure...which was also the final story illustrated by his co-creator Joe Kubert!

It was really crowded at Normandy on June 6th, 1944 since Blackhawk and his team were also there, so it's only fair we present their never-reprinted D-Day adventure...which also doubles as their previously-unrevealed origin...at Hero Histories!

The EC Comics crew, best known for sci-fi and horror, also did a story about D-Day...by three ex-military personnel as seen HERE!

And one of their crew, who served in the Merchant Marine before becoming a paratrooper, did this tale  about our paratroopers on D-Day...

We here at the "parent" RetroBlog joined in with both a brief three-pager...

...and a multi-part retelling courtesy of Gilberton, the publisher behind Classics Illustrated and World Around Us!

Enjoy, and if you have a friend or family member who's a D-Day veteran, tell him "Thank You" for us!

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Essential Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos

by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers and others

And

Showcase Presents Sgt Rock

by Robert Kanigher, Joe Kubert and others

D-Day 75th Anniversary "Part 5: The Landing"

The greatest invasion in history is underway...

...and the action is about to get hot and heavy!

Let's dive right in!

Illustrated by the highly-underrated George Evans, this chapter appeared as a backup in Gilberton's World Around Us #31 (1961).

This particular issue was subtitled "Hunting", but the stand-alone lead tales in the front had little relationship to the serials in the back of the book!

To see Part 6: Beachhead...click HERE!

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Six Days

The Incredible Story of D-Day's Lost Chapter

by Robert Venditti, Kevin Maurer & Andrea Mutti

D-Day 75th Anniversary "Part 3: The Decision"

When Last We Left the Allied Forces...

...tension rises as the make-or-break deadline approaches!
Will the Allies attack or wait?
Spoiler: they don't wait!

Illustrated by the highly-underrated George Evans, this chapter appeared as a backup in Gilberton's World Around Us #29 (1960).

This particular issue was subtitled "Vikings", but the stand-alone lead tales in the front had little relationship to the serials (including this and "Red Planet Mars") in the back of the book!

To see Part 4: Night Drop...click HERE!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

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Longest Day

D-Day 75th Anniversary "Part 1: Key to Victory"

Yesterday, we presented a three-pager about D-Day...

...today, artist George Evans expands on that feature with a multi-part serial about the invasion of Normandy, along with a recap of events setting the stage...

Illustrated by the highly-underrated George Evans, this chapter appeared as a backup in Gilberton's World Around Us #27 (1960).

This particular issue was subtitled "Illustrated Story of High Adventure", but the stand-alone lead tales in the front had little relationship to the serials in the back of the book!

To see Part 2: Target Normandy...click HERE!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Six Days

The Incredible Story of D-Day's Lost Chapter

by Robert Venditti, Kevin Maurer & Andrea Mutti

Reading Room WORLD AROUND US: CIVIL WAR "An April Day"

Our final entry is a straightforward text feature not unlike some history books' telling of the tale...

This never-reprinted page from World Around Us: The Civil War (1960) was the next-to-last chapter in the oversized graphic reteling of the events leading up to and following the Civil War as well as the war itself.

Though most of the artists who contributed to other sections are easily recognizable (including Sam Glanzman, Gray Morrow, and Angelo Torres, the illustrator of this text feature (as well as the writer) is unknown.

Roosevelt Reading Room WORLD AROUND US "The Nation Asks for Action"

Our last entry in the Roosevelt Reading Room is another take on the life of FDR...

...from the same issue of World Around Us the "Rough Rider" story came from.

Compare and contrast this version by George Evans and Gray Morrow with the previous FDR tale by John Buscema.

Note what facts both stories present, and which ones each version omits.

We hope you've enjoyed our attempt to supplement the amazing Ken Burns PBS documentary The Roosevelts.

Roosevelt Reading Room WORLD AROUND US "Rough Rider"

The World Around Us educational comic series devoted its' 21st issue to American Presidents...

..and while some Presidents received single-page treatments, both the Roosevelts got multi-page stories!

Here's Teddy's tale..

It's interesting to contrast this version with the other Teddy tale from Life Stories of American Presidents, noting what both stories cover and what each leaves out that the other version mentions!

Several artists contributed to this tale, including George Evans, Norman Nodel, and Gerald McCann.

But we're not sure who penciled and/or inked which pages.

The World Around Us editors were notorious for making extensive editorial changes in the name of historical accuracy, and if the original artist didn't have the time to do corrections, the editors would corral whoever was in the office to redraw art.

Tomorrow, World Around Us' bio of FDR...

Reading Room WORLD AROUND US "Great Houdini"

For kids in the 1950s-60s, the go-to for fast and accurate info (if you didn't have an encyclopedia in those pre-Internet days) were the World Around Us comic series...

...and that's where we'll find the longest and most accurate graphic retelling of the life of Houdini!

(And the artwork was great source material for covers of reports about the subject matter.)

World Around Us #25 (1960) was subtitled "Illustrated Story of Magic" and featured a number of tales about magicians though the ages.

BTW, the World Around Us series, despite featuring artwork by a who's who of Golden and Silver Age greats including Jack Kirby, Reed Crandall, Gerald McCann, Gray Morrow, Dick Ayers, Sam Glanzman, George Evans, and Angelo Torres, has never been reprinted!

The Houdini tale was illustrated by Norman Nodel, who is best-known for his artwork for the "Doctor No" movie adaptation that appeared in Classics Illustrated in England, but in DC's Showcase Comics in America!

You can read the American version and see the changes made between the British and US editions HERE.