Fighting American TPPublisher: Titan Books
Release Date: May 2011
Price: $19.95
Creator(s): Joe Simon, Jack KIrby
Format: 200 pgs.; Full-Color; Trade Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-8576-8115-7
ICv2 Rating: 4 Stars out of 5
In the 1950's Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created a new patriotic hero modeled on their most famous creation Captain America but what began as a standard superhero fighting the communist menace comic quickly evolved into a grotesque parody of itself. Though not a huge hit at the time over the decades Fighting American became legendary among comic book collectors and for the first time the entire series (including a pair of never before published stories) has been collected into a single volume.
Fighting American is famous for it's Mad type popular culture parodies and joke name grotesque commie villains (Poison Ivan, Hotsky Trotski, etc.) but there was also plenty of classic Simon & Kirby action adventure as well. Take, for example, "Investigate The City of Ghouls" which has a plot that manages to successfully squeeze a secret Communist military base on U.S. soil and a secret civilization of devil worshipping monsters into a mere seven page story.
Science fictions themes are also prevalent, as in "Home-Coming Year 3000," where a sleeping Fighting American dreams himself into the role of future hero Starman Zero (which was also the name of a SF comic strip Kirby was developing in the late 40's). Time travel pops up again in "The Year Bender" which manages to work in a semi-serious lecture on physical fitness into a wild romp through the ages.
No question this volume will primarily appeal to hardcore comic book fans but Fighting American, should be appreciated by anyone who likes likes a well told story comic book story.
--Steve Bennett: Writer and retail services consultant
