Tag Archives: matt soffe

Review: The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

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The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

As someone who has served in the military, I have mostly fond memories. There were some trials and tribulations along the way as it is a hard and fast lesson on how people from different walk of life really are. Most of us found this out in boot camp and a reality that became galvanized once we were out in the fleet. This is where we got to learn how to work people we would never get along in any other situation.

The recent war movie by Tom Hanks, Greyhound brought back so many of those memories. It got me excited, but also put me back in those memories of operating underway at sea. I was not in during the first Gulf War, but heard so many “sea stories” of the combat they saw and how scary every day was. In the graphic novel adaptation of James Hornfischer’s The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, we finally get to see firsthand, one of the greatest naval battles of World War II in full color.

We are taken to the Pacific Ocean in October of 1944, shortly after General Macarthur returned to the Philippines. We soon find out two naval sea powers occupy the Pacific,  the Third Fleet under the  command of Admiral Halsey and  Seventh Fleet known as “Macarthur’s Navy”, which relied smaller escort carriers, but screened by the powerful and fast Fletcher Class Destroyer ships. Meanwhile in Japan, Admiral Shoji Nishimura, who commands their Southern Force, looks to draw the US Navy into combat and diminish them in any way they can. Unfortunately, he gets beaten by Admiral Oldendorf, giving the US Navy, temporary relief, but the Japanese have another plan in play, lead by Admiral Takeo Kurita, who commands the Central Force who look to drive the Americans out of the Philippines. Because Halsey becomes obsessed with chasing Japanese carriers, this leave the san Bernardino Strait unguarded, which leaves it up to Third Fleet to defend , and unbeknownst to all of both carrier groups, the Japanese were using this as an opportunity to gain tactical advantage. As the Seventh Fleet beats back the Central Force, they also take casualties as the USS Johnston takes a major casualty, leaving the ship to be dead in the water. Through a series of maneuvers and luck and through some air support, each ship captain makes a decisive blow against the Japanese fleet, but not without loss, of men and vessels. By book’s end, Japan’s Central Force retreats in defeat, failing to breakthrough General Macarthur’s beachhead in the Philippines, but permanently disabling each of the tin can ships, forcing the crews to abandon each ship, but the US Navy would have the last laugh, as the guide bomber squadron accompanied by torpedo planes would end them before they could return home.

Overall, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors is an epic graphic novel that covers the wide scope of the battle through different viewpoints. The story by Hornfischer is well researched and exciting. The adaptation by Doug Murray is seamless. The art by the creative team is beautiful. Altogether, this book feels like the war movies my grandfather raised me on. As a Navy veteran, I’m proud to know that this is part of our heritage.

Story: James Hornfischer Adaptation: Doug Murray
Art: Steven Sanders, Rob Steen, and Matt Soffe
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Purchase: Kindle – Bookshop

Dead Reckoning Announces Its Fall 2021 Releases

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Dead Reckoning will bring you three new graphic novels in Fall 2021. First up is Four-Fisted Tales by four-time Eisner-nominated cartoonist Ben Towle, which tells the story of how animals have been used to fight in the trenches, jungles, and deserts of the world’s battlefields. Next, The Jewish Brigade by Marvano follows how the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group came to fight against and hunt down Nazis who sought to murder them and their families. Last, but not least, James D. Hornfischer along with Doug Murray and Steven Sanders bring The Last Stand of The Tin Can Sailors. Outgunned and outnumbered, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors brings to life the New York Times bestseller on the Battle off Samar where a small American task force fought to turn back an overwhelming Japanese force at Leyte Gulf.

Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat

By Ben Towle
978-1-68247-416-7 | August 18, 2021
Paperback | $24.95

In virtually every military conflict in recorded history animals have fought—and often died—alongside their human counterparts. While countless stories of the men and women who’ve served in the trenches, jungles, and deserts of the world’s battlefields have been told, Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat shares the stories of the animals who fought alongside them.

From Hannibal’s elephants in ancient Rome to mine-sniffing rats in Vietnam and everything in between, Four-Fisted Tales highlights the real-life contributions of these underappreciated animal warriors. Whether in active combat or simply as companions, these animals served and made their mark on history.

Ben Towle is a four-time Eisner-nominated cartoonist. His previous works include Oyster War; Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean (with Sarah Stewart Taylor), which received accolades from The New York Times and Publishers Weekly and was a Junior Library Guild selection; Midnight Sun; and Farewell, Georgia.

