Losers Special #1
1985
Cover art by: Joe Kubert
Story: Losers Die Twice
Writer: Robert Kanigher
Pencils: Judith Hunt & Sam Glanzman
Inks: Mike Esposito
Sgt. Rock and easy company are pinned down by the German's in Hell's Corner. He is on the radio trying to raise up Baker Company. Too bad they are all dead. Hope isn't lost yet though, because Captain Storm of the Loser is there to pick up the line. Rock asks them to complete Baker's mission of completing a search and destroy mission of taking out the German rocket base that has them under fire. They agree to it of course, and Rock feels bad sending them out on a mission that was set-up for an entire company.
Now we get chapters dedicated to the Losers:
We begin with Captain Storm's origin for lack of a better word. This version changes what actually happened to him in their original run of the squad. Then again the only way I knew was because I read The Losers Showcase last year (one of the best I ever read).
The next one focuses on Gunner and Sarge, but narrated by their dog Pooch. Sarge doesn't want the dog, but of course Pooch proves how valuable he is many times over. I did have a problem with how Pooch is drawn as it is very inconsistent. His appearance goes from wolf-like to almost a puppy with others looks in between.
John Cloud then flashes back to when he is back on the reservation joining the war. Wise Owl questions Cloud as to why he would help the white man. So impressed with his answer he grants him a boon, that the Great Spirit will grant his last wish when he utters his death chant. We also get the cliched scene in which he disobeys direct orders, but saves many of his fellow airmen.
After that those vignettes we see the Losers climbing the mountain the German rockets are located. Oddly, they make the climb stealthily, but then make a very noisy direct attack.
This is when our heroes start to fall. First Sarge takes a bayonet to the gut which he soon succumbs to. Captain Storm dives on a grenade to protect the others, that doesn't end well for him. Cloud and Gunner take out the last of the missile batteries, but then an airplane comes in on a strafing run. Killing not only those two, but Pooch as well (sniff!). John Cloud then makes his last wish to the Great Spirit, to keep the Losers together in death as they were in life.
Wow, what an awesome comic! As you can see by the cover it was a tie-in to Crisis, and this was a terrific ending for the Losers. Plus, it makes perfect sense, since war comics were well on their way to being gone from spinner racks for years.
Sgt. Rock and Easy company were decently representative as guest stars here. The Haunted Tank? (As seen on the cover) Not so much. They appear in the background of one panel, and are never identified. Really it is only a guess that I have correctly spotted them here.
Also I will have to take the word of whoever that Judith Hunt did some art here, as this definitely looks like a Sam Glanzman book. For me that is just terrific.
Replies
Very cool -- thanks for reminding me about this book -- it's always been one I've wanted to pick up!
Amazing that the Losers got this special for closure. It was far better than the sendoff that SUPERGIRL got!
I guess they won that one! <rimshot!>
Philip Portelli said:
LOL!
Travis Herrick (Modular Mod) said:
Thanks for bringing this back to our attention. Only The Losers would die three different ways. (Except when they don't.)
This was a Crisis On Infinite Earths tie-in, which, I guess, is meant to explain how The Losers died in the post-Crisis history -- fittingly, in a heroic fashion.
In Crisis On Infinite Earths proper, the foursome died by being attacked by the Shadow Demons that mowed down dozens upon dozens of third- and fourth-string DC heroes; there, they were so much cannon fodder.
And they died one more time in The New Frontier, on the island of dinosaurs from The War That Time Forgot.
It was a good issue. I remember reading this and thinking that their battles were as important to them as the universe is at stakes battles with the Anti-Monitor.