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Frontline Combat
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<h2 id="artists-and-writers">Artists and writers</h2> <p>Artists who contributed included Kurtzman and EC regulars such as <a href="/facts/John_Severin/02dsBmAV">John Severin</a>, <a href="/facts/Jack_Davis_(cartoonist)/3eJLxVzg">Jack Davis</a>, <a href="/facts/Wally_Wood/Uor60WEf">Wally Wood</a>, <a href="/facts/George_Evans_(comics)/J2pJM9rg">George Evans</a> and <a href="/facts/Will_Elder/0buRUTqQ">Will Elder</a>. Non-EC regulars who contributed included <a href="/facts/Alex_Toth/ctGffC0v">Alex Toth</a>, <a href="/facts/Ric_Estrada/rgK0ejhX">Ric Estrada</a>, <a href="/facts/Joe_Kubert/Ba1qp3KF">Joe Kubert</a> and <a href="/facts/Russ_Heath/B3dP8sE9">Russ Heath</a>. </p><p>Kurtzman wrote the majority of the comic's stories with <a href="/facts/Jerry_DeFuccio/Icysrkhf">Jerry DeFuccio</a> contributing one-page text stories and an occasional regular story. The issues included writing contributions from artists Davis, Wood and Evans.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="stories-and-themes">Stories and themes</h2> <p>In addition to contemporary stories about the Korean War and World War II, <i>Two-Fisted Tales</i> and <i>Frontline Combat</i> contained a number of stories taking place in historical settings, including the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and ancient Rome. </p><p>A series of special issues dedicated to the Civil War included issues 31 and 35 of <i>Two-Fisted Tales</i> and issue 9 of <i>Frontline Combat</i>. Although originally planned to be seven issues in total, the series was never completed. Other special issues of <i>Frontline Combat</i> included an issue dedicated to Iwo Jima (issue 7) and an issue dedicated to the Air Force (issue 12). </p> <h2 id="development">Development</h2> <p>Kurtzman's editing approach to <i>Two Fisted Tales</i> and <i>Frontline Combat</i> was a stark contrast to EC editor <a href="/facts/Al_Feldstein/Caj9MJNE">Al Feldstein</a>'s style. Whereas Feldstein allowed his artists to draw the story in any manner they desired, Kurtzman developed detailed layouts for each story and required his artists to follow them exactly.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Kurtzman's writing tended to have a lot less text in them than Feldstein's, which enabled the two war titles to be hand-lettered rather than machine-lettered like the remainder of EC's titles.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Kurtzman was also dedicated to making the stories as historically accurate as possible and, along with assistant DeFuccio, put a lot of research into each story. As a result, where Feldstein took generally about a week to complete each issue he edited, Kurtzman took approximately a month. </p> <h2 id="reprints">Reprints</h2> <p><i>Frontline Combat</i> has been reprinted several times in the years since its demise. It was fully reprinted in a series of three black-and-white hardbacks by publisher <a href="/facts/Russ_Cochran_(publisher)/sg3JLlmr">Russ Cochran</a> as part of <i><a href="/facts/Russ_Cochran_(publisher)/sg3JLlmr">The Complete EC Library</a></i> in 1982. Between August 1995 and February 1999, Cochran (in association with <a href="/facts/Gemstone_Publishing/D3EwnYUo">Gemstone Publishing</a>) reprinted the full 15 individual issues. This complete run was later rebound, with covers included, in a series of three softcover <i><a href="/facts/Russ_Cochran_(publisher)/sg3JLlmr">EC Annuals</a></i>. In 2008, Cochran and Gemstone began to publish hardcover, re-colored volumes of <i>Frontline Combat</i> as part of the <i><a href="/facts/EC_Archives/UIwnwW9n">EC Archives</a></i> series. One volume (of a projected three) was published before Gemstone's financial troubles left the project in limbo. <a href="/facts/Dark_Horse_Comics/fTal0C6o">Dark Horse</a> resumed publication of the series in 2019, releasing the third and final volume in 2021.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="issue-guide">Issue guide</h2> <table><tbody><tr><th>#</th><th>Date</th><th>Cover Artist</th><th>Story</th><th>Story Artist</th></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>July/Aug 1951</td><td><a href="/facts/Harvey_Kurtzman/xFY98U09">Harvey Kurtzman</a></td><td>Marines Retreat!</td><td><a href="/facts/John_Severin/02dsBmAV">John Severin</a> & <a href="/facts/Will_Elder/0buRUTqQ">Harvey Kurtzman</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Enemy Assault!</td><td><a href="/facts/Jack_Davis_(cartoonist)/3eJLxVzg">Jack Davis</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>O.P.!</td><td><a href="/facts/Russ_Heath/B3dP8sE9">Russ Heath</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Unterseeboot 113</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Sept/Oct 1951</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Bouncing Bertha</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Zero Hour!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Gettysburg!</td><td><a href="/facts/Wally_Wood/Uor60WEf">Wally Wood</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Contact!</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Nov/Dec 1951</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Tin Can!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Desert Fox!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Prisoner of War!</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>How They Die!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>Jan/Feb 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Combat Medic!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Light Brigade!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Air Burst!</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Bomb Run!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>March/April 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>442nd Combat Team</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Stonewall Jackson!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>War Machines!