While known for his dynamic and adventurous superhero comics, which dominated most of his long career, Jack Kirby has worked in nearly every genre of the comic book medium. He worked on horror, romance and science-fiction titles. However, the one genre he is often pointed to as a pioneer of is war, something Kirby had experienced first-hand during the Second World War. However, his fictional war works were far more joyous and fun than the real experience. At DC during the 1940s, Kirby’s work on war comics featuring characters such as the Boy Commandos and the Newsboy Legion became very popular, even rivalling the Superman and Batman titles in terms of sales. Then, 30 years later, after becoming known as one of the best in the medium, Kirby returned to combat. Our Fighting Forces was a title featuring a group of soldiers in the Second World War, with prominent war writers and artists such as Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert working on the title. However, with issue 151, Kirby had arrived to write and draw a set of varied characters that he hadn’t created. Featuring Captain Storm, Johnny Cloud, Gunner and Sarge, Kirby was to place his touch of magic on the book, making it appealing to all readers, not just a select few. And while it may not be his most famous comic book run, it may arguably be the most real…
In this review covering Jack Kirby’s The Losers stories in DC’s Our Fighting Forces title, I will be reviewing:
Kill Me with Wagner --- Our Fighting Forces 151
A Small Place in Hell! --- Our Fighting Forces 152
Devastator vs. Big Max --- Our Fighting Forces 153
Bushido! --- Our Fighting Forces 154
The Partisans --- Our Fighting Forces 155
Goodbye Broadway… Hello Death! --- Our Fighting Forces 156
Panama Fattie/Bombing Out on the Panama Canal --- Our Fighting Forces 157-158
“Mile-A-Minute” Jones! --- Our Fighting Forces 159
Ivan --- Our Fighting Forces 160
The Major’s Dream --- Our Fighting Forces 161
Gung-Ho! --- Our Fighting Forces 162
Our Fighting Forces 151-162 was published monthly from November 1974 to December 1975, with some early issues being bi-monthly. All stories were written and pencilled by Jack Kirby, with inks by Mike Royer or D. Bruce Berry. Also, I have read
these stories in the Jack Kirby’s The Losers hardcover. Also, I will be reviewing the art by Jack Kirby, Mike Royer and D. Bruce Berry after the stories…
Kill Me with Wagner --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
In a forest in France, The Losers are being hunted by Nazi soldiers, who are firing flares at them. However, the Losers are rescued by soldiers of the allied forces, who fight against the Nazis while the Losers continue their mission. Meanwhile, one of the Losers, Gunner, has been captured and is confronted by the German Major, who manages to anger Gunner. He then tries to attack the Major, but he is stopped by the soldiers, before the maid sends Gunner to his room. At the same time, the Losers find a secret passageway underneath the houses which lead them to Gunner’s location. Meanwhile, the Major and the Nazi’s have captured a group of women, believing one of them to be Emma Klein, a woman they are searching for. Gunner is then forced to identify one of them as Emma Klein, but he refuses. Then, as a soldier prepares to shoot one of the women, the Losers arrive and shoot the Nazi’s while rescuing the woman. The dying Major then realises that the maid is in fact Emma Klein when she plays Wagner on the piano. The Nazi’s base of operations is then destroyed by explosives, leaving Gunner annoyed that Emma Klein wasn’t particularly good looking.
