The Sgt. Rock Archives, Vol. 2

The Sgt. Rock Archives #2

by Robert Kanigher

The legendary war hero is back in a second hardcover archive that collects OUR ARMY AT WAR # 97-110, originally published in 1960-1961! Witness the evolution of Sgt. Rock, as the stories take on a more mature, evolved tone.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, War

216 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

See also as Bob Kanigher

One of the most prolific writers in comics, particularly in the Silver Age. He took over scripting duties on Wonder Woman after William Moulton Marston's death, and handled the character's transition from the Golden to the Silver Age. He also created Barry Allen, the second Flash, for editor Julius Schwartz's superhero revival of 1956, as well as writing and editing DC's pioneering war titles.
His creations include Sgt. Rock, the Unknown Soldier, Barry Allen, Ragman, the Losers, Black Canary, the Metal Men, Poison Ivy, Enemy Ace, the Suicide Squad, and Rex the Wonder Dog.

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as engrossing and entertaining as the first volume.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sgt. Rock leads his "combat-happy Joes" of company easy through battles in WWII with compassion and a drive to do his best. He's a strong, almost super hero, role model for the young new recruits. Using nicknames for everything... a steel pot is a helmet, a grenade becomes an egg...his snappy lingo making the comic even more fun to read. Sgt. Rock is solid, he can do anything....he helps the men write letters to their girls back home, he encourages and supports the ones who are scared and hesitant, he jokes and laughs with the ones who have been in combat with him the longest. The men respect and admire him, they work hard to please him because he gives it his all too. Sgt. Rock is right in the midst of the battle never giving up and he's dragging his "combat-happy Joe's" right along with him.
The writing seems real depicting average guys trying to survive a war. The artwork is fantastic showing so much emotion on the faces, depicting battle scenes close to real life but without blood and gore (adhering to the standards of the Comics Code Authority). Men die in this comic, war isn't sugar coated. I am not usually a fan of war comics but this one was exceptional. Morals and life lessons, not in your face but hidden in the story, made it better than I thought it would be. There was a lot more than war going on in this book.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

The me that first read these tales of Our Army At War fifty or more years ago rated them five stars; he was a feisty little guy and I'm not going to argue with him. My father taught me to read with Sgt. Rock and Metal Men and like titles when he agreed with me that the Dick-and-Jane readers were just too boring to bear. I'm pretty sure that Joe Kubert was the first name of an author or artist that I learned to recognize; I'd see the combat-happy Joes of Easy Company with their quirky dome-headed helmets and I knew who created the work. Now, a half-century later, I'm obviously not seeing them the same way, neither stylistically nor philosophically, but Kanigher and Kubert were my first creative icons, and I very much enjoyed revisiting these stories.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assemble the troops! Sgt. Rock and Easy Co. ready for action in this archive collection from 1960-1961.