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Big 'If'!</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>May/June 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>A Platoon!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>War of 1812!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Ace!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Bellyrobber!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>July/Aug 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Iwo Jima!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>The Landing!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>The Caves!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Mopping Up!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>Sept/Oct 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Thunderjet!</td><td><a href="/facts/Alex_Toth/ctGffC0v">Alex Toth</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Caesar!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Chickamauga!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Night Patrol!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>Nov/Dec 1952</td><td>Harvey Kurtzman</td><td>Abe Lincoln!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>First Shot!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Choose Sides!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Bull Run!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>Jan/Feb 1953</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td><td>A Baby!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Geronimo!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Napoleon!</td><td><a href="/facts/George_Evans_(comics)/J2pJM9rg">George Evans</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Anzio!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>March/April 1953</td><td>Jack Davis</td><td>Bird-Dogs!</td><td>John Severin & Bill Elder</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Rough Riders!</td><td><a href="/facts/Ric_Estrada/rgK0ejhX">Ric Estrada</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Lufbery!</td><td>George Evans</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Sailor!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>May/June 1953</td><td>Jack Davis</td><td>F-94!</td><td>George Evans</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>F-86 Sabre Jet!</td><td>Alex Toth</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>B-26 Invader!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>H-5</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>July/Aug 1953</td><td>Wally Wood</td><td>Pantherjet!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>War Dance!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Wolf!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Frank Luke!</td><td>George Evans</td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>Oct 1953</td><td>Wally Wood</td><td>Albatross!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Bonhomme Richard!</td><td><a href="/facts/Joe_Kubert/Ba1qp3KF">Joe Kubert</a></td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Immelman!</td><td>George Evans</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Whupped!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>Jan 1954</td><td>Wally Wood</td><td>Perimeter!</td><td>Wally Wood</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>McCudden!</td><td>George Evans</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Vengeful Sioux!</td><td>Jack Davis</td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td>Belts N' Celts!</td><td>John Severin</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Works cited</h3> <ul><li>Goulart, Ron. <i>Great American Comic Books.</i> Publications International, Ltd., 2001. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 0-7853-5590-1.</li> <li>Overstreet, Robert M.. <i>Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide.</i> House of Collectibles, 2004.</li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li>(audio) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070904010020/http://goldenagecomics.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=49362">Golden Age of Comic Books podcast: <i>Frontline Combat</i></a></li> <li><a href="http://www.linesonpaper.com/about_combat.html">Commentary on <i>Frontline Combat</i> #10</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Schelly, William (2013). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1950s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 48. ISBN 9781605490540. <a href="9781605490540" target="_blank">9781605490540</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Von Bernewitz, Fred and Geissman, Grant. Tales of Terror: The EC Companion (Gemstone Publishing, Fantagraphics Books, Timonium, Maryland and Seattle, Washington, 2000) p. 150-3 <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Diehl, Digby Tales from the Crypt: The Official Archives (St. Martin's Press, New York, NY 1996) p. 52 <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Diehl, Digby Tales from the Crypt: The Official Archives (St. Martin's Press, New York, NY 1996) p. 46 <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Grunenwald, Joe (2019-10-01). "EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: Experience Iwo Jima in the EC ARCHIVES: FRONTLINE COMBAT VOLUME 2". The Beat. Retrieved 2023-06-16. <a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/exclusive-preview-ec-archives-frontline-combat-vol-2/" target="_blank">https://www.comicsbeat.com/exclusive-preview-ec-archives-frontline-combat-vol-2/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Johnston, Rich (2021-05-21). "Unbelievable Unteens in Dark Horse Comics' Full Solicits August 2021". bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 2023-06-16. <a href="https://bleedingcool.com/comics/unbelievable-unteens-in-dark-horse-comics-full-solicits-august-2021/" target="_blank">https://bleedingcool.com/comics/unbelievable-unteens-in-dark-horse-comics-full-solicits-august-2021/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>