MY THOUGHTS
As somebody who has never read a story featuring the Losers before (with the obvious exception of Crisis on Infinite Earths), this story introduces us to the main characters that will feature in every Losers story. The plot itself is a rather standard war story in which the Losers have to fight against the Nazis and as a run-around story, it works. There is action, surprise and drama, showing that Kirby can write stories that aren’t complete fantasy (like OMAC) and still work. The first few pages of the story really work excellently since it builds up to a grand fight, which is also repeated towards the end of the story, which features pages of explosions and an all-out brawl, something which Kirby has always done well. That being said, I did find it difficult to differentiate between some of the Losers members, since some are recognisable, and others are just dull. Obviously, these characters haven’t been created by Kirby, but I think that they should all have had different personalities. Also, I don’t know how the Nazis can be searching for a woman that is, unknown to them, living with them in the same building. They really are idiots…
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
A Small Place in Hell! --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
The Losers enter a town that is believed to be empty. However, they are surprised when they are attacked by bullets coming from Nazi soldiers. Although the Losers try to run, they are trapped by a Nazi tank. However, the Losers manage to escape and hide inside one of the houses. But this isn’t for long as the Nazi’s scout the rooftops, causing the Losers to fire back and fight the Nazis, who begin throwing grenades in the building. The Losers then head to the roof, where although they manage to fight through the Nazis, realise that they are doomed. They then manage to hide again, before a group of allied soldiers and tanks arrive, fighting and defeating the Nazis. The Losers are met with General Patton, who calls the group losers, but thanks the group for taking the Nazi’s off their backs. The Losers then head away to heal and find some medics.
MY THOUGHTS
This story really doesn’t have what you’d call a plot. Basically, the Losers just enter a town, thinking it is unoccupied. However, it turns out that Nazis are living there, and the story turns into a huge fight, which ends with more allied forces arriving. That is basically it. However, the reason this story works so well is because it not only benefits from Kirby’s impactful art, but it displays the darker elements of wars which Kirby experienced for himself. The Losers constantly try to evade the Nazis, but they just keep on coming relentlessly. Then, when the Losers are discovered, the Nazis don’t hesitate to fire at them. This creates a real sense of urgency in the story, while also fittingly displaying the Nazis as threatening. Also, the ending of the story works well too, since you realise that the Losers aren’t great war heroes and that they are just like regular people, meaning they have their flaws. The story may be very simplistic and quick, but it is great due to its sense of action and drama.
Story: 9.5/10
Art: 8/10
Devastator vs. Big Max --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer
THE STORY
In Germany, Hitler, Himmler and Rommel witness their new creation, a giant cannon named Big Max. One of the Nazi soldiers grows nervous and begins firing at the other soldiers, before they shoot him. Before dying, he tells the Nazis they are doomed as the Devastator is coming. However, the Nazi’s ignore his last words. Meanwhile, the Losers hear the soldier’s last words, since he was a spy for the allied forces. Suddenly, Big Max attacks the town and Johnny Cloud and Sarge investigate. At the town, they see the devastation and decide to visit Rocketship Rumpkin, who is building the Devastator. They find him reading science-fiction comics and after the Losers look at them, they decide to help him build something from them to fight the Nazis. The next day, enemy planes attack, but they are destroyed by the futuristic-looking Devastator, which then fires at Big Max, destroying it. However, this is at the cost of the Devastator, which saddens Rumpkin.
MY THOUGHTS
Big Max… why would the Nazis’ most dangerous weapon be called that? Why? I don’t know, but its funny. Anyway, this story is by-far the strangest story of the lot, mainly because it features a futuristic colourful tank in the 1940s. Once again, Kirby depicts the Nazis as villainous, even featuring Hitler and his chums at the very start. Their weapon is a huge threat of the story and the reason I think it works well is because these stories were written in the 1970s. If Kirby had written this story in Detective Comics for his Boy Commandos stories with Joe Simon, it may have frightened kids and readers, possibly resulting in stories being censored. However, with the passing of 30 years, this story can work really well. But, the aspect of the story which I don’t think works is Rocketship Rumpkin and his Devastator. In just one day, how the hell did he build this? It actually destroys Big Max and defeats the Nazis, but how could (continued)
that have been built in the 1940s. A certain degree of fantasy never hurts in stories such as these, but this is just too far and completely out of place. Sure, it makes you laugh and its funny, but it feels entirely out of place.
