The Losers (comics)

{{Short description|Comic book by Robert Kanigher}} {{For|the Vertigo series|The Losers (Vertigo){{!}}''The Losers'' (Vertigo)}} {{Infobox comics organization  |name = The Losers |image = Our Fighting Forces 123.png |imagesize =  |caption = The first issue of ''The Losers'' serial in ''Our Fighting Forces'' #123 (January–February 1970). Art by [[Joe Kubert]]. |publisher = [[DC Comics]] |debut = ''[[G.I. Combat]]'' #138 (October/November 1969) |creators = [[Robert Kanigher]] |type = |business = |organization = |team = y |base = |owners = Captain William Storm |employees = |members = Johnny Cloud<br>Sarge Clay<br>Gunner Mackey |fullroster = |cat = military organizations |subcat = |hero = |villain = |sortkey = Losers, The }} {{Infobox comic book title  |title = The Losers |noimage = yes |TPB = Showcase Presents: The Losers |ISBN = 1-4012-3437-2 |TPB2 = Jack Kirby's The Losers |ISBN2 = 1-8485-6194-6 }}

'''''The Losers''''' is the name of a war [[comic book]] feature published by [[DC Comics]]. The name was later given to a [[The Losers (Vertigo)|reimagined comic book series]] for DC's [[Vertigo Comics|Vertigo]] [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]].

The first ''Losers'' comic was a [[war comics]] feature set during [[World War II]]. It was created by [[Robert Kanigher]]<ref>{{cite journal |last=Arndt|first=Richard J.|title="Nice" Is the Word: A Few Words on Archie Goodwin|journal=[[Back Issue!]]|issue=#103 |page=10|publisher=[[TwoMorrows Publishing]]|date=April 2018 |location=Raleigh, North Carolina}}</ref> and became a regular feature in DC's long-running war [[comic book]] series ''[[Our Fighting Forces]]'' beginning with issue #123, dated January/February 1970.

== The Losers == Prior to the formation of the group, each character had his own adventures in DC's war anthology comics. Captain Johnny Cloud, a [[Navajo people|Navajo]] pilot who always destroyed his planes after a mission, had appeared in ''[[All-American Men of War]]'' #82–115 (1960–1966); the two-man team of Gunner and Sarge had first appeared in issue #67 of the same title (March 1959) before transferring to ''Our Fighting Forces'' for a fifty-issue run, #45–94 (May 1959–August 1965). Captain Storm, a PT boat commander, had his own title, which lasted 18 issues from 1964 to 1967.<ref>[http://www.toonopedia.com/capstorm.htm Captain Storm] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20120913063617/http://www.toonopedia.com/capstorm.htm Archived] from the original on April 9, 2012.</ref>

Their first appearance as a group was with the [[Haunted Tank]] crew in ''[[G.I. Combat]]'' #138 (October–November 1969) in a story titled "The Losers".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cowsill |first1=Alan |last2=Irvine |first2=Alex |last3=Manning |first3=Matthew K. |last4=McAvennie |first4=Michael |last5=Wallace |first5=Daniel |title=DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle |date=2019 |publisher=DK Publishing |isbn=978-1-4654-8578-6 |page=129}}</ref> The tank crew had failed to destroy a Nazi radar station and collected the 'Losers'. The men were on their own after surviving separate disastrous battles. The eight-man strong group rallied and returned to the site of the Nazi radar station, demolishing it.<ref>{{cite book|last=McAvennie|first= Michael|editor-last = Dolan|editor-first = Hannah|chapter= 1960s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 135 |quote = Scribe Robert Kanigher and artist Russ Heath turned these self-described Losers - including "Navajo Ace" Johnny Cloud of the U.S. Army Air Force, Marines Gunner Mackey and Sarge Clay, and Captain William Storm, a PT boat commander with a prosthetic leg - into a fighting force that meshed as one.}}</ref> Prior to that, Captain Storm, Gunner and Sarge (along with Fighting Devil Dog) had teamed together once before to fight some Japanese naval officers in ''Captain Storm'' #13. They got their own series a few months later (January/February 1970), as the main feature of ''[[Our Fighting Forces]]'', beginning with issue #123. Their stories as a team were written by [[Robert Kanigher]] and illustrated by a variety of artists, most notably [[Sam Glanzman]], [[Russ Heath]], [[John Severin]], and [[Joe Kubert]].

The group served in Europe, Africa, and the Pacific, meeting other DC World War II characters such as the Haunted Tank and [[Sgt. Rock|Sergeant Rock]]. The team briefly had a female member named Ona Tomsen who was part of the [[Norwegian resistance movement]], who joined the team in issue #135. At the same time, the team briefly lost Captain Storm, who suffered amnesia (and lost an eye) due to a bomb blast. They reunited in issue #141, when Capt. Storm reappeared as a one-eyed, peg-legged pirate. Gunner's pet dog Pooch also joined the team for some missions.

