A Precursor To Sgt. Rock in All American Men Of War #39

Men Of War is the name of a war comics anthology focussing on American soldiers fighting in World War II that has been published in a number of formats and fashions over the decades by DC Comics. The original series, All-American Men of War, ran monthly for ten years from 1956 to 1966 and featured writers such as Robert Kanigher, Hank Chapman, and France Herron and artists such as Alex Toth, Gene Colan, Mort Drucker, Mike Esposito, Jerry Grandenetti, Sheldon Moldoff, Russ Heath, Bernard Krigstein, Joe Kubert, and Irv Novick. Roy Lichtenstein‘s Whaam! from 1962 was stolen from a panel by Jerry Grandenetti/Irv Novick panel from the cover of All-American Men of War #89. A second series, simply titled Men of War, was published in the seventies, while The DC New 52 gave Sgt Rock his own Men of War. in 2011.

Heritage Auctions currently has a copy of All American Men Of War #39 from 1956 CGC graded at 6.5 which featured The Four Faces of Sgt. Fay by Bill Finger and Joe Kubert, Sword For A Tank by Bob Haney and Bob Brown, and two stories, Mothball Heroes and Bayonet Hill both by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. It also is a precursor for the creation of Sgt. Rock, with both a Sergeant Fay with a “stone face” and the mention of an “Easy Company” on the cover. It currently has bids totalling $71 and goes under the hammer later today.

All-American Men of War #39 (DC, 1956) CGC FN+ 6.5 Off-white to white pages. Sgt. Rock prototype issue, with “Easy Company” mentioned on the cover and a Sgt. Rock-like sergeant called “Stone Face.” Jerry Grandenetti cover. Joe Kubert, Ross Andru, and Bob Brown art. Overstreet 2022 FN 6.0 value = $126; VF 8.0 value = $311. CGC census 4/23: 1 in 6.5, 4 higher.

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