QUALITY COMICS
Military Comics
43 issues (Aug. 1941–Oct. 1945)
… becomes Modern Comics with #44
Quality's last anthology titles were its most successful. Military Comics was driven by the juggernaut, "Blackhawk," who went on to star in its own series and was Quality's highest selling title. Military might have been co-owned by Will Eisner (see page XX). He took personal interest in this title, but was still forced to subcontract some of the work to Jerry Iger's studio. (Andelman 68-69) This book book launched with the conceit that the front half featured Army stories, and the back half, Navy, but this distinction was often blurry. Stories that were clearly aviation-based appeared in the Navy section. The stories in Military stood apart for their "true life" feel; they encouraged bravery among young girls and boys and sprinkled in factoids, military trivia, emblems, and even collecitble hero "stamps" featuring past military heroes. (And take a look at that logo… looks a lot like the shield on Justice League of America!)
ARTL: This ad in Police Comics #3 promoted Military #3 as "2 magazines in one"—tales off the army and navy.
Cover scans courtesy of the Grand Comics Database.
| Entries in yellow are costumed heroes. Click to read their profile. |
| Character | Appeared in Issues… | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Archie Atkins, desert scout | #1–3 (Aug. 1941–Oct. 1941) | competent. dots for eyes |
| The Blackhawks | #1–43 (1940-45) | By Chuck Cuidera (#1-11). via Eisner |
| Blue Tracer | #1-16 (Aug. 1941–Jan. 1943) | By Fred Guardineer. |
| Death Patrol | #1–12, 20–52 (Aug. 1941–Aug. 1946) | By Jack Cole (#1–3, 27–30) and Dave Berg (via Eisner) |
| Loops and Banks, pilots | #1–13 (Aug. 1941–November 1942) | By Bob Powell [as Bud Ernest] |
| Miss America | #1–7 (Aug. 1941–Feb. 1942) | By Elmer Wexler |
| Q-Boat | #1 (Aug. 1941) | By Henry Kiefer |
| Sabotage | #1–4 (Aug. 1941–Nov. 1941 | A cartoon by Tex Blaisdell (via Eisner). |
| Shot and Shell | #1–19 (Aug. 1941– May 1943) | By Klaus Nordling. |
| Yankee Eagle | #1–8 (Aug. 1941–March 1942) | By Phil Martin ("John Stewart"). |
| Sniper | #5–34 (Dec. 1941–Nov. 1944) | By Vernon Henkel |
| Inferior Man (Courtney Fudd) | #7–13 (Feb. 1942–Nov. 1942) | By Al Jaffee (via Eisner). Also in Feature Comics |
| X of the Underground | #8–13 (March 1942–November 1942) | By Bill Smith (via Iger). |
| Phantom Clipper, and the Yankee Clippers | #9–16 (May 1942–Feb. 1943) | Lt. "Tiger" Shark forms the Yankee Clippers along with Capt. Seth Perkins' ragtag band of longshoremen, using the fortified Phantom |
| Johnny Doughboy | #14–52 (Dec. 1942–Aug. 1946 | By Bernard Dibble |
| Pacific Patrol | 9 appearances between #14–35 (Dec. 1942–Jan. 1945) | By Al McWilliams |
| Private Dogtag | #14–52 (Dec. 1942–Aug. 1946) | By Bart Tumey |
| P.T. Boat with Ensigns Paul Harvey & Perry Tobias | #17–46 (March 1943– Feb. 1946) | By Andre LeBlanc |
| Sailor Danny | #17–23 (March 1943– Oct. 1943) | By Art Gates |
| Choo Choo and Cherry | #35-83 (Jan. 1945-Mar. 1949) | Borderline Good Girl feature. |
| Ezra | #36-102 (Feb. 1945-Oct. 1950) | |
| Modern Comics (#44-102) | ||
| Will Bragg | #47-102 (Mar. 1946-Oct. 1950) | |
| Poodle McDoodle | #53-75 (Sept. 1946–July 1948) | |
| Prudence | #53–71 (Sept. 1946–March 1948) | By Michael Senich |
| Torchy | #53-102 (Sept. 1946–Oct. 1950) | Also in Doll Man and Torchy |
| Fuzzy | #78–88 (Oct. 1948–Aug. 1949) | A doofus, by Jack Cole. |