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The 'Nam #1
The `Nam
"Every American has some opinion on Vietnam and the Vietnamese War. For some, it's the symbol of national disgrace, the war we never should have fought. For others, it is a place of memories too terrible to forget."Ex-grunts (infantrymen) like me, remember it as a place where long periods of boredom were punctuated by eternal moments of terror". So speaks writer Doug Murray, author and co-creator of the Vietnam War comic series The 'Nam. Often informative, seldom simplistic, and routinely concerned with the war's consequences on man, The 'Nam is conceived, written, and drawn by veterans. The 'Nam examines a particularly divisive and controversial chapter in American and world history: the Vietnam War, and tells it from a viewpoint of "the grunts, the ground-pounders who saw war as a day-to-day struggle for life". These are stories of that war, as told by men who fought it.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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August 4, 2022
#ThrowbackThursday - Back in the '90s, I used to write comic book reviews for the website of a now-defunct comic book retailer called Rockem Sockem Comics. (Collect them all!)
From the March 1999 edition with a theme of "War Comics":
INTRODUCTION
This month, Dark Horse Comics is going overboard on its Star Wars offerings. With the bucks that will be flying around in May from frenzied Star Warriors, I can't say I blame them. While I will be seeing "The Phantom Menace" along with the rest of the world, I still prefer my war stories a little more down to Earth.
War has always been a rich source of literature. The extreme nature of war allows man to be displayed at his extremes: most noble, most base, most human. A broad spectrum of humanity can be shown making decisions that are tragic, horrible, disgusting, and inspiring -- often all at the same time. While I have never participated-- and hope to never participate-- in any war, I find war stories to be endlessly fascinating for their insight into the people of our world.
FROM THE BACKLIST
THE 'NAM #1-84 (Marvel Comics)
THE 'NAM Trade Paperbacks Volumes #1-3 (Marvel Comics)
At the height of Vietnam War mania in the 80s, Marvel Comics cashed in on the trend with one of the few Vietnam War comic books ever. At a time when every movie action hero was a Vietnam War veteran and every other movie was a Vietnam War story, THE 'NAM stood out as a high-quality tale of men at war.
In this ambitious project, writer Doug Murray and artist Michael Golden set out to tell the story of the Vietnam War from the grunts' point of view, one month at a time. Set in real time, each issue of the series was to represent one month of the war. Characters would enter the focus platoon, die or survive, then rotate out at the end of their tour of duty to be replaced by new recruits.
The initial storyline focuses on a young, naive man named Ed Marks. He comes of age in Vietnam, forced to deal with the cynicism and corruption that surrounds him. Through Marks' eyes, the reader discovers the terror of night raids, the boredom involved in laying an ambush, the uneasiness and paranoia felt toward civilians who may be the enemy, and the emotionally dulling presence of constant pain and death. The early issues of THE 'NAM are thoughtful, jarring tales illustrated in a striking style which walks the thin line between realism and cartoonishness. As a special treat, legendary artist John Severin (FRONTLINE COMBAT, TWO-FISTED TALES, MAD MAGAZINE, RAWHIDE KID) draws issue #12.
Unfortunately, Marvel editorial decree thwarted the ambitions of Murray and Golden, and they eventually found themselves rotated out of their tour of duty on THE 'NAM before reaching their goal of producing a comic for every month of the conflict. Such are the vagaries of war and publishing.
Before leaving, Murray and Golden produced an enviable body of work in THE 'NAM and set a high bar for their successors on the title. Late in the run, after floundering for much too long, THE 'NAM was fortunate to end up in the hands of writer Don Lomax (VIETNAM JOURNAL) and artist Wayne Vansant (BATTRON, AMERICAN HERITAGE COLLECTION), giving it the chance to go out with dignity and style.
Marvel is now beginning the reissue of its early trade paperback collections of THE 'NAM, and once again, editorial fiat is ruining a good comic. For $14.95 Marvel will re-release a slim four-issue compilation -- which I purchased for $4.95 in 1987 -- of comics which originally cost 75 cents apiece. Yeah, I know about inflation, economies of scale, supply and demand, and all those other economic terms I studied back in college. But this is such a missed opportunity! For nearly the same price, Marvel could have collected 20 issues of THE 'NAM in its "Essential" format, making the entire run of one of America's best war comics available in just four large volumes. For less than 60 bucks, I could have had an edition of this series that would stay on my bookshelf for display, browsing, and reference for years to come. Marvel's current format would have me buying 21 trade paperbacks and paying over 300 smackers to own the complete collection of THE 'NAM.
