Blazing Combat

by Archie Goodwin, Wallace Wood, Al Williamson

Overview

This reprint of the all-star war-comics anthology is an expanded edition, with a cover gallery featuring all of Frazetta’s painted covers and exclusive interviews with Goodwin and publisher James Warren.

These controversial-at-the-time war stories were produced by some of the top comics talents of the 20th century—written by Goodwin and drawn by John Severin, Alex Toth, Russ Heath, Reed Crandall, and many more. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683960843
Publisher:	Fantagraphics
Publication date:	03/27/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	228
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.30(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	16 Years

About the Author

Archie Goodwin(1937–1998) is best known as an editor and writer for Warren, DC, and Marvel Comics. He co-created, with Walter Simonson, Luke Cage and Spider-Woman, and rebooted the Vampirella character. He also wrote newspaper comic strips, notably Star Wars, drawn by Al Williamson. He won multiple awards and authored the first graphic novel on the NYT Best-Seller list.

Wallace Allan Wood (1927–1981) is widely considered to be America’s greatest science fiction cartoonist. But Wood could — and did — do it all: humor (a founding cartoonist of Mad), crime, superheroes, romance, war. He was also a pioneering alternative/underground cartoonist/publisher with his magazine witzend. Among many other honors, he was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 1992.

Al Williamson (b. 1931, d, 2010) was a comics artist best known for his work on EC's Weird Science and Weird Fantasy comics titles (and, later, Creepy and Eerie, comics magazines that featured EC alumni). He also adapted Star Wars into comics, and worked on the newspaper strips Flash Gordon and Secret Agent X-9, both creations of Alex Raymond. He also inked various Marvel superhero comics, and was inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2000.

Editorial Reviews

"The Blazing Combat cartoonists made powerful contributions to the literature of war. ... Both civilians and veterans may welcome this anthology of comic book stories."

Spectrum Culture

"Although the subject matter is bleak, the presentation it’s been given is beautiful. This is as good as war comics get."

Bookgasm

"Blazing Combat collects some of the most beautiful black and white comic art you have ever seen... It also features interviews and some of the most beautiful printing I have seen. From cover to cover, this book is what keeps me in comics."

Newsarama

"Blazing Combat constitutes a high-water mark of the war-comics genre."

Booklist

"Blazing Combat reprints all 4 issues of the ground-breaking war series. These are fascinating stories, drawn by some of the top talent in comics, who did some of their finest works for this short-lived publication. The design work is A+."

Innocent Bystander

"...Jacques Tardi returns to the world of guns, crime, betrayal and bloodshed with this stunning, grisly, and remarkably faithful interpretation of Manchette’s last completed crime thriller."

Comicsphere - Josh West

"There was a time when War Comics told War Fact. They showed us the blood, death, camaraderie and horror. [Blazing Combat] did just that and didn’t hold back."

Forbidden Planet International - Chris Marshall

"This book is why Fantagraphics is one of the best and most important comic publishers in the business today. ... This is a brilliant collection of stories that should be required reading. Intelligent, gripping stories and fantastic art! Grade: A +."

Mania - Tim Janson

"For lovers of great art, lovingly rendered in black and white and gray ink wash..., this is as good as it gets... This is one collection of war comics that even those not inclined to care about the genre can appreciate, and now it’s more affordable than ever."

Popdose - Johnny Bacardi

"[A]mong the high points of 1960s comics, and this handsome collection is one of the most welcome reprint volumes of the last few years."

The Comics Journal - Robert Martin

"[T]he artistry on display is… mind-boggling, particularly in the case of Crandall, Heath and Severin… The creators clearly had a real love for this kind of material, so much so that I wish things had tipped slightly in their favor a bit more."

Robot 6 - Chris Mautner

"Probably the best war comic ever published."

Richard Arndt

"Like many of the best reprint projects... this republication of the four-issue Warren war magazine features work that you can’t easily buy anywhere else, is historically significant and offers its buyers a lot of very good comics... Blazing Combat is simply a handsome, well-presented selection of very good comics that for having them around we’re all a bit richer as comics readers. I’m glad it’s here."

The Comics Reporter - Tom Spurgeon

"[A]n amazing collection of… stories… written by the outstanding Archie Goodwin… throw in some of the most amazing art, all of it sharply and expertly reproduced, and you’ve got some real dynamite here. ... And there’s fantastic bonus features."

