As a kid I also loved DC war books. Today the only real excellent war book is from DC/Vertigo WAR STORY.
A shame as any attempt to write a war book without condemning all those involved is seen as pro-war.
Pc madness. :-/
Just so!
Kurtzman's anti-war pieces were first and foremost GOOD STORIES. Then they told a story, and the subtext was very clear, but their meanings probably went well beyond his intended setting.
For instance, stories about sacrifice can be regarded as "oh, what a waste" by one group, "neccessary" by another, and "neccessary, but still horrible" by another.
Marvel's Sgt. Fury was the limp-wristed cousin to Sgt. Rock, but it was character driven and even it was not without pathos. (I loved those stories, btw).
Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace had their share of lame stories, but they also had some true gems, and the greatest Enemy Ace tale (IMO) is War Idyll, one of the most solidly anti-war tales ever and the only comic my mom ever thought was cool. Like other great stories, its characaters exist on a very human level. It's seriously great comics. Didn't change my mind on the need for war, but certainly did pare back bit on the nature of it.
Gladiator and Braveheart really captured the positives of a martial spirit in film. Can't think right now of what's done that in comics.
