Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos #6, Page 18 (Kirby and Roussos)

oh my god! amazing kirby page cab, when i seen this, i gkt goosebumls, all those tanks are done so well, giving the depth needed,, i would love to own this myself of ever the day comes,lol, very nice get buddy

Many thanks, Tom. It is a truly amazing page and to think that this was done over sixty years ago! Many thanks once again for taking the time and trouble to comment on this piece.

Brings back memory of the small plastic army men. Quite an effort (artistically by Kirby. And prefect perspective too!

Many thanks, Duke. Yes, it's amazing how much effort went into the top panel - and, as you say, with perfect perspective as well.

As always, great page. Kirby's past real life experiences really influenced his work on this title. 

Many thanks, Ron. And thank you for reminding us about Kirby's past experiences which undoubtedly contributed much to this particular page.

II WW classic stuff! That first panel is tremendous. A true A+ example of War's comics. Congratulations.

Many thanks, Toni. As another collector has pointed out, Kirby's real life war experiences were really on point. Coupled with his surpassing skill as an artist, the result was truly amazing.

The top panel perspective detail and depth on that full plethora of war tanks and military vehicles is simply awe inspiring!!! Wow wow wow! This might send me down another Kirby rabbit hole to see other war art he did (which I can't afford to do or even look at because it will plant a bug in my brain that I also need one! Hahaha). Congrats on this tremendous Kirby addition (and auction win presumably with the HA scan). 

Many thanks, Kavi. Yes, that first panel really caught my eye straightaway. I had to battle hard, though, for this particular piece but having collected quite a bit of Sgt Fury artwork, this particular piece was truly unique and utterly impactful.

 Congratulations on picking this up. I took a long time to finally read Kirby's Sgt Fury work, as I'd been pre-conditioned to dismiss it. And it turns out to be morally complex, interesting, really action-packed and detailed. I've always been interested in whether he was Izzy, as his first job in the army was mechanic. He had a life-long fear and respect for the enemy's tanks, so that top panel was probably something he really wanted to get right. 

Many thanks, Glen, and very good to hear from you. Many of the issues in this series did - as this one did - explore morally complex issues (which in many ways was ahead of its time as this was over six decades ago). I believe that Kirby served primarily as an infantryman although I also believe that he did spend some time in the motor pool towards the end of his time in the army. Visually, though, the first panel is quite stunning and required a lot of effort on his part.

And btw, seeing his uniform in person at the Skirball was an emotion experience for me - I got a little teared-up. First of all, it's immaculate. It was clearly important for him. And second: he was maybe 5'4" tall. The original Wolverine. 

Indeed, he was clearly impacted by the war and also experienced severe physical injuries. It was great that you saw his uniform in person. My one big regret is not getting to meet him in person. 

That, my friend, is a stellar example, with some powerful writing.  I know that Roussos is not the preferred inker for most Kirby fans, but I've always enjoy his use of darks combined with line to create movement.  Big congrats to you!

Many thanks, Rob. I must confess that I am amongst those who do not particularly prefer Roussos' inks but he did a splendid job on this particular issue and, especially, the details in the first panel. That was really backbreaking and painstaking work indeed!

Awesome war page by Kirby!! Look at all those tanks and vehicles!!! Gorgeous!

Many thanks, Alberto. It is so difficult to draw such vehicles and in such numbers as well. Kirby really knew his vehicles from his wartime experience and his artistic talent enabled him to draw them so accurately and so accurately in perspective as well.

Cinematic Kirby!  The story of prejudice would be powerful too in this early issue.  It showed what Marvel was about in 1964, making a statement that it was already wrong before.  

Many thanks, Marcus, and an excellent as well as succinct description - cinematic. And, yes, the issues of prejudice explored in this particular issue were way, way ahead of its time.

There are so many tanks and vehicles on this piece that it reminds me of an Alex Schomburg cover. An excellent page! ~Congratulations!  

Many thanks, West. And many thanks for pointing out Schomburg. The point had not occurred to me at the time I posted this piece.

Great Kirby Fury page! Incredible two-thirds splash of Rommel's Africa Corps! Kirby put in so many different kinds of German tanks! 

Many thanks, Peter. And a couple of aircraft as well!

What a great page!  And man, so many tanks!  But the look on Fury's face with the bandages is the best!

Many thanks, Nick. And the story is very meaningful as well.

Wow that top panel is just magnificent! Love the perspective and scope of the scene. An absolutely fantastic pickup; major congrats CAB!

Many thanks, David. We haven't been in touch for a while and I trust that you are keeping well. Yes, that top panel really rocks and drew my attention immediately when it was put up for auction. However, the dialog in the other panels is also powerful and meaningful - and contains lessons for all of us, even today.

I really enjoy pages that have a focus on social issues, with the problem of bigotry and bias being near the top of the list. On top of having that on this page, the details in the splash panel, as you and everyone else has pointed out, are fabulous. Such a nice coincidence that you posted a War page today, on the same day I watched "Attack!" (1956) as well as "Battle of Britain" from 1969!

Many thanks, Rubén. The page has a kind of "division of labor" - the top panel, artistically and the second, while also artistically beautiful, deals more with social issues. And, the "Battle of Britain" - that was a great movie!

The King! A very typically Kirby approach to setting the scene for the scale of the task - a great sense of space in that opening panel. The figures are tiny in the last, crucial panel, but Kirby communicates so much emotion through the poses of the characters. Nice page.

Many thanks, Paul. And many thanks for very perceptive comments on the page indeed.

An interesting aspect of this page is that the last panel is the only one, apart from the cover, in which we see Kirby's version of the racist character, Stonewell. Jack meant him to be based on George Lincoln Rockwell but Stan had the character redrawn throughout the story. In this panel it appears they accidentally altered Izzy instead (and then altered him back!). My whole post on this is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1758159214462637/permalink/4463626683915863/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Many thanks, Aaron, for the very illuminating post. I must shamefully confess that I was initially drawn to this piece by the awesome semi-splash but the substantive social material is really in the remaining panels. 

Kirby drawing tech? Yes, please! Just look at those tanks! Congratulations, you can never have too much Kirby!

Many thanks, Dave. Kirby could definitely draw tech - from WW2 to the cosmic sphere. What an amazing artist! We will never see his like again.

Many thanks, my friend, for taking the time and trouble to comment on this piece.

Jack and George  do a wonderful  job of showing the scope of the military might.a real beauty.

Many thanks, Brian. The first panel is indeed quite breathtaking.

Wow, that Kirby/Rommel/Panzers panorama is just unbeatable, such a cool page, congrats!

Many thanks, Joe. The first panel is indeed fantastic but the dialog and social issues in the remaining panels are also current even today.

Many thanks, and many congratulations for getting the last page from this issue as it is both wonderful and significant. I am also so happy that this is your first Kirby artwork!

so gooooood!