Story: 6.5/10
Art: 8/10
Bushido! --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
On an island in the Pacific, the Losers capture a Japanese officer named Yamashita, who is treated like a god by the soldiers. However, just as the Losers are being hunted by search planes, Yamashita escapes. The Losers then search for Yamashita, but they are attacked by mortars. Yamashita and his soldiers then arrive and manage to capture Gunner, along with Frenchy, the group’s sailor. The Losers then offer an exchange, with Yamashita getting Johnny Cloud and the Losers getting Gunner and Frenchy back. The two groups agree, before Yamashita and Cloud fight one another, with Cloud nearly dying. However, allied forces then arrive and as the Losers escape, Yamashita and his men charge towards American bullets.
MY THOUGHTS
This is the first story of the run which focuses on another axis enemy, which is the Japanese. Essentially, it displays the differences between American and Japanese fighting styles and viewpoints of war, and it works well. Some of the main characters are actually beginning to get consistent traits as well. For example, Gunner seems to be getting captured an awful lot and aspects such as that, whether it be written like this on purpose, add uniqueness to his character, which I think they all need. Once again, the villains are relentless, and Kirby excellently captures the war. That being said, the story does feel rather minimalistic and for some odd reason, a character named Frenchy hangs around with the Losers. There isn’t really any explanation or reasoning for why he is in the story. If anything, he is more of a hinderance to the team since he gets captured with Gunner. Still, despite some of its flaws, it is still a very enjoyable tale.
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
The Partisans --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
In Yugoslavia, Sarge and Gunner, who is injured, meet a group of partisans, who walk away from Sarge and Gunner, who follow them, leading them to Milgar Station, occupied by the Nazis. As Sarge leaves Gunner hidden so he can rest, he enters occupied territory with the partisans and together they fight against the soldiers. Then, as Sarge plants explosives on the station’s bridge to destroy it, he is attacked and injured. A Nazi tank then arrive and aims towards the partisans, one of whom named Fur-Hat silently speaks to the tank, which then fires, causing a huge explosion which destroys the bridge. An injured Sarge is then nearly killed by Nazi Soldiers, but luckily, Johnny Cloud, Captain Storm and the allied forces arrive, defeating the Nazis. Later, in a medical tent where Sarge and Gunner are being treated, they learn that no partisans exist in the area. They also discover that Fur-Hat did exist, but he is long dead.
MY THOUGHTS
This one here is one of my favourite stories of the run, because of its sense of mystery and action. The plot of destroying a bridge in Yugoslavia to fend off the Nazis may sound like a generic war-time yarn, but the partisans are what make the story interesting. This is because although they barely speak, they don’t f*ck around and they send the fight to the Nazis with force, even seemingly sacrificing themselves at the end to (continued)
ensure that the Nazis are defeated. However, that isn’t it, as in the end, the Losers discover that the partisans and Fur-Hat have been dead for years, making us think whether they were real or not. Aspects such as that really make the story into something more cryptic and appealing. Lastly, the two Losers who feature in this story the most, Sarge and Gunner, are shown to be both injured throughout. Once again, this shows that the war wasn’t fought by hardcore and trained soldiers, but ordinary people, most of whom didn’t have any choice in fighting against the Nazis.
Story: 10/10
Art: 8/10
Goodbye Broadway… Hello Death! --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer
THE STORY
In New York, the Nazis destroy an allied submarine, but luckily, most of the crew survive and are saved. Later, the Losers begin searching for Helmut Steger, who they believe is behind the submarine attack. They head to Broadway, where they find Steger helping an old man pick up his fallen newspaper. They quickly capture Steger, after he attempts to kill the Losers with his gun. Afterwards, the Losers discover a second Nazi submarine nearby which carries deadly weapons. Although they manage to defeat the Nazis, they fire a missile. However, the Losers manage to destroy it with a cannon, before arresting the Nazi soldiers.