Hey, we know Marvel is never going to be able to publish 21 compilations of THE 'NAM -- only Batman has that kind of clout. Four big books might have been doable. Four books and they're done -- quick in and out. Instead, we get the publishing equivalent of the Vietnam War in Marvel's THE 'NAM collection: long, drawn out, costly, and sure to end poorly. And as the efforts of America's soldiers were lost in the controversies which swirled around the Vietnam War, the fine artistic efforts of Murray, Golden, Severin, Lomax, and Vansant are the victims here.
THE 'NAM - Grade: A-
Marvel Comics - Grade: F
From the March 1999 edition with a theme of "War Comics":
INTRODUCTION
This month, Dark Horse Comics is going overboard on its Star Wars offerings. With the bucks that will be flying around in May from frenzied Star Warriors, I can't say I blame them. While I will be seeing "The Phantom Menace" along with the rest of the world, I still prefer my war stories a little more down to Earth.
War has always been a rich source of literature. The extreme nature of war allows man to be displayed at his extremes: most noble, most base, most human. A broad spectrum of humanity can be shown making decisions that are tragic, horrible, disgusting, and inspiring -- often all at the same time. While I have never participated-- and hope to never participate-- in any war, I find war stories to be endlessly fascinating for their insight into the people of our world.
FROM THE BACKLIST
THE 'NAM #1-84 (Marvel Comics)
THE 'NAM Trade Paperbacks Volumes #1-3 (Marvel Comics)
At the height of Vietnam War mania in the 80s, Marvel Comics cashed in on the trend with one of the few Vietnam War comic books ever. At a time when every movie action hero was a Vietnam War veteran and every other movie was a Vietnam War story, THE 'NAM stood out as a high-quality tale of men at war.
In this ambitious project, writer Doug Murray and artist Michael Golden set out to tell the story of the Vietnam War from the grunts' point of view, one month at a time. Set in real time, each issue of the series was to represent one month of the war. Characters would enter the focus platoon, die or survive, then rotate out at the end of their tour of duty to be replaced by new recruits.
The initial storyline focuses on a young, naive man named Ed Marks. He comes of age in Vietnam, forced to deal with the cynicism and corruption that surrounds him. Through Marks' eyes, the reader discovers the terror of night raids, the boredom involved in laying an ambush, the uneasiness and paranoia felt toward civilians who may be the enemy, and the emotionally dulling presence of constant pain and death. The early issues of THE 'NAM are thoughtful, jarring tales illustrated in a striking style which walks the thin line between realism and cartoonishness. As a special treat, legendary artist John Severin (FRONTLINE COMBAT, TWO-FISTED TALES, MAD MAGAZINE, RAWHIDE KID) draws issue #12.
Unfortunately, Marvel editorial decree thwarted the ambitions of Murray and Golden, and they eventually found themselves rotated out of their tour of duty on THE 'NAM before reaching their goal of producing a comic for every month of the conflict. Such are the vagaries of war and publishing.
Before leaving, Murray and Golden produced an enviable body of work in THE 'NAM and set a high bar for their successors on the title. Late in the run, after floundering for much too long, THE 'NAM was fortunate to end up in the hands of writer Don Lomax (VIETNAM JOURNAL) and artist Wayne Vansant (BATTRON, AMERICAN HERITAGE COLLECTION), giving it the chance to go out with dignity and style.
Marvel is now beginning the reissue of its early trade paperback collections of THE 'NAM, and once again, editorial fiat is ruining a good comic. For $14.95 Marvel will re-release a slim four-issue compilation -- which I purchased for $4.95 in 1987 -- of comics which originally cost 75 cents apiece. Yeah, I know about inflation, economies of scale, supply and demand, and all those other economic terms I studied back in college. But this is such a missed opportunity! For nearly the same price, Marvel could have collected 20 issues of THE 'NAM in its "Essential" format, making the entire run of one of America's best war comics available in just four large volumes. For less than 60 bucks, I could have had an edition of this series that would stay on my bookshelf for display, browsing, and reference for years to come. Marvel's current format would have me buying 21 trade paperbacks and paying over 300 smackers to own the complete collection of THE 'NAM.
