"The Blazing Combat cartoonists made powerful contributions to the literature of war. ... Both civilians and veterans may welcome this anthology of comic book stories."
"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."
"Although the subject matter is bleak, the presentation it’s been given is beautiful. This is as good as war comics get."
"Blazing Combat constitutes a high-water mark of the war-comics genre."
"[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
"...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."
"…[T]here was a time when a [war] comic mag got down right truthful.... Blazing Combat was an anthology comic that showed the very dark and very real side of war…. It’s a who’s-who of monster talent..."
Collected Comics Library - Chris Marshall
"[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."
"Probably the best war comic ever published."
"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
"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 +."
"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."
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.”
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.
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.”
[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.”
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,'
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.”
Although the subject matter is bleak, the presentation it’s been given is beautiful. This is as good as war comics get.
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