Four-Fisted Tales: Animals in Combat

The Jewish Brigade

By Marvano
978-1-68247-723-6 | September 15, 2021
Paperback | $24.95

In the waning years of World War II, as the tragic plight of the European Jews was coming to light in ever more horrific detail, a Jewish fighting force, known as the Jewish Infantry Brigade Group, was born as part of the British Eighth Army. Leslie Toliver, a racecar driver in the pre-war years, eagerly joined the all-volunteer force for a chance to fight with his people against those who sought to murder them. 

Born in Belgium, Marvano, started out as an interior designer. Years later, he began an alternate career as an illustrator, eventually becoming editor-in-chief of the magazine Kuifje, then managing the comics department of Flemish publisher Den Gulden Engel. All the while he published his own comics and went on to write and illustrate dozens of graphic novels over decades, most notably adapting Joe Halderman’s famous novel The Forever War.

The Jewish Brigade

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy’s Finest Hour

By James D. Hornfischer; Adapted by Doug Murray; Drawn by Steven Sanders; Colored by Matt Soffe; Lettered by Rob Steen
978-1-68247-338-2 | October 20, 2021
Hardcover | $29.95

Adapted from the naval history classic and New York Times bestseller, The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors pieces together the action of the Battle off Samar, bringing to life a riveting story of heroism against daunting odds, duty, and sacrifice in a way never seen before.

James D. Hornfischer’s gripping account of the battle, based on declassified documents as well as extensive interviews with veterans, is acclaimed as one of the most compelling works of naval history ever published. Hornfischer’s awards include the 2018 Samuel Eliot Morison Award, given by the Board of Trustees of the USS Constitution Museum.

Doug Murray is a comic book writer and novelist. He served as a non-commissioned officer in the Army in Vietnam and was the main writer on the popular comic book series The ‘Nam, published by Marvel Comics.

Steven Sanders is an illustrator. His work has appeared in the distinguished SPECTRUM anthology and has drawn a number of comics for Marvel and Image Comics.

The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors: The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

Z2’s True War Stories Comes to Bookstores in March 2021

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True War Stories

Z2 has announced that True War Stories will be available in bookstores in March 2021, after its Local Comic Shop Day debut. This unique project, assembled by the multiple-Eisner nominated writer/editor, Alex de Campi and co-edited by Iraq War veteran Khai Kumbaar is an entertaining and moving work of graphic nonfiction, pairing members of the US military with the biggest names in comics to share real war stories told by those who lived them.

A sniper in Haiti faces the repercussions of the shot he never took. A team of SEALs help rescue a kidnapped girl in the Philippines. Army interpreters in Iraq battle their toughest foe: the rats of Saddam’s palace. A soldier on a late-night run surprises a motorpool saboteur. A young cavalry lieutenant, fresh off the Battle of Kamdesh, meets the Marine half-brother he’s never known. A Navy ship reacts to an unexpected man overboard. And if you’ve ever wondered what Christmas was like in a war zone, you’re about to find out.

Artists include Peter Krause, Ryan Howe, Skylar Patridge (drawing her own father’s Vietnam story), Eoin Marron, Tish Doolin (a former Army medic), Dave Acosta, A. D’Amico, Drew Moss, Josh Hood, PJ Holden, Chris Peterson, Sam Hart, Jeff McComsey, and Paul Williams. Colors are by Dee Cunniffe, Matt Soffe, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Tarsis Cruz, and Aladdin Collar. All lettering is done by de Campi herself.

True War Stories is a 260-page full color graphic novel anthology containing fifteen true tales of American service members overseas. Nearly every branch of the military is represented in this collection of stories that are heartwarming, heroic, harrowing, and even at times, hilarious, spanning the globe. 
 
As previously announced, True War Stories is currently available exclusively for stores to order directly from the publisher now under the following terms: 

  • Direct orders to be packed and shipped by Z2’s fulfillment center at a 50% discount. Retailers may order any of Z2’s existing backlist titles at this same discount at the time of their order.
  • Orders will be shipped on consignment with payment for all books sold due 90 days from their ship date to give retailers flexibility to take advantage of holiday sales beyond the event. 
  • Retailers will be responsible for shipping costs to and from their stores, which will be billed upon receipt of saleable goods back from stores.

True War Stories will be published by Z2 Comics in conjunction with Local Comic Shop Day, and then in the wider market in March 2021, with all profits from this $19.99 retail release donated to military-related charities chosen by our contributors as personally meaningful to them: Objective Zero Foundation, Air Force Assistance Fund, the USO, Armed Services Arts Partnership, and Special Operations Warrior Foundation. 

In addition, the title is available for direct order from the Z2 website, in celebration of Veterans Day!