Hey, we know Marvel is never going to be able to publish 21 compilations of THE 'NAM -- only Batman has that kind of clout. Four big books might have been doable. Four books and they're done -- quick in and out. Instead, we get the publishing equivalent of the Vietnam War in Marvel's THE 'NAM collection: long, drawn out, costly, and sure to end poorly. And as the efforts of America's soldiers were lost in the controversies which swirled around the Vietnam War, the fine artistic efforts of Murray, Golden, Severin, Lomax, and Vansant are the victims here.
THE 'NAM - Grade: A-
Marvel Comics - Grade: F
November 17, 2024
Excellent from start to finish. Well handled combat and personal stories/conflicts.
March 22, 2018
Excellent comic book on the Vietnam War. Considering it was first released in late 86- not sure it was a great "patriotic" period in the USA at the time- I say kudos to the Marvel crew who greenlighted it in the first place.
The originality of The 'Nam is its "real time" concept. One month in the World equals a month in the boonies so supposedly main characters rotate after 12 issues and the series should develop along the real time frame.
Larry Hama (editor) and Doug Murray (writer) are both veterans and after reading this volume I don't think their honesty and sincerity about this book can be put into question.
Of course it was released under the Comics Code to touch a larger audience so the worst nasty word you'll read is "Cripes" but so what? Does that diminish the interest of this very good grunt's pov of the war? I don't think so.
It's didactic but never boring. The horrors of war are not put under the rug, the fight scenes are violent and chaotic, people suffer, people die, people laugh, people live. The 'Nam was supposed to be a realist account of the war but not an overtly dark and grim one.
Which would have been hard to achieve with Michael Golden's half-cartoony style. Don't misread me, I like it, it's great, but it's clearly not designed for hyper-realism. The same applies to the usual garish colors of the time-which I don't actually like so much.
This being said The'Nam is a good and realist war series. I remember having heard of it in the early 90's and skipping it for various reasons, not all good.
It was a mistake.
The originality of The 'Nam is its "real time" concept. One month in the World equals a month in the boonies so supposedly main characters rotate after 12 issues and the series should develop along the real time frame.
Larry Hama (editor) and Doug Murray (writer) are both veterans and after reading this volume I don't think their honesty and sincerity about this book can be put into question.
Of course it was released under the Comics Code to touch a larger audience so the worst nasty word you'll read is "Cripes" but so what? Does that diminish the interest of this very good grunt's pov of the war? I don't think so.
It's didactic but never boring. The horrors of war are not put under the rug, the fight scenes are violent and chaotic, people suffer, people die, people laugh, people live. The 'Nam was supposed to be a realist account of the war but not an overtly dark and grim one.
Which would have been hard to achieve with Michael Golden's half-cartoony style. Don't misread me, I like it, it's great, but it's clearly not designed for hyper-realism. The same applies to the usual garish colors of the time-which I don't actually like so much.
This being said The'Nam is a good and realist war series. I remember having heard of it in the early 90's and skipping it for various reasons, not all good.
It was a mistake.
July 20, 2024
Probably the greatest war comic of all time. 1986 was a very pivotal year for comics (Dark Knight Returns, Watchmen, Maus, etc.) and this really should be added to the list. While there had been very good war comics published in the past (EC, Blazing Combat) this seemed to be the most realistic published, especially at the time it was published.
This doesn't glorify nor truly condemn the war, it just tries to tell the story. The art by Christopher Golden would at first glance seem too "cartoony" for a war comic, but it really works perfectly.
Highly recommended.
This doesn't glorify nor truly condemn the war, it just tries to tell the story. The art by Christopher Golden would at first glance seem too "cartoony" for a war comic, but it really works perfectly.
Highly recommended.
April 3, 2024
The 'Nam was Marvel's stab at a serious comic during a time when Vietnam War media was everywhere in film, books, and television. These first ten issues mostly work, even if the people are drawn in a cartoonish fashion. The plots though are serious and everything else portrayed is superbly drawn, in particular the issue covers. That said, while I dislike the current infantilizing vogue of rarely portraying black characters in any negative light, the characterization of Top, particularly how he is drawn, raised my eyebrow. It would likely make others scream bloody murder. A bigger issue is that since the comic was written by veterans, you get a slanted view of their experience. They are the victims of officers and the system, but at the same time are mostly shown to have positive motives and do positive things. The Vietcong are clearly the bad guys here, and they were certainly no angels. But nor were we. This is a book that feels we ought to and should have won the war, placing its tone closer to Hamburger Hill than Platoon.