=== Series authors === [[Robert Kanigher]] was the original writer for the series, and he emphasized the group's bad luck. They were anti-heroes, and the stories emphasized negative aspects of war. During the [[Vietnam War]], Kanigher added this philosophy to many of the DC war books. Also in common with most DC war books of the time were spectacular cover illustrations by [[Joe Kubert]]. [[Ken Barr]] did the art chores for the first issue, with [[Ross Andru]] and [[Mike Esposito (comics)|Mike Esposito]] participating beginning with issue #124. [[John Severin]], a veteran of [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos]]'' began doing the art chores by issue #132. This series lasted until [[Jack Kirby]] became artist/writer with issue #151 during the autumn of 1974.<ref>McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 161: "Jack Kirby also took on a group of established DC characters that had nothing to lose. The result was a year-long run of ''Our Fighting Forces'' tales that were action-packed, personal, and among the most beloved of World War II comics ever produced".</ref> While Kirby enjoyed working with the series,<ref>[http://www.povonline.com/jackfaq/JackFaq1.htm The Jack FAQ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061231144716/http://www.povonline.com/jackfaq/JackFaq1.htm |date=2006-12-31}}</ref> he changed the story's philosophy in a manner that was often disfavored by fans, judging by comments in the book's letter pages. There have been favorable comments about his series in recent years<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080828192856/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=17741 CCI: The Jack Kirby Tribute Panel], [[Comic Book Resources]], August 17, 2008</ref><ref>[http://kirbymuseum.org/kirby-l/off152-01.html An Examination Of Jack Kirby's "The Losers" Story In ''Our Fighting Forces'' #152 - Part 1], June 1998</ref> and DC released it in collected form.<ref name=lbjk />

With issue #163 [[Bob Kanigher]] was back writing the book with Jack Lehti doing the art. For issue #164, [[Ric Estrada]] penciled and [[George Evans (cartoonist)|George Evans]] inked, and Evans did all of the artistic duties by issue #166. He continued with the series until the final issue, #181 (September/October 1978). A story that was originally set to feature in issue #182, written by Kanigher and drawn by Evans and entitled "Young Losers - Young Lions", was finally printed four years later in ''The Unknown Soldier'' #265 (July 1982).

=== The end === According to ''[[Crisis on Infinite Earths]]'', the team ended in [[Markovia]] during the spring of 1944. Along with powered beings, such as [[Geo-Force]] and [[Doctor Polaris]], they were defending the towers created by the [[Monitor (Mar Novu)|Monitor]]. The [[Anti-Monitor]]'s shadow demon minions touched each one, destroying them.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #3 (1985)</ref>

The re-ordering of the DC Universe resulted in a different ending for the team. In ''The Losers Special'' #1, written by Kanigher and illustrated by Glanzman, the Losers (along with Pooch) died in action during 1945 while destroying a German missile site: Sarge was bayoneted, Captain Storm fell on a grenade, and the remainder were strafed by aircraft bullets. The Special was published during 1985, during the ''Crisis''' initial printing, and remained the definitive ending of the group for several years.<ref>''The Losers Special'' #1 (1985)</ref>

In 2000, a short-lived revival of the ''[[Creature Commandos]]'' resurrected Gunner as a cyborg warrior member of the new team.<ref>''Creature Commandos'' #1-8 (May–December 2000)</ref> Gunner and Sarge are found alive and out of their own time in an issue of ''[[Birds of Prey (team)|Birds of Prey]]'', trapped in a POW camp in the time-fluctuating [[Dinosaur Island (comics)|Dinosaur Island]], now with a "'''Pooch'''" that is a trained ''[[Velociraptor]]''. It is not known if they somehow went back in time to conclude their lives or if this brings them into the present.

In the backup story "Snapshot: Remembrance" in the retrospective mini-series ''DC Universe: Legacies'' #4, set during a reunion on July 4, 1976, it is revealed that the Losers did survive the end of the war. Storm works for the [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Bureau of Disabled Veterans Affairs]], Gunner is a [[veterinarian]] in memory of the now-dead Pooch, Sarge owns a string of [[Filling station|service stations]] along the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]] and Johnny Cloud is a third-term [[United States House of Representatives|congressman]]. The other attendees are [[The Haunted Tank|Jeb Stuart of the Haunted Tank]], Gravedigger, [[Mademoiselle Marie]] and possibly the [[Unknown Soldier (DC Comics)|Unknown Soldier]].<ref>''DC Universe: Legacies'' #4 (October 2010)</ref>

An alternative ending was presented in the out-of-continuity 2004 miniseries ''[[DC: The New Frontier]]''. In it, the group was sent to [[The War that Time Forgot|Dinosaur Island]] during December 1945 to rescue [[Rick Flag]] and important war-time information. Once they go on the island, one by one, they are killed due to the dangers of the island. Gunner is smashed by a ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'', Storm is snatched by flying beasts, Sarge vanishes while trying to kill the same ''T. rex'' and is presumed dead. Pooch is hit by a booby trap set by a marooned Rick Flag. Johnny Cloud, after ensuring Flag can conclude the mission, sacrifices himself in a revenge mission on the same ''T. rex'' by falling down its throat with live hand grenades. Their epitaph, of sorts, was written by Johnny Cloud: "Ask my family and they'll tell you I was a Navajo. Ask the Army Air Force and they'll say I was an American. But if you ask my brothers, they'll set you straight. John Cloud was a Loser".<ref>''[[DC: The New Frontier]]'' #1 (2004)</ref>

