Showing posts with label World War II. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World War II. Show all posts

Monday, June 23, 2025

Nazi-Punchers AIR FIGHTERS COMICS "Here Comes the Black Commander!"

Though Cover-Dated November, 1941...

Hillman's Air Fighters Comics #1 was on-sale during late summer, predating Pearl Harbor by several months, but featuring its' heroes battling Nazi aviators in Europe and German saboteurs/spies in the US!
This particular tale involves an American pilot flying with the RAF...











Though Air Fighter Comics kept going through 1945, then changed the name to Airboy Comics (after the book's most popular feature), The Black Commander didn't make it past this one appearance!
A pity, because this story, written by Kermit Jaediker and illustrated by Harry Anderson, has enough plotting set-ups and twists and turns for a live-action b-movie!
Good guy framed as bad guy!
Nazis create what will turn out to be their own worst enemy!
Good guy, now totally-unrecognizable to family and friends, wanted by friend and foe alike!
Note: the "Black Commander" is the aircraft, not the pilot!
Speaking of the airplane, does it look...familiar?
Another, very long-running Nazi-Puncher (and Russkie-Smasher) utilized that same experimental fighter as his very distinctive personal transportation...

Blackhawk began using the Grumman XF5F SkyRocket in Quality's Military Comics #2, cover-dated August, 1941, several months before Air Fighters Comics #1.
But, I believe the use of the unique airplane by both strips was simply a coincidence.
There's background info about the plane HERE, including the fact that it out-performed the British state-of-the-art Spitfire and another American prototype fighter, the XF4U Corsair (which did become an active-service aircraft!) in tests!

Monday, May 26, 2025

Nazi-Punchers SGT FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS "Fighting Side-By-Side with Captain America and Bucky!" Conclusion

 Captain America and Bucky have discovered a Nazi plot involving movement of slave laborers to a French coastal site where large amounts of munitions are also being moved.
Why?
Freeing a group of captive American aviators who were about to be executed, Cap has an idea about how to discover the plan, but he wants backup...

 Now that was kool!
This wasn't the first time the Nazis tried this trick in the Marvel Comics Universe.
in Timely's Marvel Mystery Comics #16-17 (1941), Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner discovered another English Channel tunnel as well as a Japanese one under the Bering Strait!
After destroying the German tunnel single-handed, Namor then teams up with the Original Human Torch and Toro to destroy the Japanese tunnel.
In actual history, the idea of an invasion tunnel from mainland Europe to England dates back to 1804, when it was rumored Napoleon Bonaparte was digging one to bypass the British fleet!
1805 illustration showing proposed French invasion using a tunnel as well as barges and balloons.
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Sunday, May 25, 2025

Nazi-Punchers SGT FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS "Fighting Side-By-Side with Captain America and Bucky!" Part 1

It's Memorial Day Weekend...
...and since we wanted to show the actual (comic book) military in action, we thought we'd present them along with a pair of costumed heroes!
We hate to break into the classic Stan Lee-scripted, Jack Kirby-penciled, and Dick Ayers-inked action from Marvel's Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos #13 (1964), but you'll have to tune in tomorrow to see how the Howlers fit into this situation!
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Monday, April 28, 2025

Nazi-Punchers SUPER GREEN BERET "White Magic in the Black Forest!"

The Green Berets were established in 1952!
So how is one of them fighting Nazis during World War II???
It could only happen in comic books!
We introduced you to Tod Holton: Super Green Beret HERE!
In that same premiere issue from Lightning Comics (#1 in 1967), besides fighting (then) present-day VietCong, he travelled through time, thanks to writer Otto Binder and artist Carl Pfeufer!
In the next (and final issue), Tod travelled back even further in time to the American Revolution!
We'll save that one for next year, the 250th anniversary of America!
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