Regardless, there are good things here and I will read the rest.
Regardless, there are good things here and I will read the rest.
September 12, 2013
By far the best war comic ever produced by Marvel. Writer Doug Murray, a two-tour veteran of the Vietnam War, brings a solid core of realism to the book, despite the fact that Marvel was still operating under the Comics Code Authority when the series was produced in the late 1980s. Of particular note are the portrayals of firefights by Murray and artists Michael Golden and Wayne VanSant, which capture the chaos, confusion and fear of combat in a way that very few war comics have ever managed to do. This is the first of a three-volume collection of the original comic book series, and though I have yet to read the rest, I intend to, and soon!
Read
November 15, 2021One of those slightly implausible Marvel titles – comics in the eighties were changing and growing up so swiftly that a year after Secret Wars, they were publishing a title baring the secrets of America's own wars. And yes, mainstream UK comics had been doing the same sort of thing at least a decade earlier, but Charley's War had been talking about the Great War sixty years after the event, whereas only two decades divide The 'Nam's setting from its publication; this was something where a lot of people who'd been there would be seeing it – and indeed, apparently many found that it enabled them finally to tell families and friends something of what they'd experienced. Written by a veteran, Doug Murray, it openly admits it's toning down the language &c so as to get past a Comics Code not yet consigned to its own lonely grave*, but for the most part it's unflinching in its treatment not just of the horror and pity you'll find in any conflict, but the corruption and vindictiveness of certain military operators, the pointless operations, the sheer confusion over what America thought it was doing.
I confess to sometimes finding Michael Golden's art a little cartoony to altogether fit the subject, which can also veer a little close to stereotyping on the non-Caucasian characters. But that holds more for the quieter interpersonal scenes than the action, you can understand why they might have wanted to sugar the pill slightly when they were going so far beyond the publisher's usual comfort zone. I was particularly impressed with the seventh issue, which flips the story to tell the conflict from a Vietnamese perspective, and specifically that of a character who's found himself on many sides over the years – even if it does let itself down at the end by having his current allegiance to the Americans pretty pat and uncomplicated. Still, unlike the US characters, he won't be getting rotated home at the end of his tour (very unusually, the comic progresses in real time), so I'd be interested to see whether the series revisits him in later issues and finds him a little less certain.
*Though by issue 5, perhaps helped by comics' default all-caps lettering to make it look like a baffling but innocuous 'remf', they've already got away with one use of 'REMF'.
I confess to sometimes finding Michael Golden's art a little cartoony to altogether fit the subject, which can also veer a little close to stereotyping on the non-Caucasian characters. But that holds more for the quieter interpersonal scenes than the action, you can understand why they might have wanted to sugar the pill slightly when they were going so far beyond the publisher's usual comfort zone. I was particularly impressed with the seventh issue, which flips the story to tell the conflict from a Vietnamese perspective, and specifically that of a character who's found himself on many sides over the years – even if it does let itself down at the end by having his current allegiance to the Americans pretty pat and uncomplicated. Still, unlike the US characters, he won't be getting rotated home at the end of his tour (very unusually, the comic progresses in real time), so I'd be interested to see whether the series revisits him in later issues and finds him a little less certain.
*Though by issue 5, perhaps helped by comics' default all-caps lettering to make it look like a baffling but innocuous 'remf', they've already got away with one use of 'REMF'.
December 11, 2018
The 'Nam was a war comic started by Marvel in 1986 that focused on the Vietnam War. It is centered around a man, Private Edward Marks, and details on his experiences from his first day joining his platoon. This collection houses the first 10 issues of the comic. All the issues in this were written by Doug Murray and all were illustrated by Michael Golden (with the exception of issue #7).
Rather than go issue by issue for this review, I'm going to focus on this volume as a whole. It's a very well done comic that doesn't hold back from the gritty reality of the war, but also doesn't swamp you in so much technical details about it that it becomes uninteresting. You really get into the mindset of Ed as he is thrust into these terrible scenarios and given orders to attack. The friends he makes in his platoon are relatable, but you also because they are in a combat setting know just how thin the ice they all walk on is. A standout here in this collection is an issue that details the life of a Vietnamese man who defected and join the US Army as a Kit Carson Scout. It is an eye opening story for anyone unfamiliar with the history behind the war.