MY THOUGHTS
I have to confess that although this story begins flawlessly with the submarine being sunk, it just isn’t one of my favourites. In most of the other stories, the Losers are in battle-zones such as forests or towns, taking the fight to the Nazis or Japanese, which is when the team in their element and it works well. However, with this one, they go to Broadway and search for a Nazi named Steger. This just doesn’t work because you are taking the characters out of where they work best and because of that, the quality of the plot decreases. Don’t get me wrong, the scenes at the beginning and ending featuring the submarines are good, but the middle just feels entirely out of place. Overall, it’s just about average.
Story: 5/10
Art: 8/10
Panama Fattie/Bombing Out on the Panama Canal --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer
THE STORY
In Panama, an inspector is killed by Panama Fattie, who controls the area. Meanwhile, the Losers are inducted into the navy and are sent to Panama, where their truck is stopped by Panama Fattie, who tells them that her car is stuck. Believing her story, the Losers decide to help. However, when their truck is nearly raided by a group of thugs, the Losers fight them. Afterwards, the Losers head to Panama Fattie’s home, where they are given food and drink. Suddenly, the Losers fall unconscious and Panama Fattie and her gang appear. Afterwards, the Losers wake up on a truck tied up. Although they try to convince Panama Fattie that she should stop since she is stealing government property for the Japanese, she ignores them and tells her gang to fire at them…
While the Japanese army head towards the Panama Canal, the Losers ask for one last cigarette before they are killed. Panama Fattie allows this, but the Losers simply use it to attack the guards and escape. However, after they defeat her gang, Panama Fattie escapes in her truck towards the canal. Luckily, her tires are shot by the Losers and she runs away on foot, with the Losers close behind. In the Japanese’s camp, Panama Fattie demands to meet with Lieutenant Nakamura, but she is told to leave. She then kills one of the Japanese soldiers, but she too is shot. The Losers then intervene and fight against the Japanese, defeating them both on land and in the air. However, this is at the cost of Panama Fattie’s life.
MY THOUGHTS
Strangely, this is the only two-part story of the whole run and quite honestly, I’m not sure if it’s totally deserving of it. But before we get to that, this story works once again because of it features the Losers in their element, fighting against the Japanese in the grim battlefields of combat. Once again, the sense of action and drama throughout the story very well and it builds up to a great and exciting conclusion. However, I think that the story can go on for too long and it feels very stretched out with nothing really happening in some areas. This is predominant in the first part of the story, which feels very empty, but I guess that Kirby is trying to set up the menace that is Panama Fattie. Speaking of which, her character in this story is a huge threat since she has both her own gang and the Japanese forces backing her. The plot of trying to defeat her for selling government property to the enemy works well and although her sudden death tries to depict her as a kinder character, it just doesn’t work. It also doesn’t make much sense that Captain Storm seemed to have some affection for her, despite being a traitor and a killer. But once again, the action in the story is amazing and Kirby tells these scenes in a brilliant way which is full of excitement. Its just a shame that there isn’t more of it in the story.
Story: 6.5/10
Art: 8/10
“Mile-A-Minute” Jones! --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer
THE STORY
In a battle-zone, an African American solider named Henry Jones escapes from Nazi soldiers when he is caught by a Nazi named Bruno Borman. The two recognise each other as they competed together in the Olympics. Then, the Losers arrive and capture Borman, leaving the Nazis confused since he had a map of the area. The Losers then enter a villa which was once Nazi-occupied, where Borman and some Nazis are imprisoned. Later, the Losers head out on patrol and find Bruno, who has escaped from his cell using a metal razor. Henry chases after him, reminding him of the Olympics. However, he fails as Borman reunites with the Nazi’s, who then charge towards Henry. However, the Nazi’s are all killed by a huge explosion, making Henry realise that he ran across as a mine field. An allied forces plane then arrives, picking up Henry and the Losers, leaving Bruno and the Nazis dead.
