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always had included amazing art inside as well. There’s some great stuff. From a reading
multiple types of standpoint, I give kudos to Marvel for doing a great job on The ‘Nam,”
comics, at least while Ballesteros said.
I was growing up it “I would agree with Andy, too, as far as the Charltons books go.
did – I would look at Some of the Private War of Willy Schultz by Sam Glanzman are
the color sections and amazing,” Rabin said. Glanzman was a veteran of World War II and
the ads. contributed stories in the genre for the rest of his life, including many
“When guys who autobiographical stories.
had the money to “I have to admit that when I first started with the War Report, I told
spend on high dollar you the entry point was [artist Joe] Kubert that seemed to make the
comics, they would most sense (best known for his work on the DC Comics characters
always buy Detective Sgt. Rock and Hawkman). Sam Glanzman did tons of war stuff.
Comics #27 (with the Not just for DC.
first appearance of “I’m going to state, just for the record. I am a huge fan of the U.S.S.
Batman), and Action Stevens stories. Talk about somebody who took a storyline and built
Comics #1 (with the characters and events around it! Glanzman is one of the great masters
first appearance of of the form and not widely regarded as such. In my opinion, he is one
Superman), and of the most underrated creators,” he said.
Captain America #1,
and Marvel Mystery War Comics Are Not Pro-War
#1, and all that stuff. War comics are
Those were the big decidedly not all pro-
books. Once in war. In fact, very few
awhile, Spidey and of them are. While
Amazing Fantasy and many highlight hero-
Fantastic Four get ism, commitment, or
attention. Those were A 9.2 copy of Our Army At War #83, the first belief in the cause, a
the books that every- appearance of DC’s Sgt. Rock, is listed at $27,000. A significant number
body thought were higher-graded copy could bring multiples of that. eventually focus on
valuable. It was almost the high human cost
by sheer coincidence that those runs and those titles became the of combat.
ones collectors wanted and coveted,” said collector and War Report Whether Harvey
contributor Mick Rabin. Kurtzman’s work
However, things have changed and continue to do so. at EC or Robert
Our Army At War #83, the first appearance of DC’s Sgt. Rock, has Kanigher and Joe
long been the standard-bearer for war comics fans in the overall market. Kubert’s efforts at
A 9.2 copy of that issue, now ranked #19 overall in its era, is listed at DC, there is a strong
$27,000 in The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #50. A higher graded undercurrent of anti-
copy could bring multiples of that number. war sentiment in

many offerings.
Outside DC’s Big Five “My brother is a
The top value lists are dominated by DC’s Big Five, but it’s no master gunnery ser-
longer a DC-exclusive club. Even the top collectors are starting to geant in the Marine
expand their range beyond them. Corps. He would sit
“I started building next to me reading
a big collection of these Sgt. Rock books.
Charlton’s War. They I grew up with that.
have been ignored by But I'm also a
comic collectors for “peacenik.” So, it’s Marvel’s The Nam, particularly the early issues, gets
far too long. Some of really funny to grow high marks from many collectors.
the stuff is hokey, and up in a military family
the artwork in some – my father was in the Navy, my grandfather served during World War
of it is really not great, II, my uncle was in Vietnam. I have a deep respect for the military. But
but there’s still good also, the storytelling in these books to me was so human. It connected
storytelling. How and it was super environmental. It was also sinewed with messaging,”
many titles did they Ballesteros said.
put out, and for how
long?” Green said. Header image: Sam
The answers to Glanzman:
this rhetorical ques- Original Art for
tion are “A lot” and G.I. Combat #253,
“For a long time,” pages 2 and 3 (DC,
respectively. 1983). Sold at
Ballesteros did Heritage Auction
specifically called out for $143.75, 2002
Combat #1, but also
the Atlas (pre-1960s
Marvel Comics) War
titles.
“Those covers are
killer. There’s some Outside of DC’s Big Five titles, Combat (from Atlas)
continues to gain attention

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