The writing is great, but the artwork here really stands out. It's cartoonish without being over the top and disrespectful of the subject matter. I like how Murray and Golden present some of the battle scenes in a deliberately confusing fashion to get you in the mindset of the platoon stuck in the middle of the jungle at night. They include a glossary at the end of the collection that defines some of the military jargon used which was a really nice touch.
This is a great comic and relic of the 80s, showing us the Vietnam War in the context of it's wounds still being quite raw and with no attempt to gloss over the how ugly it was. Very highly recommended!
Rather than go issue by issue for this review, I'm going to focus on this volume as a whole. It's a very well done comic that doesn't hold back from the gritty reality of the war, but also doesn't swamp you in so much technical details about it that it becomes uninteresting. You really get into the mindset of Ed as he is thrust into these terrible scenarios and given orders to attack. The friends he makes in his platoon are relatable, but you also because they are in a combat setting know just how thin the ice they all walk on is. A standout here in this collection is an issue that details the life of a Vietnamese man who defected and join the US Army as a Kit Carson Scout. It is an eye opening story for anyone unfamiliar with the history behind the war.
The writing is great, but the artwork here really stands out. It's cartoonish without being over the top and disrespectful of the subject matter. I like how Murray and Golden present some of the battle scenes in a deliberately confusing fashion to get you in the mindset of the platoon stuck in the middle of the jungle at night. They include a glossary at the end of the collection that defines some of the military jargon used which was a really nice touch.
This is a great comic and relic of the 80s, showing us the Vietnam War in the context of it's wounds still being quite raw and with no attempt to gloss over the how ugly it was. Very highly recommended!
February 19, 2025
Cómic bélico basado en la guerra de Vietnam, un proyecto bien pensado compuesto por un cómic por cada mes de conflicto, es decir, 12 números al año repartidos en los ocho años que duró la participación del ejército estadounidense en la guerra, al final se hicieron sólo 84 números, así que supongo que se dejaron un año por el camino.
Las historias son sencillas y realistas, se emplean los testimonios de veteranos como base de muchas de ellas. Seguimos el periplo de la 23 unidad de infantería y además de los típicos relatos de batallas se reflejan muchos otros aspectos de la vida militar en tiempos de guerra: el compañerismo, los permisos, la corrupción de los mandos, la estructura del ejército, las consecuencias (tanto físicas como mentales) que sufren los soldados después de algunas experiencias en el campo de batalla... en este primer tomo se mantienen casi todo el tiempo los mismos protagonistas, pero ya se adelanta que los que sobreviven hasta cumplir un año serán licenciados y sustituidos por un nuevo reemplazo.
El dibujo es apabullante, Michael Golden dibuja estos 10 números, dejando sólo el número 7 (casi en su totalidad) para Bob Mcleod. Es algo muy especial, realista sin caer en el exceso, caricaturesco cuando hace falta... el color es espectacular si lo comparamos con otros cómics de la misma época imprimidos con cuatricomía. El número 7 dibujado casi completamente (excepto 2 páginas) por Wayne Vansant no desmerece para nada, el caso es que se consigue mantener una coherencia gráfica a prueba de bombas en esta colección.
Intentaré continuar con el siguiente tomo, aunque no estoy seguro de que me guste tanto como esta parte sin la participación de Michael Golden. En todo caso espero que se mantenga el tono y el ritmo de la serie, hasta el momento son cómics que se leen con mucha soltura y que cuando terminas uno estás deseando empezar el siguiente.
Las historias son sencillas y realistas, se emplean los testimonios de veteranos como base de muchas de ellas. Seguimos el periplo de la 23 unidad de infantería y además de los típicos relatos de batallas se reflejan muchos otros aspectos de la vida militar en tiempos de guerra: el compañerismo, los permisos, la corrupción de los mandos, la estructura del ejército, las consecuencias (tanto físicas como mentales) que sufren los soldados después de algunas experiencias en el campo de batalla... en este primer tomo se mantienen casi todo el tiempo los mismos protagonistas, pero ya se adelanta que los que sobreviven hasta cumplir un año serán licenciados y sustituidos por un nuevo reemplazo.
