I am glad to see my Hank Chapman posts garnered so many positive responses. I hope I have played a smal part in bringing this unknown creator to the light. Of course Chapman was not functioning in a vacuum. At the same time he was doing his pessimistic war sories, other writers were struggling with a losing and possibly unwinnable war as well. Although none so graphicly or so well told. Apart for a couple of samples, which I am showing today.
The first is a story that could have been written by Chapman himself, except for the fact that he signed all his work. The story itself shows no signs of having been written by him either, except for the brutal ending. The second story is a typical bit of Stan Lee sentimentality, but the basic idea is just as bleak as Chapman's stories and together with Joe maneely, Lee creates a nice little package.
6 comments:
Stupendous war stories! I never cared much for war comics, until I saw the ones written by the late great H. G. Oesterheld (1957-58, "Hora Cero" magazine, Buenos Aires, Argentine), with illustrations by Hugo Pratt, Solano López and others. Those stories put emphasis in the human angle, featuring "no good or bad men, but a supervillain, War itself", in the author's own words.
I didn't know those stories you are posting, by Hank Chapman, but they strongly remind me of the ones of Oesterheld and the art is superbe. Thanks for your good work, which I've been following for years.
Carlos M. Federici, Montevideo, Uruguay (look for my name in "Google")
As a fan of Pratt, I can't say I have seen the Hora Cero stories you mention. HAve they been reprinted in French (as most of his work)? I like his early style and would love to include one of them in my planned but as yet unsold book on Milt Caniff followers.
Ah, you must mean the Ernie Pike stories. I should look them up.
Most of the Ernie Pike stories done by Pratt exist in French. You should also check out the Sgt. Kirk books. also by Oesterheld and Pratt, though westerns this time. It's the first time I read westerns were the Indians were the victims and not the bad guys. Long before Blueberry fought for the cause of the Indians, Sgt. Kirk was doing it in the 50s.
Unfortunately Pratt appropriated those stories, and changed the script around (Oesterheld was extremely verbose, and Pratt hated that).
Thanks for your answer. I am also an admirer of Hugo Pratt's early style, and I consider it much better than his late one, despite the prestige the latter has. I think some of those stories were reprinted in Italy. I'd be glad to send you scans from the ones I consider best, taken directly from the original mags, which I had the privilege, being a lad of fifteen, to assist at their première, if I may use that word. Just send me an e-mail address. Your blog is great. Thanks for your fine doing.
I recently read all your blog posts about Hank Chapman and have wondered if the story you described in a comment to your one on January 22, 2010 was "Guard Duty" from Men's Adventures #11. If that is the case, then was the other plot you mentioned Stan Lee's "Cycle" from War Adventures #3? This was my first thought, but then I looked at the Chapman war tale "Killed in Action" from Young Men #13 which you also posted on The Fabulous Fifties.
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