Schedule Monthly | ||
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Writer(s) List(vol. 1)J. M. DeMatteisArnold DrakeSteve EnglehartSteve GerberJack C. HarrisSheldon MayerRoger McKenzieJack OleckMike W. BarrDan MishkinRobert Kanigher Penciller(s) List(vol. 1)Tony DeZunigaAlfredo AlcalaGerry TalaocNestor RedondoAlex NiñoAlfredo AlcalaErnie ChanBill DrautJess JodlomanFrank RedondoE.R. CruzFred CarrilloMike GrellFrank MillerHoward ChaykinJosé Luis García-LópezMarshall RogersRubenyRomeo TanghalBob HallSteve DitkoFred CarrilloDan SpiegleMarc SilvestriCarmine InfantinoRich Buckler(vol. 2)Richard CorbenEric ShanowerPaul PopeDave GibbonsPaul GulacySam GlanzmanEduardo RissoDuncan FegredoCully Hammer Inker(s) List(vol. 1)Terry AustinBob WiacekJoe GiellaLarry MahlstedtBob SmithJohn CelardoSal TrapaniFrank Giacoia Number of issues List: (vol. 1): 124; (vol. 2): 4; Publication date List: (vol. 1); September–October 1971 – June 1983; (vol. 2); June 1997 – September 1997; Genres War comics, Fantasy comics, Horror comics, Science fiction comics Similar Our Army at War, GI Combat, Star Spangled War Stories, Our Fighting Forces, House of Mystery | ||
The mystery and madness of weird war tales
Weird War Tales was a war comic book title with supernatural overtones published by DC Comics. It was published from September–October 1971 to June 1983.
Contents
- The mystery and madness of weird war tales
- Collecting comics 4 weird war tales bundle 2 17 11
- Publication history
- Revival
- Collected editions
- References
Collecting comics 4 weird war tales bundle 2 17 11
Publication history
The original title ran for 12 years and 124 issues. It was an anthology series that told war stories with horror, mystery, fantasy and science fiction elements. Changes in the Comics Code Authority made the use of horror elements possible. Each issue was hosted by Death, usually depicted as a skeleton dressed in a different military uniform each issue. The title's name was inspired by editor Joe Orlando. Walt Simonson's first professional published comic book work appeared in Weird War Tales #10 (January 1973). Roger McKenzie and Frank Miller's first collaboration was on a two-page story published in Weird War Tales #68 (October 1978). Recurring characters began to appear late in the series run, notably the "G.I. Robot", and the return of "The War that Time Forgot" which originally ran in Star Spangled War Stories. Writer J. M. DeMatteis and penciler Pat Broderick created the Creature Commandos in Weird War Tales #93 (November 1980).
In Weird War Tales #101 (July 1981), the G.I. Robot is deployed to a Pacific island alongside the Marines to fight the Japanese military. Although the robot is technically named "Jungle Automatic Killer - Experimental Number 1" (J.A.K.E. 1), it is given the nickname of the G.I. Robot. J.A.K.E. 1 is destroyed in Weird War Tales #111 (May 1982) but is replaced by J.A.K.E. 2, which continues to fight on various Pacific islands, including Dinosaur Island. It later teams with the Creature Commandos.
Several issues featured a series of short vignettes titled "The Day After Doomsday" featuring largely doomed characters dealing with various threats and harsh ironies of living in a post-nuclear war apocalyptic landscape. The first few stories dealt with a society reduced to medieval ways seven centuries after a war but most others dealt with the near-term aftermath, with the unexpected results of radiation or infrastructure damage almost always catching the characters by surprise.
Other stories featured robot soldiers, ghosts, the undead, and other paranormal characters from different eras of time.
Revival
Weird War Tales was revived for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint in 1997. It was published as a four-issue limited series, followed by a single-issue special in 2000.
Collected editions