El dibujo es apabullante, Michael Golden dibuja estos 10 números, dejando sólo el número 7 (casi en su totalidad) para Bob Mcleod. Es algo muy especial, realista sin caer en el exceso, caricaturesco cuando hace falta... el color es espectacular si lo comparamos con otros cómics de la misma época imprimidos con cuatricomía. El número 7 dibujado casi completamente (excepto 2 páginas) por Wayne Vansant no desmerece para nada, el caso es que se consigue mantener una coherencia gráfica a prueba de bombas en esta colección.
Intentaré continuar con el siguiente tomo, aunque no estoy seguro de que me guste tanto como esta parte sin la participación de Michael Golden. En todo caso espero que se mantenga el tono y el ritmo de la serie, hasta el momento son cómics que se leen con mucha soltura y que cuando terminas uno estás deseando empezar el siguiente.
August 11, 2021
Interesante acercamiento a la Guerra de Vietnam desde la visión de los jóvenes -y perdidos- soldados norteamericanos. Sorprende cómo, pese a ser un cómic de historietas bélicas publicado por Marvel a finales de los 80, los autores muestran una visión llena de acción pero alejada de lo épico para centrarse en en el lado más humano y confuso de la guerra.
Leyendo “The ‘Nam” comprendes que la guerra no va de elegir un bando u otro, pues la escala de grises es capaz de volverte loco.
Sangre, mentiras, traiciones, miedo, (des)esperanza y valor.
“La guerra que definió a una generación. Aquí los héroes no son súpers, pues todos ellos son demasiado humanos”.
Leyendo “The ‘Nam” comprendes que la guerra no va de elegir un bando u otro, pues la escala de grises es capaz de volverte loco.
Sangre, mentiras, traiciones, miedo, (des)esperanza y valor.
“La guerra que definió a una generación. Aquí los héroes no son súpers, pues todos ellos son demasiado humanos”.
May 27, 2023
It might be one of the best things that has come out of Marvel, having an actual war veteran writing it gave it a lucidity that is not possible otherwise. At the same time, it is not a memoir either, clearly fiction based on multiple different real events and persons; so it both had depth but also smoothness that the real stories lack. The style of drawing is a stretched-out version of the style of the era, but it fits surprisingly well with the surroundings and every explosion is literally impactful. I like all artwork that makes me understand a situation, a concept, or a place a bit better; this was definitely one of them.
March 18, 2018
This is a classic! I remember by older brother reading this Comic when it came out in the 80’s. I was around 7 and was always fascinated by the covers and great art. I didn’t really understand what was happening then but I’m so glad I picked this up 30 years later! What really makes this Comic unique is the fact it takes place in real time from issue to issue. Great writing by Doug Murray and exceptional art by Michael Golden.
September 4, 2020
Greatest war comic ever! Marvel delivered this awesome comic back in the late 80’s and it was a true treasure! I remember reading this when I was quite younger and it was so eye opening and blew me away how realistic it could be. Many of these stories are based on real life experiences and it shows. The art is a bit dated and the violence is tuned down in accordance with the Comic Book Code at the time, but it still holds up all these years later! Such a fun read...
June 13, 2022
My ratings of books on Goodreads are solely a crude ranking of their utility to me, and not an evaluation of literary merit, entertainment value, social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, suspensefulness of plot, depth of characters, vitality of theme, excitement of climax, satisfaction of ending, or any other combination of dimensions of value which we are expected to boil down through some fabulous alchemy into a single digit.
December 2, 2025
A realistic story of the Vietnam war. Took actual events from the war and told them through the eyes of the 23rd Infantry. Characters were made up but they were very realistic as well, facing things the actual troops did. This was such a great title. I learned a ton about Vietnam and how it all started, a real historical perspective of both sides and why they were fighting, plus what it was like for our troops daily lives over there. Very good story and the hand of Larry Hama guiding it all.
December 20, 2021
For all the people that died, died. For those who fought valiantly, in fear, looking for valor and finding only chaos and confusion. For all those who sacrificed their lives, their feelings, their love for one another. And for those who put them in harm's way, safe in their politics, both military and socially and for a society who rebukes them for serving and sacrificing their all, we sing.
February 23, 2022
A great Vietnam comic and a great Vietnam book. I'm reading the individual books which are available cheap on the internet. I knew about this series when it came out but I was in my early 20's then and wasn't reading Marvel or DC comics. Anyway I read a couple issues I found in a cheap 50 cent bin and now I'm hooked. Look forward to reading more, many more.
