Kiss your rifle and swallow your fear, because EC Comics is rotating back into combat for the 21st century’s first dose of two-fisted fury with staggering new tales of war and fighting men in our next giant-sized special! EC Shellshock #1 is a fun debut that brings back EC’s classic horror and twisted style to the war comic genre.

Featuring four brand-new stories and one reprint, EC Shellshock #1 is an anthology varied in its concepts and ideas delivering tales of war from various time periods. The comic is an interesting one, and like all anthologies, the stories can vary in so many ways.

The issue opens with a more modern story, “Scorched Earth,” taking place in Afghanistan in 2002. It’s an interesting one touching upon the very real burn pits that have caused severe health issues for those who were around them. By John Arcudi, Shawn Martinbrough, and Matt Herms, the comic’s premise is nothing new, but how the story plays out does feel like something different. Readers may think it’ll go in one direction when it doesn’t, resulting in an entertianing opening that ends in unexpected ways.

“Christmas” by Michael W. Conrad and Albert Monteys for me is the highlight of the issue with a very real moment where battling armies paused to celebrate Christmas together. The comic focuses a lot on the perceptions of one army has an the other but it’s depiction of German soldiers builds up sympathy before delivering a subtle and twisted ending. It’s a good one that feels like it almost has a punchline as its final panels play out.

“Blowback” by Julio Anta, David Lapham, and Nick Filardi is a weirdly comedic entry that feels like it might fight in Mad Magazine. A CIA operative goes to a BBQ and… well things get a little explosive. The end absolutely delivers a punchline but the entry has a clear vision of being over the top in its delivery, and it works.

“World of the Wars” is the final new entry for the comic by Benito Cereno, Tom Fowler, and Michelle Madsen. It’s a weird one that follows intergalactic powers as they figure out their disputes with a very familiar world as their place to do it. With three stories grounded in the real world, this addition is an odd one. It’s really entertaining and good but its more sci-fi bent feels out of the place surrounded by much more grounded war stories.

Finally, “Yellow,” by William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein, Jack Davis, and color restoration by Michael Atiyeh is an interesting reprint. It’s high quality in its storytelling but fascinating to read it after four modern stories proceeded it. It’s very different in its style and you can see how much things has changed in comic storytelling techniques.

The comic is an entertaining one overall and for those who like war comics but don’t need them to be detailed with accurate facts, it’s a great entry in the genre and another solid return from EC Comics. The art is well done with each story featuring a distinct style and the stories themselves are unique and so different though all have a connection in they all have to do with war in some way. Oni Press has been doing a fantastic job with bringing back the classic EC Comics brand and this is another solid return.

Story: John Arcudi, Michael W. Conrad, Julio Anta, Benito Cereno, Tom Fowler, William M. Gaines, Al Feldstein
Art: Shawn Martinbrough, Albert Monteys, David Lapham, Tom Fowler, Jack Davis
Color: Matt Herms, Nick Filardi, Michelle Madsen, Michael Atiyeh
Letterer: Richard Starkings, Tyler Smith
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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