MY THOUGHTS
To me, this story features a character which I believe should have joined the team at the end, which is Henry Jones. Throughout the story, so much information about him is detailed and since he is shown to be very fast, you would have thought that they would continue with his character. However, they don’t which I think is quite strange. Anyway, the plot is pretty simple as it’s the Losers fighting Borman and the Nazis. Nothing else really special about it. Of course, the sense of action throughout is brilliant and the ending featuring the minefield is a great surprise that you wouldn’t see coming.
Story: 8/10
Art: 8/10
Ivan --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by Mike Royer
THE STORY
In Germany, a Russian collaborator named Ivan helps the Nazis by murdering Jews. Meanwhile, the Losers disguise themselves as SS officers and stay with Ivan and his mother. While the Losers leave to try and deliver a letter to General Danikov, Ivan heads into his basement where he hides Jews and forces them to give him their possessions. Later, the Losers find the secret basement, along with all the valuables that Ivan is hiding. Suddenly, a group of SS officers arrive, searching for the hidden Jews. However, the Losers decide to kill the SS officers and knock out Ivan, framing him for the murders. As the Losers rescue the Jews in the basement, Ivan is captured by the SS and sentenced to death.
MY THOUGHTS
This story is actually one of my favourites of the run, not just because of the villain Ivan, but also because of Kirby’s grim, yet realistic portrayal of war. The first double-splash page of the story featuring Ivan killing a group of civilians is incredibly impactful and it shows how brutal and cruel the Nazis were. It excellently sets up the story and displays Ivan as a cold-blooded killer. This makes his eventual fate at the end of the tale work so well, because it shows how gutless and frightened of death he really is. Apart from that, the story is written really well as the Losers frame Ivan for killing Nazi soldiers, while also discovering that he is hiding Jews in his basement so he can steal from them. Once again, the action is great, the story works well and because of that, it is one of the best in the run.
Story: 10/10
Art: 8/10
The Major’s Dream --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
In Burma, Major Geoffrey Soames suffers another recurring dream featuring monsters and demons, he is awoken by the Losers. Once Soames tells the Losers that
his regiment were all killed in Burma, they head out into the jungles and hide from Japanese soldiers. After travelling, Major Soames and the Losers find a temple with a hidden entrance. Suddenly, the Japanese forces arrive, but they are quickly defeated by explosives planted by the Losers. When the group enter the temple, Major Soames goes crazy and begins firing his gun in random directions. Once he is restrained by the Losers, the Japanese arrive and begin throwing grenades in the temple and the Losers fight against them. At the same time, Major Soames believes he is dreaming and begins screaming. The Losers head towards him and find him dead, crushed by a statue. The Losers then leave, believing that Soames may find peace as he rests where his regiment died.
MY THOUGHTS
This story is really here as an excuse for Jack Kirby to draw some scary-looking monsters and demons and although they look great, they are rather out of place, in a similar way that the Devastator from Our Fighting Forces 153 doesn’t work. The character of Major Soames works very well though, since he clearly has a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, since he is constantly haunted by the death of his regiment in Burma. This inclusion works excellently in the story, adding depth and interest to his character. The main plot however feels rather aimless, since the Losers enter a temple and fight the Japanese, who raid the temple after the Losers have entered. That said, it does work because it sets up the Major’s death and ends with him joining his dead regiment, but without him, the story would feel incredibly barren and empty. His inclusion also works because Kirby himself fought in the war and most probably experienced dreams and sleepless nights about his days fighting in the war.
Story: 7.5/10
Art: 8/10
Gung-Ho! --- Written and pencilled by Jack Kirby with inks by D. Bruce Berry
THE STORY
In a French town, Gunner trains four kids, named Jean Pierre, Eduard, Maurice and Albert, to be soldiers. Meanwhile, the Losers interrogate a Nazi on where his regiment is situated, but they get no response. Later, the Losers prepare for battle with Gunner’s four trainees when the Nazis attack. As the Losers fight back, Gunner and the kids head closer and manage to destroy Nazi tanks and kill their soldiers. Afterwards, despite the danger, the kids decide to stay with Gunner and fight, calling themselves Marines. Successfully, they fight off the Nazis and defend the base. Afterwards, the Losers apologise to the kids, telling them that they are real soldiers. Gunner says farewell to them and leaves with the Losers.