May 31, 2020
For the time this was such an amazing change of pace and even now it holds up well. Lots of stuff you’d have seen in the many Vietnam movies that came later but in comic form with great, if occasionally cartoony art.
January 3, 2021
Pretty Great
I had never read this series before and find it to be really well-written. It's a tough part of history and this comic does a fine job of telling the story. Recommended.
I had never read this series before and find it to be really well-written. It's a tough part of history and this comic does a fine job of telling the story. Recommended.
April 18, 2024
Very real. The illustrations were incredible, the characters were likable (some anyway). But the comics really did touch on real issues in Vietnam and that was appreciated. 4/5 only because I wanted more!
December 31, 2019
Great war comic
It's a nice description of what the Man has been through the eyes of a private and his fellow companions
It's a nice description of what the Man has been through the eyes of a private and his fellow companions
July 1, 2021
I honestly had no idea this series was this damn good. I’ve been aware of it since I was a kid and had no interest then. I decided to check it out on Marvel Unlimited and I’m certainly glad I did.
September 2, 2023
The Nam
First read these as a comic back in the 80s. They were so powerful that I kept the first 12.
Definitely not like Archie or any other story of its type, at the time.
First read these as a comic back in the 80s. They were so powerful that I kept the first 12.
Definitely not like Archie or any other story of its type, at the time.
August 14, 2025
Excelente.
Todo lo alguien que ama el genero "Bélico" esta buscando: Acción , grandes historias , buenos personajes , detalles de las armas y vehículos.
Todo lo alguien que ama el genero "Bélico" esta buscando: Acción , grandes historias , buenos personajes , detalles de las armas y vehículos.
August 22, 2025
TIL that ‘Titi P’ means “a little bit of money” in Vietnam vet speak.
Good stuff. Classic art. Wish the next vol wasn’t out of print.
Good stuff. Classic art. Wish the next vol wasn’t out of print.
March 6, 2017
Se penso a cos'è riuscito a fare Jacques Tardi con Era la guerra delle trincee, senza dover sottostare al Comic Code...
L'ho letto per curiosità. Comprato di mia sponte, tra l'altro. Mi è piaciuta molto l'edizione Panini con la copertina rigida e tutto il resto.
Si nota che i disegni risalgono agli anni Ottanta. L'immagine ha poca profondità e chi ha messo i colori sembrava vagamento sotto acido. E poi, sì, insomma, sono i tipici disegni da fumetto americano. Poca gioia per gli occhi.
La storia è un po' così. A volte mi sembra che lasci troppe cose non dette, che io non riesco a capire. E che magari avrei capito se il mio background fosse stato diverso. Non so, magari leggerlo negli anni Ottanta sarebbe stato diverso. Nel senso che la gente non era abituata a vedere i conflitti rappresentati grazie al fumetto e quindi questa è stata un'opera che ha fatto la storia. A me è sembrata un po' povera, sia dal punto di vista dei contenuti sia da quello del disegno. Specialmente dopo aver visto Il cacciatore di Michael Cimino, uno dei miei film preferiti.
Una tiratina d'orecchi al traduttore. Prima mi traduce Purple Heart - la medaglia ottenuta da chi viene ferito in guerra - con "cuore porpora" e poi si corregge e scrive "cuore viola".
Se mi capita - vale a dire quanto ritrovo uno stipendio fisso - potrei anche leggere come va a finire.
L'ho letto per curiosità. Comprato di mia sponte, tra l'altro. Mi è piaciuta molto l'edizione Panini con la copertina rigida e tutto il resto.
Si nota che i disegni risalgono agli anni Ottanta. L'immagine ha poca profondità e chi ha messo i colori sembrava vagamento sotto acido. E poi, sì, insomma, sono i tipici disegni da fumetto americano. Poca gioia per gli occhi.
La storia è un po' così. A volte mi sembra che lasci troppe cose non dette, che io non riesco a capire. E che magari avrei capito se il mio background fosse stato diverso. Non so, magari leggerlo negli anni Ottanta sarebbe stato diverso. Nel senso che la gente non era abituata a vedere i conflitti rappresentati grazie al fumetto e quindi questa è stata un'opera che ha fatto la storia. A me è sembrata un po' povera, sia dal punto di vista dei contenuti sia da quello del disegno. Specialmente dopo aver visto Il cacciatore di Michael Cimino, uno dei miei film preferiti.
