Military Comics Issue No. 26
February 1944
Cover by Alex Kotsky.
Stories:
1. “Blackhawk” 14-page story featuring Skell, an infamous Nazi who sees that Nazism is doomed. He leaves Germany so he “…doesn't share in the punishment after defeat!” As soon as he parachutes out of his Me-109 into the little nation of Olancho, he is recognized by a peasant woman who blurts out his name. Skell immediately shoots hers and leaves her for dead as he contacts his Nazi underground friends in this country. Of course, the peasant is able to set off a signal before she dies that alerts others and the word is quickly passed to the secret Blackhawk Island. Blackhawk had arranged for key watchers around the world, and now they spring into action! Meanwhile, Skell shaves off his goatee so that no one will recognize him, and just to be sure he shoots his own agent that witnessed the “transformation.” As the Blackhawk team lands in Olancho, the disguised Skell (now “Mr. Truro”) has convinced local leaders he has killed Skell. The Blackhawks are invited to a special dinner at Mr. Truro's home, which is furnished with many great art treasures. Truro even presents the Blackhawks with a goblet as they depart. The Blackhawks have a “secret council” meeting where Blackhawk notes that the goblet used to be in a Warsaw museum, but it was taken by Skell… and then Andre says he recognized a painting stolen from his ancestral home in France. A quick check of the Blackhawk planes reveals sabotage to the control wires of every plane. Not to raise suspicions, the Blackhawks repair the planes and most of them fly out to fool anyone watching. Truro has won the admiration of many local leaders and is appointed provost marshal where he immediately recruits some local criminals to carry out his evil plans. Meanwhile, Blackhawk, Andre and Olaf have remained, disguised with beards to blend in, and watch as Truro's new henchmen spread lies about the leadership of the country. The Presidential palace is unaware of the treachery and even commended Truro for rounding up five Nazis and hanging them. Even Blackhawks' warnings are not heeded. As Andre, Olaf and Blackhawk discuss what to do, Andre draws a picture of Mr. Truro, noting he is out of fashion with the locals since he has no beard… Blackhawk draws in a goatee and, voila, it is the image of Skell! Blackhawk makes a quick change to his disguise beard, turning it into a goatee. Then the three Blackhawks go to confront Mr. Truro at a rally where he is inciting the populace into overthrowing the government. Blackhawk accuses Truro of being a Nazi and quickly transfers his disguise goatee onto Truro who is once again the image of Skell! A fight breaks out as the people join Blackhawk in thoroughly beating Skell's henchmen, but Skell has slipped away and gone to the palace. Skell is eliminating the Kings loyal advisors and tells the King he is next just as the Blackhawks burst in. Skell pulls a gun on Blackhawk, but Blackhawk knocks the gun out of his hand and puts a rope around his neck. Olaf, Andre and the King watch as Blackhawk personally drags Skell outside, passes sentence and carries out his execution, with the last panel showing Skell hanging from a tree and Blackhawk saying: “That's how Skell should die! By hanging! …And there's plenty of rope left in the world to settle all the other skunks!” (Try getting that past the censors today!)
2. “Death Patrol” by Al Stahl. A four-page story with almost cartoon like characters, including a bare-chested mermaid!
3. “Diary of a Japanese Officer… Today we met - The Sniper” An eight—page story by Vernon Henkel.
4. “Johnny Doughboy” One-pager.
5. “Private Dogtag” (The World's Dumbest Soldier!) A nine-page story with characters that look like a cross between Dagwood and Lil Abner, including a blonde Daisy-Mae named “Imprudence Hoggins”.
6. “PT Boat” A nine-page story, uncredited.
7. “Two Faces To Doom” A two-page text story about murder and murder again!
8. “The Atlantic Patrol” A one-page story about a stricken U-boat crew that kill themselves rather than suffocate on the bottom… Nice…
9. “Secret War News” A seven-page story featuring a P-38 and Zero dogfight. They shoot each other down, bailing out into a jungle where the natives help the downed US flier capture the downed Zero pilot.
Last page ad for the “New Commando machine gun”, nicknamed the “Krak-A-Jap” (No, really!).
Thanks to David Chapman for submitting the cover for this issue and to Stratton Hicky for providing the synopses of the stories.
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