Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen

Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics from 1972 to 1973. The series was created by writer Gary Friedrich and penciler Dick Ayers, the creative team of Marvel's long-running World War II title Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos. The premiere issue continued a story that began in Sgt. Fury #98 (May 1972), and occasional crossovers continued between these two series. The series lasted for nine issues and was cover-billed simply as Combat Kelly in the postal indicia.[1] With issue #5 (Feb. 1973), the cover title changed slightly to Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen. The series name and premise are similar to those of the 1960s film The Dirty Dozen.[2] The series was the second to feature a character by the name of Combat Kelly.[3]

Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen
Cover to issue #7.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
ScheduleBi-monthly
Publication date1972
No. of issues9
Main character(s)Michael Kelly
The Deadly Dozen
Creative team
Created byGary Friedrich
Dick Ayers
Written byGary Friedrich
Artist(s)Jim Mooney
Penciller(s)Dick Ayers
Inker(s)Jim Mooney
Mike Esposito
Vincent Joseph Colletta
John Tartaglione
Letterer(s)Sam Rosen
Jean Izzo
Jean Simek
Colorist(s)Don Warfield
Other uncredited artists
Editor(s)Stan Lee
Roy Thomas

Publication history
Cover dates
  1. "Stop the Luftwaffe, Win the War", July 1972
  2. "Lonely Are the Brave", August 1972
  3. "The Boston Bomber", October 1972
  4. "To Hell With Heroes", December 1972
  5. "Escape From Devil's Island", February 1973
  6. "A Wing... a Prayer... and Mad Dog Martin!", April 1973
  7. "Blast the Beasts and Children", June 1973
  8. "Hospital of Horrors", August 1973
  9. "Did You Ever See A Dozen Die?!", October 1973

Premise

The series featured Corporal Kelly as the leader of a team of convicted criminals who serve in the army during the Second World War to pay for their crimes.[4] The character of Happy Sam Sawyer, who was Nick Fury's commanding officer in Sgt. Fury, also appears in the series, the characters from the two series crossed over occasionally. The series featured a racially diverse cast much like its precursor, but unlike the characters in the previous series, the so-called Deadly Dozen was much more morally loose, as the series features them sometimes committing war crimes, such as shooting unarmed non-combatants.[5][6] The final issue of the series, named "Did You Ever See A Dozen Die?!", ends with virtually every main character dying, something which was unprecedented at the time of its release.[7][8]

Reception

Michael Aushenker of The Comics Reporter stated in his 2009 review of the final issue that he had never seen a finale like it before and that it was "bad-ass" in his opinion. Aushenker described the issue as brutal and twisted. He added that he believed that it was the most sadistic issue of a comic book ever published with the Comics Code Authority's seal of approval. He also explained that he was shocked that the author and artist got away with it, despite the fact that most of the violence was implied off screen. Aushenker went on to say that he believed that the writer, Gary Friedrich, was more worthy of a medal than the series' main character and namesake, Michael Kelly, for having written it.[9]

Reprints

The first issue was reprinted in 2012 in the collected edition Marvel Firsts: The 1970s, Volume 1.[10][11][12][13][14]

See also

References
  1. Combat Kelly (Marvel, 1972 Series) at the Grand Comics Database
  2. Booker, M. Keith (2014). Comics through Time : A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas [4 volume set]. Greenwood Publishing. p. 704. ISBN 978-0313397509 – via Google Books.
  3. Eury, Michael (2003). Captain Action: The Original Super-Hero Action Figure. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 978-1893905177 – via Google Books.
  4. Conroy, Mike (2003). 500 Great Comic Book Action Heroes. Barron's Educational Series. pp. 312–313. ISBN 978-0764125812 – via Google Books.
  5. Maurice, Horn (1983). The World Encyclopedia of Comics, Volym 5. University of Michigan: Chelsea House Publishers. p. 608. ISBN 9780877543237 – via Google Books.
  6. Buxton, Marc (February 3, 2015). "Agent Carter: The Iron Ceiling Review". Den of Geek. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  7. "FFF Results Post #148 -- Scattered". The Comics Reporter. January 25, 2009. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  8. Mike Conroy, War Stories: A Graphic History, New York: Ilex/Harper, 2009, ISBN 978-0-06-173112-9, p. 135.
  9. "FFF Results Post #148 -- Scattered". The Comics Reporter. January 25, 2009. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  10. CBR staff (December 19, 2011). "Marvel Comics Solicitations for March, 2012". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  11. CBR staff (September 21, 2011). "Marvel Comics Solicitations for January, 2012". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  12. Khouri, Andy (October 22, 2011). "Marvel Collected Editions On Sale In January 2012 [Solicitations]". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  13. CA staff (December 20, 2011). "Marvel Graphic Novels and Collected Editions On Sale In March 2012 [Solicitations]". ComicsAlliance. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  14. Adair, Torsten (February 20, 2012). "Coming Attractions: February 2012: Marvel Publishes Justice League Zombies, DC Publishes Captain America and the Silver Surfer!". ComicsBeat. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
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