Z2 Announces True War Stories is Getting a Local Comic Shop Day Release

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Z2 Comics has announced that True War Stories, the ambitious project pairing members of the US military with the biggest names in comics to share real war stories told by those who lived them, will be available for Local Comic Shop Day. This unique project, assembled by the multiple-Eisner nominated writer/editor, Alex de Campi and co-edited by Iraq War veteran Khai Kumbaar is an entertaining and moving work of graphic nonfiction previously only available through Kickstarter.

Vietcong sappers attack a fuel point, only to be foiled by an unusual alert guard dog. An MP guards convoys of mystery bombs in the Thai jungle in 1968. A young Airman copes with post-9/11 paranoia in Okinawa. A Marine sniper in Haiti faces the repercussions of the shot he never took. A team of SEALs helps rescue a kidnapped girl in the Philippines. Army interpreters in Iraq battle their toughest foe: the rats of Saddam’s palace. A soldier on a late-night run surprises a motorpool saboteur. A young cavalry lieutenant, fresh off the Battle of Kamdesh, meets the Marine half-brother he’s never known. A Navy ship reacts to an unexpected man overboard. And if you’ve ever wondered what Christmas was like in a war zone, you’re about to find out.

Artists include Peter Krause, Ryan Howe, Skylar Patridge (drawing her own father’s Vietnam story), Eoin Marron, Tish Doolin (a former Army medic), Dave Acosta, A. D’Amico, Drew Moss, Josh Hood, PJ Holden, Chris Peterson, Sam Hart, Jeff McComsey, and Paul Williams. Colors are by Dee Cunniffe, Matt Soffe, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Tarsis Cruz, and Aladdin Collar. All lettering is done by de Campi herself.

True War Stories is a 260-page full-color graphic novel anthology containing fifteen true tales of American service members overseas. Nearly every branch of the military is represented in this collection of stories that are heartwarming, heroic, harrowing, and even at times, hilarious, spanning the globe. 

True War Stories will be published by Z2 Comics in conjunction with Local Comic Shop Day, with all profits from this $19.99 retail release donated to military-related charities chosen by our contributors as personally meaningful to them: Objective Zero Foundation, Air Force Assistance Fund, the USO, Armed Services Arts Partnership, and Special Operations Warrior Foundation. 

True War Stories

Alex De Campi and Z2 Comics Return to Kickstarter for True War Stories: Tales From Deployment

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Z2’s diverse fall publishing slate continues to be revealed with projects from today’s biggest names in entertainment. Today, the publisher recruits members of the US military for an ambitious project: share real war stories told by those who lived them in an entertaining and moving work of graphic nonfiction which launches exclusively for presale through the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. This unique project pairs veterans with some of the biggest names in comics, as assembled by the multiple-Eisner nominated writer/editor, Alex de Campi and co-edited by Iraq War veteran Khai Krumbhaar.

Vietcong sappers attack a fuel point, only to be foiled by an unusual alert guard dog. An MP guards convoys of mystery bombs in the Thai jungle in 1968. A young Airman copes with post-9/11 paranoia in Okinawa. A Marine sniper in Haiti faces the repercussions of the shot he never took. A team of SEALs help rescue a kidnapped girl in the Philippines. Army interpreters in Iraq battle their toughest foe: the rats of Saddam’s palace. A soldier on a late-night run surprises a motorpool saboteur. A young cavalry lieutenant, fresh off the Battle of Kamdesh, meets the Marine half-brother he’s never known. A Navy ship reacts to an unexpected man overboard. And if you’ve ever wondered what Christmas was like in a war zone, you’re about to find out.

True War Stories is a 260-page full color graphic novel anthology containing fifteen true tales of American service members overseas. Nearly every branch of the military is represented in this collection of stories that are heartwarming, heroic, harrowing, and even at times, hilarious, spanning the globe. 

True War Stories will be published by Z2 Comics in time for Veterans Day in November. All profits from the book’s retail release will be donated to military-related charities chosen by our contributors as personally meaningful to them: Objective Zero Foundation, Air Force Assistance Fund, the USO, Armed Services Arts Partnership, and Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Artists include the great Peter Krause, Ryan Howe, Skylar Patridge (drawing her own father’s Vietnam story), Eoin Marron, Tish Doolin (a former Army medic), Dave Acosta, A. D’Amico, Drew Moss, Josh Hood, PJ Holden, Chris Peterson, Sam Hart, Jeff McComsey, and Paul Williams. Colors are by Dee Cunniffe, Matt Soffe, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Tarsis Cruz, and Aladdin Collar. All lettering is done by de Campi herself.