MY THOUGHTS
This last story is very reminiscent of Kirby’s work in the 1940s, since the kid soldiers remind me of the Boy Commandos. Anyway, the classic Kirby idea still works here and as it takes place in the war, it doesn’t feel particularly dated, which the Dingbats of Danger Street did (1st Issue Special 6). The main plot is just another brawl between the Losers and the Nazis, which facilitates the plot of Gunner’s trainee marines trying to prove themselves. The idea may not be dated, but it feels very similar to Kirby’s previous works, making the direction and ending of the story incredibly predictable. That being said, its great how Kirby gives all the kids their own personality, with one of them fighting the Nazis to avenge his dead parents. Aspects like that work well, but I wouldn’t have liked it so much if they became a regular feature.
Story: 6.5/10
Art: 8/10
THE ART BY JACK KIRBY, D. BRUCE BERRY AND MIKE ROYER
As I said in my OMAC By Jack Kirby review (read it here), Kirby’s art is always very impressive, impactful and dynamic. His sense of storytelling works well with his dramatic stories, especially when the story begins with a large action or fight scene. In fact, Our Fighting Forces 151 is a classic example, as the first three pages build up to a fight, with the Losers hiding from the Nazis. Then, the fight unleashes, full of explosions and bullets being fired, creating an impactful and strong start to the story. Not only are pages and panels dramatic, but they often make you feel certain emotions and Kirby’s art style really captures the woes of war. For example, the first double-splash page of Our Fighting Forces 160, in which Ivan and the Nazis fire at and kill innocent civilians is incredibly dark, something you wouldn’t really expect to find (continued)
in a comic from 1975. With his art, Kirby excellently makes the villains look evil and threatening, while also making the Losers look like war-torn heroes who have been fighting for years. It’s also worth mentioning that at the end of each issue, Kirby would draw different pieces of equipment used by both the allied and axis forces during the war, some of which was real, but most of which is entirely fictional. I actually really like these, not just because they can be informative (but usually very silly), but because they can give context to a story or just more information. Of course, all the same criticisms I had of the art in OMAC remains here, with the main problem being the inkers. Throughout his career, inkers such as Joe Sinnott and Wally Wood smoothed out Kirby’s style, not removing his distinctive style, but rendering it in a more visually appealing and smoother way. D. Bruce Berry and Mike Royer just aren’t like that and they are incredibly faithful to Kirby’s pencils, which sometimes can look rather unattractive. I like I said before, despite the art’s rather hideous appearance at times, it isn’t a huge distraction to me and I’m much more bothered by it with inkers like Greg Theakston in the 1980s. Just like OMAC, this is classic DC Kirby.
VERDICT
Overall, The Losers by Jack Kirby features a wide array of different stories, most of which are very good and there isn’t one story which I would consider to be awful or terrible. In the stories, Kirby executes (no pun intended) some excellent plots which feature some fantastic battles between the heroes and villains, while introducing some interesting characters with genuine personalities, like Henry Jones or Major Soames. Even the weaker stories feature some great moments and they all highly benefit from Kirby’s masterful and dynamic art. Sure, the inks may not be brilliant and Mike Royer and D. Bruce Berry may not be my favourites, but I’d be lying if I said that I don’t find the art impressive, engaging and incredibly dramatic. Like OMAC, it may not be one of his defining characters to write and draw for, but as somebody who doesn’t read or particularly want to read war comics, the Losers just works so well in the same way that the Boy Commandos and the Newsboy Legion do.
Stories: 7.5/10
Art: 8/10
Next Week: Zero Hour: A Crisis in Time (Showcase ’94 8-9, Zero Hour: A Crisis in Time 4-0). Written by Dan Jurgens with art by Frank Fosco, Ken Branch, Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway. Expected by 21/06/2020.
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