== The Losers (Vertigo series) == {{Main|The Losers (Vertigo){{!}}''The Losers'' (Vertigo)}} A new ''The Losers'' series began during 2004, created by writer [[Andy Diggle]] and artist [[Jock (cartoonist)|Jock]] and published under DC's [[Vertigo Comics|Vertigo]] imprint. The new series, set in the present, concerns a team of special forces soldiers who declare war on the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] after their Agency handler tries to assassinate them.<ref name="vert-ency">{{Citation | last = Irvine | first = Alex | author-link = Alexander C. Irvine | contribution = The Losers | editor-last = Dougall | editor-first = Alastair | title = The Vertigo Encyclopedia | pages = 114–115 | publisher = [[Dorling Kindersley]] | place = New York | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-7566-4122-1 | oclc = 213309015}}</ref> It was initially inspired by and intended to be a continuation of the original series, with the unit having survived their final mission and getting back together in the 1950s for a [[caper story]].<ref>Introduction to ''The Losers: Volumes One & Two'' anthology, 2010.</ref>

== Our Fighting Forces #1 (2010 one-shot) == In 2010 DC published five one-shots featuring characters and titles revived from their "classic" war comics line, including ''[[Our Fighting Forces]]'', featuring The Losers. The one-shot was written by [[B. Clay Moore]] and drawn by Chad Hardin and [[Wayne Faucher]]. The story featured the "classic" team of Johnny Cloud, Captain Storm and Gunner & Sarge.

== Other versions == * An alternate timeline version of Gunner appears in the [[Flashpoint (comics)|''Flashpoint'']] tie-in ''Lois Lane and the Resistance'' #2. This version was a member of [[Grifter (character)|Grifter]]'s [[Team 7 (comics)|Team 7]] before they are killed during a botched attack on a terrorist training camp.<ref>''Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance'' #2 (July 2011)</ref> * An alternate universe version of Gunner appears in ''[[E.V.E. Protomecha]]'' (1997). Originally a human soldier, he was converted into a giant robot to stop the titular character from killing three angels who had lived among humans for centuries. However, Gunner disobeys orders and leaves with Eve to see the world.

== Collected editions == * ''The Losers by Jack Kirby'' (collects ''Our Fighting Forces'' #151-162, 240 pages, hardcover, March 2009, {{ISBN|1-4012-2165-3}})<ref name=lbjk>[http://dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=10915 ''The Losers by Jack Kirby'' details] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225110104/http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/graphic_novels/?gn=10915 |date=2009-02-25}} at DC</ref> * ''Showcase Presents: The Losers'' (collects ''G.I. Combat'' #138, ''Our Fighting Forces'' #123-150, 456 pages, softcover, April 2012, {{ISBN|1-4012-3437-2}})

== In other media ==

=== Film === * The original Losers make a cameo appearance in a newspaper photograph in ''[[Justice League: The New Frontier]]''. * The Losers appear in a self-titled [[DC Showcase]] short, consisting of Captain William Storm (voiced by [[Dean Winters]]), Gunner, Sarge (both voiced by [[Dave B. Mitchell]]), Johnny Cloud (voiced by [[Martin Sensmeier]]), and original character Henry "Mile a Minute" Jones (voiced by [[Eugene Byrd]]).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/shorts/wb-slates-four-dc-showcase-animated-shorts-for-2021-22/|title=WB Slates Four 'DC Showcase' Animated Shorts for 2021-22|date=29 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/home-entertainment/trailer-seasons-slayings-begin-in-batman-the-long-halloween/|title = Trailer: Season's Slayings Begin in 'Batman: The Long Halloween'|date = 8 April 2021}}</ref><ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=DC Showcase: The Losers (2021 Short) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/shorts/DC-Showcase-The-Losers/ |access-date=October 27, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> * A time-displaced incarnation of the Losers make a cameo appearance in ''[[Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths|Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part Three]]'', with Captain William Storm voiced again by Dean Winters.

=== Video games === The Losers appear as character summons in ''[[Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure - A look at every character in the game (over 2000!!)| date=25 September 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOQ5aPYkXLU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/dOQ5aPYkXLU |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-09-08}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== See also == * [[Jack Kirby bibliography]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.toonopedia.com/losers.htm ''The Losers''] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240527145552/https://www.webcitation.org/6d5mwEu3E?url=http://www.toonopedia.com/losers.htm Archived] from the original on November 16, 2015. * [http://toonopedia.com/j-cloud.htm Johnny Cloud, Navajo Ace] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20240528000201/https://www.webcitation.org/6lQzIiMcC?url=http://toonopedia.com/j-cloud.htm Archived] from the original on October 21, 2016.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Losers, The}} [[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1969]] [[Category:Characters created by Robert Kanigher]] [[Category:DC Comics teams]] [[Category:Fictional soldiers]] [[Category:DC Comics set during World War II]]