Two-Fisted Tales (E.C.)

(E.C., 1950-1955)
™ and © William M. Gaines, Agent

Two-Fisted Tales began in 1950 with issue #18 (its numbering was picked up from the early issues of Haunt of Fear, a continuation itself of Gunfighters.) Edited by Harvey Kurtzman, Two-Fisted Tales was easily one of the most remarkable war comics of all time.

The stories featured Kurtzman himself, as well as Wally Wood, John Severin, and others. Kurtzman’s art in particular conveyed an anxious feeling perfect for depicting the emotions of frontline soldiers. Two-Fisted Tales also had a real knack for bringing global conflicts down to a personal scale, allowing the reader to identify with soldiers on both sides of the struggle. In one story, “Hungnam!” the writer employed the unique device of illustrating the chaos of a troop withdrawal through the eyes of a town mutt. The dog’s incomprehension of the various artillery barrages and explosions made it seem all the stranger when it woke up in a suddenly empty town.

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