Una tiratina d'orecchi al traduttore. Prima mi traduce Purple Heart - la medaglia ottenuta da chi viene ferito in guerra - con "cuore porpora" e poi si corregge e scrive "cuore viola".
Se mi capita - vale a dire quanto ritrovo uno stipendio fisso - potrei anche leggere come va a finire.
November 3, 2016
I loved that Marvel took a chance to do a war book on the Vietnam War. I have a few of these issues, but to save time I decided to buy the TPB. The comic passes in real time and you get to meet key characters such as: Ed Marks (the main character in the first arc) who's a greenie, Rob Little (who's an assistant to the corrupt TOP, but soon gets back in the field with the men), Sgt. Polkow (who's a soldier's soldier), Thomas (the radioman who always seems to trip) and Mike Albergo (the comedy relief to the platoon. Every individual issue stands well on their own despite being a part of the whole arc (12 issues). The issues that hit hard are: #5 where the men run into a village where the people have been hacked up by the VC, #7 which deals with Duong and why he's switched sides to join the United States, and #8 which deals with Verzyl the tunnel runner/ tunnel rat and how he's beat the odds until he could no longer take it anymore. It's not that Verzyl was a coward, but that men have their own breaking points and I felt it was pretty bold of Murray and Golden to tackle this subject matter. I was surprised by the conclusion because Verzyl was a character for whom on the outset seemed like a man with a steel will. Issue 9 is definitely tugged on the heartstrings if you've been able to read the entire series up to this point (no spoilers).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2023
This graphic novel is a nuanced take on the Vietnam War, written and edited by a couple of veterans who served on the front. The names are all fiction, but the events in the comics are based on real events as they happened in the war.
The art may appear cartoony, it is a Michael Golden trademark after all, but the guns look real, and the equipment too. Perhaps Golden's art is the final line that divides it from a work of fiction and a grim and gritty retelling of the war.
The characters are fully realized with actual motivations of why there are in the war or why they continue to re-enlist just so they could spare their own draft age brothers from the quagmire. There are no real villains, even the corrupt non-commissioned officer who was outed isn't a clear cut villain. There is one issue dedicated to discussing the Vietnamese side of the war.
This series no doubt helped bridge the divide between the generations, one who served in it, and the other born after the ignominious withdrawal of the American forces.
The art may appear cartoony, it is a Michael Golden trademark after all, but the guns look real, and the equipment too. Perhaps Golden's art is the final line that divides it from a work of fiction and a grim and gritty retelling of the war.
The characters are fully realized with actual motivations of why there are in the war or why they continue to re-enlist just so they could spare their own draft age brothers from the quagmire. There are no real villains, even the corrupt non-commissioned officer who was outed isn't a clear cut villain. There is one issue dedicated to discussing the Vietnamese side of the war.
This series no doubt helped bridge the divide between the generations, one who served in it, and the other born after the ignominious withdrawal of the American forces.
June 5, 2012
Siendo Marvel, uno podria esperar una historia sin respeto a la realidad, o con al menos dos o 3 superheroes (de hecho, intentaron meter superheroes, pero cuando el autor supo, les boto la historia :3), pero en realidad toman las experiencias del autor y de sus amigos, gente que conocio en Vietnam y que platico con el, y son puestas en los comics, haciendo una historia que, aun cuando no es muy critica de la situacion politica, o de el uso intenso de drogas en esa epoca, en su lugar tenemos una historia fuerte, intensa, y concentrada en el aspecto social, el precio psicologico que toma la guerra de los jovenes que estan en la linea de fuego.
En ocasiones es dificil diferenciar a unos de otros en los dibujos, pero es el unico pero que le tengo a una historia muy interesante, que es muy recomendable :)
En ocasiones es dificil diferenciar a unos de otros en los dibujos, pero es el unico pero que le tengo a una historia muy interesante, que es muy recomendable :)
July 9, 2015
Good solid stories of US soldier life in the field during the Vietnam conflict as seen by a young soldier. The stories were an excellent balance of drama and even humor. One of aspects I liked most is this was published around 1987, after the actual US involvement in Vietnam, but well before today's modern hyper-patriotism. At the time, Vietnam was a very unpopular conflict. Unlike today's rush to consider all of the soldiers 'heroes,' in this tale--just like with people everywhere, they are good people and bad people (and I'm just referring to the US soldiers)and then there were orders. The perspective presented was very refreshing. If I ever run across any more issues in this series, I'll definitely want to read them.
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