Bags and Boards - Tom McLean

I think it's healthy for adolescent boys to have access to well-written, well-drawn comics about war, as long as the comics in question constantly pound home the message that war is futile, stupid and contemptible.

Douglas Wolk - TIME/Techland

Anybody who wants to read great great comics, war stories, or a superb tutorial in short form comics writing and unsurpassed comics illustration needs to read this one.

Michael C. Lorah - Newsarama

[One of] the… best collections of 2009…, bringing all the issues of Warren magazine's short-lived war comic under one cover, written (mostly) by Archie Goodwin and drawn by some of the finest artists of the '60s…

Steven Grant - Comic Book Resources

Blazing Combat collects the entire run in a beautiful, incredibly well-bound hardcover book... The stories' tone is very 1960s, ironic with a cynicism stemming from brokenhearted humanism.”

Carol Borden - The Cultural Gutter

Just finished reading and cannot recommend enough the new Fantagraphics release Blazing Combat.”

This Is Why I Hate You

Packed with gloriously miserable... war stories covering everything from the battle of Thermopylae to Vietnam... all beautifully captured by comics legends like Archie Goodwin, Alex Toth, Joe Orlando, and Gene Colan in appropriately murky grays... Fantagraphics has slapped together a nice, hefty... hardbound collection that's worth a read, whether you're a comic nerd, war buff, one-legged veteran, or one of those snooty I-only-read-graphic-novels types.

Jonah Spangenthal-Lee - The Stranger

These are awesome comics, collected in one hardcover edition... Fantagraphics have done us a big favor by reprinting them all.

The Comic Book Haters

Each panel is a stunning work of art, beautifully preserved on heavy paper. Just as relevant as when they were first published, the stories should still draw an emotional reaction.

Rachelle Goguen - The Coast (Halifax)

[O]nce again, I’m engaged in Blazing Combat. What a thrill! And the art!... Highly recommended. Don’t argue! Just buy it!”

David McDonnell - Starlog

With people like Wood, Toth, and Heath involved, I knew the art would be fantastic in Blazing Combat, but I’ve been surprised at the quality of Archie Goodwin’s writing...it’s much more satisfying than expected.”

Timothy Hodler - Robot 6

[F]eatures a collection of some of the most beautiful black and white comic art you have ever seen... It also features interviews and some of the most beautiful printing I have seen. Honestly, put down those monthly comics for a week and buy something you will enjoy a lifetime. From cover to cover, this book is what keeps me in comics.

Jimmy Palmiotti - Newsarama

Blazing Combat, a new hardcover collection from Fantagraphics, showcases some truly fantastic work from a multitude of comics greats... The collection itself is sharp as a tack... Fantagraphics really packages it nicely.”

Litany of Schist

Blazing Combat reprints all 4 issues of the ground-breaking war series... These are fascinating stories... drawn by some of the top talent in comics... [who] did some of their finest works for this short-lived publication. This new package from Fantagraphics Books is a handsome hardcover... the design work is A+, this time by Adam Grano.”

Gary Sassaman - Innocent Bystander

This collection of the 1965-66 Blazing Combat war comic magazine is a stellar publication... It's a master class on how to tell a short story, and I highly recommend checking it out.”

Sandy Bilus - I Love Rob Liefeld

Astounding...The art is reproduced from 'the original printer’s films,'
so the work is clear and detailed, with the washes and shading providing depth and a feeling of realism...The stories are still timely.

Johanna Draper Carlson - Comics Worth Reading

Poignant and tragic, inspiring and depressing, Blazing Combat give an insightful glimpse into the bloody battles that have plagued this world.”

Marc Mason - Comics Waiting Room

Blazing Combat’s...issues constitute a high-water mark of the war-comics genre.”

Gordon Flagg - Booklist

Although the subject matter is bleak, the presentation it’s been given is beautiful. This is as good as war comics get.

Rob Lott - Bookgasm

Adam Grano’s bold design cover design is the perfect complement to Fantagraphics’ comprehensive collection... with a stellar team of artists that included Frank Frazetta, Wally Wood, John Severin, Alex Toth, Al Williamson, Russ Heath, Reed Crandall, and Gene Colan. It’s remarkable how little these stories have aged, as many cover thematic ground that resonates to this day.... Even the more straightforward “war comics” that are presented in this volume have an unusual gravitas that fits naturally over the proceedings, making the stories collected stand out, and the interviews with Archie Goodwin and Jim Warren provide an in-depth and fascinating look at the pressures that the controversial comic magazine faced.

Kevin Church - BeaucoupKevin.com