Fighting Yank (AC)

(AC, 2002)
™ Americomics, © AC Comics

If you want to read a wild, wacky comic book in which characters from different companies team up—with some of the characters being parodies and others bearing the names of one character while resembling another—then Fighting Yank is the series for you.

There was a Golden Age character called Fighting Yank, published by Nedor beginning in 1941. AC’s new incarnation is supposed to be the same character in a new costume, revived from suspended animation. (That sounds familiar!) I guess it’s just coincidence that he happens to resemble Fighting American more than Fighting Yank. The art is Kirbyesque (attributed to “Hack Koilby”), and FY’s sidekick (absent this issue) is “Kid Quick.” (Speedboy, anyone?) Also on board this issue are Harvey’s Rocketman and Rocketgirl (renamed Jet Girl). Then things really get weird.

There’s Major Angry and his Hollerin’ Hellcats (Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos). Golden Age characters Black Terror and Miss Masque have cameos. Villains include Dr. Noah Khan Do, Dr. Johnson Torrible (favoring wrestler and Plan 9 actor Tor Johnson) and, instead of Hitler’s brain, Dr. Hedov Lenin. Sadly, Torrible mutates into a monstrous giant insect, Mortho (Mothra?).

For comparison purposes, there is an original Fighting Yank story reprinted as a back–up (although the similarities end at the name). The reader has to be prepared for anything to happen, because in this comic book it probably will. Fighting Yank is eclectic fun and one of the better retro comics of late.

— Jack Abramowitz

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