Blazing Battle Tales #1
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), July 1975
Title: “The One-Armed Beast”
Synopsis: Sgt. Hawk and company attempt to rescue a French agent from a sadistic Nazi known as the One-Armed Beast.
Writer: John Albano
Penciler: Pat Broderick
Inker: Jack Sparling
Review: The best war stories tend to explore moral gray areas and seek deeper truths about the human condition. But there’s little of that in John Albano’s three scripts in this issue, which tend toward moral apathy and a cold celebration of death tolls. Serviceable, but not a pleasant read.
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Title: “The Sky Demon!”
Synopsis: An intuitive fighter pilot finds his special privileges revoked, leading to a massive missed opportunity.
Writer: John Albano
Artist: Al McWilliams
Review: Another serviceable story, this one with a solid twist. The dynamism of air battles doesn’t translate particularly well to comics.
•••
Title: “Blazing Battle Tales Salutes: Bronze Star Winner … Pvt. William Swanson”
Synopsis: Pvt. William Swanson wins the Bronze Star for his quick thinking, bravery and marksmanship on D-Day.
Writer: John Albano
Artist: John Severin
Review: This two-pager, presented as a true story, features sumptuous art from war-comics legend John Severin.
Grade (for the entire issue): C
Second opinion: “This book is generally a dismal failure.” – Ken Jones, Amazing Heroes #81, Oct. 15, 1985 … “A tedious book.” – Frank Plowright, FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983 … “More graphically portrayed violence for your buck, but otherwise an ordinary war title.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003
Cool factor: John Severin was born to draw war comics.
Not-so-cool factor: The early Pat Broderick art is unrecognizable under Jack Sparling’s inks.
Character quotable: “From the look in his eyes, he’s made this his personal war – which ain’t fair!” – Goldberg, concerned for his sarge
Editor’s note: This review was written Aug. 23, 2025.
