Random Happenstance

I kind of thought this one was going to be a bit more dour from the cover; instead, it feels like an odd assortment of stuff for this book. From 1983, Sgt. Rock #380, "It's a Little Crazy!" Created and written by Robert Kanigher, art by Frank Redondo, cover by Joe Kubert.

Three replacement G.I.'s catch up with Easy Company; and while two of them seem gung-ho from the start, the third, Waldo Ronson, is all but petrified. His pals have got him, and the rest of Easy chip in assorted lucky charms and talismans, but when the three newbies are cut off, Waldo is left alone against an APC, snipers, and a mortar crew. Somehow, he makes it through! He doesn't think he was a real soldier, since he had been terrified the whole time; but Rock just welcomes him to the club. Still, it was a pretty short main feature, only 13 pages!

Padding out the rest of the issue, is the short "Plain Ride," which is credited in the GCD to the Joe Kubert School and no one individual? That's only three pages, so then two pages for WWII pin-up queens Rita Hayworth and Betty Grable, and a three-page fantasy war story "Battle" from Tim Truman! Then to wrap things up, a two page "Battle Album" for Atomic War...OK, that's the dour one. (Art by Jack Arata.)